Has Anyone Here Taken A Mega Dose Of Klonopin?

[shimmerz]

Isn't 8-10 mg supposed to be the maximum dose per day?

Yes. And that is a HIGH dosage. Not to be taken lightly.

 

[Marymickaela]

Back in 2003 I was taking Klonopin like it was candy. I got upset with H in Sept. and took 3mg and went to bed to escape the pain. Got upset again in October and took something like 6mg. Had a breakdown November 15th after a week from hell at work, plus numerous other stressors and took 56mg of Klonopin, 70mg of Norco and several 5 or 10mg Valium. I didn't want to die, but couldn't go on, the pain was too horrible. I wrote what I took on a piece of paper, called my H who was out shopping with my 6yo granddaughter to ask him to come home and take me to the hospital. At the hospital they misunderstood I had taken an overdose and let me sit for some time in the waiting room, then took us in to talk to a counselor who thought I was there for depression. Probably a couple hours past before we got it thru to her what had happened. I was still sitting and talking. They whisked me to the back where all hell broke loose. They had me drink a charcoal mixture. I drank it and just laid there like a little child. A doctor came in to talk to me and asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital. I numbly nodded yes thinking, "well I did just take a drug overdose". I never at any time passed out and they even had me walk to the ambulance, which was ridiculous as I almost fall.

I am ashamed of that period of my life because of the pain I caused my family. I was suicidal for a couple years, but would have never ever followed thru with it. In 2005 I spent 6 weeks in a partial hospitalization program going from 9am to 3pm every weekday. It saved my life. If you are having thoughts of overdosing you need a therapist who listens to you and understands what you're really going thru.

On a positive note I haven't had suicidal thinking in many many years and have a wonderful psychiatrist and therapist. For many years my doctors wouldn't prescribe me Klonopin, but I am now back on it, up to 4mg at bedtime, but I don't think it really has any effect. My psychiatrist says I've become resistant to all benzos. The one horrible thing about this drug is it's impossible to get off of as you quickly become addicted to it. About 6 months ago I was down to 2mg. Xanax is the worst benzo as far as becoming addicted to it.

Good luck.
Mary

 

[Ocean5]

@Mary thanks for sharing such an honest story. I'm sure it was very hard to do.

The one horrible thing about this drug is it's impossible to get off of as you quickly become addicted to it...

Yes mind/body becomes dependent on it. I thought I was out of worst stages of withdrawals. Didn't realize withdrawals could go on for months, or read years for some. Didn't realize there were stages of withdrawal. Until I ended up taken by ambulance for seizure (never had one before.) Told I had more once I got to hospital. I don't remember...I just remember all the machines they had monitoring me, and IV bags.

New p-doc and primary care doc said I cannot even try to reduce right now (yea I was trying again.) Next time I reduce it will be over a "MUCH GREATER time period." Thanks to advice from people on this forum.

 

[user27357]

thanks Mary. Funny that I see this post so soon after you put it up. I have been sending emails to prospective counselors all morning, guess where we are going to start in?

I am not suicidal during waking moments. I get through every day by being aware that it is not something I am going to do and then I do something else instead of thinking those thoughts.

 

[Marymickaela]

Withdrawals are the worst. There's a benzo website that tells you how to detox off of them. My psychiatrist (pdoc) wants me off the Klonopin and earlier this year initially told me it would be hell but I had to get off. That's really not something one wants to hear (is it?), and he didn't offer a solution to make it easier. I started EMDR therapy in July and go weekly. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself (I think) and I've been in regular talk therapy for over 10 years. Each week's session is draining as it is bringing up so much past trauma it takes me a couple days to recover. Now that my pdoc knows I'm going thru EMDR therapy he hasn't brought up me getting off the Klonopin even thou I told him I've increased it. I'm still trying to decrease the Klonopin.

 

[Queen Boudica]

What is fundamental to understand here is that klonopin is a powerful respiratory suppressant. As are the other benzodiazepines. Start combining them and playing with doses to zone out. You are playing Russian roulette. Yer you maybe get away with it. But you are affecting your organs and maybe one day, you take something else, like I suspect my sister may have been given a morphine drug (NEVER combine that with benzodiazepines) and she ended up dead. She had her stomach pumped out many times before. None of the pills in her system were at levels that could kill. But combined them and maybe you're heart is not as good as you think, or liver and wham, fatal dose. Just saying. You need to see a doctor

 

[Justmehere]

Drugging yourself up to escape means developing all the new problems that come with that, like increasing depression and anxiety, and is likely to continue to fuel your despair and desire to escape again, and not to face the really difficult and real problems in life like you want to be able to do.

Using meds like you are and seeking to use more powerful things is likely to be chemically fueling your depression, and sense of despair, not helping it. Same with anxiety.

Your therapist actually doesn't seem to understand radical acceptance and nor do you. Radical acceptance is not giving up and not changing anything in life. I used to think that's what radical acceptance was and I balked at it as well. Just "accepting" things as they are and doing nothing about them is learned helplessness.

Check out the book, "Wherever You Go, There You Are." My therapist gave this to me and it dramatically changed my understanding of radical acceptance. It became a tool that helped me work for change in my life much more effectively.

It also became a lot easier to change things at work and elsewhere as I processed the trauma through emdr and somatic experiencing, and less on trying to fix all the circumstances of my life.

Your therapists advice was crappy, and it makes a lot of sense why you wanted to escape. Her advice was one of escaping and running from problems rather than working on the riot issues behind them. In the end, all the problems will come back, and usually worse.

I'm really glad you have emailed new therapists and suggest you think of looking for one that works with addiction, even if you don't have a full blown addiction. I have found that trauma therapists with some experience with addiction tend to have a lot of understanding about the pull to escape problems, to run from them, and how much that doesn't work (like divorcing your wife and moving away) and how to instead face them in ways that are not overwhelming but actually doable.

 

[deer_in_headlights]

One of my trauma therapists gave me Tara Brach's book, "Radical Acceptance".
It is a beautiful piece of writing that can be very helpful.
The description and reviews below might be helpful in describing what this concept is about:


Dead Link Removed

I took myself off of Klonopin (2001) due to side-effects. 14 years later, I still have impairments caused by the drug. It's not something to be used for a mind rest. With your liver issues, I think you're flirting with serious self-harm. Please, please don't use Klonopin like this. If you can continue therapy with a good trauma therapist, you can learn and put into practice the tools you need to bring you the relief you seek.

With deep concern and caring,
Deer

 

[Ocean5]

@Justmehere @deer_in_headlights I added both books recommended to my reading list. Downloaded one as audio book just now. Thank you.

I still have impairments caused by the drug.

I tried to find a way to contact you privately, but care to share impairments? If you feel comfortable that is. Or send me private conversation.

It seems Klonopin is making my memory loss so much worse... worried about long term....

 

[deer_in_headlights]

Dear @Ocean5,

I think you'll really like both books, they're both so encouraging, with wonderful wisdom that helps ease life's sufferings:hug:

Yes, I can try to share some of the impairments. It's a bit difficult, and I'm about to travel, so will try to reply later, during the day. Please don't be fearful, I just hope you can wean safely off it, soon.:hug:

 

[Ocean5]

@Link Removed No rush. And we can find a way to private message if you don't want it public. I tried listening to "Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm" by Thich Nhat Hanh. But it became too much at the time. Although I think in future it will help me.

Thank you for support! Enjoy your travels.