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Is it taking anyone several years to get off of Clonazepam?


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I have been on Clonazepam for about 14 years. I started my journey of getting off of this medication in April 2016 at a total of 1.0 mg split between morning and night. I made it to less than 0.5mg by August 2016 and crashed hard. It was horrible. So I had to go back up, not to 1.0mg, but above 0.5mg and waited to stabilize. I since then made 1/16 drops that I stayed with for at least 4 weeks every time before dropping again. This year, I made it to a total dose of 0.40625mg in June 2017. 4 weeks later I crashed again. I had to go back to 0.5mg split between morning and night and I am hoping to stabilize. I haven't had the greatest quality of life trying to get off of this medication even though it seems like I am going slow, but these crashes are unbearable. I want so badly to get off of this drug, but it is the hardest and scariest thing I have ever had to do. I am wondering if after I stabilize on this dose, if I should just do very small drops every few months. I know this will take several years, but it just seems like my body can't handle it otherwise. I barely eat or sleep. So much anxiety and muscle pain. I need to have a life, but still get off this drug. Is anybody else on this med taking it very slow and having success?

 

It is so disheartening to see in my signature that 8/2016 I had to go back to 0.5mg to stabilize only to be right back at the same place 7/2017. A year later and I am right back where I started. At least I am not back to 1.0mg.

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Sorry Natika. I've been trying to get off this garbage for three years. I made a lot of mistakes and didn't know what I was doing though. I went from 2.5mg to 1.5mg this year and it has been terrible. I'm so sick. Can't work or do much of anything. I don't think there is a quick easy way to do this. I'm staying at my current dose in hopes to stabilize. You'll eventually get off it. The amount of time this process takes is very hard to accept. At least it is for me.
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Yes, the amount of time this process takes is very hard to accept. I agree with you. You know the medicine hurts you, but you can't get off of it. It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't! We will get through this. It make take a while, but we will do it!
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Thanks Natika. I'm on a much higher dose than you. It's going to take a long time. I've finally learned not to rush it. It will be nice to not deal with this mess and be healthy again. I don't remember what being healthy and sleeping well even feels like. Not to mention how much this has affected my finances, my social life doesn't exist anymore. It sucks.
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Yes, it is going to take me years.

 

This is my third taper attempt--I started about two years ago, lasted one month the first time and two months the second time.

 

Then a little more than a year ago I started again, from 1 mg K and now at .5 mg. BUT my quality of life is mostly good--I am being slammed with symptoms now but this is just because life anxiety is high, I am having a hard time as my son is leaving for college in a few weeks, need to get a handle on this. I will not begin to taper again until later this year, and then my goal is to just get down to .25 where I may hold for a long time again.

 

I cannot kill myself just to say I am off the medication. I know many have to taper because they are forced to or the medicine is making them sick; I am not in that position fortunately so I will take my time.

 

Don't beat yourself up. Everyone does the best they can. I am trying to practice as much as I can kindness to myself, which I admit is very hard to do.

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I have been on Clonazepam for about 14 years. I started my journey of getting off of this medication in April 2016 at a total of 1.0 mg split between morning and night. I made it to less than 0.5mg by August 2016 and crashed hard. It was horrible. So I had to go back up, not to 1.0mg, but above 0.5mg and waited to stabilize. I since then made 1/16 drops that I stayed with for at least 4 weeks every time before dropping again. This year, I made it to a total dose of 0.40625mg in June 2017. 4 weeks later I crashed again. I had to go back to 0.5mg split between morning and night and I am hoping to stabilize. I haven't had the greatest quality of life trying to get off of this medication even though it seems like I am going slow, but these crashes are unbearable. I want so badly to get off of this drug, but it is the hardest and scariest thing I have ever had to do. I am wondering if after I stabilize on this dose, if I should just do very small drops every few months. I know this will take several years, but it just seems like my body can't handle it otherwise. I barely eat or sleep. So much anxiety and muscle pain. I need to have a life, but still get off this drug. Is anybody else on this med taking it very slow and having success?

 

It is so disheartening to see in my signature that 8/2016 I had to go back to 0.5mg to stabilize only to be right back at the same place 7/2017. A year later and I am right back where I started. At least I am not back to 1.0mg.

