← Return to Klonopin taper

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Klonopin taper

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Apr 2, 2023 | Replies (547)

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@pankaj

For @lorraine59. I can understand what you are going through because I have myself been through a Klonopin taper 4 years ago, and failed. I was on Klonopin 1 mg [plus many antidepressants] for about 2 years. Then my psychiatrist prescribed Venlafaxine 75mg/150 mg for three weeks. It did not suit me at all and my anxiety increased to an extent that I became suicidal. I took the decision to stop Venlafaxine Cold Turkey AGAINST the advice of my doctor. That saved my life. But the withdrawal from Venlafaxine was so severe that I had to increase my dosage of Klonopin to 2 mg. That helped me to gradually return to normalcy. Then I thought that I could reduce Klonopin to 1 mg, which was my earlier dosage. It was a very slow taper--0.25 mg every 2 weeks. The first taper of 0.25mg went off well. but when I started the second taper, I began experiencing severe anxiety and restlessness. After a few days, my doctor restored the dosage of 2mg/day of Klonopin, but he also had to increase my antidepressant dosage to bring me back to normalcy. Four years later, I am still on 2mg/day Klonopin. I am prepared to continue it for the rest of my life.

Therefore, since you have taken a dosage of 6 mg/day of Klonopin for 30 years, I am not sure why your doctor is insisting on tapering it now. I am not sure if it is safe for you. I don't know how old you are; the safest thing may be to continue Klonopin indefinitely, because tapering it might result in a great deal of suffering. But then I am not a doctor who can prescribe anything for you. All I am doing is sharing my experience with you. The final word in the matter probably belongs to a qualified psychiatrist. Hope this helps. God bless you.

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Replies to "For @lorraine59. I can understand what you are going through because I have myself been through..."

I am a 59 year old woman, who has been to hell and back the last 2 years of tapering! At this stage of my life I just don't get why my GP is doing this. The first time he started tapering me, I got down to 3.5 mgs. I knew something was terribly wrong, I could not keep a thought in my head. I could not go outside on my own, fearing a panic attack, and to stop my heart from pounding out of my chest, I would have to have a couple of alcoholic drinks! After a few weeks I could not get out of bed, I just laid there suffering! I could not walk, barely talk, eat or drink, knew I was dehydrated and probably dying! I called 911 and just said "help me" They arrived and could not even move me until they could get an IV inserted.This took over 45 minutes because I was so dehydrated my veins kept collapsing. After 6 days in hospital they could not keep me any longer. I came home only to discover my GP put me back to 5mgs for two months but another taper after that! I can't help but wonder, if GP's went through this for one or two days themselves, how quick would they begin to understand how lethal, withdrawal can be. I actually prayed to die!