Need tapering schedule for Klonopin, 2 mg?

Question

caucasian male, 51, 157 lbs.

51 year old caucasian male, 157 lbs here in need of klonopin withdrawal advice:

I have been taking 1-2 mg klonopin and 0.25-0.5 mg halcion, at bedtime as needed, for about the last year and a half for anxiety and insomnia.

Due to stresful events this past summer, I took 2 mg klonopin and 0.5 mg halcion exclusively for the months of October, November, and 1/2 of December (about 10 weeks of steady use).

Things were further complicated by a 2 month long trial with trileptal during October and November... discontinued at the end of November.

I had the foggy brain, tiredness, and lethargy. Didn't know if they were from the trileptal or the klonopin, or the halcion.I complained to my pdoc about these symptoms. He told me to give just it time. I took the klonopin and Halcion concurrently during the trileptal. Trileptal discontinued 11/31/12. The symptoms appeared to abate somewhat.

Around the middle of November (11/18/12), I began to notice related increasing symptoms of clouded brain, slowed thinking, chronic fatigue, confusion, etc. and deteriorating sleep.

These symptoms progressed untill mid-December (12/12/12) when I called my psychiatrist and was informed that I had built up a tolerance to klonopin

He directected me to decrease the klonopin immediatley from 2.0mg to 1.5mg... further decreasing to 1.0 mg only four (4) days later. Very naiively and ignorant of klonopin withdrawal, I complied. I've been at the 1.0 mg level for 13 days now and my withdrawals are unbearable.

On my own volition, I increased the dose back to 1.5 mg and am tempted to go back up to the full 2.0 mg and start over.

Internet research has indicated a very slow tapering over months is necessary to succesfully discontinue this powerful drug.

Can anyone out there please advise me of a tapering schedule from 2 mg?

Any help would be sincerely apreciated and gratefully acknowledged

Answer

Some data:

1) Fast tapers off clonazepam are far more likely to result in a reinstitution than a long slow taper.

2) GPs in the USA are generally not equipped to handle what can really amount to a slow emergency.

I started tapering two YEARS ago from a 4.5mg/day prescription. I am currently in the 0.75mg - 1.0mg/day range.

Personal anecdotes:

The psychiatric profession got me into this pickle, so they're getting me out. I am highly motivated, but there is a limit to one's ability to taper. Benzodiazepines are a tough one to recover from. Back in the 1990s my old Dr. told me the following regarding alcohol: "You have been putting poison into your body for a long while, so now your body is telling you that it can't live without it." That was very true.

I was then put on clonazepam therapy so I wouldn't drink myself to an early grave.

Expand...

The whole poison bit applies to benzodiazepines in some multiplier. It has been easy for me to date as I have developed good habits regarding the umbrella of things that compose a lifestyle.

The only person that can advise you of a tapering schedule is you. You can read and learn about others situations, but ultimately you will need to taper as quickly as you are able, but not too quickly.

I have been prescribed gabapentin as an aid to easing WS symptoms. My P-Doc asks me every visit whether or not the gabapentin is helping. The only answer that is honest is the one I give: "I don't know." Would things be going more difficultly sans gabapentin? I have no reference point to make a comparison.

With all that out of the way, here's how my taper has worked to date:

4.5mg/day for years.
Begin taper.
Added meds for sleep and anxiety:
Mirtazapine 30mg/day as needed
Sertraline: 100mg/day(to combat depression should it arise)
Gabapentin: 300mg/ 3x/day(900mg /day)
Immediately was able to go to 3.5mg/day without issue.
Stayed at 3.5mg/day for 12 weeks.
3.0mg/day for 12 weeks - again, no issue.
2.5mg/day for 12 weeks - no issue
2.0mg/day for 12 weeks - irregular tinnitus noted, mostly in left ear. Otherwise no issue.
1.5mg/day for 12 weeks - tinnitus in both ears, although not terribly bothersome.
1.25mg/day for 12 weeks - same as above
1.0mg/day(this is where my script is now, and I have until October to get down to 0.75mg/day with solidity. I am currently taking 0.75mg/day and other than tinnitus, I have no other issues.
______________________________________________________________________

This has worked for me; and I have had some real trying issues with which to contend.
I think it of paramount importance to have a health care provider that understands benzodiazepine tapers and withdrawals.

If you have been on benzos long enough to have some neuroadaptive changes, then you are contending with REAL issues.

The data to back up my assertions in the beginning of this ramble, can be found on PubMed and Wikipedia(which is actually a really good source of data for things GABA_a related).

