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Micro Tapering/Daily Tapering off of Klonopin – Success Story -


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Bubbles,

Good for you! I went so slow I was losing about .03mg a month. Not sure what that is Valium wise.

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This is a very inspirational story for me because I am just starting a taper.  Well, I'm just starting it over because I got so impatient and made a much too big cut and am now suffering so I'm going to go back to where I was ( made the big cut two weeks after switching over to diazepam )  This has all just happened in the last month , and the last two weeks are when I felt the hit from cutting so rapidly. It am going to just take it very very slow because I have to be abler o function, and when I switched over to diazepam I was functioning good, why did I go screw it up? I wish I hadnt . Thank you for the story.

 

Djd,

I went so slow I cut .001mg a day that turned out to be .03mg a month. If you go slow and do the daily taper and run into problems you can go back to the dose/day where you felt the best. I had to do that twice and it worked like a charm.

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Thank you Kay. One week benzo free today! Just experiencing some occasional low grade headaches and muscle aches. Nothing terrible.

 

Early in my taper, I reduced at .12 mg V per day, but most of my taper was at .1 and the last few months was at .01. It is amazing the control that a microtaper gives you. I too re-tapered from time to time--sometimes at a slower rate--when I ran into problems. It was very effective.

 

I couldn't believe that I was able to eliminate night sweats at the end of my taper but adding 2 ml of water, which effectively changed it from a taper rate of .01XX to .01XY. (Don't remember the exact numbers.) That made all the difference and eliminated symptoms in one day.

 

There is really no need for most people to stuffer as much as they do, IMO. BUT you have to be okay with sloooow.

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Hi Kay,

 

I'm glad you had this great success with your withdrawal. I've also been on klonopin for 20 years. I suffer from social, generalized anxiety and depression. Can you tell me what was the condition that led you to Klonopin?. I've tried withdrawal a few times with no success, because my social anxiety goes to the roof. I feel discouraged sometimes because some people say that you have to be free of benzos in order for CBT to work. My therapists says it will help, maybe take more time because of the klonopin but that it will work, so we'll see, im really determined to withdraw klonopin with the most help i can get, but would like to know your original condition. Did it get better?

 

Thanks!

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Rivobuddy, look into Probiotics strains lactobacillus GG, l rhamnosus. These are potent anxiolitcs. They increase GABA receptor expression, reduce pro inflammatory cytokines, degrade histamine and help digestion. Over time if you feed them prebiotic foods, oatbran, onions, gum Arabic, Jerusalem artichokes, etc, you will also boost bifido bacteria numbers, very powerful GABA producing strains in the lower bowel. Give them time to multiply and watch for an initial potential increase in nausea or anxiety as they battle the bad gut bugs for dominance.
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Should add that this initial 'die off' period is only temporary. A few weeks usually (in my case it was a few months with incremental improvements but I had bad dysbiosis. 
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Hi formy,

 

thanks for the advice!. Coincidentally i started taking a few months ago probiotic that were recommended by a friend for anxiety and depression. It's a german product that contain the below strains, it claims to be beneficial for stress. the thing is it increased my anxiety a lot and had to stop, i didnt know over time this side effect goes away. It doesn't contain the ones you mentioned but i guess it should help too. I wanted to ask, what does it mean that increases GABA receptor expression exactly? and how does it relate to Klonopin? maybe there could be some interaction?

 

Bifidobacterium bifidum W23

Bifidobacterium lactis W51

Bifidobacterium lactis W52

W22 Lactobacillus acidophilus

Lactobacillus casei W56

W20 Lactobacillus paracasei

Lactobacillus plantarum W62

Lactobacillus salivarius W24

Lactococcus lactis W19

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Hi rivobuddy,

 

Increasing GABA receptor expression is basically helping your brain to grow the receptors needed to use GABA. One of the consequences of benzos (at least in theory) is down regulation of these receptors so that there are fewer of them. L rhamnosus reverses this, through a signalling mechanism in the Central Nervous System.

