Am I close enough to jump? What would you do?

[[mo...]]

Hi all, please see my signature.

 

I'm at 6-1/2 months since switching over from Xanax to Clonazepam and have been tapering since summer.

 

I am at .063 mg daily (.0313 mg morning & .0313 mg nightly).  I've been debating when to jump. 

 

So far, I have not had issues with sleep.  I'd like to eliminate the night-time dose and see if this continues.  I've never had insomnia, I was put on benzos for suspected anxiety (I think I had some trauma from seeing my toddler daughter have a bad aspiration-pneumonia episode back in January), which then mutated into panic attacks while ON the wonder-drug benzos 

 

I told my psychiatrist (after 35 years of just a regular PCP, I picked up a psychiatrist, psychologist, AND a neurologist this year! Oh joy!) that I would like to jump at .0313 mg.  She is on-board with that, though like most, figured I should have jumped months ago....but understands about this site and is very flexible for me.

 

Anyway, I'm debating if I should cut my .0313 mg night dose in half or just eliminate it tonight, see what happens for the next week....then decide if I need to cut my morning dose of .0313 mg or just jump from there in a few weeks.

 

For those who have jumped already....do you think it's better to jump from a dose like .063 mg daily, than to cut that by something as high as 50% and jump at a lower dosage?  I know 5-10% cuts is what Ashton recommends.  My last cut was .0156 mg off of .078 mg daily, which would have been about 20%.  On my 5th day off I had a spike in anxiety, but otherwise, my side effects are frustrating, but manageable...I work full-time, ride my motorcycle, play with my daughter, etc...

 

I'm falling in that middle ground of being on these long enough to reach tolerance, but yet I haven't been on them for years like some other unfortunate buddies.  Just trying to be cautious without dragging things out longer than necessary either.  I know slower is generally better.  I feel for everyone going through this, wish you luck, and hope you all heal soon!

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks,

 

moto joe

[[gr...]]

Joe, im a little higher in mg then u and ill be jumping off this Friday. Ive been tapering for 9 months now.

[[mo...]]

Thanks, groovejuice!

 

Good luck in jumping!  I'm interested to see how it goes for you!  I didn't take my evening pill last night, so that puts me from .063 mg daily to .031 mg.  I'll see how this goes, then hopefully jump from .031 mg in another week or two.

 

moto joe

[[th...]]

Joe, im a little higher in mg then u and ill be jumping off this Friday. Ive been tapering for 9 months now.

 

 

Woohoo!!!!! Lead the way buddie!!!

 

G

[[be...]]

Joe, im a little higher in mg then u and ill be jumping off this Friday. Ive been tapering for 9 months now.

 

 

Woohoo!!!!! Lead the way buddie!!!

 

G

 

G:

 

I couldn't resist so I looked up woo hoo in the dictionary: "Used to express exuberant delight or approval." Right on lady!

[[al...]]

I would drop the morning dose.....see how it goes and then drop the evening dose a few weeks later.  I jumped from  of 0.0625mg clonazepam and it was completely anticlimactic. I didn't get hit with symptoms until 2 weeks out. But they weren't bad enough to jump back on and try again. I am not sure how you could cut any smaller than what you have? That's pretty small.....Bama.xo Good luck!

[[mo...]]

alabamawerle,

 

Thank you.  For me, my symptoms are always worst mid-morning to early afternoon (when I'm at work of course).  My psych. doctor doesn't think this small dose is doing anything for anxiety (which is good in a way, as I only had full-blown panic attacks back when I was on the Xanax like 7+ months ago, I've never really had much anxiety at all pre-benzo).  So, I don't know if my morning dose is helping or just making me feel worse at this point.  I eliminated the night-dose on Monday, because thankfully, sleep hasn't been the issue and if I needed any sort of coverage from anxiety, it would need to come from the morning dose. 

 

What kind of symptoms did you get 2 weeks post-jump?

 

I am going to see what happens this week....just take the .031 mg in the morning (I've been taking it later though, like 11 a.m.) and if all goes well, I'll jump from that next Monday.

 

Migraines seem to be making the big picture a bit more muddy....but, I am getting better at recognizing weird migraine symptoms and staying calm about it, versus worrying that it's something life threatening!

 

Thanks,

 

moto joe

[[al...]]

I got a lot of brain zaps. I become very emotional and cry at the simplest of things. I had an entire week of fatigue where I just went to bed and watched movies completely zapped and vod of any energy. And my stomach, which was bad before became unmangeable and I had to take some pain killers. But I am still functioning, getting on with it and doing my best...being at work (or in my case I went back to college/internship as a mature student) and working at 50% my ability is better than being at home and being 100% in the company of my discomfort all day and nothing else. If I can move around and have even a bit of energy, I do. I find it better to distract then to focus on my pain. However there are times like last week where there wasn;t even the energy to move around for 5 whole days. I just slept and watched movies. My brain repaired itself and I woke up with energy today. I have no idea how long it will  last but I am going to enjoy it while it is here....

 

Hang in there...........Post withdrawal lasts for quite some time so just knowing that makes it easier to get through...knowing ther eis an end eventually.

 

 

[[mo...]]

I didn't take my night-time dose this past Sunday.  Felt good Monday and Tuesday, then like crap Wednesday and Thursday...now I'm having one of the worst migraines I've ever had.  Knocked me out for most of the day.  Still feel crappy, but good enough to try to get a quick post on.  I think part of why I've felt like crap the last few days is because of pre-migraine symptoms building up (fatigue, tingles/muscle twitches, etc...)

 

Not sure if the cut had anything to do with this or not.  So now I am down to .031 mg of Clonazepam/Klonopin and will probably jump from this point when I start to feel better.

 

How ya feeling, GrooveJuice?  Hope things are going well...

 

moto joe

 

[[gr...]]

I would for sure jump Joe. Thats low in my opinion. Its too soon for me to say anything negative or positive yet.

Im going on 48 hrs though so it will soon tell the tale.

 

I do have some increased dizzyness, and fatigue, but im always fatigued so its hard to tell if its the jump or not.

 

[[mo...]]

Thanks, Groovejuice,

 

I'm starting to wonder if I'm having more issues with migraines rather than withdrawal symptoms.  All of this is difficult because a lot of symptoms overlap each other!  This migraine came on like a beast...probably the worst head pain I've ever had, but then left in only a few hours...usually it knocks me out for the whole day! 

 

moto joe

[[gr...]]

I have had a few of them. Especially if i eat too much sugar. I dont know why but it has happened a few times so i had to really watch it.

[[mo...]]

Groovejuice,

 

If I may ask....you've jumped from the Klonopin, but according to your signature, you still take Gabapentin?  Was that to help ease the taper or for something else?

 

Just curious, as I only have clonazepam and am jumping from a dry cut, no liquid titration or anything like others have done.  But I've "only" been on benzos for about 8 months...

 

thanks,

 

moto joe