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Klonopin taper - any suggestions?

Posted by dawgbone @dawgbone, Jul 31, 2017

I have been on some kind of benzo for almost 40 yrs. I am trying to taper from 1.5-2 mgs of klonopin daily . Began in mid may 2017 and my last cut was very small on 7-2-17 to get to 1mg. Honestly feels like i am dying. I also take trazodone 75 mgs and 4 drugs for high blood pressure. I have been researching gabapentin and seroquel to help with the withdrawal symptons. Please offer any suggestions or help. I am 69 yrs old and cant even leave my house to visit my kids and grands. Thank you for any help!

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cgs | @cgs | Apr 2, 2023
In reply to @reese1 "This is a very good link from The Ashton Manuel: https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/" + (show)
Profile picture for reese1 @reese1

This is a very good link from The Ashton Manuel: https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

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Do you have anything on an American Medical Association or a American Hospital that recommends stopping a Klonopin when you've been taking it for over 20 years and it still helps you

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reese1 | @reese1 | Apr 2, 2023
In reply to @cgs "Do you have anything on an American Medical Association or a American Hospital that recommends stopping..." + (show)
Profile picture for cgs @cgs

Do you have anything on an American Medical Association or a American Hospital that recommends stopping a Klonopin when you've been taking it for over 20 years and it still helps you

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I do not have that information, but you can do an Internet search and call them to see what the protocol is for that, since everyone's situation is unique.

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reese1 | @reese1 | Apr 2, 2023
In reply to @cgs "I have a really good psychiatrist that for that I've had for 10 years that I..." + (show)
Profile picture for cgs @cgs

I have a really good psychiatrist that for that I've had for 10 years that I trust very much and he keeps telling me not to go off of the Klonopin so I'll just keep taking it he says take his little as you can I used to be on 3 mg and now I only take two one in the morning and one at night I do not take the middle of the day dose any longer and he said that was just fine take his little as you can he does not ever recommend that I quit taking it though so I probably won't I don't see any reason to so far I'm not led to take less or to go off of it all together it doesn't seem to be harming me and I don't seem to need to take any more than what I do so I'm just going to go with his advice he's been a very good doctor for over 10 years

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I am so glad to hear that you have a good doctor. I would continue taking his advice and if you ever have a problem with it, be sure to let him know. I wish you the best.

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reese1 | @reese1 | Apr 2, 2023
In reply to @g0ldengirl1952 "I was talking about the article's "taper schedules" and substitutions Reese, not sure where I said..." + (show)
Profile picture for g0ldengirl1952 @g0ldengirl1952

I was talking about the article's "taper schedules" and substitutions Reese, not sure where I said you "suggested " anything to me did I?? I have to look back and read, I'm sorry for anything I said that sounded like that 🙁

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Please don't feel badly about anything. I hope that you don't feel like I was angry with you. I wasn't angry. I was concerned that you would misunderstand and think that I was telling you how to taper. I know I really cannot do that. All I can do is explain my experience with my tapering and why I chose the route that I did. I am not a doctor and therefore, I cannot tell anyone how they should taper. I know that so many of us are desperate to do the right thing because we are anxious to accomplish our goals with being benzo free, but it all comes in time, and I do think that I should have tapered more slowly. I went into a panic to get off of the Xanax because I had hit tolerance and it had started to cause me anxiety rather than relieve it. If I learn of anything new, I will let you know.

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Jake | @jakedduck1 | Apr 2, 2023
In reply to @g0ldengirl1952 "Hi Jake, I had done this 2 summers ago and I think I went to fast,..." + (show)
Profile picture for g0ldengirl1952 @g0ldengirl1952

Hi Jake, I had done this 2 summers ago and I think I went to fast, had to because my doctor was deciding for me, but now I'm deciding for me.

The 1/4 works very good, I just went a month with no ill effects, but I felt unsure going down to .5 so I'll stay another month at .75 mg and see how I feel at that point end of April.

What is a compounding pharmacy Jake? I'm guessing you mean can they give me .5 tablets, but the pharmacies here don't go lower than ,5 size. I need to get a pill-cutter, that's for sure.

