New to Forum and starting my tapering process.

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Hi,

My story.  Started on Klonopin .5 mg twice a day about 3 1/2 years ago.  I've always had situational anxiety, but never took anything for it.  3 1/2 years ago I was diagnosed with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia after having an event with my heart where my pulse and blood pressure was going up and down.  I was started on meds to address heart rhythm and the Cardiologist put me on Klonopin to help with anxiety that goes along with the rapid heart beat(Zoloft was his second choice).  First month or so after that I had a palpitation event a couple times a week...the Klonopin definitely helped keep me calm during those events until they passed.  Stimulation to the heart, including emotional would just make it beat faster.  I was never in danger of dying or having a heart attack.  The palpitation events went away as the heart meds started working.  Things have gone so well for 3 years now, and I want to start feeling less lethargic during the day, so I discussed at least cutting down on Klonopin and the Cardiologist agrees.  At this point my goal is to titrate off the morning pill, then address the evening pill later.  With a pill cutter I cut out .125(1/4 of a pill) out of the morning pill and did this for 2 weeks.  No withdrawals until day 3.  Day 3-6 I felt out out of it, ringing in my ears, mild anxiety 3rd night...all in all moderate but tolerable.  At the end of 2 weeks cut another .125 from morning pill...9 days in and moderate but tolerable withdrawals.  That's where I am.  Grateful for all of the stories I have read on here and the titration information.  Prior to all the reading I have done I was going to make a more drastic reduction but glad I did not.  Thanks for reading/listening.  And best of everything to all of you. David

[[ro...]]

Hi Starter:

 

Welcome to our little group of "benzo hand holders."  So you were taking 1 mg K per day and now tapered to .75 mg K?  I would hold a few weeks before you make your next cut. 

 

Also, Ashton (our super benzo guru) manual states that reduction cuts can be tolerated at around 10% every 10-14 days.  You've made a 25% reduction so things might catch up with you as far as WD sxs.  But you are managing pretty well!  If you haven't had a chance to read through Ashton's manual, please do so.  It's a good guidebook for getting off benzos and understanding the overall effects and recovery period. 

 

Very glad to hear the heart issues have subsided and you want to tackle the K head on! 

 

Kudos to you for your taper endeavors!

 

Rocko

[[pi...]]

Hello David,

 

Welcome to Benzo Buddies!!!

 

It sounds like you have a smart and careful plan of tapering and it looks like the symptoms are tolerable at this point. I am glad your doctor agrees that its time to get off the meds and is supportive. it is good that you have read some of the information here and decided not to do a drastic cut.  Klonopin is a strong drug so it is important to make this as easy as possible on your body.

 

Not everyone has a bad withdrawal, I hope that it will be the case for you.

 

Here is a link to the Ashton Manual for more information on withdrawal and recovery

All the best to you and we are glad you are here.

 

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

 

pianogirl

 

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Thanks for the reminder about the Ashton method...I will definitely re-read that...and thanks for you encouragement.  I am definitely going to hold at this reduction for longer than the initial reduction.  I'm defintely more nervous when the time comes to address the evening pill...it's more complicated as, believe it or not, K has helped lessen the side affects from the heart med(Calcium Channel Blocker) which I take at the same time...as well I have mild restless leg when sleeping which K is recommended for that.  These aspects I will discuss with my doctor...one step at a time.  Slow and steady wins the race as they say.

Thanks again.  David