The Klonopin Klub#2

Thank you everyone for you answer

Please is there anyone on this thread that is tapering from Teva Klon brand ( the yellow pills).  If so are you micro tapering liquid, dry or regular taper.

 

Having a hard time.

 

I am trying to dry taper off of Teva .5mg. I am on a fairly high dose, but am working on the afternoon dose. I am weighing and crushing. Ended up going too fast, at cutting every 2 weeks. Just too fast for me. I will cut monthly.

 

Dana, Hi what is weighing and crushing. 

 

It is rough, to say the least. I though it would be easier since I am at a high dose, but it's not.

My brain is so sensitive.

Keep the Faith. Praying for you.

 

Dana

Hi Charlene,

 

I weigh the .5mg pill and crush it. There is math involved. It is not hard, although I seem to get confused sometimes. This way, you can take any dose you want. I would love to be able to just cut my tablets, but it seems that I am not getting a consistent dose. Some people can cut by .125mg and do fine or .0625mg which is 1/8th of a pill. I just don't know how accurate it is.

I hope I have not confused you.

 

Dana

Hi Charlene,

 

I weigh the .5mg pill and crush it. There is math involved. It is not hard, although I seem to get confused sometimes. This way, you can take any dose you want. I would love to be able to just cut my tablets, but it seems that I am not getting a consistent dose. Some people can cut by .125mg and do fine or .0625mg which is 1/8th of a pill. I just don't know how accurate it is.

I hope I have not confused you.

 

Dana

 

Dana, when you crush it do you stir it around and put it in a capsale?

I wish I were tapering Teva like the rest of you so we had that in common, but I was started on Accord and so have stuck with it, although Walgreens moved over to Teva in the middle of my taper. I feel like I'm no longer getting very accurate dosing when I file the tablets, or the taper is just getting harder. I'm currently holding and trying to stabilize a bit after a rough week and a half. I tried to encapsulate for five days a few weeks ago, and I think that helped destabilize me. I've had trouble ever since.

 

Final, why did you have to hold at .400 mg? Did symptoms just get really rough for a bit? I'm right at .375 mg and was struggling immensely to continue tapering (intrusive thoughts and SI), but I'm having pretty bad symptoms holding as well. I haven't had a day without at least one fog if not two or three in over a week (the multiple fog thing is new in the last month). I had starting getting multiple days in a row without any fog and all while continuing to taper. It has just felt like the bottom has fallen out, and I don't know exactly what happened.

 

I'm so sorry for those who are struggling. I hope things turn around soon.

 

Hi,

 

Every time I held for a bit had to do with symptoms. I always wanted to push through the symptoms but I had to just stay put.  Most of the time my waves would last 3-4 days (doing a micro cut) but I did have times where I would hold for a week.  At the time it always felt like the symptoms would never pass but they did.

 

You will stabilize again. 

So, FH, since my Teva 0.5 mg weigh on average 170 mg each, can I file away around 10 percent per month, like 17 mg of each pill (153 left). Second month, 138 mg each, 3rd month 125 or 126mg (138-13 or 14)...It will take years , correct?

 

You could file down 10% a month.  I forgot how many milligrams your are on at this point but it shouldn't take years. I'm not great at math so I don't want to dismiss your assessment. And yes, it's 10% off the last total dose. 

 

I micro-tapered so I would shave 0.001 off each pill weight every other day. So if the pill weighed 170 grams, I would shave till it weighed 169 grams on the scale, then 168 grams and so on. 

FH, I am on 0.5 mg X 3 now. Each pill is around 170mg. So file 1 mg every other day? Of all 3 doses?

Thanks a lot!

FH, I am on 0.5 mg X 3 now. Each pill is around 170mg. So file 1 mg every other day? Of all 3 doses?

Thanks a lot!

 

I filed 0.001 off one dose at a time.  My pm dose was heavier for sleep reasons so I concentrated on that dose till all 3 doses were even. Then I alternated between doses. Cut AM dose one day, then when I was ready to cut again I cut the afternoon dose, then when I was ready the PM dose, then I back to the AM dose. I would hold when the cuts caught up with me and once that passed, I would start again.  Every other day worked for me but some people have a different pattern. They might wait 3 days between cuts.

I cut to 3 x 0.5 mg three weeks ago. I can't say I am stable...Have a hard time, with shakes and chills, brain fog, back pain....Maybe wait a bit longer?

I cut to 3 x 0.5 mg three weeks ago. I can't say I am stable...Have a hard time, with shakes and chills, brain fog, back pain....Maybe wait a bit longer?

 

Yes, from what you're describing, waiting would be a good idea.

Hi Charlene,

 

I weigh the .5mg pill and crush it. There is math involved. It is not hard, although I seem to get confused sometimes. This way, you can take any dose you want. I would love to be able to just cut my tablets, but it seems that I am not getting a consistent dose. Some people can cut by .125mg and do fine or .0625mg which is 1/8th of a pill. I just don't know how accurate it is.

