Starting Klonopin Taper, Scared of the Horror Stories

Posted by njp1013 @njp1013, Jan 26, 2020

Hi all- I am expecting to get a plan from my psychiatrist to begin tapering down .5mg of klonopin 2x daily that I have been on for 4 months (I have been taking buspar for a month and hope to use that as my anxiety med, also am on 225 mg effexor daily), the stories on the internet about doing this are horrifying and right now i feel like the prospect of doing this is the #1 cause of my anxiety, feel like I’m getting ready for surgery or something. Has anyone gone thru this process and found it manageable? I need to hear it’s possible. Thanks.

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sears | @sears | Feb 5, 2020

In reply to @njp1013 "Hi all..just wanted to update, I’m on day 8 having gone from 1 mg to .75..." + (show)

Don’t taper too fast! You’re not in any hurry. The ultimate goal is to taper completely off as painlessly as possible. If you need to hold at a certain dose don’t be afraid to hold for awhile. Take your time!

thankful | @thankful | Feb 5, 2020

In reply to @njp1013 "Hi all..just wanted to update, I’m on day 8 having gone from 1 mg to .75..." + (show)

@njp1013- Good for you, but based on so many posts from others that have tapered (especially to quicky) whats the hurry?
I highly recommend that you consider smaller drops over longer periods of time. Best of luck to either way! Jim @thankful

njp1013 | @njp1013 | Feb 5, 2020

thanks, I definitely don’t want to go too fast, but I do want to get it behind me, so it’s a delicate balance and I am checking in weekly with my psych. Unfortunately every time I cut down my body probably will notice but so far things have been manageable with 25% of the dose cut for 8 days. It’s too bad the smallest pill they make is .5 and you can only break it to .25 with any accuracy without breaking out the beakers and jeweler scales etc, which I’m not gonna do..

sears | @sears | Feb 5, 2020

You’re benzo should come in liquid form if needed. Hoping you can get by without it. Keep us posted!

Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Feb 5, 2020

In reply to @njp1013 "Effexor and also started buspar a month ago to augment" + (show)

How have you found the combination of the venlafaxine (Effexor) and the anxiolytic (Buspar), @njp1013?

njp1013 | @njp1013 | Feb 5, 2020

@lisalucier the buspar has worked pretty subtly for me but I do think it helps bolster the Effexor. It has helped the depression which makes me less anxious, because for me feeling overly sad creates a ‘why aren’t I getting better’ anxiety.. the buspar has helped with that

Parus | @parus | Feb 6, 2020

@njp1013 I can understand your fear. I was scared at first and found it was not as uncomfortable as I had heard-those horror stories do not apply to everyone. I have not taken benzos for at least 2 years. I had been so numbed out I was missing a lot. Still deal with anxiety but still enjoying a world where colors are brighter, I can feel the good, bad and the ugly-not as bad as I had feared. Hope this helps you to be brave and strong. So oft we only hear the horror stories-not from this member.

njp1013 | @njp1013 | Feb 6, 2020

In reply to @parus "@njp1013 I can understand your fear. I was scared at first and found it was not..." + (show)

Thank you @parus, every day is a leap of faith, but every day I stay on track is a victory and that feels good. I’ve read a study done on patients who have been on much higher doses than me for much longer and tapered at .25 mg per week with success, I’m taking it a little bit slower than that at 10 days per drop and checking in with my psych. klonopin helped me thru a very tough time; but I’m at the point now where the fear of having to eventually get off is the main cause of my anxiety, so that’s not good and why I want to get it done

Parus | @parus | Feb 7, 2020

@njp1013 There are times when these type of medications are needed and helpful. Wise you are to not want to continue on with them if you can. You sound determined-I like that!!

njp1013 | @njp1013 | Feb 7, 2020

@parus thank you! i appreciate the support. Got the ok from my psych to cut from .75 to .5 tomorrow so kinda nervous but as you said I am determined, and have good support. trying to take good care of my body and meditate at night and stay engaged at work and home as all those things have helped. Anything to make the days pass faster during this time helps!