Advice Needed on how to Get off Klonopin

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Advice needed.  I am at day 44 free off of oxycodone addiction.  I am feeling almost back to 100% normal.  I also started using klonopin around 8 months ago.  For the first 5 months, I averaged .5mg klonopin and the last three months, I have averaged 1mg daily.  That is up until couple of weeks ago.  It was at this point that I started trying to find my lowest mg stability point with the klonopin.  I dropped the dosage down to .75mg klonopin and things go good for a couple of days and then I start experience insomnia.  So, if I feel like it is going to be one of those long nights, I will swallow another .25mg klonopin totaling 1mg for the day.  This cycle has been going on for a couple of weeks, which I will take .75mg for a couple of days and then take 1mg on the third day.  I will then repeat this process.  So, I’m really not sure if I should start weaning off at .75mg or 1mg.  Any advice?  I would also like to know if it would be better to take the klonopin two times a day rather than only at bedtime which is the way I have been taken it.  I have tried taking .25mg in the morning and .75mg at bedtime.  This works fine but puts my daily mg intake to 1mg.  I know that if I take anything less than .75mg at bedtime, I will not be able to sleep.  I’ve got a psy visit tomorrow and will ask him some of these questions but as you all know, psy don’t always know best.  Thanks for any and all advice. 

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Hi Kpin,

Since you have an appointment tomorrow, this would be an excellent time to consider a crossover to valium.  Do you think the doctor would be agreeable?

 

Many do a direct taper from clonopin. Some find it easier to crossover to Valium for it's longer half life and sometimes sedating effects. 

 

If you plan to taper directly from clonipin, you will probably find dosing 2 times a day easier. Some people dose three times a day.  Once you feel stable, you can begin slowly cutting your dose by 5% and holding the cut for 2-3 weeks.

 

Once you decide what to do, there are plenty of people who have taken whichever path you decide. They can offer help along the way.

Good luck,

Flip

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I did the crossover to Diazepam (Valium) from Clonazepam.  The reason being, my first cut I ever made was from 1mg of Clonazepam to .75mg (under doctor's care).  I was find for a couple of days, but by day three, WHOA.  I began experiencing insomnia, paranoia, anxiety and diarrhea.  This went on for 10 days straight.  After that I never felt "right" and wondered what was wrong with me.  It wasn't until 6 weeks later that I FINALLY "Googled" Benzodiazepines and discovered what was going on with me.  I was in withdrawal.  I wish now I had known more and not agreed to a 25% reduction.  Most people make 10% reductions.  I wish (had I known) that I split my .5mg pills in to quarters and started from there.  They are difficult to split properly so that is an advantage to crossing over to Diazepam/Valium.  But there are things to take into consideration.  For one, Valium can make you more fatigued (like a deep drugged feeling) and it does cause depression for some.  So if you are prone to depression, you may be more on guard.  But this doesn't happen to everyone.  I was fatigued, but it was bearable, and I did NOT get depressed.

 

In the end it is fully possible to taper from Clonazepam, but you'll probably want to make smaller cuts and hold at that dose for awhile till you feel a bit more stable.  I always took my Clonazepam as 1 dose in the evening.  When I tried splitting it up, it caused major insomnia for me...but others do try it and find it works better as 2 doses.  You can always try and then if you feel worse, go back to how you've always taken it.

 

Hang in there!  It's not always easy coming off of Benzos, but it is 100% doable.  I am 7 months free as of today and seeing major improvements. 

 

Hugs,

Schatje

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Schatje,

Sounds like my best option is to switch over to valium.  That is fine with me because I could use the sedating affects at bedtime.  One more question, how did you crossover from klonopin.  Did you cross over in one day or over several weeks.  I would love to see an example.  Also, I assume I could just take the valium at bedtime and not have to worry about inter-dose withdrawals due to its long half-life, correct?

Thanks so much for the information.  By the way, I've been studying the Ashton manual.