Tips for clonazepam taper

I have taken clonazepam for 25 years. I was doing very well on 1mg 3xday. Now suddenly everyone wants me off it. I am down to. 5 twice a day and hate it. I don't understand why if something has helped me for 25 years with no side effects that suddenly it's a problem. Are you getting off for a reason or just because they suddenly want you to? Do it very slowly. I had a doctor try to take me off fast and I ended up falling and shattered my elbow and broke my arm in 2 places. After surgery I was put back on clonazepam. Did fine for 3 years and now my new doctor wants me off of it again. So I advise doing it very very slowly or you will suffer needlessly. Mine cut a half a pill at night but told me to try. If I could not do it try several times a week instead of everyday. Then in three months we reevaluate and try for cutting half a pill out as much as possible. So do it slowly even if it takes a year. Good luck.

SLOW! is the only way to do it.
I took over 2 years but was taking 18 mg a day trying to stop seizures but no luck so I quit. I had only extremely minor withdrawal symptoms at the very end but chipping tiny pieces off took care of that. If your having withdrawal symptoms you’re likely not tapering slowly enough. What's the rush anyway?
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Jake

Thanks for your input! Hope you at ok :). I am on 0.5 three times a day, for 4 months. Taking is slow.

I am so sorry for your experience with rapid taper. I have been on 0.5 three times a day for 4 months. I want to discontinue clonazepam. I do not want to be on an addictive medicine and I do worry about long term effects. I am nervous about the taper but feel that I can do it. And I agree, slowly, even if it takes a year. Best to you!

Well been over a week. i have been taking .25 mg clonapin morning and night. So I cut my dose in half.
starting to feel the withdrawal from dropping from .5 mg morning and night. Don't know what is going to happen if I go to my Dr. and he doesn't refill my script. The Dr's he wants me to see are and 1 1/2 hours away. None are on my plan. Thanks for your help. The worst is yet to come. Been through it before when I was younger. Big Tom 72.

I tapered from .5 mg lorazepam and did it very slowly. Example: first two to three weeks I did .5, .5, .25, .5, .5, .25 etc. Then .5, .25, .25, .5, .25, .25 etc. Then put .25 every day. Then cut in quarters and did similar till I was finally off

@kawanhee
Did you ever have any withdrawal symptoms?
Jake

I didn’t really. Maybe fatigue. I was actually relying on it for sleep and it wasn’t working anymore. I transitioned to mirtazapine which is not a benzodiazepine which is working well for me now.

@kawanhee
I tapered off 18 mg over 2+ years. No withdrawals except very minor at the end but small chips stopped those. I took it for seizures but it didn't work.
Thank you for your reply.
Jake

There are some great resources on the Benzo Information Coalition website. If you dig in, you will be surprised at how in depth it is.

Also, depending on where you live, there is a list of benzo informed doctors you can try to call.

Best wishes to you and may you have a peaceful separation from the medication.