The last thing I'm submitting is that with longer half-life benzos(such as clonazepam), symptoms of tapering withdrawal take DAYS to WEEKS before they even manifest themselves; so how can a taper be more rapid than the time for withdrawal symptoms to even appear? This is why a medical professional that knows clonazepam is likely the best way forward for anyone motivated to cast off their chemical crutches. Thus far, it has worked for me.

I would say 'don't get discouraged,' but that seems to be part of the deal. I have been discouraged a few times with the lack of progress in my taper, but looking back upon the last two years, it has all been worth the odd bits of negative self-talk. My new self is simply better prepared to contend with setbacks, plateaus, ??? in this final stretch.

Best of success to all that are somewhere on the trail. We're all in this together :)

Votes: +2

Answer

I see this was posted in 2012. It is now 2018. However, I feel the need to tell my story due to the fact that my doctor is cutting my prescription every month due to Regulations brought on by drug abusers.
In 2014, I chose to withdraw from clonazepam because I was taking 3.5-4 mg a day. I feared it was making my thought process numb. My doctor thought a brilliant plan would be to go from this high dose to 0 in 12 days. I trusted him and followed his (almost) deadly plan! In 12 days of sheer hell, I went from 3.5 mg -4 mg of clonazepam down to ZERO. My husband begged me to at least take a 1/4 mg on the 14th day because he was convinced I was killing myself with this withdrawal schedule (which I was successful in the 12 day period at a high cost). Fast Forward to 2015, back up to 1.5 mg and diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I have multiple issues, chronic pain, bizarre symptoms and misery associated with this disease including tremors.

Expand...

I held firm at the 1.5 mg refusing to get back on the vicious cycle of hell known before to me.
It is now 2018, and my doctor is reducing my prescription 5 pills a month without forewarning me! I researched the stupidity of his decision and see that there are new regulations pertaining to this drug. I am going to go off it slowly and ask my neurologist how to do it once and for all. The ignorance of doctors in prescribing dangerous drugs is overwhelming. I know I am responsible for my own knowledge of what I put in my body but with ms, high anxiety etc, I felt my decision to stay at 1.5 mg would be safe never dreaming that drug abusers and therefore regulators would take this away without warning. My plan is going down 1/4 mg every week unless my neurologist advises me otherwise. I will update if he does.
I am a 56 year old female. 132 pounds at 5’8.5”. I eat healthy and drink 200 ounces of water a day.

Answer

I was on 1 mg. Clonazepam for eight years for anxiety/insomnia. Four years ago, my doctor raised it to 2 mg after my husband died, along with many other stressors hitting me at once in my life, causing my insomnia to worsen.

Just recently I told my doctor that my stress level had finally gone down significantly -- among other things, I changed work from my stressful job -- and I wanted to quit.

He gave me this step down schedule:

2 - 4 weeks at 1.5 mg, being careful to watch for withdrawal symptoms

4 weeks at 1 mg.

4 weeks at .5 mg

.5 mg every other day till pills are gone.

And stay well hydrated throughout.

I am starting tonight. So glad I found this site.

Has anyone else on clonazepam for such a long time had success with a long term step down like this?

I am a 57 year old female, 130 pounds, fairly healthy diet and exercise.

Thanks.

Answer

It just infuriates me how these doctors expect people to taper off of medications that are very difficult to get off!!! You can taper off of clonazepam by 1/2mg /week at the very fastest. If you are not comfortable by the end of one week, then make it two weeks. I have never had trouble going off of benzo's but others do, so you have to listen to your body. The part that bothers me is that you obviously have severe anxiety, so if you are to go off of the clonazepam, what are you replacing it with? Are you meditating? Are you under less stress? Are you less anxious? If you have severe anxiety, going off of the clonazepam will only add to the anxiousness, and then you are destined to failure. I agree with Pledge, that you need to have a face to face with your psychiatrist.

Best wishes to you!

Answer

Hello w31961. I could suggest a taper however after reading your thread, it might be best if a doctor were to offer a taper. The  benzodiazepines  are brutal in when time arrives to stop. The high risk of a seizure is a possibilty that cannot be discounted although a person's dose might not be considered to be on the high side, it is a factor. Very best of wishes for good health in the upcoming new year. Regards pledge

Need tapering schedule for Klonopin, 2 mg?

5 Answers

Related topics

Further information

Similar questions

I've been on 2 mg lorazepam per day for 8 years, does anyone have a tapering schedule?

Does anyone have a good tapering schedule for tramadol?

Safe schedule for tapering off Cymbalta/duloxetine?

Can you become dependent or will I suffer withdrawal from Klonopin after 4 days of 0.5mg per day?

How to taper down from 2mg of Klonopin to 1mg in one month?

Search for questions