Getting ready to tapper...

[[Sa...]]

I recently found out that the clonopin I'm on and other benzos basically freeze your mind so that none of the hard work I've put in at therapy and other self improvement techniques can work.  I've been on clonopin for about 10 years and I have felt for a long time that it was getting in my way but now I know for a fact that it has been undermining all of my hard work to improve myself and overcome my anxiety and depression.  After becoming very pissed off and disheartened at the thought of this medication holding me back for AT LEAST 10 years I decided to do some research and very quickly found a good youtube channel called benzo brains that led me to this site and now I have hope that I can get off of this stuff without too much pain.

    I am currently on 2 mg of clonopin a day and I think I've been taking this same dose for about 5 years.  I would like to taper off of this medication slowly using the "water tapering method" I think it's called.  I would very much appreciate some help and advice on what the best way of doing this would be as far as measurements and timelines go.  I am taking Buspar and Paxil as well right now and I feel I need some help navigating my way through the tapering process.  I do not trust my psychiatrist to help me and have no faith in doctors in general.  I was in the hospital last year and the head psychiatrist tried to take me off of my clonopin in a matter of days which nearly killed me.  I ask that you please help me with some good advice and information.  Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Hello Sasuke Uchiha, Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

Klonopin dulls us so I can understand what you mean when you say the drug freezes your mind, I found when I stopped taking it cold turkey that a day or two later I felt so clear, like a veil had been lifted, but alas, then the pain started.

 

It sounds like you understand what withdrawals feel like since your Dr tried to taper you too quickly, so I'm glad you know you need to go slowly.  Titration is a good process however, most will dry cut until they get lower in dose because at 2 mgs of Klonopin, its going to take you a long time if you use liquid titration.  We'll support whatever method you feel will work best for you, I'll give you some information so you can make an informed decision. 

 

Planning your taper (Taper Plans) will outline the methods we support and Titration FAQ's will give you a brief overview of what to expect.

 

Thanks for letting us know about your other medications, I hope you'll consider staying on them until after you successfully taper from the Klonopin, we suggest only tapering one drug at a time.

 

We're glad you found us, if you'd like to connect with others who are feeling symptoms, feel free to start a thread on the  Withdrawal Support (during your taper) board.

 

Oh and it would be a good idea for you to check out The Ashton Manual, it's a great resource for understanding what benzo's do to us and chapter 3 will list possible symptoms and why you feel them.

 

Pamster

 

[[Sa...]]

Thank you Pamster.  I appreciate what you guys are doing here.  I do plan on using water titration the whole time and starting very slowly (problably only going down about 20 or 30 milliliters in the first 4 to 6 months).  I do plan on staying on my other medications until I'm off the clonopin.  I'm giving myself 18 months to 2 years to get off of this crap but I'll do some more research and keep modifying my plan as I learn more.  Thank you for the links, I will start my research there.  Right now I'm getting my body used to taking the clonopin 3 times a day and I plan on starting the titration in about 2 weeks. 

[[Pa...]]

Excellent plan, you know what you want and will adjust as you go. 

[[ki...]]

There are lots of people here to take part of their dose as a pill and the rest in liquid form so they can titrate away the liquid part and slowly whittle down their dose. How frequently do you dose and what strength are your pills? Also what country are you in?

[[Pa...]]

There are lots of people here to take part of their dose as a pill and the rest in liquid form so they can titrate away the liquid part and slowly whittle down their dose. How frequently do you dose and what strength are your pills? Also what country are you in?

 

I'd forgotten about this method, thanks kitsune. 

[[Sa...]]

There are lots of people here to take part of their dose as a pill and the rest in liquid form so they can titrate away the liquid part and slowly whittle down their dose. How frequently do you dose and what strength are your pills? Also what country are you in?

 

Hi kitsune, I just started taking my clonopin 3 times a day but I have been taking it twice a day.  I usually take 1mg in the morning and 1mg at night.  I'm in America.

[[ki...]]

There are lots of people here to take part of their dose as a pill and the rest in liquid form so they can titrate away the liquid part and slowly whittle down their dose. How frequently do you dose and what strength are your pills? Also what country are you in?

 

Hi kitsune, I just started taking my clonopin 3 times a day but I have been taking it twice a day.  I usually take 1mg in the morning and 1mg at night.  I'm in America.

 

If you can get smaller tablets (.5 mg) that will make tapering somewhat easier. Unfortunately we don’t have a prescription liquid for Klonopin in the US, so doing  liquid titration is limited to a few methods. You can follow the method in the benzo brains video, but there are other options available to you should you decide a different route.