Clonazepam Taper Next Steps

Hi,

From starting stabilizing at 1.5mg I made the first cut at 16% and held for 14 days. I went too fast on the 2nd cut and cut 20%. Held for 37 days.  Today is day 6 of the 3rd cut of 10%.

Last night was the first time I had insomnia.  I am having intense depression, and I am going to try to get it treated with medication.  As much as I don't want to I think the risk of trying an Antidepressant may outweigh the risk and provide support for continuing the taper as long as it may take.  I'm still coming to terms with the time.

My question is:  After cuts of 16% (14 days), 20% (37 days) and now 10% (on day 6), can any of you more experienced get a sense of what my next cut should be?  Would you try 5% after this is stable?  Or if I stabilize at this 10% cut at 14 days, continue with 10%.  I guess I'm asking if depression is going to be a given, and insomnia cropped up at day 6, all else considered this hasn't been that bad.

Next question:  I current take 3 does a day.  At some point I'd like to change that to 2x a day.  (way down the line 1x at night).  I could get to the 2x a day by reducing my midday dose after my evening dose is down to the same as morning and afternoon.  (Right now its .25  .25  .40) 

Any suggestions or observations are greatly appreciated.

Correction....

I cut too MUCH on the 2nd cut which led to a long time to stabilze.

I've had insomnia at reductions to varying degrees, I meant last night at day 5 was the first night of insomnia on this current reduction.

Are you recording your symptoms and their severity so you can make decisions about your taper rate using solid observations? 

Can you let us know why your reductions have been so erratic, are you having difficulty cutting your tablets?

If you're going to start an antidepressant, I'd hold your taper until you can get through the ramping up period which is typically 6 weeks.  Have you ever used one before, its a little tricky adding new medications and supplements because our central nervous system is so sensitized, we don't always react the way we normally would.

I wouldn't change your dosing times yet, you're too unstable, why do you want to?

Hi Pamster,

I am recording my symptoms.  As far as erratic - I had a hard time stabilizing upon the start.  I felt "not so bad" (able to function) within 14 days of the first cut.  I made a mistake in cutting too much in the 2nd cut so then held for over a month as advised (symptoms stacked up).  I also travelled before Thanksgiving so I delayed a cut until after Thanksgiving. 

The pills do not always cut or break equally.  For this reduction I've used a scale to go by weight to get to the .40 of the evening dose.  I have used an antidepressant many times, this time I am hoping the use of a genetic test can help the trial and error in finding one that will work and with minimal side effects.  If I am stable upon the beginning of it I will hold until the ramp up (or trial and error) is complete and a benefit is achieved before another reduction.

I'd like to change my dosing to twice a day because I don't enjoy the sedation 24/7, I don't like constantly dealing with the medication, and it seems like 2x a day should be sufficient with the longer acting medication.  I'm going from using this every 3rd or 4th day ONLY to having to stabilize in order to taper.  It just seems logical to reduce a midday dose to zero as part of the taper and be left with the 12 hour apart dosing from which to continue. 

Do you know of a reason to NOT be able to go from every 8 hours to every 12 hours as long as the total reduction is in line with all the rest of what we are looking for?  (Not too fast, symptom based, stable before another cut)?

Thanks!

So my use of the term erratic was you adjusting your taper as you were learning how your body would react, I apologize, you've had to learn the hard way as do we all.    I'm also sorry you had to start taking this horrible drug every day in order to taper, no wonder you've had some growing pains not to mention the horror of having to take this poison every day when you haven't in the past.  I understand your reasoning and don't see any reason why you can't adjust your dosing times, other than any change we make affects us but as long as you expect it you should be fine.

I'm glad you have experience with A/D's and hope your transition goes smoothly and you were smart to hold your dose until after traveling, we need to make adjustments for life events.