Clonazepam taper

Ativan is another benzo; this is how I tapered as recommended by a sleep medicine doctor. I really took my time. Successfully off it for a year.

@hiker2024 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!

@kawanhee has offered a very sound tapering schedule in their post. My question to you, is if you have discussed this with your prescribing doctor, and the reason for the taper and elimination of this medication? Are you replacing it with something else? As you read through the posts, you will find that as people change off medications, doing so in very slow changes has the best outcome.
Ginger

Thank you, very much
Yes, I initiated discussion with my Provider after recent review of research literature regarding many concerning health/brain consequences associated with use, notably long term use. He is supportive of a patient guided taper, though the plan is left to me. He is not of the belief that discontinuation is needed or that it could be problematic to do so. The reasons for me wanting to taper off include it no longer providing a benefit along with potential for protracted withdrawal even while taking. I do not wish to replace with another medication, which has issues of its own, but do take Propranolol and find it helpful. Yes, very slow is the plan, especially once at .25mg. Efforts to taper by half were unsuccessful, which I now understand why. Thank you for the response and your interest.

Hello, Wondering if you could provide a bit more detail regarding the plan,

How are the numbers used, 1 - 10. Are you taking more than 1x per day? What was the initial taper dose and how long did you take Ativan before starting the taper. Thanks, 😊

@hiker2024 I have found for myself, that going off almost any medication is best done slowly. Our body has gotten used to it, so we respond best when we "step down". Kinda like looking from a tall building, I guess. You don't want to take one big leap, do it in stages.

Do you think keeping a journal as you go through this will be of help, in case you get too anxious? There might be some days you're not sure this is the right thing to do!
Ginger

What were withdrawal symptoms?

This is very interesting. What do the numbers down the side represent? Week 1, week 2 etc... or?

I really didn’t have any major withdrawal symptoms, probably because I tapered so slowly.

Not sure I understand your question.

Sorry. Just wondering how to read the table that you posted. Do the numbers in the brackets represent weeks? I.e did it take 12 weeks to be off it completely. And are the 0.5, 0.25 etc the dosage that you took that week.