Can someone tell me if I’m going slow enough

Posted by amdavis70 @amdavis70, May 20, 2023

Can anyone provide me with a more definitive description of what it means to “ go slow”. I think I am but suffering terribly with withdrawal. My psychiatrist doesn’t seem to know much about tapering and I have zero confidence in him.
I’m 71 years old and do not take drugs well, having tried three different antidepressants that either didn’t work or made me nuts. The only thing that worked was klonopin and have been taking it for about 14 months with a daily dose of 1 mg that I divide into 4 doses a day at .25 mg. I was never comfortable taking klonopin but every doctor or therapist I spoke with assured me that I was on a very low dose and not to worry. I wish I did my own research because nothing could be further from the truth. I started to suffer from tolerance withdrawal and so I had two choices, either up my daily dose or get off of it. I started to think the klonopin was the actual source of my anxiety and so I decided to get off it.
I asked my doctor to give me a prescription for .125 mg which I was told is the lowest dose I could get and that is what I’m using for my taper. I’m tapering down .125 mg every two weeks. I know I should be tapering at 10% but the math doesn’t work when you start to reduce the daily dose. My first taper was 12%, second taper was 14% and things were going, for the most part, pretty good. Lately it’s becoming a nightmare. It’s been 3 months now and I’m down to .375 mg daily. Tonight I’m scheduled for another taper reduction by .125 mg which would be bringing me down 33%. Don’t know how to avoid this since i only have the .125 mg to work with.
I want this nightmare to be over as soon as I can but worried I may be going to fast. Is four months a safe taper from an original dose of 1 mg? Any feedback or guidance would be greatly appreciated since I’m doing all of this on my own having no faith in the medical community. Thanks

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@historyguy

Your comments interest and inspire me. I’m in my mid 70s, a retired educator and fellow sufferer. I’ve had sleeping issues for over twenty years, was put on a combination of benzos and baclofen and have been at war with them and myself ever since. Insomnia has been an insatiable beast and has defeated me to the point where I’m just a shell of my former self. I’ve attempted to wean a hundred times over the years but to no avail. My current doc seems unable to understand the process. This past month I’ve taken to giving it another try. But insomnia continues. The worse part is little sleep produces little intellectual curiosity and reading along with research is out of the question. Yesterday I came across this site and am reading the testimonials of my brethren. This is inspiring. Tonight, I’ll continue with my wean and see what tomorrow brings. No guarantees…

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I have had insomnia pretty much all my life. As a child, I would read under the blanket with a flashlight. For several years I have been taking Seroquel, presently 100 mg at bedtime. I do not notice when I fall asleep and do remember my dreams. In the morning when I wake up I have the feeling of dread. However, I have had that for long before taking Seroquel. I talk myself down (there is nothing wrong - this is just how you get - is what I say to myself.)

Seroquel is supposed to greatly increase weight gain. It did for me. What I do is move around more and eat less. I would rather be obese than go without sleep.

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@amdavis70

Part of my problem is I can’t think straight anymore, and have lost touch with who I am or who I used to be. I feel like crying or ending it all when I think about how much of me is gone.
So I don’t want to go back up but the thought of continuing my taper terrifies me.

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@amdavis, I understand because confusion is part of hat you’re going through. I was in a constant “fog” during withdrawal. But, please just give your pharmacist a call and explain your dilemma. Clonazepam is available in liquid form, at 1 mg/ drop. Please ask if they can compound and offer a titration schedule with the available .1 mg liquid form. Your dose is so very low that it seems to be your only viable option. Please stay in touch. And if you don’t feel like going up on the dose, then dig in and hold tight. There’ll be rough spots, but you get through! Let me know. Best wishes.

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You're on such a low dose and from what u said you were tapering from, was also aow dose so I think u should be absolutely ok. I've tapered myself off benzos and I was taking (very) high doses compared to what you were on. I'm doing ok. I'm down to 1 1/2 mgs a day. And feeling good. Good luck.

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@jcase

You're on such a low dose and from what u said you were tapering from, was also aow dose so I think u should be absolutely ok. I've tapered myself off benzos and I was taking (very) high doses compared to what you were on. I'm doing ok. I'm down to 1 1/2 mgs a day. And feeling good. Good luck.

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Thanks. Always nice to get some positive responses. I had a pretty easy time of it for the two months but these last couple of weeks have been difficult and I thought maybe because the percent of my taper is going up.
I added a third week to my “hold” and hopefully that will help.

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@amdavis70

I’m not very patient with this because I think I’m screwed if I continue to taper and I think I’m screwed where I am right now. Starting to lose hope and think I’m not ever going to be normal again and that’s when I get into a really dark place and I hate myself even more. What an evil drug this is.

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Boy, does your comment ring a bell. I’m also very impatient and attempt to wean much faster than what I’m told. I’ve been fighting a baclofen and temazapam combo for years and feel so defeated when I can’t hold to a tapering schedule. I’m one of those people who believe in ripping the bandage off but with these meds I can’t seem to succeed. I take these med for chronic insomnia which I’ve had for twenty years but they just don’t work. I get so frustrated with tiny weans that I’ll cut down a huge amount, but after three days with little or no sleep, jump back up and even adding a little more. I know this is affecting my wife as I can’t get out much due to lack of sleep but she’s a real trooper. Six days ago I began another taper. Going nuts and if I don’t sleep tonight, this will be another failed attempt. You’re certainly not alone. Best of luck to you.

