Severe anxiety: Should I reinstate / updose after lowering 7 days ago?

I am very much looking to be off this drug as soon as possible.  I had successfully tapered to 0.25 mg.  I dropped my doses from 1mg Klonopin per day by 0.25 mg every two weeks.  It seemed to hit me about day 4 and work itself out.  This drop from 0.25 mg to 0.125 mg has been disastrous.  On day 3 I experienced intense anxiety, emotional issues, breathing issues.  I felt unsafe and had to call my doctor for an immediate assessment.  He takes no accountability and believes this is my anxiety and not the drug.  He even told me how benign this drug is and that it is easy to get off.

 

Things are so bad right now.  I’m at home with my baby while my husband is camping with our other children.  I’ve had to recruit other family members to watch me. 

 

Question:  I want to be done.  We all do.  Should I updose back to 0.25 mg and stabilize?  My days are unbearable and I’m tremoring a lot, burning through my body, numb feet, nausea, severe anxiety. 

 

Or should I just ride this wave?

Have you got enough pills to do a slower taper? Hardy x

I do.  I’m thinking of going back to 0.25 mg and cutting that into quarters so I take 0.0625.  I was going to take 4 doses over the day and then in 2 weeks reassess and cut one of the 0.625 mg doses, hold, then do the same.  It was unbearable the last 4 nights.  My mind is out of control.  Working on positive thinking as well

Why don’t you go back to 0.25mg until you feel stable again. You’ve got a lot on your plate with your baby……they are hard work!

I know you want to be off but there is absolutely no reason to put yourself through this torture. A very slow taper might work best for you and be a lot more comfortable. When you’re off you will still need time to recover so there’s no rush. Much better to stay functional and take longer. You will be recovering even though you are still taking the K as long as the dose is reducing.

Your doctor is so wrong. These drugs are emphatically not benign.

 

Hardy x

Thank you so much for this!  I feel a bit like a failure going back up to stabilize at 0.25 mg but I need to be a functional human. 

Another thing to consider……..many of us have had difficult times as our doses got lower. No one really knows why this is but it’s another reason to go slow now you have done the bulk of your taper. Well done btw ♥️

Listen carefully!

No one who go on this journey is anywhere near a failure. You want to be functioning for your family……how is that failing?

I have learned the hard way that no amount of positive thinking or willpower can get us off these drugs. We need time. Time for our bodies to normalise after the drugs have messed us up. Time is your friend.

Hardy x

Such wise words.  Thank you.  Repeat:  I am not a failure

YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE……….. I’m trying to convince myself of that too!

Today I am on Day 13 of 0.1mg Rivotril. Yesterday I had a rather stressful day which really accentuated my tinnitus and sun-burn sensation. It kept me up quite a bit last night as well. I live alone now and I can do a pretty good job of keeping stressful situations out of my life - but sometimes stuff happens. I really need to re-learn how to handle stress. I guess that is even more important than tapering off a drug. I don't want to take a drug so I can deal with stress. I have been walking a ton - that helps a lot.

I wouldn't mess with any more K. Hang tough.

Crystal, conventional wisdom is, if you hit a really rough patch, to go back up to the last dose where you felt functional, hold, then come down again, maybe more slowly. I, and plenty of buddies, did this.  You are not a failure . . . you just need to tweak things a little.

 

Best,

 

Katz

 

 

How on earth do you get a hold of drops?  My pharmacy only has tablets of clonazepam in 0.5 mg and 0.25 mg making cutting a challenge.

How on earth do you get a hold of drops?  My pharmacy only has tablets of clonazepam in 0.5 mg and 0.25 mg making cutting a challenge.

 

Crystal,

 

You've gotten some fine advice and support from Hardy and also Katz.  Benzo withdrawal isn't a race, if you go slower it will help minimize some of the symptoms. I'm not an expert on titration, but that is an option for you. We do have several members who have good knowledge about super slow tapers. I'm sure they would be happy to give you some information and guidance. I'll give you a link to the Titration Board, why don't you post some questions there.

 

Titration

 

pianogirl

How on earth do you get a hold of drops?  My pharmacy only has tablets of clonazepam in 0.5 mg and 0.25 mg making cutting a challenge.

 

I don't live in the US. I am using Rivotril liquid. The manufacturer is Roche.

Question:  how long do you stay at the updose amount?  I’m feeling worse than ever on the updose interms of nausea

I’m deciding to bite the bullet and stay at 0.125 mg and hold.  I updosed to 0.25 mg for 3 days but it’s not working for me.  I’m going to hold at 0.125 mg, one dose in the morning until I stabilize eventhough I updosed.  This will be my only updose.  I will not return to this hell.  I may have done some damage going up but I want off this. 

That does happen to some people so I guess you don’t have much choice. It is a massive cut of 50% though. I would urge you to go more slowly.

I used a pill grinder and a micro scale to taper directly off my Lorazepam pills. Cutting the pills would have been far too inaccurate. I predict that you might have the same problem.

It’s very easy to just weigh out your dose each time. You could then reduce by 5% or 10%. Honestly, 50% is a huge reduction and I don’t want you to suffer unnecessarily.

Have asked your Dr or pharmacist about drops?

Hardy x

Thank you Hardy!  I don’t have access to drops.  I was deeply fearful of the updose as I’ve heard terrible things that route as well.  I was in desperation.  I’ve purchased a pill crusher as well as a scale.  I should follow your advice and stabilize and reduce slowly.  It will take more time but these little jumps hit me hard.  The entire process of cutting and measuring makes me feel like an addict and I’ve been so adamant about not being on these any more.  Complete frustration.  But hey!  I’ll go slower, do my CBT therapy, eat well, exercise and look forward to the light at the end of the tunnel.

That sounds like a plan!

I hope you can enjoy your lovely baby xx