need help cutting down on 5mg of clonazepam

[[jj...]]

Hello all, well, I am currently on 5mg of clonazepam and after reading the Ashton manual, I'm not sure where to start with the taper.  I take 3mg of clonazepam at bedtime and 2mg in the morning.  I know that 5mg of clonazepam is equal to 100 mg of valium, so I'm not sure how to cross over either.  Should I start weaning down the 2mg dose in the morning?  How much should I cut at a time?

[Guest [Si...]]

You could start cutting 10% every 7-14 days, and when you're to 3mg of Klonopin, start crossing over by Ashton's Guidelines.

As long as you have enough Klonopin and Valium to do it with.

How much should I cut at a time?

If it were me. I would start by cutting 0.25mg every 2 weeks, and if that's too much, you could try 0.125mg which is 1/2 of 0.25mg of Klonopin.

Or you could even go with Titration.

You have several different options.

 

S#

[[Be...]]

I'd start a dry cut taper directly off the clonozepam, jj.  You could drop .5mg off your 3mg dose and still be within the 10% guideline since your total dose is 5mg.  Klonopin is quite long acting and many doctors in the US cross their Xanax and Ativan users over to Klonopin to taper off of. 

[Guest [Si...]]

jjbutterfly,

 

How is everything going?

 

S#

[[jj...]]

Things aren't going too great actually.  I am really depressed most of the time, and don't care about much.  I know this is the benzos.  I'm down to 4.25mg of clonazepam, and am getting surges of anxiety when I wake up in the morning which usually lasts all day.  On top of this, I am looking for a job.  Hoping some of this depression lifts as I cut down further from this drug. Thanks for asking how I am.

[Guest [Si...]]

Things aren't going too great actually.  I am really depressed most of the time, and don't care about much.  I know this is the benzos.  I'm down to 4.25mg of clonazepam, and am getting surges of anxiety when I wake up in the morning which usually lasts all day.  On top of this, I am looking for a job.  Hoping some of this depression lifts as I cut down further from this drug. Thanks for asking how I am.

 

It's the Klonopin causing the depression, it's not you. Yes, hopefully as you cut down.. the depression will subside.

Hang in there and congrats on trying to find a job, you will find one.