I wouldn't stop meds as you sensibly say without doctor's say so, but you are doing the right thing. Get advice.

MattieMae, I’m sorry to hear you are struggling! I am also on a benzo (Ativan) and can tell you that sometimes they stop working and 20 years is a long time to be on a benzo. The good news is, with your dr’s approval, you can slowly start a taper schedule and slowly come off the benzo. Are you still sleeping okay?

- Emma

Thanks Sherlock. Will definitely talk to my dr.
Emma,
I still am not sleeping well. I take a little melatonin and I mean little and then CBD. Doesn’t really seem to be helping. The melatonin puts me to sleep but I don’t stay asleep. Now with the clonazepam causing problems it’s been a tough couple nights.
Hope you are doing well.

I am just surprised it’s now giving you anxiety as it has worked for 20 years. I’m almost wondering if it has just stopped working and your anxiety is creeping up during the time you would normally be calm from the med. I do know that the body does become accustomed to benzos and sometimes we need to up the dose to get the same result, unfortunately. I am in the same boat as you, I can fall asleep but don’t stay asleep and toss and turn most of the night. Insomnia and anxiety really stink! I hope you find relief soon - Emma

I'm sorry your anxiety has been getting worse. Clonazepam wouldn't start giving you anxiety after 20 years, Was this a new refill (new bottle of it?) because occasionally, there are differences in the generic kind of it.

If anything, your pdoc might want you to increase the Clonazepam. I was taking 2 mgs per night and it really helped my anxiety at nights, and I slept well from that dose. But, ask your pdoc what they think. After a long while, your body gets used to a dose and sometimes it needs to be increased. .5 is a very small amount, so you might need more than that.

I am thinking there is something else going on in your life that is giving you more anxious thoughts. I don't think this is from the Clonazepam. That's where therapy will help you.

For me, Clonazepam (Klonopin) worked really well for anxiety. Good luck with the phone calls. You are doing the right thing by asking your doctor about it. Take the same dose until you talk to your doctor about this. Let us know how it goes.

Emma,
I am also wondering if it just isn’t working as well anymore. I have taken higher doses over the years. I just want off of it. It is just so scary when you read what can happen when you go off. And the truth is I am even scared to take it tonight due to the anxiety it is going to cause. The thought of anxiety is causing me anxiety. Ugh!!! I have been on Ativan too but clonazepam is suppose to last longer. How much are you on? Thanks and hope you get some better sleep also.

GirlinCalif,
The clonazepam worked so well for me for so many years!! I just hate this! I am scared to even take it again. I have been taking it during the night to help me get back to sleep when I wake up so early and help with the morning anxiety.. But now I take it and it just adds anxiety no more sleep.
I do have things going on that are causing me more anxiety but I still think it’s the clonazepam. I’m pretty sure my dr will also tell me it’s not the pill. I’m just going to tell her I want to get off of it.
I am so hoping therapy will help and I can get answers to where this is all coming from.
Thanks and I will keep you posted on what happens.

Do you take it every day/night? Because you need to keep taking your regular dose until you discuss with your doctor.

Hmmm. Have you been taking different doses lately? For example, taking more one day and less the next day, etc. That could cause anxiety. And do you take it at the same time every day? All of these little differences could cause you to feel some anxiety in your body, even though anxiety is more of a "mind thing".

If you're taking the same amount as always, then I am thinking it is something else going on in your life (stressful situation, worrying about something, etc) that is the cause of the anxiety.

May I ask why you would want to stop taking it? If you feel it is not working anymore after 20 years, that's probably because .5 is a tiny dose and you might actually need to take more. Like I said, I was taking 2 mgs a night for over 20 years and it really helped with anxiety and sleep. But, I couldn't take Clonazepam during the day, even a tiny dose of it, or I would feel weird, sleepy. But at night, was really good and calmed me.

You know you best. Wishing you good luck with the phone call and I hope they can figure all of this out for you. Hang in there. You're going to be okay.

Thanks GirlinCalif,
The anxiety changed about a week ago. I was taking .75 and was getting anxious so I cut it down to .5 thinking it would help. But I still feel the same way. I’m scared to take the .75 again. I was taking it at approx the same time every night. Between 2:30 and 3:30 am. What do you think? I know I have to talk to my dr but sometimes people that use it have more knowledge of the meds than the docs do.
When it was working well for me I was taking .5 at night and .5 in the morning. I just hate all of this! Thanks

One thing I did not mention is I started taking magnesium probably 3 days before the clonazepam wasn’t helping my anxiety. Do you think that could have an effect on the clonazepam?

I doubt magnesium has any interactions. But, ask your doctor about that. I take a lot of vitamins, including extra magnesium, but what I do is take the vitamins in the morning, and take anxiety meds later on (wait two hours or more to take anxiety meds).

But I really don't think magnesium would affect how you feel at all. Or affect how Clonazepam works at all. Again, ask your doctor on that to make sure.

Hmmmm. I am thinking when you changed it from .75 to .50, that is when you felt worse/more anxious. Because you were taking less. Almost a withdrawal effect these past few days, from coming down a quarter of a milligram.

If the .5 morning and .5 night was working the best for you, why not stick with that?

I found that changing the Clonazepam doses around would definitely affect how I felt the next day. It's really best to take the same dose each day, and at the same time of day if possible.

I would suggest take the same dose, each day (or night) that works best for you. It sounds to me that when you went down to .5 once at night, then you started feeling withdrawal anxiety in your body, and that is the anxiety you are feeling, (a withdrawal anxiety). Clonazepam is really sensitive. Even a 1/4 of a milligram difference, you will feel it.

Take your usual dose tonight. Don't be scared of it. Skipping it would make you feel way worse. Then call your pdoc tomorrow. Let us know. You'll be okay!

MattieMae, I hope you got some sleep last night. I agree with Girlincalif that your anti-anxiety med is not the culprit. Are you still taking the CBD sleep med at night? I do know that valerian root can cause anxiety (it did for me) so I stopped using it. I am taking 1.5 mgs of Ativan for sleep and it gets me to sleep decently but not perfectly. But hey, I’m not complaining! I usually head to bed at 9 and fall asleep at 9:30/10:00 and wake at 2:30-3:30 then take my 2nd melatonin. It’s usually a rocky road of sleep after that. I would talk with your dr. about your options. Maybe switching to Ativan could work for you? I am more concerned about sleeping well then having to take benzos. Sleep is so important and we struggle. I’m sorry your dealing with anxiety. Big hugs

I've been on klonopin and was on it for years and had to wean off of it soooooo slowly--as you lessen the dose you will have some kickback anxiety--and it can cause you palpitations so DON'T go cold turkey, whatever you do--you can seriously cause a heart attack. I do take it now-intermittently--but it doesn't have the same effect as when I first was taking it--I built up some kind of tolerance-and not taking it for years did nothing to change that.

Thank you all for your ideas and suggestions. Last night I didn’t take my magnesium and I upped the clonazepam back to the .75 I was on last week. I took my CBD and melatonin at 10 and at 10:30 I took the clonazepam. I slept! Woke up during the night and took the rest of the melatonin and slept till 6!! I am hoping it wasn’t just a one night deal. I only take a little over a quarter of 3mg melatonin pill total at night. Since last night went well I didn’t call my dr today. I hope tonight brings good rest again.

That’s great news MattieMae! I hope you have many nights sleeping well and you can put this anxiety behind you!