Suggest Ways To Manage Withdrawal Symptoms Of Clonazepam

Posted on Mon, 25 May 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 25 May 2015 Answered on

Mon, 15 Jun 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been taking 3 mg of clonazepam for 15 years for panic attacks and insomnia from fibromyalgia and Trigeminal neuralgia. I have been a compliant, as they say, patient. Was even going to an addiction medicine doc to start tapering them because I just found out how truly dangerous they are.
3 days ago I ran out of clonazepam for the first I've in the 15 years I've been taking it. Turns out my husband filled a prescription early and for some reason the pharmacy let him. But my PCP will NOT and I mean NOT give me one more clonazepam ever. She said I took something crazy like 310 pills in a month. But she's putting the last 2 months plus the extra prescription in there. She has never liked me and this has given her an excuse to literally laugh at me in the phone about her not helping until I can at least find a new doc or get to a detox center if that's what she wants. It's frankly, utterly insulting and ridiculous. Is this patient abandonment? AND MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY....

I am so far not reacting terribly badly to the withdrawals, but they are starting to increase including my first bout of vomiting and complete insomnia and restlessness. But I am more scared of a seizure. Should I go to the ER? Will they just listen to my doc and turn me away too? I don't want to die but everything online is so scary. Please help.
Thanks you,
XXXXXXX I am a 53 yr female

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
go to Emergency Department

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
It is possible to die from klonopin withdrawal. If you are already going into withdrawals then you need to go to Emergency now.
I do no know what to say about your doctor, except that you need to find a new one. But this can not wait, you need to be seen right away and get enough medication to taper you off or get referred to a detox center. The quickest and safest way to do that is to go to Emergency.
Please go now
Dr. Robinson

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (22 minutes later)

ok I get the urgency but i'm wondering since I take fioricet for migraines and it has a barbiturate in it; since one of the anti-seizure things they might give me in ER is phenobarbital.

Am I helping or hurting myself? And does mitigate any risk of seizure? The hospital is an hour away.

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
fioricet will not help

Detailed Answer:
Benzodiazpines like klonopin are in an entirely different class of drugs from the barbiturates. Barbiturates will not help in this situation. You really will need a detox with something in the benzodiazpine class of medications. I really suggest that you go to emergency right away
K. Robinson MD

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Kathy Robinson (14 hours later)

Hello,
Went to ER. Doc agreed with you, I should have gone in day one without meds. Oh well. I just want to thank you for being so diligent in pressing the matter. I'm glad I went and have new leads for better doctors who won't hang me out to dry and forget about me; or worse, do harm.

Peace and again, thank you for your help. Your repsonse was the deciding factor that got me to the ER. Well done!!!!!!!

Sincerely, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
so glad to hear that

Detailed Answer:
Thank you so much for letting me know. I know that you were in a terrible position. I am so sorry that you had such a bad experience with your doctor.
K. Robinson MD

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar