# Did anyone find they needed to increase their klonopin (clonazepam) dose early on?



## lookingforhelp123 (Dec 20, 2015)

TL;DR

Question: did a low dose of klonopin work well, but shortly after did you need to increase it a bit to get the same effects?


0.25mg twice daily of klonopin crushed my brain fog
tried to stop taking them after 6 days
day 8 proved I still needed it, so I restarted
I'm now not getting the same improvement that I initially had at 0.25mg twice daily

Hey everyone,

My primary symptom that I am battling with is constant brain fog/fatigue/lack of concentration secondary to anxiety that started about 2mo ago during my third year of medical school (you can probably now see why these cognitive symptoms are so worrisome for me). At it's worst, I experienced symptoms of derealization, but that was more towards the beginning, and I haven't dealt much with that since.

A little over 2 weeks ago, my primary doctor prescribed me 0.25mg or 0.5mg x 3 as needed--I was taking 0.25mg once in the morning and once at night. And holy shit; I was back to normal in less than 24hrs. I was so happy. I was sharp. I was again capable of abstract thought. I could interview a patient, do a physical exam, and then leave to room to present the patient to my attending without using any notes. I was me.

I did this everyday for about 6 days when I went ahead and tried to skip a morning and evening dose on day 7. By day 8 I was feeling the symptoms again, so I resumed my previous regimen of 0.25mg x2.

However, it didn't really help. I talked to my primary MD about it, and he said, "ya know, you were taking a really low does. Remember, I wrote the script for up to 0.5mg threes times daily, and you were taking 1/3 of that. You could have responded to such a low dose because your body was naive to the medication." He also addressed some of the concerns I had about addition and such (he's a great physician).

So my question to you all isn't "should I increase my dose?" (however all opinions are welcome).

My question more is one to explain your experience with klonopin(clonzepam) and specifically what you've experienced with your dosages.


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## Guest (Dec 20, 2015)

I probably know the most about klonopin out of anyone on this site, and for your own safety, do not increase it. You do not wanna be where I am at this moment, struggling on 5MG a day. Seriously, benzos are over prescribed and your dose will only increase. Try to work with it at the dose that you have now. Simply because, Yes at higher doses it will help you, as it helped me, but there's always going to be dependence and tolerance that are going to rear there ugly head.


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## luctor et emergo (May 22, 2015)

Please do not increase yet. Klonopin is one of the most potent benzo's around. It's rougly 20x! stronger then diazepam / valium. Having been on Klonopin for 7+ years I know what I'm talking about. 
You feel great yes, you updose you feel even better but your whole system is altered for the worse in the long run. Quitting is like entering hell, all the symptons you tried to alleviate will backfire once you start to taper.

2x 0,5 mg per day is the maximum! Doctors think Klonopon is candy, it's not... Klonopin is poison.

After one year I am still suffering from post withdrawal symptoms...


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## aworthycause (Mar 22, 2010)

luctor et emergo said:


> Please do not increase yet. Klonopin is one of the most potent benzo's around. It's rougly 20x! stronger then diazepam / valium. Having been on Klonopin for 7+ years I know what I'm talking about.
> 
> ...
> 
> After one year I am still suffering from post withdrawal symptoms...


Are you talking about 7 years of daily use?


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## luctor et emergo (May 22, 2015)

Yes

I started with 1 mg/d. After 6 months my daily use was 6 mg (when I went to a potential stressfull holiday in Athens). Let this be a warning.


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2015)

Yea Luctor and my Case are quite similar, the only difference is he's off the horrid drug. I'm still on 5mg. Please be very cautious with this drug, if you do any research you'll see that it's harder to withdraw from than any other drug. Wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy


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## luctor et emergo (May 22, 2015)

Agreed with Jeff's last wish and wishing you a safe taper Jeff, you will be benzo free!


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## lookingforhelp123 (Dec 20, 2015)

I get the concern about upping the dosage and potential withdrawal/continued increase, but for the people on here who had resolution of their brain fog with klonopin (clonazepam), were they fine at a low dose to only then continue increasing it?

I ask because I see on here people who are taking 2-3mg daily consistently with results, and im curious how they got to that dose; whether it was out of necessity or because thats what they were started on.


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2015)

Mine wasn't because I was started on that, any doc who starts you on 2mg should get there privates chopped off, mine was out of necessity and tolerance, I only know of one person on this site who has not had to increase there does in many years. For that person Klonopin was her saving grace, however thats 1 out of like 10 million on benzobuddies.org who would swear its the devils drug.


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## masoni09 (Dec 20, 2015)

Dont increase kpin is risky yo


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## lookingforhelp123 (Dec 20, 2015)

Yea, my doctor specifically mentioned it could be that I was naive to the medication.

I just want to reiterate to those here that I'm by no means looking for medical advice about my dosing--just curious if people had the same experience as I did.

I'll be talking with my pMD tomorrow.


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2015)

Yea we basically all had it unfortunately, I used to be like "KLONOPIN IS THE BEST" but the spot i'm at now with it, i'm an advocate against it, exhaust all other options first!


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## lookingforhelp123 (Dec 20, 2015)

Started Lexapro as well. Just about near the end of week 1.

My pMD does not want me on klonopin for the long term. The issue for us is time. I totally understand that everyone has lives, and they need their interruptions resolved as soon as possible, but I'm a third year medical student. There is very little wiggle room in terms of time. You have coincendental breaks (like winter break right now), and maybe you can take a week or two off for medical leave, but after that, it's withdraw for the year to sort your shit out and then start again next year.


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2015)

lookingforhelp123 said:


> Started Lexapro as well. Just about near the end of week 1.
> 
> My pMD does not want me on klonopin for the long term. The issue for us is time. I totally understand that everyone has lives, and they need their interruptions resolved as soon as possible, but I'm a third year medical student. There is very little wiggle room in terms of time. You have coincendental breaks (like winter break right now), and maybe you can take a week or two off for medical leave, but after that, it's withdraw for the year to sort your shit out and then start again next year.


I'm actually in the same boat (kind of) I'm not in medical school but i am in grad school, and time is so limited in between semesters, and I'm forced to start a new AD right now, and wean off the klonopin slowly, and its very scary. Sometimes we just have to take the plunge though I suppose, I can't put it off any longer.


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