would like to completely discontinue within 6-9 months

[[Er...]]

I had been taking Klonopin for 17 years with a dose anywhere from 0.5 up to 1.5 mg per night for sleep. I have tapered down over the last few months to less than 0.25 mg. I've been doing ok.

Once in a while if I wake up wired in the wee hours I will take another tablet or half of a tablet but not at all regularly. And sometimes the extra dose doesn't even help.

Anyway, I'd like to be completely off within 6-9 months bc we are moving and access could be a problem. 

I now have 0.25 mg dissolvable tablets that I started shaving about 10% off of. They dissolvable tablets seem much easier to shave than the hard tablets.

My question is how to deal with the nights when sleep has been insufficient. Just suffer through and expect that it will get better within a few days?

It's hard to tell if it's even the medication taper causing the sleeplessness because falling asleep is not a problem. It's early awakening.

Is that pattern (falling asleep easily but waking in the middle of the night) more consistent with withdrawl or stress/anxiety?

[[Pa...]]

HI @[Er...], I would try to avoid taking extra doses, holding would be the better option, just because we hope to see a steady downward trend.  But yes, in my opinion, suffering through the night without taking an extra dose is probably the better option.  

My insomnia kept me from falling asleep, I wonder if your dose is wearing off and that's why you're waking up, do you feel any anxiety along with it?  I've seen members discuss waking up with full on panic during the night.

I'm glad to hear the tablets are easier to work with. 

[[Er...]]

Thank you. The anxiety of being awake and being tired at the same time causes more anxiety, which is why at times I've reached for more Klonopin in the middle of the night. Unfortunately with the move and other things going on I have a lot on my mind. I tried listening to a calming story meant for helping one fall asleep last night and I did find that it helped clear my mind of the stress inducing thoughts.

[[Pa...]]

@[Er...], I've found stress to be the biggest contributor to increased symptom severity so I can understand why you're feeling this way if you  have a move coming up.