@colleenyoung
Although slow may not always work but it's going to give you the best chance of not having withdrawal symptoms. I took over 2 years getting off a large dose of Klonopin but only had very slight symptoms at the end of my taper which I controlled.
I believe the best way to taper is to get your doctor to write you a prescription and go to a compounding pharmacy. That way you reducing exactly the same percentage every month or whatever timeframe the doctor wants to reduce it. The problem with compounding pharmacies is often times insurance doesn't pay for the medication. I use sterile compounding pharmacy, which prepares injection medication and my insurance doesn't pay anything for that drug. I have also been taking the barbiturate phenobarbital for over 50 years and again I would use a compounding pharmacy if I were to stop it since I have been on it for such a long time. Had a compounding pharmacy you're getting an exact dose with each reduction, no guesswork. In my opinion the important thing is to make sure your doctor makes your reductions a low percentage.
SLOW IS KEY, SLOW SLOW SLOW. There was a person here on connect who took Effexor for 30 years. She decided to stop and she stopped cold turkey. She ended up in the hospital because she had a stroke. I don't understand what the big rush of getting off of a medication is as long as you're not suffering withdrawal effects.
Another connect member was on an infant testimony small dose, but yet he/she was still having with drawl symptoms. If memory serves, I believe he/she was only taking around 1/2 of one percent.
Just go slow, and I can't emphasize that enough.
Thank you Colleen.
Take care,
Jake