Klonopin taper help needed

[[Mi...]]

 

Need advice please on a taper plan…

For the past six months I’ve made several changes to my medication which I believe has left me feeling pretty unstable and anxious.  Here it goes - 

2012 - 2022 - was on 0.125 klonopin as well as several different ssri’s 

Summer - 2022 - switched from 0.125 klonopin (for sleep) to trazadone 25mg and 0.5 Xanax - in an effort to help daytime fatigue - it worked for a while but then had interdose withdrawal 

December 2023 - switched from 0.5 Xanax to 0.75 klonopin because of interdose withdrawal

January 2024 - switched from 40mg Prozac to 40 Cymbalta.  

february 2024 - made a bad decision to reduce my trazadone dose too rapidly from 87mg to 32mg 

March 2024 - increased cymbalta to 60mg 

April 2024 - started having anxiety flare ups, almost anxiety attacks that were more physical than mental; Reinstated Trazadone to 62mg to try to help 

May 2024 - Present - anxiety attacks have continued - very recently figured out it seems to be connected to caffeine, also anxiety is greatly improved if I exercise that day.  But I have a very low tolerance for anything that makes me anxious - it’s almost the same way I felt in December 2023 when I was having interdose anxiety. 

1) how am I going to taper if I’m already having so much anxiety?  Should I just sit where I am and hope the anxiety will improve over time? 
2) is this tolerance withdrawal? Or interdose withdrawal? I don’t know how I was on 0.125 klonopin (for sleep) for so long and my only complaint was daytime fatigue / yet suddenly I’m having all of these problems.  
3) I can’t take klonopin during the day because it immediately makes me need a nap - would taking Valium at bedtime work better for the anxiety I’m having?  I do have DNA data that says I’m a “rapid metabolizer” - maybe this is the problem? 

any advice appreciated feeling scared - thank you 

 

Edited June 9 by [Mi...]

[[Cr...]]

4 hours ago, [[M...] said:

 I do have DNA data that says I’m a “rapid metabolizer” - maybe this is the problem? 

If those tests are accurate then I imagine it would make you a good candidate for Valium. Klonopin half-life can go as low as 20 hours with fast metabolisers.

Your psych has concerns about a build-up of Valium in your system but if you metabolism for meds is fast that may not be much of an issue.

Since things started going bad for you when you changed your meds around I imagine you are hesitant from switching from K to V.  I wish I could predict how a transition would go for you but regretfully I can only say there is a decent chance it may help your anxiety situation improve.

If you do get on V successfully, it is also easier to taper from due to smaller cuts being simpler to make.

Edited June 9 by [Cr...]

[[Mi...]]

Thank you Crono - you are so kind to always respond! 

[[Mi...]]

38 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

If those tests are accurate then I imagine it would make you a good candidate for Valium. Klonopin half-life can go as low as 20 hours with fast metabolisers.

Your psych has concerns about a build-up of Valium in your system but if you metabolism for meds is fast that may not be much of an issue.

Since things started going bad for you when you changed your meds around I imagine you are hesitant from switching from K to V.  I wish I could predict how a transition would go for you but regretfully I can only say there is a decent chance it may help your anxiety situation improve.

If you do get on V successfully, it is also easier to taper from due to smaller cuts being simpler to make.

I’ve always had a problem with daytime fatigue from klonopin - even at 0.125 mg - has anyone reported a lot more fatigue on Valium? I seem to ping pong between too much anxious energy and fatigue these days.  It is frustrating. 

[[je...]]

57 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

I’ve always had a problem with daytime fatigue from klonopin - even at 0.125 mg - has anyone reported a lot more fatigue on Valium? I seem to ping pong between too much anxious energy and fatigue these days.  It is frustrating. 

Valium is notorious for causing sedation and depression. If Klonopin is causing you day time fatigue then Valium will be much worse. This thread might interest you from a member who crossed from Xanax to Valium:

 

[[Mi...]]

1 hour ago, [[j...] said:

Valium is notorious for causing sedation and depression. If Klonopin is causing you day time fatigue then Valium will be much worse. This thread might interest you from a member who crossed from Xanax to Valium:

Thank you so much for sending this 

[[Ja...]]

Jelly baby,.sounds about right,.every other  dose gives me depression now and lifts as it wears of

[[Md...]]

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

Valium is notorious for causing sedation and depression. If Klonopin is causing you day time fatigue then Valium will be much worse. This thread might interest you from a member who crossed from Xanax to Valium:

Unfortunately, ive yet to really find anyone who has been on Valium for a while, and then swapped over to Klonopin, but some people on the benzo FB support groups have recommended not switching from Valium to Klonopin, however they never stated their reasons and only said they wanted to switch to Valium from Klonopin.

I'm not sure if this is a "the grass is greener on the other side" pipe dream, or if people actually can function better on different benzos that's somewhat predetermined by their genetics/chemistry. 

I will say that Valium sucks for me. If I didn't develop I/D withdrawals from Xanax, I would have just stayed on Xanax, because it didn't cause the sedation, depression, brain fog, short term memory loss, etc., the same way Valium has. The sedation and mind altering fx of Valium hasn't gotten much better, and I've been on it for a year. The depression has defininitely gotten much better though. 

I still am interested in switching over to Klonopin, but it would be nice to speak to someone who has more experience and insight to the switch.