Tapering off of large daily Klonopin doses

[LuckyS7evin]

Hi BL'ers

I've been taking Benzodiazapines for 6 years (Clonzapam for 5) 2mg x 3 a day of Clonzapam for all this time and finally I decided I wanted off.
We'll knowing and having some of the withdraw effects (Seizures shakes sweats ect) I knew I had to taper off, so talked to my Dr and asked him about it.
So we decided on starting with (4mgs) 1mgx4 a day. This was about 2 weeks ago and so far I'm not feeling any different at least that I can tell.

My questions this, I've heard well read, stories about people having agonizing withdrawals 6 months after a long weaning. I'm wondering if anyone knows what I should look for/expect for how ever long this takes. (Luckily my Dr is good and knows it'll take more than 2 month or wtv, also I know everyone's body and brain are different just want some re assurance I guess from someone whose conquered the most evil drug Ive ever taken.)

Thanks

 

[EnlightenedOne1]

You need WAY more time to comfortably taper off after such a prolonger period of ingestion. You are currently on 6mgs of Clonazepam a day which is a large dose. My advice would be to lower 0.25 mgs every 30 days and assess how you feel. If you feel "ok" then continue dropping the dosage 0.25mgs every 30 days. Your Dr. dropping you 2mgs right off the bat is ludicrous and just because you feel fine now, daily use of benzodiazepines with a long half life like Clonazepam build up in your system.

If you are comfortable with 4mgs a day then use that as a starting point and congrats on having the courage....any advice feel free to PM me

 

[Jabberwocky]

With a starting dose like that bigger drops will be more manageable, but at the dose decreases they won't work well. It seems like your doctor isn't clueless about detoxing from benzos. What is your plan with them?

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Best of luck.

 

[basix]

I would do some more research of your own so you can decide the taper speed. Read the ashton manual to start & search on facebook for some support groups.

A cut from 6mg -> 4mg straight away is a lot at once. I never noticed the individual cuts but it can catch up with you later in the taper if you're making large drops.

I tapered off a similar amount of klonopin in 16 weeks but I did most of it at an inpatient rehab where I had access to a ton of support and counselling when it got tough. If I did it on my own it would have taken a lot longer. I started by dropping 0.5mg at a time every week, then switched to 0.25mg cuts once it got to 2mg.

Good luck

 

[AnythingEverything]

Good luck with your taper. I also suggest looking at the Ashton Manual. It really does take a long time to do it successfully (which I have never completeted.)

I did a 2 week inpatient detox off a very large dose of Benzos, not expecting them to take me completely off in that time. The 2 weeks in hospital were ok, it was the next month that had me bedridden and just with every horrid symptom under the sun.

The start isn't too bad at all, it's the sting in the end of the tail that is when it gets real and when you'll really need to pull up and slow down, even to micro doses. I was tapering for 3 years after my stint in hospital but I've been stuck on the dose I'm on now (only 20mg Valium) for maybe a year.

Best of luck, benzos are not fun to come off at all.

 

[Yz450f_frankie]

Hey guys, I?ve been on klonopin for just over 2 years now. I take .5mg in morning and .5mg at night. Every 9 hours, but only 2 times in a 24 hour period. I take it for anxiety and panic/depersonalization. I?m also on 100mg of Zoloft. I?ve wanted to come off of the klonopin for a while now but even when I?m an hour late on my dose i feel really anxious and get depersonalization.. I?m terrified to come off of this.. any pointers? How to start and how to deal with it? What i will be getting myself into? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

-frankie

 

[Pucman]

Klonopin is a bitch to get off,first hand I did a Valium Taper to get off of it for a solid year and I was only at 1mg a day plus other benzo I occasionally picked up. Longest acting benzo and crazy dreams come thru tapering. Ashton Manuel take it to your Dr. Good luck

 

[Pucman]

I’ve heard Benzos are worst than Heroin, I disagree with this but I did a long taper and it’s always so rush rush when it took so long to become dependent on these drugs. Talk to your Dr or find a new one who understands.