Klonopin Taper Question/Possible Change

Hi!

 

You can read my signature to see where I'm at. I am "due" to cut again tomorrow per my 2 week hold/10ish% cut schedule. I am considering a daily microtaper using my liquid pharmacy compound of Klonopin but am confused.

 

In a FB group, a girl I speak with is doing a DMT of .01ml for 5 days followed by a 2 day hold. Is a hold even necessary doing a DMT? Thanks! This all goes over my head so any help is appreciated and I'm at .166mg of K.

 

Any thoughts/feedback are appreciated! 

There really is no right or wrong way to taper only a right for you. You have to find the way that works for you. During micro tapering cuts can catch up with you over time so I suspect that's why she's holding.

 

From Feb - June I was micro tapering at 7.5% and tapered 7 days, holding 3. Effectively it reduced my rate to 5% but it just felt better to have breaks in between than continuous tapering. It worked for me. But there's no rule saying you have to hold. The best is to listen to your symptoms.

 

So once again,  it's finding a way that works for you.

I appreciate that! Thank you. I literally constantly look for the "right" answer like I'm going to find this pot of gold on the winning method. I have done a good job IMO by not changing anything up yet and staying consistent. I like the idea I could try a DMT because I can keep my liquid compound of Klonopin and the same two daily doses but try a different route reduction wise. You are LOW on Klonopin! That's awesome and maybe you don't feel awesome but congrats on the hard, HARD work.

I think it's natural instinct to look for the winning formula until you realise you have to find the winning formula that works for you. I wish we had a one size fits all! If your method has been working then there's no need to mess with it, but I do agree it's good to be informed and know your options.

 

It has taken me way longer than anticipated to get where I'm at, but I've been functional and doing better than most folks around here, so I can't complain. I'm not symptom free, I do struggle but I'm not in benzo hell. So yeah, I'll just keep going down slowly. Setting targets for the finish line doesn't seem to work in my world. 

It sounds like the person you are interacting with is aware of at least one of the potential pitfalls of daily microtapering (DMT).  That is, DMT presents the possibility of cumulative withdrawal effects being superimposed on one another.  If withdrawal symptoms worsen, this process makes it difficult to establish which reduction (or set of reductions) was responsible.  This potential pitfall is a particular concern when tapering a benzodiazepine with a longer half-life such as clonazepam.

 

Points to consider:

 

(1) Microtapering does not necessarily mean making reductions on a daily basis.  There are other variations that use different reduction intervals and/or holds. See links below for examples.

 

(2) Another potential pitfall of DMT is that — as typically implemented — it involves making fixed amount reductions in dose. Consequently, the taper rate increases over time, sometimes to a speed that is ‘too fast’ for the individual to tolerate. To address this pitfall, the individual can adjust the amount of the reduction as needed to keep the taper rate within whatever range is tolerable.

 

Links:

 

The Brassmonkey Slide Method of Microtapering

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/17671-the-brassmonkey-slide-method-of-micro-tapering/

 

Microtaper instead of 10% or 5% decreases

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/2878-micro-taper-instead-of-10-or-5-decreases/