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@historyguy

Boy, does your comment ring a bell. I’m also very impatient and attempt to wean much faster than what I’m told. I’ve been fighting a baclofen and temazapam combo for years and feel so defeated when I can’t hold to a tapering schedule. I’m one of those people who believe in ripping the bandage off but with these meds I can’t seem to succeed. I take these med for chronic insomnia which I’ve had for twenty years but they just don’t work. I get so frustrated with tiny weans that I’ll cut down a huge amount, but after three days with little or no sleep, jump back up and even adding a little more. I know this is affecting my wife as I can’t get out much due to lack of sleep but she’s a real trooper. Six days ago I began another taper. Going nuts and if I don’t sleep tonight, this will be another failed attempt. You’re certainly not alone. Best of luck to you.

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So sorry to hear what you’re going through. Not sleeping has been the worse withdrawal symptom for me and I think if I was sleeping better my recovery would be further along. This experience is truly a 24/7 nightmare. My wife and I have been together for 54 years and very happy but these past few months of my taper is really testing our relationship. I feel so bad that I’m putting her through this and sometimes think she’d be better off if I was gone. Dark thoughts.
It’s so hard to be patient when you’re hurting so much but I guess we have no other option but somehow find the strength to keep going. Good luck to you also.

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@amdavis70

So sorry to hear what you’re going through. Not sleeping has been the worse withdrawal symptom for me and I think if I was sleeping better my recovery would be further along. This experience is truly a 24/7 nightmare. My wife and I have been together for 54 years and very happy but these past few months of my taper is really testing our relationship. I feel so bad that I’m putting her through this and sometimes think she’d be better off if I was gone. Dark thoughts.
It’s so hard to be patient when you’re hurting so much but I guess we have no other option but somehow find the strength to keep going. Good luck to you also.

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I’m 75, and I’m assuming you’re in my age bracket as well. I think we older folks have a tougher time getting off the meds. Let’s see if we can stay strong- maybe cheerlead for one another.

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@historyguy

I’m 75, and I’m assuming you’re in my age bracket as well. I think we older folks have a tougher time getting off the meds. Let’s see if we can stay strong- maybe cheerlead for one another.

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I could use a buddy to help me along on this journey. I have friends who try to be supportive but unless you’re going through it or been through this you really have no idea what it’s like.
I’m 71 so we are in the same age group and I think we seem to take longer to heal. I like to think of myself as a young 71 but maybe klonopin doesn’t agree.
I assume you’re into history? I love reading historical fiction (particularly civil war) but since all this started 14 months ago I’m unable to read which is really upsetting. Also my other passion is music and that also has been taken from me. It’s difficult enough surviving day to day with this but boy would it be a little bit easier if I had my books and music. You could add a few beers also.
Thanks and stay in touch. Nice to have a comrade in combat.

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@amdavis70

I could use a buddy to help me along on this journey. I have friends who try to be supportive but unless you’re going through it or been through this you really have no idea what it’s like.
I’m 71 so we are in the same age group and I think we seem to take longer to heal. I like to think of myself as a young 71 but maybe klonopin doesn’t agree.
I assume you’re into history? I love reading historical fiction (particularly civil war) but since all this started 14 months ago I’m unable to read which is really upsetting. Also my other passion is music and that also has been taken from me. It’s difficult enough surviving day to day with this but boy would it be a little bit easier if I had my books and music. You could add a few beers also.
Thanks and stay in touch. Nice to have a comrade in combat.

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Currently reading about the battle of Fredericksburg- when I can. Insomnia usually keeps me unfocused with eye discomfort so lucky to read a couple pages a night. I was a life long runner up until the insomnia got really bad a couple years ago but I still consider myself fit. Have always been trim but now bordering on skinny due to no appetite after days with little sleep. Wife makes me eat. Sorry to talk your ear off. Enjoy your weekend.

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@historyguy

Currently reading about the battle of Fredericksburg- when I can. Insomnia usually keeps me unfocused with eye discomfort so lucky to read a couple pages a night. I was a life long runner up until the insomnia got really bad a couple years ago but I still consider myself fit. Have always been trim but now bordering on skinny due to no appetite after days with little sleep. Wife makes me eat. Sorry to talk your ear off. Enjoy your weekend.

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I lost 50 lbs last year but have managed to gain back about 20. Don’t have a big appetite during this taper but trying to eat enough to not lose the 20 I gained.
We had a vacation home in the Catskill Mountains of NY for 10 years and now for the past three years after retiring we live here full time. Being here keeps me in really good shape and I’ve always prided myself with being really fit also. So this past year has been really hard for me when it’s an effort just to go to my mailbox. I’m realizing now how damaging this has been to my self esteem. I’ve lost all confidence in myself and I don’t know if I’ll ever get it back. It really scares me.
We must keep reminding ourselves that all raging fires eventually run out of fuel and end. So shall this raging fire.
Good luck and talk later.

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