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Sleep Apnea & Klonopin Withdrawal

Posted by Nightmare Zombie on March 14, 2007 at 09:38:41:

Hello! I haven't been here for quite a while and thought my sleep problems were solved.

I was diagnosed in 1998 and at first used a CPAP machine. After about 2 years, my asthma became worse, and I was switched to a Bi-Pap machine. All went well until a couple months ago.

My doctor prescribed a new medicine for my Periodic Limb Movement Symptom and told me to taper slowly (no specific instructions) off the previous medicine prescribed for it.

I had been taking 6mg of Klonopin for 7 years for the PLMS. It turns out that this is one HORRIBLY addictive drug - something I was totally unaware of. I have been using a very weak liquid Klonopin and reducing my dosage each day by a very small amount (.2ml). This is meant to spare me the terrible, painful withdrawal symptoms you can get. This drug affects all areas of your brain and can cause mental, emotional and motor skills problems.

Sleep is also one of the things benzodiazepine withdrawal can affect. I'm now very sleepy during the day again, even with a full night's sleep. Has anyone else here ever had this strange combination of these two problems? Just as an opinion - do you think I will need to get my BiPap's pressures adjusted?

This is a hypothetical question only. I cannot talk to my doctors about it, because they really don't know how differently these drugs need to be tapered compared to other narcotics.

Sorry for the strange question. I just thought that maybe this forum, with the size it is, might have some member who has experienced this.

If you're "out there", please reply! Thank you.

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  • Sleep Deprivation due to Sleep Apnea and insufficient sleep are common and can present as insomnia, narcolepsy, or idiopathic hypersomnia. In infants and children sleep problems commonly present themselves as ADD or ADHD.


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