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End of taper challenges


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Hi everyone - I’ve been tapering Klonopin for 1.5 years and now at

0.08mg. It’s been going alright for the most part, holding periodically as needed.

 

My issues started with insomnia and luckily my insomnia has been pretty stable once I found this forum and started a very slow daily micro taper. But the last week I’ve had two days of really bad insomnia.

 

I have the 0.25 pills and have been simply weighing and cutting, not wanting to make a change unless I had to. But wondering if my insomnia is coming back if I should consider a liquid taper (at home), a compound pharmacy, or other ideas. I have weird reaction to meds so hoping to not have to switch to Valium, and add another factor in. But I’m getting anxious I may be at a point where the dry cut taper might not be as accurate and contributing to my insomnia coming back.

 

Would love to hear what others have done or any advice you have!

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I've read some members will mix their benzo with a microcrystalline cellulose filler to give it added weight, this might allow you to continue using your dry method with a little more accuracy.
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I’m sorry you have experienced two episodes of insomnia this week.

 

I wonder if your taper rate might be a factor?

 

Per your signature, your total daily dose on 7/1 was 0.095mg.  You indicated your current dose today on 7/20 is 0.08mg.  That’s a reduction of 15.79% over less than three weeks.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks all. Liberia’s, I agree - I was trying to keep steady at cutting .001 a day, 6 days a week. And think it got to be too fast. I held my taper a few days and am slowing down. I was hoping I could cut at that rate as keeping it to under 3-5% a week gets very very slow at the end. But I’ll slow it down for a bit and see what rate I can continue.

 

Pamster - is that what Bob did? I remember seeing his video when I got started and can look back. Good call. I’m at 0.072 now and been doing ok, even having surgery last week. If I keep it under 8% a week, the last 6 weeks becomes more like 20, but I’ll keep a pulse on how I’m doing. I had read a lot of people were able to keep a small cut each day at the end, but I might be one of the unlucky ones that have to cut .001 a week for bit lol.

 

When do you recommend jumping? 0.02? Or if I’m this sensitive at the end do I need to take it down to 0?

 

Thanks for your help!

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Yes, I believe Bob7 used that method, and as for when to jump, I think your symptoms will let you know when it's time as well as your level of confidence, some members look forward to jumping, others dread it so their tapers tend to mirror their expectations.
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Hey KQCO,

 

Congratulations on getting down this far! That's great progress.

 

I had a couple questions for you, if you don't mind, after looking at your signature. I noticed you cut out your AM dose right out of the gate before tackling your PM dose. I considered doing that a few times, but then my symptoms always seemed to go up, and I had people telling me to even up the doses, so that's what I've been trying to do recently. I get my worst symptoms from the medicine during the day, so it made sense to me to try and remove that dose and keep only the PM dose. How did that go for you? No interdose wd? What manufacturer makes your clonazepam? Is it brand or is it Teva (yellow)? Accord (orange)?

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Hey H4H,

 

My worst symptom originally was insomnia, and I’ve worked in therapy on how to accept the anxiety during the day more. And my worst anxiety comes from fear of insomnia. So for me, I was quicker to get rid of the day pill and focus on very slowly reducing the night. And my day cuts weren’t too bad. I cut a quarter right off the bat, and once I slowed the rest down and started to do a daily micro taper, I was able to get off the day without too bad of symptoms. But the night one is much tougher and now that I’m at such a low dose every cut is hard and I’m exhausted all the time! But still working and functional. Just tired and grumpy!

 

I think my pills were orange. I’ve changed to the white dissolvable ones now that are 0.125. And didn’t have much issue changing from orange to these. What one are you on? Wishing you luck! You’re doing great!! Just take it little by little! My psychiatrist is benzo educated and reminds me this is a marathon not a sprint. ;)

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Hey H4H,

 

My worst symptom originally was insomnia, and I’ve worked in therapy on how to accept the anxiety during the day more. And my worst anxiety comes from fear of insomnia. So for me, I was quicker to get rid of the day pill and focus on very slowly reducing the night. And my day cuts weren’t too bad. I cut a quarter right off the bat, and once I slowed the rest down and started to do a daily micro taper, I was able to get off the day without too bad of symptoms. But the night one is much tougher and now that I’m at such a low dose every cut is hard and I’m exhausted all the time! But still working and functional. Just tired and grumpy!