 

Basically certain Probiotic strains reverse the down regulation caused by benzos, but without impacting on glutamate. L rhamnosus is one strain missing from the Probiotics below, and it was a key player for me. I don't know the specific strains below, but in general terns, bifido strains are GABA producing, l salivarius is a particularly aggressive strain, and I think it was the reason I was unable to tolerate Probio Probiotics, but is a powerhouse if you can tolerate it. Its often referred to as a foundational strain, so I might revisit it .You could start with a single strain Probiotics maybe? Culturelle or Jarrows Ideal Bowel Support are single strain. If you're in the states Custom Probiotics do samples which could be worth looking at. I want to try B infantis next as it is a big strain in childhood, and I was on a lot of anti biotics as a kid so might need to repopulate.  :)

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[66...]

Hi Kay,

 

I'm glad you had this great success with your withdrawal. I've also been on klonopin for 20 years. I suffer from social, generalized anxiety and depression. Can you tell me what was the condition that led you to Klonopin?. I've tried withdrawal a few times with no success, because my social anxiety goes to the roof. I feel discouraged sometimes because some people say that you have to be free of benzos in order for CBT to work. My therapists says it will help, maybe take more time because of the klonopin but that it will work, so we'll see, im really determined to withdraw klonopin with the most help i can get, but would like to know your original condition. Did it get better?

 

Thanks!

 

rivobuddy,

I was prescribed the klonopin for anxiety and panic disorder. It started with a panic attack after I woke up from emergency surgery and it picked up steam. I went to a  Psychiatrist  who put me on Zoloft and Xanax. A few years later I CTed them both and felt fine. I got therapy and was great when I did my work, then got lazy and two years later went back to the first Doctor who put me on Zoloft and Xanax. I still had anxiety and panic and was tired of it, a friend told me about klonopin and gave me one and it felt like it worked better. I asked my doctor and he switched me to Klonopin from Xanax.

 

Then I hit tolerance with Zoloft, or at least he told me that Zoloft stopped working but looking back who knows what that was, I had more anxiety and panic. He switched me to Lexapro and doubled my klonopin. And down the line added another pill of klonopin to .50mg three times a day.

 

I had my first taste of tolerance withdrawal after I had eye surgery, unknown to me there are benzos in the drugs they gave me because I had to be awake. Now I know that it is acute, my doctor added another klonopin which is .50mg 4 times a day.

 

I was worried that if I got to used to klonopin that they would not help me when I had anxiety so I started to drop a pill from my dose every few months until I was at one .50mg a day. Then I had three failed tapers from Lexapro. I found paxilprogress (which is no longer online now) I found out about tapering 10 percent and did that for 14 months and got off lexapro. And then I thought it would be no big deal tapering the last klonopin pill and as you know I was very wrong about that.

 

Goes to show you though, I CTed and then tapered too fast ending up in acute withdrawal a few times. This last time I reinstated and tapered the micro taper and I improved DURING the taper. According to what many believe I should have been worse because of all the previous failed tapers. but I was not I was better. I believe it was how I tapered.

 

I have been off for 5 months and have not had anxiety or panic.  And during these 5 months I have had many unexpected problems and family emergencies. I should be panicking but I am not. I have come to the opinion that much of my anxiety and panic was actually caused by the drugs or the attacks made worse by the drugs, Because This is the first time in over 20 years that I have no anxiety or panic. 

 

Things that used to cause me anxiety have not bothered me. It is weird. I just wait to see how I feel and I feel no panic or anxiety. I'm not quite sure why and am not worried either, I think if I should ever feel that way there are so many other non medicated ways to deal with it. My brother thinks that WD was so much worse than my original problems that it is gone now. I don't know and I have to tell you it is so nice not feeling anxiety. I feel a little foolish taking a pill for anxiety and still suffering anxiety. I thought that I was so bad that it was breaking through the medication but the truth is,  klonopin was causing it even though I had it before taking benzo I would have not even considered this, I thought I was in for a lifetime of anxiety and panic, well I don't have any now.

 

If I do in the future I would rather have anxiety than benzo withdrawal so I know I will never take that drug again, I will look into therapy and such.

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[66...]

Formywifeandkids,

Such interesting information, thank you! I took a Probiotic through my whole taper. I never took one before. I took and still take Trunature Digestive Probiotic which has l. acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis and l. rhamnosus.