 

I've been going for almost a year now trying to get off of .5mg per day. I am 75% there. Slow and steady I have been able to have a lif although I have my moments after cutting. You too can do this. I believe I have a sensitive nervo8s system as well. As long as you are going down you are making progress  :thumbsup:

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I had the same issue with Klonopin and switched tonValium and it's still hard as hell but better than on the K. I'm going to be around 2 years to come off 3mgs of K.
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Hey Twowheels. That's pretty fast. I tried the valium but my doctor was an idiot and I ended up back on klonopin. It's now three years later and I'm on the same dose. I tapered from 2.5mg to 1.5mg in five months and feel terrible. I don't know which one was worse. I know the depression was worse on valium but the anxiety wasn't as bad. Can't win with this stuff until we getoff it.
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I have been on Clonazepam for about 14 years. I started my journey of getting off of this medication in April 2016 at a total of 1.0 mg split between morning and night. I made it to less than 0.5mg by August 2016 and crashed hard. It was horrible. So I had to go back up, not to 1.0mg, but above 0.5mg and waited to stabilize. I since then made 1/16 drops that I stayed with for at least 4 weeks every time before dropping again. This year, I made it to a total dose of 0.40625mg in June 2017. 4 weeks later I crashed again. I had to go back to 0.5mg split between morning and night and I am hoping to stabilize. I haven't had the greatest quality of life trying to get off of this medication even though it seems like I am going slow, but these crashes are unbearable. I want so badly to get off of this drug, but it is the hardest and scariest thing I have ever had to do. I am wondering if after I stabilize on this dose, if I should just do very small drops every few months. I know this will take several years, but it just seems like my body can't handle it otherwise. I barely eat or sleep. So much anxiety and muscle pain. I need to have a life, but still get off this drug. Is anybody else on this med taking it very slow and having success?

 

It is so disheartening to see in my signature that 8/2016 I had to go back to 0.5mg to stabilize only to be right back at the same place 7/2017. A year later and I am right back where I started. At least I am not back to 1.0mg.

 

Hi Natika,

 

I'm sorry you've had such a hard time. I have been where you are. I was detoxed in five days from 3 mg. and reinstated to 1.5 and then almost 2 mgs.  I am now doing a very slow microtaper.  I have been doing this for about three years, but since I've been liquid tapering I have felt fine. I was  homebound and very sick at one time. 

 

I just want you to know that it is possible to feel good while tapering, if you listen to your body.

 

Jenny

 

 

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Hey Twowheels. That's pretty fast. I tried the valium but my doctor was an idiot and I ended up back on klonopin. It's now three years later and I'm on the same dose. I tapered from 2.5mg to 1.5mg in five months and feel terrible. I don't know which one was worse. I know the depression was worse on valium but the anxiety wasn't as bad. Can't win with this stuff until we getoff it.

 

Yeah they all have some negative sxs's but a daily liquid micro taper and Valium have been making this possible for me. Good luck with it all.

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Yep.  I should make an extended signature cause mine doesn't even cover all of it.  I was on 3mg of klonopin a day for a while plus xanax take as needed up to .5mg a day.  The first thing I had to quick was xanax as needed and that was a whole thing.  And then I'm pretty sure I held about 3-6 months .5mg mg down until 1.5-  at that point I held for a year.  When that year was up, I started my signature, - that was Jan 2016.  I think I started tapering around the Fall of 2012 but I'm even sure cause I can't remember anything really well right now.
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Don't give up! All progress matters and you will get there. I've been tapering for 4 years and will finally be completely off in under one week now. Keep going!  :)

 

~Isee

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Yes, Stuck in a 17-month hold, and counting. I am probably hitting tolerance withdrawal. However, with work so busy it is difficult to envisage resuming my taper just yet. 
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Don't give up! All progress matters and you will get there. I've been tapering for 4 years and will finally be completely off in under one week now. Keep going!  :)

 

~Isee

 

Congratulations and good luck! This is inspiring to me, that you took a long time and are almost at the finish line.

 

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Don't give up! All progress matters and you will get there. I've been tapering for 4 years and will finally be completely off in under one week now. Keep going!  :)

 

~Isee

 

That is wonderful!! You give me so much hope with this! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply with this encouragement. Congratulations on making it this far! You are a champion and I plan on following in your foot steps!

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Don't give up! All progress matters and you will get there. I've been tapering for 4 years and will finally be completely off in under one week now. Keep going!  :)

 

~Isee

 

Congratulations and good luck! This is inspiring to me, that you took a long time and are almost at the finish line.

 

Thanks! Just a few more days (finally)  :D

 

~Isee

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Don't give up! All progress matters and you will get there. I've been tapering for 4 years and will finally be completely off in under one week now. Keep going!  :)

 

~Isee

 

That is wonderful!! You give me so much hope with this! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply with this encouragement. Congratulations on making it this far! You are a champion and I plan on following in your foot steps!

 

I know you can/will do it too! Be patient but persistent  :smitten:

 

~Isee

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