 

I think my pills were orange. I’ve changed to the white dissolvable ones now that are 0.125. And didn’t have much issue changing from orange to these. What one are you on? Wishing you luck! You’re doing great!! Just take it little by little! My psychiatrist is benzo educated and reminds me this is a marathon not a sprint. ;)

 

Thanks for your response. I'm so sorry for the insomnia. That's really tough. I have somewhat broken sleep, but my worst symptoms are fog/float/DR, fatigue, head pressure, and anxiety that all lead to other bad things. I wish I would've cut out the daytime dose earlier on, but I'm not sure I would've been able to handle it. I just know I don't get symptoms in the night, so it seems like if I were just taking and tapering a nighttime dose, I'd be doing better. But maybe I'd still have symptoms during the day, even though I attribute them to taking the daytime dose. Are you using a scale to weigh each cut? Why did you switch to the ODTs (dissolvable)? Easier to cut lower?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yep I’m still using a scale, but have been looking into liquid taper for the end, as a potential. But I’m afraid to make any changes since I’m still functional, just super tired and difficulty focusing.

 

I like the dissolvable pills because they come in 0.125, so earlier in my taper I was able to take 3 of those (knowing confidently it was 0.375) and add more weight to scale to make it more accurate. Then I just cut one of the pills at a time until I was done with another 0.125. Now I’m at half of a pill for my last 0.125, but it’s getting tougher and also less accurate, thus my debate to go to liquid. And I’ve slowed way down, only cutting like .001 every 3 days vs every day before.

 

At this rate I’ll be off by end of the year. Here’s hoping it goes ok!

 

How are you doing?? Have you decided to cut day and night together?

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Sounds like you have a good plan. I've considered trying a liquid again after struggling with two early on, but I don't think it's worth it.

 

My symptoms are worse than yours. I have fogs/floats/DR episodes or other head-related symptoms almost every day. I have chemical anxiety and a lot of stomach upset lately. Bad-symptom days give me bad intrusive thoughts.

 

I've tried going slower, and I felt worse...more sedated, so I'm trying speeding up to .0012 mg per day. Ditching the percentages for now. 5% / 14 was giving me bad symptoms. 4% was even worse. I think the medicine is making things worse; it's not just withdrawal, it's a toxicity. I need it out as quickly and as safely as I can do it. And yes, I'm cutting both doses again. It seems like that's helped a bit. I hit .250 mg yesterday!

 

So glad things seem to be going well for you!

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I’m so sorry you are feeling worse even when you slow down. Have you tried any outside help, like therapy or cranial sacral type work? I do both and they help me to regulate my nervous system/vagus nerve (at least I think it does!) and accept how I’m feeling and the anxiety vs fighting it. But it’s all very difficult still.

 

I wish I had a better answer for you to help make it easier, but just remember every cut, every day you are healing! It just doesn’t always feel like healing lol!! But at least we know what is causing the issue (benzos) and I didn’t at first and kept getting prescribed more drugs, so that helps me feel better… knowing I know the issue and I’m addressing it, even if hard and slow!!

 

You’ve got this! This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done and don’t wish this on anyone. But everyone in this forum is a warrior and we are getting better every day!!

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I have done some CS therapy way back before I even hit tolerance. I've also done some other therapy: talk and EMDR. I probably could use someone to talk to again.

 

And yes, this is, by far, the hardest thing I've ever done. Nothing else even comes close, and I've been through some tough things.

 

I'm glad you eventually figured out what was causing your problems. It would be nice if the docs had a clue. Wishing you the best, KQCO.

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