I'm starting and have some issues and questions.

[[ba...]]

I have been prescribed 0.5 mg of Klonopin twice a day for anxiety and panic attacks.  I have been taking this for a little over a year.  I was told to take it daily or if I didn't feel like I needed it to not take it.  Either way I would be fine.  It does help with anxiety, but I do think that it is causing some negative symptoms after all of this time.  In the time that I have been taking this medication there have been days when I skipped doses due to just not feeling like I needed it.

 

With all of that being said, yesterday I took 1 0.5 mg tablet to help ease my normal anxiety.  Today I went all day without taking any Klonopin up until now.  I went well over 24 hours straight without any tablets and have been feeling very strange.  I suppose this is to be expected, but I did not think that not taking this would be this bad.  I have experienced weird muscle tightness all over my body, very bad sweating, and overall just feeling foggy.  I went ahead and took 1 of the 0.5 mg tablets to hopefully give me some relief.

 

This is nuts.  I didn't think this would be so hard.  I was relieved when the docs gave me these and they finally helped cure most of my panic attacks.  Now i'm scared to death.  I have some new and stressful life events coming up in a few weeks and I am very afraid won't be able to manage while doing this. 

 

Maybe I should go slower.

[[Sh...]]

It sounds like you're in need of a tapering plan. Going back & forth is probably doing you more harm than good. There are a lot of people on here with first-hand knowledge on tapering Klonopin; I'm sure you can find the guidance you need. Good luck!

[[ba...]]

Thanks for the reply.  I have been reading different topics around the board and trying to get a feel for everything.  I know after taking my 0.5 dose this evening I felt an extreme rush of anxiety almost to the point of panic, and then it subsided.  Now I feel better.  Tired and weak but better.

 

I talked to a nurse briefly today and they said it was safe to cut my dose 0.125 every 3 days until I am off of it.  Of course she suggested talking to a Doctor first.  I will be doing that soon.  Cutting back a quarter of a tablet every 3 days does seem fast.

 

I'm going to show my Doc this Dr. Ashton book and see what they think.  I'm still learning.

[[Fr...]]

baseline,

 

Hello.

 

A cut like that every three days is a bit fast, in my opinion. We'll see what others think. I, too, was mostly compliant on a low dose (X for me) and in panicky situations I took more--maybe that would last a few days to a week--then drop back to my normal daily dose. It was during one of those periods that I started to feel like I was in withdrawal. I decided then that I'd either have to start taking more (because I was in tolerance withdrawal - meaning that I'd need more for the same effect or have my body struggle with wanting more) or stop. I didn't want to take more. I knew I couldn't stop cold-turkey but also knew my doctor--great as he is--wouldn't understand anything beyond "You're not taking a therapeutic dose, so you shouldn't have any problem."  However, that below therapeutic dose worked wonders from panic and anxiety, so stopping wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. And yes, like you, I found it a lifesaver at the time and remained so for quite some time. But all good things must end. Especially when they stop being a good thing. I do wish I had followed-through with proper psychology on how to deal with panic and anxiety by meditating, deep breathing or whatever else might work. Will do now.

 

You'd have to search the taper plans on this site, but I used dry-cutting and tried to hold for two weeks between.  I hope to be able to jump (quit) next Friday.

[[ba...]]

Thanks for the reply, and I wish you luck.  Maybe the nurse I talked to meant 3 weeks instead of 3 days.  Like I said, i'm going to run all of this by my doctor.  I've already started preparing my family for possible withdraw effects. 

 

It is so nice to know there are others out there that can help with these things.  I thank you all for the support.

 

[[Cl...]]

Hi, I wish the best for you During your taper, I am glad  to hear that you are going to get help from your doctor, mine is very supporive, but he insists on prescribing me other meds...so I look for the prescribed meds in here, or ask to BBs or I googled them...as most the meds he prescribes are either agonist or antagonist, I do not even buy them in the pharmacy shop.

You are going to be alright, just plan a safe taper.

 

[[be...]]

I have been prescribed 0.5 mg of Klonopin twice a day for anxiety and panic attacks.  I have been taking this for a little over a year.  I was told to take it daily or if I didn't feel like I needed it to not take it.  Either way I would be fine.  It does help with anxiety, but I do think that it is causing some negative symptoms after all of this time.  In the time that I have been taking this medication there have been days when I skipped doses due to just not feeling like I needed it.

 

With all of that being said, yesterday I took 1 0.5 mg tablet to help ease my normal anxiety.  Today I went all day without taking any Klonopin up until now.  I went well over 24 hours straight without any tablets and have been feeling very strange.  I suppose this is to be expected, but I did not think that not taking this would be this bad.  I have experienced weird muscle tightness all over my body, very bad sweating, and overall just feeling foggy.  I went ahead and took 1 of the 0.5 mg tablets to hopefully give me some relief.

 

This is nuts.  I didn't think this would be so hard.  I was relieved when the docs gave me these and they finally helped cure most of my panic attacks.  Now i'm scared to death.  I have some new and stressful life events coming up in a few weeks and I am very afraid won't be able to manage while doing this. 

 

Maybe I should go slower.

 

I agree that you need to go slower. The recommended reduction rate is 5 to 10 percent every two weeks. One can always adjust fast or slower from there. You feel horribly because  you went 24 hours without a dose. Once you start your taper I recommend being consistent with your doses and take them at the same time. Do not take them as a as need basis. I think you got a taste of what withdrawal was like when you went the 24 hours. I think this is especially important with your upcoming events.

[[ba...]]

I only took 0.5 mg total yesterday, and slept pretty good last night.  I woke up and seemed to be feeling some bad anxiety symptoms.  I went ahead and took my medications as prescribed when I got up.  I have just been feeling an overwhelming urge to sleep all day.  I still feel anxious even after taking my normal morning dose of 0.5 mg.  I feel better, just not 100%.  It may also be the time of year, holiday stress, and other things going on that have me worn down.

 

I am still working on the right plan.  I'm a bit unsure of how I can cut these tablets into such small pieces and get an accurate dose.  I have the teva brand tablets and have been reading they are not the most consistent in their mixture.  I did find a few pharmacies that will do compounding, but i'm still not sure what i'm asking them to do.  Will they make me a liquid, or powder that I measure out myself?  Can they make me capsules in specific doses?

[[ba...]]

I found a pharmacist that really seems to understand this whole process.  He said this will be a 4 month or longer process and he can certainly make me smaller doses to help the process.  This gives me some more hope.

[[be...]]

Thanks for the reply.  I have been reading different topics around the board and trying to get a feel for everything.  I know after taking my 0.5 dose this evening I felt an extreme rush of anxiety almost to the point of panic, and then it subsided.  Now I feel better.  Tired and weak but better.

 

I talked to a nurse briefly today and they said it was safe to cut my dose 0.125 every 3 days until I am off of it.  Of course she suggested talking to a Doctor first.  I will be doing that soon.  Cutting back a quarter of a tablet every 3 days does seem fast.

 

I'm going to show my Doc this Dr. Ashton book and see what they think.  I'm still learning.

 

IMHO, That's way too fast a drop. I think you'll pay for it down the road. I drop my kpin 5% every two weeks religiously and I am doing just fine. Bets

[[Ne...]]

What is frustrating is my brother stopped 1MG of K c/t after using it for months.  No withdrawals at all.  None.  Zip.  Zero.  I wish I had his luck.

[[ba...]]

It's good to know that there is hope.  I have heard some people can cold turkey off of K, but it's best to gradually taper.  I really hope I can do this.