 

 

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Hi Kay,

 

I'm glad you had this great success with your withdrawal. I've also been on klonopin for 20 years. I suffer from social, generalized anxiety and depression. Can you tell me what was the condition that led you to Klonopin?. I've tried withdrawal a few times with no success, because my social anxiety goes to the roof. I feel discouraged sometimes because some people say that you have to be free of benzos in order for CBT to work. My therapists says it will help, maybe take more time because of the klonopin but that it will work, so we'll see, im really determined to withdraw klonopin with the most help i can get, but would like to know your original condition. Did it get better?

 

Thanks!

 

rivobuddy,

I was prescribed the klonopin for anxiety and panic disorder. It started with a panic attack after I woke up from emergency surgery and it picked up steam. I went to a  Psychiatrist  who put me on Zoloft and Xanax. A few years later I CTed them both and felt fine. I got therapy and was great when I did my work, then got lazy and two years later went back to the first Doctor who put me on Zoloft and Xanax. I still had anxiety and panic and was tired of it, a friend told me about klonopin and gave me one and it felt like it worked better. I asked my doctor and he switched me to Klonopin from Xanax.

 

Then I hit tolerance with Zoloft, or at least he told me that Zoloft stopped working but looking back who knows what that was, I had more anxiety and panic. He switched me to Lexapro and doubled my klonopin. And down the line added another pill of klonopin to .50mg three times a day.

 

I had my first taste of tolerance withdrawal after I had eye surgery, unknown to me there are benzos in the drugs they gave me because I had to be awake. Now I know that it is acute, my doctor added another klonopin which is .50mg 4 times a day.

 

I was worried that if I got to used to klonopin that they would not help me when I had anxiety so I started to drop a pill from my dose every few months until I was at one .50mg a day. Then I had three failed tapers from Lexapro. I found paxilprogress (which is no longer online now) I found out about tapering 10 percent and did that for 14 months and got off lexapro. And then I thought it would be no big deal tapering the last klonopin pill and as you know I was very wrong about that.

 

Goes to show you though, I CTed and then tapered too fast ending up in acute withdrawal a few times. This last time I reinstated and tapered the micro taper and I improved DURING the taper. According to what many believe I should have been worse because of all the previous failed tapers. but I was not I was better. I believe it was how I tapered.

 

I have been off for 5 months and have not had anxiety or panic.  And during these 5 months I have had many unexpected problems and family emergencies. I should be panicking but I am not. I have come to the opinion that much of my anxiety and panic was actually caused by the drugs or the attacks made worse by the drugs, Because This is the first time in over 20 years that I have no anxiety or panic. 

 

Things that used to cause me anxiety have not bothered me. It is weird. I just wait to see how I feel and I feel no panic or anxiety. I'm not quite sure why and am not worried either, I think if I should ever feel that way there are so many other non medicated ways to deal with it. My brother thinks that WD was so much worse than my original problems that it is gone now. I don't know and I have to tell you it is so nice not feeling anxiety. I feel a little foolish taking a pill for anxiety and still suffering anxiety. I thought that I was so bad that it was breaking through the medication but the truth is,  klonopin was causing it even though I had it before taking benzo I would have not even considered this, I thought I was in for a lifetime of anxiety and panic, well I don't have any now.

 

If I do in the future I would rather have anxiety than benzo withdrawal so I know I will never take that drug again, I will look into therapy and such.

 

Kay2020,

Thanks so much for telling us that story! And congratulations! You've done so well, and it is so heartening. Also, your experience confirms what jounalist/author Robert Whitaker has written and spoken about, i.e. that the drugs meant to decrease anxiety and depression seem to have the opposite effect when taken over the long term. Let's hope that this message gets out to the wider public so that others can be saved from the nightmarish side effects and withdrawal effects.

 

I wish you continued health and peace.

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Hi Kay and Formy,

 

Thank you for your reply, im really glad that you're out now. I was wondering if maybe this taper worked for you because of the Probiotics, do you think tha maybe this was the key?. Just guessing, based on the explanation that Formy gave me about the them, my main problem is that the anxiety increases tooooo much when i go really down also terrible depression and tiredness but i guess that happens with any dose i take. Did you have increased anxiety and depression on the previous times you tried to taper? Is there any there supplement you were taking other than the probiotic?. this is really interesting and may be helpful for me as well. I'm considering talking one of the products you guys recommended cuz the probiotics i took increased my anxiety too much.

