Slow Taper Plans

When planning my taper I found certain 'shortcomings' in Ashton's schedules.

One is that the majority of her schedules which start at 30mg diazepam equivalent do not match up.

To address such issues I devised 4 schedules of my own based on her 10% 'rule'.

DISCLAIMER

I am not a doctor; my only qualification is experience.

Guidelines:

1. Stages where no withdrawal occurs could probably be taken at weekly intervals.

2. Later stages should probably be taken in 2 week intervals.

Schedule 1. Direct taper from diazepam 30mg/day

            Morning    Afternoon    Night

Stage 00    10mg        10mg      10mg

Stage 01    10mg        8mg      10mg

Stage 02    10mg        6mg      10mg

Stage 03      8mg        6mg      10mg

Stage 04    10mg        2mg      10mg

Stage 05    10mg          -        10mg

Stage 06      8mg          -        10mg

Stage 07      6mg          -        10mg

Stage 08      4mg          -        10mg

Stage 09    2.5mg        -        10mg

Stage 10      1mg          -        10mg

Stage 11      -          -        10mg

Note: Continue reducing diazepam by 1mg.

Schedule 2. Direct taper from clonazepam 1.5mg/day

            Morning    Afternoon    Night

Stage 00    .5mg        .5mg      .5mg

Stage 01    .5mg      .375mg      .5mg

Stage 02    .375mg      .375mg      .5mg

Stage 03    .375mg      .375mg      .375mg

Stage 04    .375mg      .25mg      .375mg

Stage 05    .25mg      .25mg      .375mg

Stage 06    .25mg      .25mg      .25mg

Stage 07    .25mg      .1875mg    .25mg

Stage 08    .1875mg    .1875mg    .25mg

Stage 09    .1875mg    .1875mg    .1875mg

Stage 10    .1875mg    .125mg      .1875mg

Stage 11    .125mg      .125mg      .1875mg

Stage 12    .125mg      .125mg      .125mg

Stage 13    .125mg      .0625mg    .125mg

Stage 14    .0625mg    .0625mg    .125mg

Stage 15    .0625mg    .0625mg    .0625mg

Stage 16    .0625mg        -        .0625mg

Stage 17      -          -        .0625mg

Stage 18      -          -          -

Note: Clonazepam is long-acting so one could probably manage without substitution.

Schedule 3. Withdrawal from lorazepam 3mg/day (3mg lorazepam = 1.5mg alprazolam/clonazepam)

Note: Lorazepam is intermediate-acting so one could possibly manage without substitution.

Schedule 4. Substitution taper from alprazolam 2mg/day

            Morning    Midday    Afternoon    Night

Stage 00    0.5mg      0.5mg        0.5mg      0.5mg

Stage 01    0.5mg      0.5mg        0.5mg    (0.25+5)mg

Stage 02    0.5mg    (0.25+5)mg    0.5mg    (0.25+5)mg

Stage 03  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg    0.5mg    (0.25+5)mg

Stage 04  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg

Stage 05  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg  (0.25+5)mg  10mg

Stage 06  (0.25+5)mg    10mg      (0.25+5)mg  10mg

Stage 07  (0.25+5)mg    10mg        10mg      10mg

Stage 08    10mg        10mg        10mg      10mg

Stage 09    10mg        5mg        10mg      10mg

Stage 10    10mg        -          10mg      10mg

Notes:

1. Alprazolam is short-acting so substitution might be helpful.

2. Disregard the Midday column if starting from 1.5mg/day.

3. Continue as on Schedule 1.