What is the best way to taper off Klonopin?

Posted by kittymama @kittymama, Apr 7, 2019

Can anyone tell me the best way to taper off Klonopin? I feel it does nothing for my anxiety

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Hi, definitely have someone help. I see a naturopathic doctor for this. I’m doing it now. I have been on this drug since my mom passed in 2012. I take two, 0.5 mg at bedtime. I honestly think it does nothing, but it has come down to mind over matter.
She believes it has to be extremely slow and I need to take a lot of B vitamins in her process. I’ve already been on b12 injections for years and their is b12 in my multi vitamin. I added a b complex. So, I’m still in the first 90 days of taking half of one pill. If I’m comfortable after 90 days and she’s not sure I will be I can go to one pill 0.5 at bedtime for 90 days and keep on a 90 day plan of cutting back.

She said everyone is different so I need to listen to my body. So far so good. I just want off this drug. Best of luck. I’m 67 if that helps and weigh 135. Blessings…Joanne

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@mothermary1

Hi, definitely have someone help. I see a naturopathic doctor for this. I’m doing it now. I have been on this drug since my mom passed in 2012. I take two, 0.5 mg at bedtime. I honestly think it does nothing, but it has come down to mind over matter.
She believes it has to be extremely slow and I need to take a lot of B vitamins in her process. I’ve already been on b12 injections for years and their is b12 in my multi vitamin. I added a b complex. So, I’m still in the first 90 days of taking half of one pill. If I’m comfortable after 90 days and she’s not sure I will be I can go to one pill 0.5 at bedtime for 90 days and keep on a 90 day plan of cutting back.

She said everyone is different so I need to listen to my body. So far so good. I just want off this drug. Best of luck. I’m 67 if that helps and weigh 135. Blessings…Joanne

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@mothermary1
Good morning Joanne,
As long as you’re not having withdrawals I’d stay on your current regime.
Sounds like your doctor is on top of her game. Slowly is the best way to reduce chances of withdrawal.
Although slowly doesn’t work for everyone. If memory serves someone on connect was taking around one half of one percent of Klonopin and still suffering significant withdrawls.
I wouldn’t take B vitamins, or any vitamin indiscriminately. They come with there own risks.
I hope your not adding them without your doctors advice based on blood tests showing your deficient. Although vitamin B toxicity may be unlikely it is possible.
Best of luck to you,
Jake

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@archermac15

Thanks so much, Jake. I probably will have to ask another Doctor to help me with the Detox. I am 53 years old. You were a lot younger than me and were probably in much better health. I was taking it for anxiety, but I recently developed Restless Leg Syndrome. It's really bad. I had it back in 2017 but it went into remission and now it's back with a vengeance. I was taking 2mg for 16 years but went down to 1mg in the summer. I didn't feel any difference. I get 1mg Clonazepam twice a day, so for the last 3 nights, I've cut my dose down by 25%. The smallest I can cut a 1mg pill is in quarters, so I've been taking 3/4 of a 1mg of Klonopin for the last 3 nights. This morning when I woke up, the Restless Leg Syndrome, that's also in my arms and neck since February was so much worse this morning and I felt really anxious. Ugh, this is bad timing to do a detox. Ive tried to take medication for RLS since February but for some reason maybe because Im in menopause my heart starts racing after a few days and then I get chest pain. It seems like I can only take the medications I already take. I've never been sensitive to medication like this before. I've never developed palpitations nor chest pain to any medication in my life before this. I spoke to my Cardiologist about this problem hoping he could give me something that would help me so I could be able to take the Gabapentin or Lyrica, but he didn't believe me and told me to call my Psychiatrist. I was shocked. I shouldn't have to seen him. He made a mistake in 2020 when he said my Perfusion Scan showed a blocked vessel in my heart and had me undergo a Angiogram. Not only was I allergic to the dye and needed to take Benadryl, but I was in pain and kept requesting pain medication and didn't receive very much, and after it was over he was gone. Didn't even say Goodbye. Later when we spoke, he said that my heart was fine and that my perfusion scan turned out to be normal. Obviously he was too proud to admit that he made a mistake reading my Perfusion Scan or reading the wrong Perfusion Scan. So I went through a painful procedure for nothing and got a rash from them shaving the inside of my arm. I don't have very much faith in Doctors. The only thing I had was Right bundle branch Blockage an electrical thing which he had said was minor. I don't know what to do. I feel depressed and anxious about my situation. I'm in a lot of pain. I've been in pain management for a long time and on pain medication for 16 years and on the same dose, so it's not helping me with this new pain. Every day I cry. My pain Doctor doesn't want to give me more pain medication. I have extra because these past years, I've gone down when my pain wasn't that bad and I have extra so I've had to take extra just to deal with the excruciating pain, but it's not going to last me. I'm eventually going to run out and I will be out. I will be out. I'm terrified. I can't live with all this pain. This is too much to bear. I've even considered suicide. It's just that I'm a Christian and it's against my religion. How can I do this to my mother. Will God understand? I don't want to be damned.

