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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can I Stop Taking Clonazepam If Suffering From Seizures?

Hey Doc....I have been on Clonazapam for 14 yrs....I was on 1 mg and my new Dr. had me in the hospital because he realized at a seizure patient it might not be the right thing for me. I got down to .5 mg but getting off it at this point I can t sleep and my heart is racing when I try. we think now the seizures were caused by the medication but how do I get off of it? Neurologigist are impossible to get in contact with but I am if I have to I will call him.
Wed, 29 Jul 2015
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Neurologist,  's  Response
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

Clonazepam is a drug which is actually widely used to treat seizures. It is not a drug which cause seizures so I do not think it was the cause in your case. I believe your new doctor didn't mean that it caused seizures either, but that it is not the most appropriate for you. On that he might be right, it is not a first line drug only as an addition to other drugs when they are not effective enough.
Also in the long run it causes tolerance, meaning the same dose is not enough anymore, and dependance. So your current symptoms are due to dependance, withdrawal symptoms. There is no perfect way to get off of the drug, only thing to be done is make the process as gradual as possible, reduce the dose gradually over many weeks.

I hope you will feel better soon.
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How Can I Stop Taking Clonazepam If Suffering From Seizures?

I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. Clonazepam is a drug which is actually widely used to treat seizures. It is not a drug which cause seizures so I do not think it was the cause in your case. I believe your new doctor didn t mean that it caused seizures either, but that it is not the most appropriate for you. On that he might be right, it is not a first line drug only as an addition to other drugs when they are not effective enough. Also in the long run it causes tolerance, meaning the same dose is not enough anymore, and dependance. So your current symptoms are due to dependance, withdrawal symptoms. There is no perfect way to get off of the drug, only thing to be done is make the process as gradual as possible, reduce the dose gradually over many weeks. I hope you will feel better soon.