 

Formy i read you are feeling amazing!and that's amazing!!, gives me hope too. Is this your first taper?, Also it seems that you got the prebiotics from food? what about supplements that contain probiotics and prebiotics?.

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Kay, I share a lot if similarities with your experience, and was put on different antipsychotic which made my anxiety worse. Of course the doctors said I had an anxiety disorder, couldn't be the pills. You're an inspiration to those who were polydrugged and I think that is so important here as many of us were on multiple drugs.

 

Hi rivobuddy, my Probiotics also contain FOS, but I take or have taken flaxseed (couldn't without the Probiotics as it was coarse so I mixed it in oatbran or live yoghurt), Jerusalem artichokes, onions, leeks, acacia gum. My mainstays have been onions and oatbran with flaxseed. Nova1 has been trying a high strength Probiotic called Elixa and we are following progress there. I swear by them. I have also added in sauerkraut now and store bought kefir as 'live' foods. Sauerkraut is particularly easy to take. I was concerned about possible liver induction because its made with cabbage, but the sea salt in which it ferments is an inhibitor, so maybe they balance out. I'm on a low dose of diazepam now so probably wouldn't notice either way. Happy healing. :)

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[66...]

I set up what supplements I was going to take during my taper. I just tried to stay away from any that reved up my symptoms and this is what I took:

 

Vitamin C 500mg

Vitamin E 400 iu

Vitamin D3 5mg

Potassium gluconate 550mg

Omega fish oil tabs @ 180EPA/120 DHA

Magnesium citrate powder before bed worked up to a teaspoon.

The probiotics

Barley grass powder (barley grass only)

Chicken Bone broth 1 - 2 cups a day

Concentrated whey protein (not isolate) I used Tera's whey or One World whey in the 5 pound container. (I serving a day usually after exercising)

 

When I stopped the whey and broth I started to get more muscle pain. I think the whey really helped and the broth helped the anxiety and my stomach. I lost the benzo belly in the first half of my taper.

 

Now after my taper I drink a cup or two of nettles tea a day, I drink it for these claims:

 

It has a supportive effect on the immune system, the circulation, the urinary tract, nervous system, respiratory tract, digestive system and the endocrine system. It counters arthritis, rheumatism, tendonitis and other disorders of the muscles and joints.

 

I would never drink it while tapering or on benzos, just afterwards.

 

 

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[66...]

rivobuddy,

My anxiety started to decrease and then disappear during my taper, I split the taper up in three phases, the first one was the anxiety, intrusive thoughts, fear, house bound, hypochondria.

 

The second phase was the pain. Tendinitis, muscle pain and nerve pain.

 

The third phase was the pain symptoms disappearing and the fading of the general symptoms such as fatigue, bladder discomfort and that wired feeling. Stuff like that.

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Hi rivobuddy, I was kindling bad, cold turkey from zopiclone and diazepam, put back on diazepam to microtaper. I was also in SSRI withdrawal and variously put on and pulled off olanazpine, lyrica, risperidone and citalopram, and quetiapine. I was kindling so bad I literally could feel the diazepam dissolving receptors in my brain and stomach, or at least that's what it felt like. The depression went first, and I got anxiety for months taking Probiotics but it eventually settled as the good guys outnumbered the bad.  :)
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts and supplements and food you take. I was very close to quit about 2 years  i was on 0.06 mg of Klonopin and it became so unbearable that i had to go up again, my main symptoms were extreme social anxiety (which is the reason i started taking it),  depression and fatigue. This time im gonna really prepare to make it successful. I'm already on CBT, although people say it doesn't help too much possibly because of the lack of concentration and short memory while on benzos (totally true), i guess i'll practice more the exercises, i'm also thinking about yoga, the probiotics ill start taking tomorrow some foods and supplements you guys take which i already have researched in the past too and maybe try acupuncture again, anything to lower the anxiety until the drug is off my system and other therapies can really help in a deeper way.

