Klonopin taper. Could somebody help?

[[Sa...]]

Hello Libertas and thank you for your reply. It has always being 3 times a day. I was originali prescribed with 0.5mg at 8a m., 0.5mg at 2p.m. and 0.5mg at 8p.m.

When i realised i was getting sick and didn't want to go on like that i followed my doctor's advise and i went down to 0.1mg in the morning, 0.1mg in the afternoon and 0.5mg in the evening in 40 days. It was hell on earth.  Then i Kinda stabilized and i joined this forum inmorder to proceed with a safe taper schedule.

[[Li...]]

Hello, Salazar77.  Thanks for letting us know.  I was wondering if a recent change in dosing schedule might be a factor.  Let me have a think on your situation to see if anything occurs.

[[Sa...]]

Ok, thanks. To.let you figure out , after i went down from 1.5mg total to 0.7mg per day i haven't modifica anything till august in order to stabilize a little. Then i started a very gradualmente taper. I don't know if my actual sickness is because of the gradualmente taper or it is a wave of the previous abrupt reduction

[[Li...]]

Oh my.  That’s a 53.33% reduction.  I’m sure that hurt.  Were you able to stabilize at 0.7mg?

[[Sa...]]

It all happened between mid-april and the end of may. May and june plus ten days of july were horrible.  I thought i was dieing. Then the rest of july and august were pretty good and that is why i joined bb with optimism in order to proceed more carefully. Now i am feeling sick. Not like i was in May but i feel exhausted and sometimes i really can't get out of bed. I was wondering how i could reduce symptoms but i noticed there is nothing that can really help and, along with the urge to get rid of klonopin to hope to heal (though i know that sometimes people won't heal) i also know i have to be' careful. I would be tempted to go faster or to do a cold turkey but i think my body and mind would crash.

[[Ko...]]

https://funsubstance.com/uploads/preview/595/595546.jpg

 

Just kidding (obviously)!

[[Sa...]]

Since I am at 17 marks now (0.425mg) in the evening and since i am feeling bad anyway, would it be wise to go down now to 0.4mg in the evening? Just to rush things out a little bit. Or would it be risky?

[[on...]]

https://funsubstance.com/uploads/preview/595/595546.jpg

 

Just kidding (obviously)!

 

Koto Lee

 

Everyone needing support can use a bit of humor to help ease a burden.

 

Thank you for making me (hopefully Us) smile!

[[Sa...]]

https://funsubstance.com/uploads/preview/595/595546.jpg

 

Just kidding (obviously)!

[[Ko...]]

Since I am at 17 marks now (0.425mg) in the evening and since i am feeling bad anyway, would it be wise to go down now to 0.4mg in the evening? Just to rush things out a little bit. Or would it be risky?

 

Let's think about this.  The generally accepted guideline is 5-10% every 2-4 weeks.

A 10% cut held for 30 days = 0.33% per day

A 5% cut held for 15 days = 0.33% per day

So to be safely within the guidelines, you should try to cut less than 0.33% per day of hold time (leaving aside certain exceptions.)

 

If I remember right, your last cut was on Friday, Sept 25th.  That was 19 days ago.

And that cut was (0.025 mg/0.650 mg) x 100 =  3.85%

3.85% held for 19 days =  0.20% per day

 

Based on all of that, your current taper step has already fulfilled the "less than 0.33% per day" guideline.  And having held this dose for 19 days, you're probably over the worst of the symptoms you'd expect from this cut.

 

Even so, it doesn't sound like you feel okay or stable yet.  But maybe you're about as stable as you're going to be at the current dose.  Based on previous experience, do you think you'll feel any better if you hold for another 10 days?

 

Going forward, what you're proposing is to cut to 0.600 mg.

That's a reduction of (0.025 mg/0.625 mg) x 100 = 4.0%. 

 

That's likely to make you feel worse than you do now.  Do you honestly feel that you can tolerate that?  Please don't put yourself in the position of having to updose--a last resort that doesn't always work. 

 

On the plus side, cutting to 0.600 mg would enable you to just use the dropper that came with your medication.  (You wouldn't need the insulin syringe for your evening doses anymore--at least, for a while.)  That would simplify your life while you hold at 0.600 mg.  And with the holidays coming up, maybe you'd like to hold somewhat longer than usual and try to stabilize and possibly even enjoy yourself a little bit for a change.  Then you could resume tapering in January.  It's something to consider. 

 

Please wait for others to weigh in here before making a decision.  Hopefully we will hear some other opinions by tomorrow evening (Italian time, that is!)

 

XOXO

Koko Lee

[[Ko...]]

 

Everyone needing support can use a bit of humor to help ease a burden.

 

Thank you for making me (hopefully Us) smile!

 

Thank you, oneday3693, for taking it in the spirit in which it was intended! 

[[Sa...]]

Hello, it'a been a while.  If you remember me i started my klonopin taper abruptly Hong down from 1.5mg daily to 0.7mg daily in s matter of weeks. That was awful. I joined her by mid august and started again but slowly and now I am on 0.6mg daily, divided like this: 0.1 in the morning, 0.1 in the afternoon, 0.4 in the evening. I went down PD 0.1 from august in the evening dose. I used a syringe to make things easier.  Now i decided to stop for this month in order to try to stabilize a little because i still have huge symptoms. Heart pounding, Vomiting(not continuously but often, huge nausea,  eepecislly in the morning when i am basically bedridden to the point where i really cant understand anymore if this is due to klonopin withdrawal,  lingering effects of paroxetine the done one year ago or depression). Maybe i should try to microtaper my reduction when i will feel ready but i am also here to ask if dosing more evenly the klonopin i am taking would help to keep my serum level fine. It is just an idea and i am scared i could feel bad during this but would it be ok in your opinion to reach 0.2 in three subministrations?

