Do you need to taper Klonopin taken briefly for sleep, anxiety?

A lot of people go four weeks or longer between cuts. If you’re not doing well don’t hesitate to stay where you are and stabilize. Older people seem to have a harder time tapering. Our brains become less plastic as we age. You’ll do fine. Don’t be impatient with the process.

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.

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

@amdavis70
I’m elderly also, and yes it’s a living hell. It took me 2 + years to get off 2 mg daily. I tried to rush it and paid a hellacious price! I would say go slow as you need to, and stabilize at every cut, for as long as it takes. Even go back up if you need to. I know what it feels like and even though you want this crap away from you, just be as patient as you possibly can. You can do it. Others have. You’ll get there.
Also, I’m assuming you’ve read the critical parts of “The Ashton Manual”? The Gold Standard. Keep the faith, @amdavis70

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

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

Thanks for the advice. I haven’t read the Ashton Manual but am aware of what she says. I don’t know how to taper less than .125 mg. I think in the manual she recommends titration? Not sure. My Dr only gave me a prescription for the .125 so the last part of my taper is really hard. How can I keep to 10% or less when my daily dose is now .25 mg?
If read I shouldn’t go back up but if I do what do you recommend going back ip to?

@amdavis70 Thanks for the reply. I am not sure about the tapering of dosages that small, but believe that a good compounding pharmacy could help with titration solutions. It’s worth a try. And, as far as going back up, I think it’s better than torturing yourself at too low of a dose. Go back to where you were stable and then come down slower/smaller, if possible. Don’t give up! You will get there even though it feels like there’s no way out. Let us know.

BEFORE any medication use, I ask: Am I taking care of myself in ways nature has intended? From me an Octogenarian.
1- That means: Am I eating a reasonably healthy diet? Yes starting with H2O!
2- Am I physically active enough each day without too long sedentary slots?
3- Do I use my time in intellectually/ emotionally/ spiritually rewarding acts?
Each of these points spans a whole gamut of life but we all come out of our mothers fairly well-equipped to stay the healthful life course.
So I rarely see doctors, nearly no meds, or tests, and sleep well because I am tired physically and mentally by the day's end AND know what Important work next day awaits me: To Live Purposeful Life.
Diseases and disabilities so far have spared me even though I am in among the financially privileged bu I know how to stretch dollar. I buy food on sale and have a wholesome food within $10 a Day.
I hope it helps to some of the queries here. Good Luck, Fellow Travelers.

BEFORE any medication use, I ask: Am I taking care of myself in ways nature has intended? From me an Octogenarian.
1- That means: Am I eating a reasonably healthy diet? Yes starting with H2O!
2- Am I physically active enough each day without too long sedentary slots?
3- Do I use my time in intellectually/ emotionally/ spiritually rewarding acts?
Each of these points spans a whole gamut of life but we all come out of our mothers fairly well-equipped to stay the healthful life course.
So I rarely see doctors, nearly no meds, or tests, and sleep well because I am tired physically and mentally by the day's end AND know what Important work next day awaits me: To Live Purposeful Life.
Diseases and disabilities so far have spared me even though I am in among the financially privileged bu I know how to stretch dollar. I buy food on sale and have a wholesome food within $10 a Day.
I hope it helps to some of the queries here. Good Luck, Fellow Travelers.