Titrating my husband off klonopin

[[Ti...]]

My husband is currently titrating off 0.5 Klonopin (originally 1 mg but titrated him to .5 mg  in July 2023).  He has been on Klonopin for about a year and a half.  Also on 40 mg Paxil and Risparadone (2 mg).  On Feb 7 decided to start titration off 0.5 mg using a scale and shaving dose.  The first two weeks I cut his dose by 6%.  Then next two weeks he said he wanted to cut another 6% of his total dose.  Everything going according to plan. Then spoke to his psychiatrist.  He is on board with us titrating him.  He advised cutting 25% a time.  I was against this so he said "you can do it slowly but that will just prolong the agony but it will not harm him."  So my husband when he heard this said let's do a middle way, let's try cutting by 12%.  I reluctantly agreed but now he is in withdrawal.  He does not want to updose.  He has been on this level for 11 days now and has been pacing back and forth all day or lying in his bed.  He is miserable.  He just is so fearful and anxious and paces all the time.  He is making me nervous and so sad  just looking at him....I want to cry.  Should he just wait it out?  He has dropped about 23% of his 0.5 mg tablet in a 6 week period (6%,6%,12% every two weeks). I know that is way too fast but what should we do?  If we stay on this dose, I am going to stabilize him until his symptoms decline but will they?  Right now his mental state is such that he cannot make wise decisions so I am researching stuff on benzobuddies and doing it all for him because he is not capable. (he cannot read or watch a movie because he cannot concentrate). He says to me he does not want to updose because we have come this far.  Honestly he cannot make simple choices like what flavor potato chips to buy at the supermarket.  I am so nervous that these meds that he is on has damaged him permanently. He paces back and forth all day and lies in bed and cannot do much.  He is sleeping 7 hours a night because of the other meds he is on which is good.  I have not slept much in the last 2 days because I am so worried about him so maybe I am overreacting because of lack of sleep. I don't know. He cannot sit in a chair and keep still and that makes me a nervous wreck.  I am seeing a therapist weekly and that is helping me enormously.  Should I just listen to my husband and let him wait it out?   We have been married for 31 years and I know this is not who he is.  This is so hard.  It is an absolute nightmare.  I hope I get him back. Sometimes I feel friends and family just say "you will get him back" because they do not know what else to say to me.  Sorry for the long rant but just need support.  I know I need to calm down and get some sleep myself but can I just keep him on this dose and let him ride it out? What do you think?

 

[[je...]]

Hi @[Ti...]

I'm sorry you find yourself in this position. Clearly these cuts are too much for your husband. I don't know if it will help if you read my reply to him. I also tapered Klonopin. When I cut too much, I was in a world of pain. I became progressively more sick. By day 15 I was bedridden. I'm not saying this is going to happen to your husband, I'm just saying I don't believe in unnecessary suffering and I don't feel the so-called progress we make is worth the intense suffering we endure by holding when we cut too much. I have updosed twice during my taper and it saved me from a world of hurt. I got better and it placed me in position to resume my taper. The stress and pain of these intense symptoms are not worth the 12% cut. 

If he updose he'll likely see some improvement, feel better and he can then hold so that within a couple of weeks he'll be able to continue tapering. Right now it's just suffering and we don't know how long it will last. There is no shame in updosing and he is not failing by going back up. 

For your own comfort, this damage is not permanent. It will get better. It is very distressing to see a loved one go through it, but with slow tapering it doesn't have to be like this. It's really good that you are seeing a therapist and taking care of yourself as well. I hope you'll keep us updated as to how you both are doing. 

[[Ch...]]

On 25/03/2024 at 00:25, [[T...] said:

My husband is currently titrating off 0.5 Klonopin (originally 1 mg but titrated him to .5 mg  in July 2023).  He has been on Klonopin for about a year and a half.  Also on 40 mg Paxil and Risparadone (2 mg).  On Feb 7 decided to start titration off 0.5 mg using a scale and shaving dose.  The first two weeks I cut his dose by 6%.  Then next two weeks he said he wanted to cut another 6% of his total dose.  Everything going according to plan. Then spoke to his psychiatrist.  He is on board with us titrating him.  He advised cutting 25% a time.  I was against this so he said "you can do it slowly but that will just prolong the agony but it will not harm him."  So my husband when he heard this said let's do a middle way, let's try cutting by 12%.  I reluctantly agreed but now he is in withdrawal.  He does not want to updose.  He has been on this level for 11 days now and has been pacing back and forth all day or lying in his bed.  He is miserable.  He just is so fearful and anxious and paces all the time.  He is making me nervous and so sad  just looking at him....I want to cry.  Should he just wait it out?  He has dropped about 23% of his 0.5 mg tablet in a 6 week period (6%,6%,12% every two weeks). I know that is way too fast but what should we do?  If we stay on this dose, I am going to stabilize him until his symptoms decline but will they?  Right now his mental state is such that he cannot make wise decisions so I am researching stuff on benzobuddies and doing it all for him because he is not capable. (he cannot read or watch a movie because he cannot concentrate). He says to me he does not want to updose because we have come this far.  Honestly he cannot make simple choices like what flavor potato chips to buy at the supermarket.  I am so nervous that these meds that he is on has damaged him permanently. He paces back and forth all day and lies in bed and cannot do much.  He is sleeping 7 hours a night because of the other meds he is on which is good.  I have not slept much in the last 2 days because I am so worried about him so maybe I am overreacting because of lack of sleep. I don't know. He cannot sit in a chair and keep still and that makes me a nervous wreck.  I am seeing a therapist weekly and that is helping me enormously.  Should I just listen to my husband and let him wait it out?   We have been married for 31 years and I know this is not who he is.  This is so hard.  It is an absolute nightmare.  I hope I get him back. Sometimes I feel friends and family just say "you will get him back" because they do not know what else to say to me.  Sorry for the long rant but just need support.  I know I need to calm down and get some sleep myself but can I just keep him on this dose and let him ride it out? What do you think?

Oh goodness.  I’ve been where he is.  I screenshotted this because no one believed me when I said I couldn’t decide ANYTHING.  And paced 24/7.  I had to updose and wait 3 months to stabilize.  I had cold turkeyed.  If it were me… I’d try to go back up slightly on his dose, there’s no need to rush this.  
 

I hesitated to updose and feel like that period of time where I was stalling on updosing, just made it worse.  It depleted me even more.  The back and forth on whether or not to do it, the what ifs, on top of the current symptoms.  And I suffered even more.  Reassure him he will get to the finish line.  Being in withdrawal makes you feel like you have to naturally do everything faster.  We lose our rationality.  
 

you’re an amazing wife, btw.  take care of yourself.  ❤️🙏❤️ 
 

if I may.. I recommend Coach Powers on YouTube.  Your husband may also appreciate the advice coming from a man who’s been through it.  Even if he’s just listening to it.  It was soothing for me.  
 

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

Edited March 28 by [Ch...]