Success after slow taper - 2nd attempt - no issues!

[[EK...]]

First, I want to thank everyone here who has been so helpful in sharing your stories and process.  And, special love to those who are currently experiencing protracted withdrawal.

I'm nearly 10 days post-jump from Clonazepam after 17 years of prescription use for anxiety/panic disorder!  I had only a little nausea and dizziness in the first 72 hours.  I jumped at .02 total daily, after a daily micro taper since early January.  Best advice was to utilize the advice to "Taper over 6 months for daily dose of .5mg of Clonazepam" I cut and held for the first 5 months, and then did a microtaper for the last bit. The highest dose I've taken was (I think) 2-3 mgs a day.  For the more recent future, I've been on .25mg or lower total per day.  But I had NEVER missed a day.

The absolutely scariest part was to jump.  I had a session with my therapist and did some EMDR before my last dose.  I did experience some anxiety anticipating withdrawal, but I was able to manage it.  This is just me, but I did have an extra glass of wine for the first few nights.  I have not had any trouble sleeping - in fact, I think I've been sleeping better than I have in a long time.

I can't explain what a profound thing it is to be off this medicine.  I started taking it during one of the worst points in my life - I was in a bad marriage and it was a last resort for a psychiatrist to try after nothing else helped my severe anxiety and panic. I was never told to stop taking it after a month, or two, or three or four.  Then, in the last 6 years, I've tried to taper on my own, but two years ago I got down very low and had severe rebound anxiety and sleep issues.  So, I had to ramp back up.  The psychiatrist this time but me on Zoloft (SSRI) instead of Pristiq (SNRI), and then encouraged me to taper.  He pushed me to taper too quickly, which I refused to do.  I shared all the info with him, but he thought I was ridiculous.  Thankfully, I had enough prescribed to do this on my pace, not his.  I now hope to taper a bit from the Zoloft over time.

I appreciate all the support here, and I also agree with others who have recovered NOT to read the horror stories after the last dose.  Read the success stories, stay busy, and pamper yourself during those first 72 hours.  I was nervous as heck, but I got through it.  Will update here if needed, but otherwise, I'm so grateful to be writing my story.  God bless.

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7 hours ago, [[E...] said:

First, I want to thank everyone here who has been so helpful in sharing your stories and process.  And, special love to those who are currently experiencing protracted withdrawal.

I'm nearly 10 days post-jump from Clonazepam after 17 years of prescription use for anxiety/panic disorder!  I had only a little nausea and dizziness in the first 72 hours.  I jumped at .02 total daily, after a daily micro taper since early January.  Best advice was to utilize the advice to "Taper over 6 months for daily dose of .5mg of Clonazepam" I cut and held for the first 5 months, and then did a microtaper for the last bit. The highest dose I've taken was (I think) 2-3 mgs a day.  For the more recent future, I've been on .25mg or lower total per day.  But I had NEVER missed a day.

The absolutely scariest part was to jump.  I had a session with my therapist and did some EMDR before my last dose.  I did experience some anxiety anticipating withdrawal, but I was able to manage it.  This is just me, but I did have an extra glass of wine for the first few nights.  I have not had any trouble sleeping - in fact, I think I've been sleeping better than I have in a long time.

I can't explain what a profound thing it is to be off this medicine.  I started taking it during one of the worst points in my life - I was in a bad marriage and it was a last resort for a psychiatrist to try after nothing else helped my severe anxiety and panic. I was never told to stop taking it after a month, or two, or three or four.  Then, in the last 6 years, I've tried to taper on my own, but two years ago I got down very low and had severe rebound anxiety and sleep issues.  So, I had to ramp back up.  The psychiatrist this time but me on Zoloft (SSRI) instead of Pristiq (SNRI), and then encouraged me to taper.  He pushed me to taper too quickly, which I refused to do.  I shared all the info with him, but he thought I was ridiculous.  Thankfully, I had enough prescribed to do this on my pace, not his.  I now hope to taper a bit from the Zoloft over time.

I appreciate all the support here, and I also agree with others who have recovered NOT to read the horror stories after the last dose.  Read the success stories, stay busy, and pamper yourself during those first 72 hours.  I was nervous as heck, but I got through it.  Will update here if needed, but otherwise, I'm so grateful to be writing my story.  God bless.

Hello,  EK1208! Very glad to hear your story, getting better. I wonder if this therapy EMDR could help with anxiety issues...

[[EK...]]

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32 minutes ago, [[E...] said:

It has helped me tremendously - please look into it - it is a really effective technique that many therapists use!

Thank you so much!, I will look for sure, don´t want the benzo anymore, You are right, it is an good experience to be without this medication!