looking for support

[[al...]]

looking for withdrawal support and taper advice

 

klonopin

 

8 years

 

current dose: 1/4mg taper from 2mg/day

 

started taper 6 months ago with set backs

 

I am having a lot of difficulty with the withdrawal symptoms (mostly sleep disturbances)

[[Ch...]]

Hi aldomon11 and welcome to the forum.

 

Sleep disturbances or insomnia are common symptoms in benzodiazepine withdrawal.  They'll correct themselves with time, but most if not all of us have experienced some degree of insomnia.  But I know in the meantime sleep problems are aggravating.

 

Let me give you some links to get you started on the boards.  Here's one for General Taper Plans and another for  Klonopin Support. 

 

It helps to include your benzodiazepine information in your posts.  To make that easier by adding it to each post automatically, you can go up to Profile, choose Forum Profile, write the information in the text box and click Change Profile.

 

Glad you're here. 

 

Challis 

[[De...]]

Hello aldomon11,

 

Welcome to the forum from me too 

 

Congratulations on your taper so far, you've done very well!

 

The lower doses can be more challenging for many members, I know they were for me and many of us need to slow down our taper rates at this stage to ensure that the withdrawal effects are kept minimised. How fast are you tapering? General tapering guidelines are to reduce the daily dosage by no more than 10% of the current dosage every 10 to 14 days but as I said this rate is often too fast when one reaches the lower doses, listening to how your body reacts to the cuts is a good guide with benzo tapering, if you're feeling too symptomatic it is usually an indication that you are tapering too quickly.

 

As Challis said, sleep problems are a common withdrawal effect, my sleep was very disturbed when I was tapering and I know this is a problem for many other members here. Normal sleep will reassert itself once you are free from the drug and beginning to recover. I will give you a link to The Insomnia Board here, there are some good tips and recommendations for dealing with sleep isses :

 

 

 

Here also is a link to The Withdrawal Support Board where you can post for symptom support and feedback :

 

 

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=145.0

 

 

 

Are you familiar with The Ashton Manual? I will put a link here for you, it is an excellent resource on benzodiazepines and how to withdraw :

 

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

 

I'm glad you found us and I wish you success with the taper.

 

Debbie

[[al...]]

Hi,

 

Yes, I am familiar with the ashon manual. I had no idea that benzo w/d would be difficult. I currently have 1 mg pills. I go to my p doc in a couple weeks, I will ask for a smaller done pill then. I should be ready to make another cut around that time.

 

Thanks for the support!

 

Aldomon