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Oh Evie, I hear you. You are certainly at the end of your rope.
I understand your mistrust, but I encourage to continue to seek care from someone you can confide in and whom you can trust. I know it's a lot of work. I think that is why patients are called patients. It requires a lot of patience to be a patient, but also a lot of perservance.

If anything, I want to give you the confidence and courage to know you matter and you have the right to good health and feeling better. I wonder if you have ever considered a Pain Rehabilitation program?

You might be interested in reading about Mayo's program and approach in this discussion:
- Anyone in (or have been to) the Pain Rehab Clinic? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anyone-in-or-have-been-to-the-pain-rehab-clinic/

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Hi Jake, I see a naturopathic monthly. I believed with my own research as a woman, the importance of some vitamins. I’m very much into b vitamins but like I stated this was the path set for me by this person. Our bodies are like snowflakes. I’ve taken many vitamins my entire life. I personally believe in
them but only specific vendors and only from specific compound pharmacies. I do a lot of research. This was a plan laid out in detail for my body, weight and height per the naturopathic doctor. What is working for me may be a nightmare for someone else. I’m a firm believer in vitamins even if not deficient. I’m not into a garden variety but believe many are needed on a daily basis. We all know our bodies best. I think anyone wishing to stop any medication must do it with supervision. I personally prefer naturopathic.
Blessings

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@tennisgirl6205

Looking for insight on quitting Klonopin. It's the weekend and I can't reach my dr. I have been taking Klonopin a couple times a week - .25 mg for about 7 months. Very low dose. I am wondering if I can just stop. It has four days now since I have taken a pill and I am noticing withdrawal symptoms. The most intense is my insides feel like they are on fire. It comes in waves. Wondering if I should just work through this or if I should have tapered to an even lower dose for a while.

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Thank you, Colleen for such kind words. I am in Pain Management and see a pain Doctor but he doesn't want to give me anymore pain medication. I don't think that's the same thing as Pain Rehabilitation. I don't know. I am at the end of my rope. I just don't understand why I can't take new medication. I have extra pain medication but it will run out so I've been careful not to use it. I couldn't take the pain last night and took extra and this morning my heart was racing. Ugh, I can't take this pain. Have you ever heard of a person going through menopause who got palpitations and chest pain after a few days of taking new medication? I never was like this before. I would love to go to the Mayo Clinics pain Rehabilitation. I have Medicare and Medi- Cal. I wonder if they will take me. I went down 25% on my Klonopin for the last 3 nights and I felt really anxious and couldn't sleep. I think I went down too much. This morning I took.25mg. Its hard to detox now with all this pain. What do you recommend?

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I am about to take the plunge off clonazepam myself and have taken comfort from reading all your stories and advice. I’ve been on .5 mg 2x/day for six years. I am experiencing a lot of tolerance withdrawal symptoms, which makes me very nervous about titrating down. Also my doctor doesn’t believe me, and seems to think my cheese has slid off my cracker. Any thoughts? Reassurance and advice most welcome. All best, everyone.

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@janeee

I am about to take the plunge off clonazepam myself and have taken comfort from reading all your stories and advice. I’ve been on .5 mg 2x/day for six years. I am experiencing a lot of tolerance withdrawal symptoms, which makes me very nervous about titrating down. Also my doctor doesn’t believe me, and seems to think my cheese has slid off my cracker. Any thoughts? Reassurance and advice most welcome. All best, everyone.

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Morning, I was on two 0.5 which I could take anytime of day but I mostly took both at bedtime. In my past post naturopathic doctor. I cut down to one pill and half of the second for 90 days. Im still doing the same. No side effects but don’t feel ready to cut back to just one yet. She advised a lot of B vitamins which I take still. I’ll take as long as it takes, it’s not a race. You need assistance to help you. Im doing it a half a pill at a time. So far so good. Good luck..Joanne

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@mothermary1

Morning, I was on two 0.5 which I could take anytime of day but I mostly took both at bedtime. In my past post naturopathic doctor. I cut down to one pill and half of the second for 90 days. Im still doing the same. No side effects but don’t feel ready to cut back to just one yet. She advised a lot of B vitamins which I take still. I’ll take as long as it takes, it’s not a race. You need assistance to help you. Im doing it a half a pill at a time. So far so good. Good luck..Joanne

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Many thanks, Joanne! Curious: did you cut .25 all at once and then the 90 day hold? Interested in that tapering schedule. Cheers.

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@janeee

Many thanks, Joanne! Curious: did you cut .25 all at once and then the 90 day hold? Interested in that tapering schedule. Cheers.

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My dose was .05 mg twice daily. I’m now taking one and half of second pill. It has not been 90 days yet but it’s not a deadline, it was a suggestion by my doctor.
If I’m comfortable then take away another half after 90 days which would leave me with one pill. I would try 90 days on one-0.5 mg if I’m ready for 90 days then we will discuss my going to half that last pill. It’s sad this drug is so habit forming. I had no idea but I want off it. So far I’m doing fine. Hope this helps…Joanne

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Many thanks for the clarification, Joanne. I wish you every success with your taper.

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