My idea was this:

      6 am  2 pm  10 pm

Fri      0.1    0.1    0.4

Sat      0.1    0.1    0.3

Sun    0.2    0.2    0.2

Mon    0.2    0.2    0.2

I hope you guys could help.  Regards to everyone

[[Pa...]]

You've made terrific progress but I'm sorry to hear you've been suffering so much, I think it's a good idea to hold until you get a bit more stable.

 

I support your idea of dosing a bit more evenly, tapering is all about experimentation with you as the subject unfortunately but its the only way to find what works.  You might consider slowing your taper down even more because your body seems to be sending that message.

[[Sa...]]

Thank you Pamster for your always prompt and encouraging answer.  And thank you for thinking i did a good job. Do you think that the little table of how to space things up would be' ok? Or would you suggest to do it differently?

I know it is up to me but i would need opinions on it even if i will be the subject . And i akso hope other people would like to join in this convrrsations in order to collect more opinions,  suggestions and tips.

[[Sa...]]

Hi everyone. I am here to bother you all again:) .

I am thinking about doing a daily microtaper as the cut and hold approach seems too harsch on me. My currencies dose is 0.6mg mg klonopin per day. I managed to move my doses like following: o.2 in the morning, 0.2 in the afternoon, 0.2 i  the evening. I thought that could be better than before (i was taking 0.1 in the morning, 0.1 in the afternoon and 0.4 in the evening). Given the fact that i never fully stabilized and it seems like i am always in withdrawal (i don't know if it is from klonopin or the lingering effects of paroxetine withdrawal) and i am always so anxious (even here i don't know if it is withdrawal or my "original condition" or other factors) i thought a mild approach could be beneficial.  Thank you in advance to anyone who will answer. Any tips,  suggestion will be appreciated.

[[Pa...]]

Hey Salazar, you're not a bother and it sounds like you're dealing with benzo anxiety, never underestimate the drugs ability to make us miserable.  I have to tell you that when members recover, they say that what they used to think of as anxiety before benzo's is nothing compared to the anxiety the drug creates.  I feel you can look forward to drug free manageable anxiety when you recover.

 

If you'll start a thread on the titration board someone will stop by to help you get started, just be sure to give us the information we'll need to help you such as dose, drug and how fast you'd like to go.  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=164.0

[[Sa...]]

Thank you Pamster.  I started a topic there

[[Sa...]]

Hello everyone.  A quick update: i managed to go down from 0.6mg per day to 0.5mg per day tapering with a daily microtaper in 2 months. Those two months have been good as I felt i was doing something good for me. I officially ended that process on the 30th of april.  Then I stopped and today, the 10th of may, i started a new microtaper to go down to 0.4mg in 2 and a half months. The thing is that in the time between the 30th of april and now I had some rough moments. I dont know if they are related to the taper i had or just because my personal life isnt that great (i am surounded by negative and not helping people but I dont want to bother you with this), and I know some of you would suggest to wait before going on tapering.  I am writing just to listen to some opinions.  Given the fact that my personal situation wont change and that I never really stabilized on any dose of klonopin i think I should go on tapering but I m here curious about your valuable opinions.

Anyway my main symptoms (not everyday) are nausea, vomiting, heart racing, depression, burning skin, brain fog and inability to get out of bed in the morning.

Thanks to anyone who will answer

[[Pa...]]

My goodness, what horrible symptoms and you're going so slowly I'm not sure how you can minimize them unless you hold for an extended amount of time, have you tried that?  We have a support thread for members who swear by this method if you'd like to check it out. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=153201.0

 

Stress is a huge contributor to increased symptoms but it looks like you can't change that aspect of your taper at the moment so I'm not sure what to suggest.  If your gut tells you to keep on tapering then you should probably listen to it because it doesn't look like this is going to get any easier. 

[[Sa...]]

Thank you for your reply, Pamster. My simple idea is that we all agree that benzos are not good and unfortunately some experience a smooth taper.  I am not that lucky but (and I repeat,  this is only my opinion) is there a reason to hold if I will have to decrease it anyway and eventually get rid of this poison. Isnt it holding just postponing the inevitable? Anyway i guess here there are wiser people than me and that is why i asked

[[Pa...]]

I don't spend much time on the group thread I mentioned because it conflicts with my personality which is full steam ahead, obviously since I've cold turkeyed both Klonopin and Ambien but I have read enough to know that some swear it helps to gain stability before tapering again.  I'd spend a bit of time reading some of the posts and maybe asking the question, but if it goes against your basic nature as it does mine then it would be a waste of time for you.

[[je...]]

You're asking a very relevant question that I've asked myself many times lately. I've been going through a stressful time and it definitely ramped up my sx.

 

I spoke to my husband about holding and we both agreed that life is not going to wait for me to get off benzos before it calms down. So for now while I still feel that I'm coping I'm going ahead.

 

If sx gets really bad I will re-evaluate, but for now I just need to cope with life and wd.

 

I hope you find the answer that you are looking for and solution that works for you. You are not alone.

 

 

[[Sa...]]

Thank you so much, Jelly Baby. Your reply has been helpful. I agree with you: life isnt waiting and though we all would need relax during this taper experience  , if we dont get it then we should find the strenght inside of us. It is tough but we all know that Withdrawal symptoms may last long so I dont think we should wait. Of course we all have to stay safe and not rush things up