What is the best way to taper off Klonopin?

I’ve been on Clono since 1996. Have tried 3 times in detox. All they do is pump you full of phenobarbital and no therapy. I have what’s called PAWS - post acute withdrawal syndrome. After a few days of coming home from rehab, my body goes psycho. I can’t walk, talk, eat or sleep. It is the worst feeling ever. I’m a 71 year old female and my PCP told me no more detox. At my age I might as well stay on it. I take 1mg, 3x daily. In the past I’ve been on Zoloft, Paxil, just to name a few and quit cold turkey with only brain zaps to deal with. I’m weaning off gabapentin very slowly and tried cold turkey with Cymbalta. Doing good on the gaba but the cymbalta was giving me very bad brain zaps, not sleeping or eating. It’s 60mg so now I’m taking it every other day. I’m tired of paying for and taking meds that do not work. The clono helps only a little if I have a panic attack or bad anxiety but I have to keep taking it so I don’t go into seizures. The majority of detox centers have no clue how to wean someone off something they’ve been on for many years. The Ashton Method is the only safe way but depending upon your dose, it can take 2 years to get off clono. I know what y’all are going through with pain and anxiety and I wish all the luck in the world to y’all.

@gunshy So sorry you are suffering. I was on Xanax no longer than about a year. I have been on antidepressants for about 35 years and that may have made it easier to get off of benzos. My experience in the last couple years includes taking CBD oil (pot without THC so I don't get high, but helps calm my nervous system. I take Alprazolam .5 milligram once or twice a week when I feel ungrounded. I am 80 yrs old but my new PCP trusts that I won't abuse the Xanax. I purchased a natural anti-anxiety product and am waiting for it to arrive. Natural products of this type usually take several weeks to make a difference. I will give it a try. If I were you I would taper off your med at a much slower rate. Keep your suffering to a minimum.

@david707
Hope your natural remedy works. I've tried lavender pills, but they don't work for me. I use lavender and camomile drops at night when I wake up at night and feel edgy
I'm still up in the air about the best way to taper off. Almost all require a change that could play more havoc with my nervous system. I found a lady in NYC who does functional medicine -- works to get one stable first before the taper, but I am sure she is asking big bucks.
At 5 percent reduction I am looking at at least two years... wowiee!!! I am 81 and want to around longer and get my life back!

@gunshy Thanks for the info on the drops. I need to get off sleep meds and maybe that will help. Will look into it. Good that you desire to live longer. I have no fear of death because I had a over-whelming spiritual experience in my 20's and am just biding my time here. I sure wish we had universal health care like most civilized nations so cost wouldn't be prohibitive for our ageing issues. I wish you well.

@david707
You are welcome. We have Avena Botanicals here which uses gylcerin. There is also HerbPharm which is in alcohol. Hope they work for you. I also get up for an hour and write long emails to a friend in Texas. Seems to settle me down so it stops the shaking a bit, gets my mind off things or I can either go back to bed or get on with my day.
But even though I do sleep, I find myself tired and nodding off in church or Bible study, but they are safe places for me where it is peaceful and quiet and the music is lovely.
Having had your spiritual experience in your youth is a wonderful gift, knowing that this material world is not all there is, etc. Have you ever read books but Rudolf Steiner? They are difficult reading, but what keeps me going.
I am wondering if the lady in NY can even take me as I do not live in that state. I could plan to be there, though, if I can afford her. What I have now is just about "no life," but it is teaching me a great deal about humility, forgiving and understanding others.
Hope the drops can give you a bit of relief.

I was on Klonopin or clonazepam for several years. A pharmacist friend advised me the way to get off of clonazepam or anything else like that is to reduce it by one quarter tablet for 2 weeks then the next cut it in half for two weeks. Then you're down to one quarter of a tablet for 2 weeks after that it should be a lot easier. I'm in my seventies and it worked for me very well . The same thing works for antidepressants. You just have to get your body used to a smaller dosage gradually. I hope this helps someone.

Oh, wow! I am so glad it worked for you. Did you have difficult withdrawal symptoms? The ST guy gave me a schedule for a micro dose water taper that would take almost two years, and I am on .5 mg. I heard it works for others, but I am afraid to try it as K. is not fully dissolved in water. (Also turned out he was not licensed in my state yet so even if I wanted to I could not follow through.) I am thinking now of doing a micro taper with a scale, and making very tiny cuts and holding if I do not feel good. Has anyone done that? And how did it work?