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@g0ldengirl1952
When a drug doesn't come in the strength the doctor wants a patient to use it can be made at a compounding pharmacy.
I use a sterile compounding pharmacy for a drug I inject.
Jake

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tkat | @tkat | Jan 11, 2025

I am my mother's care giver. She's 89 yo. She has never been very social and has had anxiety/depression most of her life. She had been on clonazepam 0.5 four times a day for appx 5 years. About 2 years ago they cut her back to 2 times a day. Took some doing but finally made it work. Now they are trying to cut her back to 1 to 1.5 pills a day. It's not working. Her anxiety level is through the roof. She is really upset and actually I am too. I am feeling anxious myself and do not know what to do for her. She's 89 for goodness sake! Why can't she just continue as is for the remainder of her life. It is the only thing that gives her comfort.

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sears | @sears | Jan 12, 2025
In reply to @tkat "I am my mother's care giver. She's 89 yo. She has never been very social and..." + (show)
Profile picture for tkat @tkat

I am my mother's care giver. She's 89 yo. She has never been very social and has had anxiety/depression most of her life. She had been on clonazepam 0.5 four times a day for appx 5 years. About 2 years ago they cut her back to 2 times a day. Took some doing but finally made it work. Now they are trying to cut her back to 1 to 1.5 pills a day. It's not working. Her anxiety level is through the roof. She is really upset and actually I am too. I am feeling anxious myself and do not know what to do for her. She's 89 for goodness sake! Why can't she just continue as is for the remainder of her life. It is the only thing that gives her comfort.

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And what’s their point? She’s too old to go through any potential withdrawal. Have a very serious talk with her doctor.

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iamunwell | @iamunwell | Feb 17 12:52pm
In reply to @stressedmesseddepressed "I ran short of clonazepam and had to have my GP doctor call in a few..." + (show)
Profile picture for nolongerstressedmesseddepressed @stressedmesseddepressed

I ran short of clonazepam and had to have my GP doctor call in a few days' worth of pills - 4 mg a day, and the pharmacy treated me like a drug addict! Missing a dose(s) of clonazepam is a living hell and I felt like I wanted to die. Insomnia, jitters, etc. So, I've decided to talk to my new Psychiatrist about tapering off clonazepam as I don't want to be addicted to anything, especially something that can cause seizures (and even death) if you go off it too quickly. Tapering MUST be done under a Doctor's supervision and SLOWLY. I've read tapering is done .5 mg every two weeks, then, when you get down to 1 mg. to taper more slowly - 1 mg for 2 weeks, .75 for 2 weeks, .5 for 2 weeks, .25 for 2 weeks, then off if the Doctor sways it's okay. (I am NOT a Doctor). I don't want to be on ANY benzo and will ask about alternative medications that don't make you severely addicted.

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@stressedmesseddepressed
That seems way too fast from what I've read but everyone is different. they will not fill mine until I'm on my last pill. It's very scary but my psych is looking into liquid doses since I'm on the smallest dose. I've read many horror stories and I'm terrified.

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Jake | @jakedduck1 | Feb 17 1:46pm

iamunwell
I took Klonopin for treatment-resistant seizures. I took 18mg a day which is nearly the daily maximum.
I you decrease your dose slowly enough you probably won't have any withdrawals. I didn't have withdrawals except some very minor ones at the end that were easily stopped. Stop it VERY SLOWLY, and I can't emphasize slowly enough, and you probably won't have any withdrawals.
Take care,
Jake

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heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Feb 25 6:50am

Thanks for your courageous story JVS.

I have been taking Suboxone to help me stay away from other opioids. I've been sober 15 plus years now.

I've tapered my dose about as low as it will go w/o withdrawal symptoms. I'm 71 y/o and have decided I'm just going to stay on it and not go through withdrawal. That happened once after I hadn't taken SubX for 3 days. It was horrible. This presents a challenge after surgery as opioids have no pain-reducing affect on me.

At this age, I'm ok with staying on the drug, as much as I'd like to not be taking it.

All the best to you, and thanks so much for sharing. It really helped me.

Joe

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