Does depression lessen as you get lower in dose?

[[ji...]]

I’ve been struggling with depression the past few months.   I’m wondering if any of my BB friends found that as you got lower in your benzo dose that the depression eased up.   I’m now at 0.252 mg of k so my dose is relatively low.  I do get waves of depression that are bad and will last a couple of days then it will get better until it hits again.    I’m tapering slowly now, cutting about 1.2% once a week.

Edited November 10, 2023 by [ji...]

[[Th...]]

Actually symptoms tend to increase for most people as you lower your dose.  I did a CT so I cannot speak to tapering, but I have read enough experiences on this forum to say that is the experience of most?  There is no guarantee that a slow taper will reduce symptoms or symptom intensity.  Good luck!  Peace!

[[Ko...]]

@[Th...]

I know that there are no guarantees but I thought that the purpose of a slow and conservative taper would be to try to preserve functioning?  People on here tend to say that the Ashton taper is too fast and people are unable to tolerate it?

[[...]]

For me it gets worse as I taper.

[[Th...]]

Yes, that is the premise and idea behind a slow taper, so you can function as well as possible given the circumstances.  As you reduce your dose, symptoms occur because the lowered dose usually is not enough to keep them at bay.  But the good news is eventually all of your symptoms decrease in intensity and slowly fade and end given enough time.  Peace!

Edited November 16, 2023 by [Th...]

[[ji...]]

On 13/11/2023 at 16:00, [[K...] said:

@[Th...]

I know that there are no guarantees but I thought that the purpose of a slow and conservative taper would be to try to preserve functioning?  People on here tend to say that the Ashton taper is too fast and people are unable to tolerate it?

For some people, like myself, the Ashton taper is too fast.    I try to follow a symptoms based taper…when symptoms ramp up I’ll hold until they have settled and then a bit longer before doing the next small cut.

[[Ko...]]

2 hours ago, [[j...] said:

For some people, like myself, the Ashton taper is too fast.    I try to follow a symptoms based taper…when symptoms ramp up I’ll hold until they have settled and then a bit longer before doing the next small cut.

I am doing a super slow modified version of Ashton. Right now I am decreasing .25 mg diazepam every 2 weeks but would hold longer if had symptoms ramp up.  As I get lower I will modify it to the liquid and drop .1-.2 mg every 2 weeks.

It seems ridiculous as I was only on klonopin .5 once daily for 3 months before I tried to reduce but I had to switch providers to find someone who would taper me slowly and she will only agree to use diazepam and the crossover took over a month.  This entire situation is depressing as I worry constantly about what the future holds and feel like I have become a shadow of my usual self.  I would like for the depression to improve as I get lower too.

[[Br...]]

As you probably know @[ji...], the CNS becomes more sensitive to reductions as you lower in dose toward the end of the taper.  For this reason, it often becomes necessary to slow down the taper as you get closer to the end.  I'm sorry it seems to drag on indefinitely but you will be free of it one day and you will heal.

[[ji...]]

Thanks @[Br...].   I plan to go as slow as necessary to remain functional.   
 

@[Ko...].   This is a journey none of us wants to be on.   I’m confident you and I will get through this successfully.   Sounds like you are doing a good slow taper with holds as needed.  

[[Ko...]]

@[ji...]

Thanks for the well wishes. I am taking it slowly but unfortunately, I feel pretty rough most of the time (extremely tired, anhedonic, unmotivated...) 

Do you feel as if the depression is due to the benzo tapering and how stressful and depressing it is?  I think a large part of my depression is due to the taper and the stress of trying to maintain my job and parent my children while feeling pretty awful a lot of the the time. I can't do a lot of the things I used to enjoy due to these circumstances. 

You are further along in your taper than me...I really hope the depression doesn't get worse for either of us as we go lower in our dosages.

 

[[or...]]

@[ji...] I found that my depression was directly related to the fact that I had to taper this miserable drug and that the tapering was taking so long. It was psychological.   I know some of my buddies contend that valium in and of itself is depressing but I never found that to be true. And when I was done with my taper, I felt mentally a whole lot better i.e. "Wow, this rotten period of my life is over." Hope this helps.    

Edited November 17, 2023 by [or...]

[[ji...]]

Thanks for your encouragement @[Ko...].   I think my depression is mostly biological but the benzo taper withdrawal symptoms don’t help the situation!    One day at a time…..right?

@[or...]  yes, the long taper and suffering sure makes life challenging.   
 

All the best to you.      

[[Ko...]]

@[ji...] yes, one day at a time. 

I feel so badly for my children- they were asking when I would be off the medication that was making me feel bad and if there was something I could take to make me happy again. Unfortunately, I am tapering more slowly than average due to the many demands of parenting and necessity of keeping my job. 

We all agreed this Thanksgiving was not the same as usual but I must remember to be thankful for my kids (who keep me going when it all seems too much), my job, and my home.  

[[Tr...]]

Hello @[ji...], congratulations on your successful Clonazepam taper! I saw that you jumped off on October 6th.
 

I hope and pray that you are doing fine. May I kindly ask how you are doing? 
 

Many thanks in advance for your reply! 
🌺