Clonopin : Help! Can’t figure out dosing!

I’m desperately wanting to taper off 1 mg/day clonopin. Over 20 yrs, but not at this high of a dose.

Currently at 0.875 mg/day (am dose) down from 1 mg 9 days ago. Feeling anxious at night for past two nights, otherwise just depressed due to life situation. I can handle some anxiety, but petrified of all of the horrid side effect stories I've read and I do anticipate some are looming. Tragic for all involved. Nightmare drugs!

 

My script is for 0.5 mg pills and I've been cutting (by eye) into 0.25 and 0.125 bits.

My Therapist will prescribe any dose pill advised, but insurance is evil, they don’t have smaller then 0.5 mg tablets, and I am afraid of shaving things down and getting cut off. Does one need to shave and do the -10% per 2 week holds or can this be accomplished by just hand cutting or a pill cutter? I know consistency is important, but difficult in real life. My insurance might make the switching over (as in Ashton) prohibitive.

 

I am going to do this, but I am on my own with no real support, so I can't become despondent. Life is hard enough already.

 

Sorry for the slog. Direction appreciated.

 

Desperate for advice on % of clonopin to cut down for each period. I can’t switch to another benzo with smaller doses. I have 0.5 tablets and need to order scale, file, pill cutter. I am horrendous at math. I’m too visual. It seems that trimming off 0.001 per day from 0.875 (weight of 0.5 mg pill is 0.200) will take approx 200 days. Is that correct? You see my dilemma. Or do I shave off 10% (0.7875) and hold for a few weeks then shave another 10% off of that, etc.

 

Starting at 0.875mg/ once per day (0.5 tablets) see signature for how I’ve broken pills for 0.875 dose.

Like this?

Weeks 1 - 2 = 0.875 (globally hold for more weeks if symptoms get bad)

Weeks 3 - 4 = 0.7875

Weeks 5 - 6 = 0.70875

Weeks 7 - 9 = 0.6378

Weeks 10 - 12 = 0.57402

 

I will go slower if I start to develop worsening symptoms, of course. I just can’t figure out the math and I don’t fit the Ashton Manual suggestion.

 

Thank you! ❤️

Hi CKing56, I'm terrible at math too so let me find someone who can sort things out for us, hold on, okay? 

Thank you, Pamster. The math is daunting when working with 0.5 tablets. I'm hoping a scale and pill cutter help. I can’t believe you went cold turkey. I CT any antidepressant I was ever on, but I think only the Wellbutrin caused a few issues. Hard to know since pandemic started a month later.  I’m just angry that I didn’t know anything about the nightmare of coming off this deplorable medication (benzos). Of course, I'm sure I’ll have to deal with the original anxiety/depression resurfacing along the way and even when I’m off… in about FIVE YEARS! 

 

BTW, Winters Sun chimed in on math. I might be all set. I wish I could cut 20% at a time. This is going to take ages.

Oh good, I'm glad you have help, I'll let the member I contacted know you're all set.  I can tell you're frustrated but I hope you can let go of your anger because it will only hurt you.

Thank you, Pamster.

 

I think my anger is mild and quite justified as long as I don’t let it grow. I think it’s best for me to actually feel what I feel, not overreact and let it pass. We’re humans not plastic. Just my opinion. ❤️

Very sound policy.