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Hi everyone, I need help! I have been here previously and tapered my Klonopin last year from 1.25 mg to 0.25mg and did well. Recently, my myoclonic jerks, which is why I took Klonopin for last 11 years, started to act up. My PCP increased me to 0.5mg then to 1mg. I took it for a short while and I told her I thought I was developing a tolerance to Klonopin since my jerking was starting. She dropped me from 1mg to 0.5mg. I knew this was too fast! But this is how she sent my refill and now I have developed withdrawals! I get waves of feeling shaky, nausea, lightheadedness, and a buzzing kind of feeling. I heard people call this vibrations. Anyway, I hate to increase my dose to feel better since I've been at it a week, but scared how to proceed with a slow taper now. If I stay at 0.5 for a while, will it stop, or now do I keep rolling with the taper since I have withdrawals?
LizAA
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@lizaa
Although I had a symptom free taper off Klonopin it was only because my cuts were infinitesimally small. It took me longer to get off this medication than any other I’ve been on. The problem as I see it is two fold, first you’ve been on this medication a long time even though your dose is low. Second, even though the half life of this particular pharmaceutical is long compared to some others, I believe it was irresponsible for your doctor to decrease your medication by 50%. I say this primarily because of the time length of time you were on this medication. Another issue is, does your neurologist plan on putting you on another seizure medication? If so have you discussed that other medication yet and you could ask if it would help decrease the effects of the Klonopin side effects at the same time? (like a bridge) After taking this medication for 11 years what is the big rush getting off of it. The important thing is that you decrease it very very slowly on a consistent basis without any side effects and don’t let your doctor tell you that it’s not possible. Sadly doctors rarely pay attention or even seem to care that their patients are having withdrawls. In my own particular case when I was on my last taper amount I was chipping off tiny flakes at the very end but they kept the side effects away. There is also the 5 to 10% method (you don’t have to stick to 5 or 10% but I wouldn't chance going much higher) and the best way to do that is by using a compounding pharmacy. The downside to compounding pharmacies are that not all medications are covered and they are more expensive than regular pharmacies but safer than cutting the pills yourself. I take a medication that has to be prepared in a sterile compounding pharmacy and is more expensive yet and to my dismay not covered by insurance.
Another option is Cinderella therapeutics, It’s a company located in the Netherlands, here is some information & another link to the Klonopin tapering strips,
https://www.cinderella-tx.org/en/
Tapering strips for Klonopin,
http://www.taperingstrip.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CLNZ_bestel_GB.pdf
Some people use the Ashton manual for their tapers however I have found their recommend tapers are to quick and many people have complained of withdrawal effects. Although likely affective for some people personally I’m not a fan of it.
I wish you success and if your willing to be VERY PATIENT & taper EXTREMELY SLOWLY you should have a symptom free taper. I'm not sure if Cinderella is covered by insurance.
Also just because your doctor recommends a 50% taper doesn’t mean you have to follow it and as I’m sure you’ll agree by now his recommendation was very irresponsible.
Best of luck to you,
Jake