Klonopin taper - any suggestions?

What will you do if your doctor decides for you that you need to taper and quits writing your script? More and more regulations are coming down the pike regarding benzodiazepines.

I am now about 2 months into tapering from 1 1/2 gram dose. I am currently on 1/4 gram and only had 2 withdrawal symptoms. I day I had a severe upper abdominal cramp that was shortlived but left me sore for 2 days. Another was both hands were completely numb one morning when I woke. It took a few moments of slapping, wringing and shaking my hands to get my circulation back. That happened a few day ago and no recurrence. Barring any other problems I will move down to 1/8 gram in about a week. Need to be off the drug entirely by May so I intend to only go two weeks at 1/8 as it takes about 4-10 days of quitting completely to see if I will have any adverse withdrawal effects. I am out of country and have no reliable source for helping other than researching the internet. I was forced to quit cold turkey as the doctor I had when I moved onto medicaid would not renew my prescription. The only adverse reactions was I would be insomniac for 4 days and then sleep for two from total exhaustion. RLS was constantly a bother and finally got back on the drug when I was able to change doctors and he agreed to give me the script. But I've been able to get the drug free in a public health system but when I get back to the States I cannot afford it with the other Meds I have to have and pay out of pocket, which is cheaper than paying Medicare Premiums on plan b.

@stanof53
Hi stanof,
Klonopin can be a hard drug to come off of. I was on it for seizures and since it didn’t help we decided to stop it.
I was hoping you could explain something to me. You mention grams I thought 1 g was equal to 1000 mg and if you’re on 1/4 gram isn’t that a lot more than the maximum dose of 20 mg. although I wouldn’t bet the farm on my mathematical calculations.
Could you please tell me how many milligrams of Klonopin your taking?
Take care,
Jake

I'm sorry, I was thinking that should be Mg and not Grams but I never bothered to check and correct. Yes, I should have said milligram. My original dose when I started about 14 years ago was 1 Mg. I have ramped up to 1 1/2 Mg about 6 years ago. I started tapering In January after trying to first quit cold turkey (as I was forced to do so before with no major withdrawal symptoms other than not sleeping well and the return of my RLS) and this caused me to suffer nearly every withdrawal symptom on the books. That's when I did the research regarding tapering and instead of resuming at 1 1//2 mg, i started taking just 1 mg and the withdrawal symptoms declined almost immediately. I started tapering about 1/8 gram per week and one morning I woke up with no feeling in either of my hands (completely numb). After more research I discovered my tapering was too fast. so I tried tapering 1/4 mg per month and now down to 1/4 mg with about a week to go before taking it down another 1/8 mg. I intend to proceed as long as I'm not having any serious withdrawals and if at 1/8 mg dosage I have no adverse effect I will quit using entirely and from what I understand if I should have any serious withdrawals it will happen from 4-10 days after being completely off. If I can get through that last hurdle without adverse effects, I think I can consider myself unaddicted.

@stanof53
At the end is when things got dicey for me. I was taking tiny chips at the end.
Give it a shot but I'd do it more slowly.
As far as stopping medication “cold turkey” is concerned, another member tried it with a different medicine and had a stroke so be careful.
Good luck with your taper,
Jake

That is exactly what happened to me only she did prescribed it for me after a go around she was my new Dr so she didn't know me I had to go see her the next day which was fine she told me she would refill them for me monthly I told her oh no no I want to come off them she gave me a taper down schedule. I was taking 1mg a day for the last 7 years. I really believe (I'm exquisitly sensitive to medication) now that I haven't been thinking clearly the last 7 years and I was falling often enough it was a concern. Interesting enough my brother told me when his wife was dying the Dr put him on ativan he took one on a tough day and fell down a flight of stairs breaking his wrist he said to me you haven't been your fun loving self in a longtime I miss you. I've noticed it myself I've been having mood swings thinking crazy things like my family and friends don't love me anymore because they don't respond to me when I contact them it's not true they work and have a busy schedule I'm home. I'm one week into tapering down I'm at .25 twice a day I've been having the shakes and feeling like I'm jumping out of my skin feeling it doesn't last long and it passes is that withdrawal symptoms? Yesterday was the first time I experienced it twice once during the day and my legs shook I fell asleep without a problem. So far today I haven't had any I did start with a panic attack but splashed cold water on my face and it stopped it I find for an anxiety attack the same distraction it works great for me. I will be glad to get off them and have some fun its been a long while taking them I'm not the positive person I was so there was a personally change with them. I have to taper down to .25 grams twice a day for two weeks and the take one every other day for two months and then stop them. I never felt like I was addicted to them I had misses a few days at a time but learning now two things 1 it stays in your fat cells longer then a regular benzo and two even 1 mg I think its a small dose your body can still be addicted to it. I never really knew anything about it until now that I'm coming off it the benzo is a good thing and also a brutal drug.

My Mom was addicted to Libium it was a nighmare for my family she was taking up to 100mgs a day at one point they got her down to 10mgs a day and she took that until she passed away. Back in the 50's a woman with anxiety was given a tranqulizer to quiet them not knowing how highly addictive they were and the ability to abuse them. I will be back letting you know how its going.

@irishgirl55
Just taper very slowly. You may want to consider going a bit slower.
hope you have an uneventful taper,
Jake

This sounds like a rapid taper. Rapid tapers are not good. Please do some research before continuing. Don’t ask your doctor. The majority of doctors have no idea how to do a safe taper.

In a perfect world we would get the proper help when it comes to tapering. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. Do not even think about going to a rehab clinic or hospital to taper. They taper patients waaaaaaay to quickly. Quick tapers are the worst thing you could do. Google Ashton Manual.

The clonazapam