Taper schedule for last .5mg Klonopin - Help needed

[[li...]]

I know that I've probably tapered fairly quickly, but with things coming up this summer that I can't be out of commission anymore with w/d - what is the best way for me to go off of the .5mg Klonopin I'm on now?  I only went up to 1mg, but on it for almost 6 years.  Not sure if I should go to Valium, titration, or just keep with the dry cutting.  Any help is appreciated.  I'm also holding at the .5 for 2 weeks just for some sanity!

 

Thanks!

Lisa

[[dr...]]

Hi Lisa:

 

You have basically been cutting at about a rate of 12.5% from your original dose.  The recommended rate is 10% every 7-14 days, so you have been pretty close.  However, your last cut, just 2 days after a previous cut was really pushing it in my opinion.  I would suggest you wait the full 7-10 days between cuts in the future.  Cross over tapers, titration tapers, and dry cut tapers, all achieve the same thing in the long run, just by different means.  So you just have to do a bit of research to decide which one will work best for you.  If it were me, I would do one of two things.  1) I might continue dry cutting .125 and if withdrawals became too difficult (hitting a wall), I would switch over to titration.  2) I might start titration now.  Let us know how you are doing.

 

best,

 

Draftsman

[[li...]]

Thanks Draftsman!

 

You are so right about my last taper!!  I saw that somebody had been successful at even a faster taper, so I thought I'd give it a try.  Not a good idea!  I'm just now starting to feel human again and want to eat...just a little.

 

What do you think are the pros and cons of the 2 methods you suggested?  I would like to continue dry cutting, but I've heard of so many people doing so poorly at the end of their tapers, that I wasn't sure if one way was better than the other.

 

Thanks for your help and input!

Lisa

[[Be...]]

If dry cutting is working for you now, I'd continue that way until/unless it stops working well.  You might want to allow more time between reductions to make sure your healing keeps up with the removal of the K.  You could do a simplified titration (no 100ml cylinder or mortar and pestle) if that doesn't work out.  I'm one of the people who dry cut the whole way so I know it can be done. 

[[li...]]

Beeper -- What's a simplified titration?  This titration stuff is confusing to me!!  I know I need more time in between reductions as I'm paying the price now of being to aggressive!  The w/d symptoms these days are horrible.  I thought they were better today, but they're back and I hate being in my own skin!

 

I keep hearing that near the end of the tapering is when people feel the worst, was that the case with you and at what dose did you find you found a big difference with the w/d being bad?

 

Thanks!

Lisa

[[Pa...]]

Beeper -- What's a simplified titration?  This titration stuff is confusing to me!!  I know I need more time in between reductions as I'm paying the price now of being to aggressive!  The w/d symptoms these days are horrible.  I thought they were better today, but they're back and I hate being in my own skin!

 

I keep hearing that near the end of the tapering is when people feel the worst, was that the case with you and at what dose did you find you found a big difference with the w/d being bad?

 

Thanks!

Lisa

 

You would cut your pill into halves or quarters, then crush it and mix it with a cup of water.  You then drink half of it, or three quarters and save the rest for the next day.  You can divide up your doses by drinking portions of it throughout the day.  You need to put it in a jar so you can mix it well since it doesn't actually dissolve. 

[[Re...]]

Lisa

 

Do you take your whole dose at the same time or different times during the day? I was just curious. I'm dry cutting and may switch.

 

Pam

[[Be...]]

Beeper -- What's a simplified titration?  This titration stuff is confusing to me!!  I know I need more time in between reductions as I'm paying the price now of being to aggressive!  The w/d symptoms these days are horrible.  I thought they were better today, but they're back and I hate being in my own skin!

 

I keep hearing that near the end of the tapering is when people feel the worst, was that the case with you and at what dose did you find you found a big difference with the w/d being bad?Thanks!

Lisa

 

I don't think the end was any worse than the beginning, Lisa, but I had come off a couple of months of managing pretty well and then symptoms intensified.  I'd say it was when I was at about .5mg lorazepam which is equal to .25mg Klonopin.  I see Pam has given you a suggestion for simplified titration.  It's a way of making smaller reductions than you could make by simple dry cutting.

[[li...]]

I've always taken my dose at bedtime - so that's what I've been doing.  I know I need to slow it down, and you can see I uped my does back to the .625 and will hold it for awhile.  I think I'm also so afraid of the doses under .5K - because I've heard horror stories here.

 

Thanks everyone!

Lisa

[Guest [Si...]]

I think I'm also so afraid of the doses under .5K - because I've heard horror stories here.

 

Lisa,

 

I'm at 20mg of Valium, which is 1mg of Klonopin.. give or take.

Here's you a not so horror story thus far-

I started tapering at 4-5mg of Valium, and have tapered to 1mg of Klonopin equiv.

Honestly, I feel better now than then.

I'm not out of the woods yet, but getting there.

I still have withdrawal, but I have learned to accept it and go on.

I have dealt with insomnia, too. I know it's no fun.

 

You have been given a lot of good advice.

Just listen to your body.

 

S#