scared to step off at end of Klonopin taper

[[la...]]

This is my first post...I have tapered from 1.5 mg to 0.125 mg Klonopin.  Following advice seen here I devised a taper schedule that was faster than what is recommended for long term use, because my use was only 6 weeks prior to tapering.  Maybe I should have gone cold turkey but I had real problems with lower dose or missed doses.  So now my taper has been 6 weeks.  Every cut has been difficult but I want so desperately to be off.  I have had shakes, foggy brain, nausea, general misery.  I was prescribed for insomnia which is still a problem.  My pattern has been that I sleep for about 2 hours, then wake up.  Then I take Klonopin at 1 or 2 am and then I sleep very little after that most of the time.  The sleep has gotten worse as the taper has progressed but it is a tradeoff I am happy to make.  I have thought that the early morning waking may be due to my brain wanting a dose.  I discussed with my GP and she said why not move the does before bed.  So I dosed at 11 pm last night and slept 2 hours, then from 3 am on I had all the miserable w-drawal symptoms.  Usually the symptoms wait until 6 am.  SO I think I am going to go back to the 1-2 am dose schedule.  My GP also said to just step off from 0.125mg.  I am seeing a psychiatrist for an initial app't today and plan to ask his opinion on that.  It is what I would prefer because I just want to be done.  I guess I have to be prepared for the kickback.  Any feedback is welcome on what to expect, and how long and bad to expect the last step misery to be, and how it will be in the weeks after getting off.

[[La...]]

Sounds like you have been tapering faster than your body allows. This, combined with a planned jump from 0.125mg k is not good. Even if your taper went smooth as silk (which it sounds like it did not), jumping from 0.125mg k is high in my opinion. Take the time to get off this drug safely, minimizing fallout. Slow down and stabilize first. Then after you stabilize take your dose down slowly. The week before you jump, you should be getting good sleep and feeling overall pretty good with few, if any, wd sxs. This would be ideal. Nervous systems dont heal like skin.

[[la...]]

thx for this advice, psych doctor had same advice slow down a bit