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Tapering off clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril)

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Mar 30, 2023 | Replies (236)

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@annfsd

Hello @happy_ira
First, welcome and please let me congratulate you on your amazing progress in tapering off K. You have made a huge reduction already, so a big congrats to you.👏🎊🎉

I am currently on 1.09mg daily and have a very difficult time cutting. I try to reduce in .0045mg cuts per week and it is extremely difficult. I have been on K for 12 years at very low dosage(@.75mg daily) My dr had me up dose after my first failure of a taper.

I am doing a micro taper using a simple syrup suspension compounded by a compounding pharmacist. So I am able to make very small reductions each week when I can tolerate them. I try to weekly but can’t always swing it. Depends on how sick I am (nausea, magraine headache, etc) and how bad my pain level is. When I start having chest pain I know it’s time to back off and hold a bit.

Have you read the Ashton Manuel? Are you and your dr at all framiliar with the side effects caused by vitamin supplements during the taper process? Google it, if you are not framiliar with this school of thought. Vitamin D made me very, very sick, I was literally in bed for 3 days. The supplements might possibly be adding to your misery and making things more difficult. I have developed sensitivity to many foods and supplements. As Mary mentioned in her post, the micro taper is easiest for some people and I’m one of those. I wish I could cut more but my body has a different agenda and so I am going very slow. Your .25mg cuts every 3 weeks are very big cuts.
Best regards
Ann

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Replies to "Hello @happy_ira First, welcome and please let me congratulate you on your amazing progress in tapering..."

@annfsd @mmussak

The micro tapering methods and Ashton method (yes, I've read that) are all easier said than done. The fact is, K is very very addictive in its own right, when coupled with genetics, length of time on the medication, each person's unique make-up etc.... there is no "one size fits all".

I have micro-tapered before, and yes 0.25mg every three weeks feels HUGE as we all know the half life and so on. It does lead to irritability, some semi-suicidal thoughts alll amidst real external pressures (job, family, etc).

In the end, the few times I have tried, I buckled and went back to 1.5mg. I chalked it up as an EXCUSE on jobm, family etc.... however, as my therapist would say "cart before horse". I need to get off the med. Anyone on here trying same knows how really really really hard it is.

There *never* seems to be a good time, but I believe that had I gotten off this years ago, IU would be in a better place now. My PLAN is to taper at that schedule. Easier said than done. But this time, unlike past years, I am committed becuase it has ruined enough of my life.