 

Acupuncture was helping me a few weeks ago with the anxiety i still have even at 1.25 mg of Klonopin, but then i got this incredible fatigue for some reason and had to stop. Someone recommended Coq10 and it has been like a miracle for a really bad depression and worsening of the anxiety due to in part maybe lack of sun and in consequence Vitamin D3 deficiency for moving to Austria on winter (im Latin American where sun almost never goes away). Negative stuff in there contributed as well . Coq10 It's also helping a lot my fatigue and some of the anxiety, i can think more clearly and in a more positive way. So maybe i'll try acupuncture a bit later again. I'm scared, because i may not heal of my emotional problems until i get off this drug, but i guess i'll try again with a different better mindset, with more support and persistence, i tend to be a bit pessimistic and of course, as an anxiety sufferer worry is not a good friend. I hope this time it works, i'm still around a year or more away from that moment, so patience is key.

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[66...]

Well, it has been six months since my last klonopin. I am still improving, things are slowly changing, I am guessing back to normal. they are not symptoms like tapering symptoms. Things like emotions returning, sleep normalizing and interests in life coming back.

 

I had been on klonopin for over 20 years. Right now life is 100 times better off benzos. I still have not had any panic attacks or weird anxiety. Unfortunately my family has had unexpected losses and illnesses. Things that would have sent me into a panic and taking pills. Things hard to deal with and accept. Things I never would have thought I could handle. But no panic, no symptoms and stepping up and handling what I need to do. I never thought I can deal with so much and still be ok.

 

All my nerve pain subsided a few months ago and now all my pain has subsided including the aching especially in the shoulders.

 

I just finished all my yearly check ups and everything is normal.

 

ALL of my phobias are gone, even one that I had before benzos. I actually try and put myself in the situation to check and yep, its gone.

 

Guys! This is after 20 years of benzo and two failed tapering attempts.

 

OH and the hair? It is filling in thick and I am no longer concerned about hair loss. It is in much better condition along with my skin.

 

I just found out that a neighbor quickly tapered off ativan after 8 years of use and she is 86 years old! She went through not feeling good for a few weeks but seems to be doing well. Goes to show you that age does not determine anything and that we are all different and one does not have to compare oneself to each other and then feel as if they are failing, we are all different and I do believe we all heal some sooner than others.

 

I took 18 months to taper.

 

 

 

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Wow Kay,

This gives me hope.  I wish I knew how to taper like you.  I did mine in 6 weeks from 1mg of klonopin.  Didn't know I should do longer.  So glad your doing good.

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Congratulations, and thank you so much for coming back with an update! It's really wonderful to read such good news and to know how well your body has healed after such a long time on benzodiazepines. Good for you!
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Excellent stuff, Kay. I think we evolve through the suffering to become stronger human beings, a type of reward from nature for what we go through. Enjoy that strength going forward, you have earned that badge of honour.  :thumbsup:
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Kay-What a fabulous success story and thank you for coming back and sharing your continued success with us. I was truly touched by reading your post.

 

My friend is a neurologist and he recommended that I eat yogurt with the strain L Rhamnsous which has been proven to upregulate Gaba receptors in mice. I started eating it in the end of March and I noticed huge improvements. I healed from a c/t in 6 months. I do believe that I benefited from daily exercise, eating healthy and eating the yogurt.

Best

AlwaysFrantastic:)

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[66...]

bhawk,

You never know I had a friend do a quick taper off of 1mg after 30 years use! He said he had symptoms for a few months but now he is ok. I hope that you start seeing large results very soon, I know you will but I hope that it is very soon!

 

Lapis2, I hope your symptoms fade away soon!

 

Formywifeandkids, I agree with you, we do evolve. I just wish everyone here did not have to suffer this much! But we did become stronger, I know when I was finishing my taper life was still going on and some bad things happened to a family member, a car accident and a loss of life, shocking sudden loss. Something I know I could not have handled before.

 

It is painful now and hard to wrap my mind around my loss (it is such a shock), but I am dealing with it and involved like a fellow family member and grieving the way I am supposed to, although it is hard and painful. My mind is focused on helping to support my family members as they also do for me, instead of hiding from the pain and avoiding everyone like I used to while taking klonopin.

 

I hope all is well with you and that you are enjoying life with your family. It is so precious.  :smitten:

 

AlwaysFrantastic,

I took this strain all through my tapering and still do, I had no idea until I read this thread of what it can do, thankfully I kept it up and not stopped. I do think it has helped me also! I am so happy you have healing!!!

 

Last but not least sharkey1911,

I hope you healing and happy that you have crossed the line!

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