I hope I have not confused you.

 

Dana

 

Hi Dana,

 

What made you decide you weren't getting accurate dosing with cutting and weighing? Increased symptoms at some point?

Hereforhelp,

 

I do believe I was not getting an accurate dose at all. I know my math was spot on. It wasn't much of a cut, so I thought. It was .05mg per 2 weeks. I am over 3mg on my Klonopin.

My pills varied in wt from .165 to .178mg. I did crush 5 at a time to get an average. I thought I mixed the powder very good, but who knows where the active ingredient is? I have 2 different scales that I compare and they seemed to pretty accurate.

I had pretty intense symptoms which made realize something was very wrong. I was hallucinating, so jumpy, gut issues, horrible muscle pain, etc. I am not going to put up with that again.

I am going to try a liquid micro taper once I fully stabilize. I am so much better in just a week  after going back up. I have done liquid in the past and think that would be the most accurate for me.

Strangely enough, I water tapered way back in 2003-2005 and got down without too much trouble.

I had just been reinstated from C/T which was horrible.

I will use milk or try a small amount of vodka. I have had gastric ulcers and don't want them flaring up.

That's my plan for now.

Hope this helps and I Pray that you are doing well.

 

Dana

Hereforhelp,

 

I do believe I was not getting an accurate dose at all. I know my math was spot on. It wasn't much of a cut, so I thought. It was .05mg per 2 weeks. I am over 3mg on my Klonopin.

My pills varied in wt from .165 to .178mg. I did crush 5 at a time to get an average. I thought I mixed the powder very good, but who knows where the active ingredient is? I have 2 different scales that I compare and they seemed to pretty accurate.

I had pretty intense symptoms which made realize something was very wrong. I was hallucinating, so jumpy, gut issues, horrible muscle pain, etc. I am not going to put up with that again.

I am going to try a liquid micro taper once I fully stabilize. I am so much better in just a week  after going back up. I have done liquid in the past and think that would be the most accurate for me.

Strangely enough, I water tapered way back in 2003-2005 and got down without too much trouble.

I had just been reinstated from C/T which was horrible.

I will use milk or try a small amount of vodka. I have had gastric ulcers and don't want them flaring up.

That's my plan for now.

Hope this helps and I Pray that you are doing well.

 

Dana

 

Wow, so you were even crushing tablets and mixing? Were you using capsules too? That should've all but eliminated the distribution issue and made things much more uniform. I think the uneven dosing is much more likely to happen when you're filing tablets down and are taking pieces like I am. I hope and pray you stabilize soon, and a liquid taper works well for you.

 

I'm still having a lot of trouble. Thank you for the prayers.

I wish I were tapering Teva like the rest of you so we had that in common, but I was started on Accord and so have stuck with it, although Walgreens moved over to Teva in the middle of my taper. I feel like I'm no longer getting very accurate dosing when I file the tablets, or the taper is just getting harder. I'm currently holding and trying to stabilize a bit after a rough week and a half. I tried to encapsulate for five days a few weeks ago, and I think that helped destabilize me. I've had trouble ever since.

 

Final, why did you have to hold at .400 mg? Did symptoms just get really rough for a bit? I'm right at .375 mg and was struggling immensely to continue tapering (intrusive thoughts and SI), but I'm having pretty bad symptoms holding as well. I haven't had a day without at least one fog if not two or three in over a week (the multiple fog thing is new in the last month). I had starting getting multiple days in a row without any fog and all while continuing to taper. It has just felt like the bottom has fallen out, and I don't know exactly what happened.

 

I'm so sorry for those who are struggling. I hope things turn around soon.

 

Hi,

 

Every time I held for a bit had to do with symptoms. I always wanted to push through the symptoms but I had to just stay put.  Most of the time my waves would last 3-4 days (doing a micro cut) but I did have times where I would hold for a week.  At the time it always felt like the symptoms would never pass but they did.

 

You will stabilize again.

 

Final, did you hit tolerance before you tapered? I've heard some say holding is not helpful if you've hit tolerance and are in a tolerance or relative wd situation and you need to keep moving down, but others who have hit tolerance before their taper have said it is helpful.

Hereforhelp,

 

I do believe I was not getting an accurate dose at all. I know my math was spot on. It wasn't much of a cut, so I thought. It was .05mg per 2 weeks. I am over 3mg on my Klonopin.

My pills varied in wt from .165 to .178mg. I did crush 5 at a time to get an average. I thought I mixed the powder very good, but who knows where the active ingredient is? I have 2 different scales that I compare and they seemed to pretty accurate.

I had pretty intense symptoms which made realize something was very wrong. I was hallucinating, so jumpy, gut issues, horrible muscle pain, etc. I am not going to put up with that again.

I am going to try a liquid micro taper once I fully stabilize. I am so much better in just a week  after going back up. I have done liquid in the past and think that would be the most accurate for me.

Strangely enough, I water tapered way back in 2003-2005 and got down without too much trouble.

I had just been reinstated from C/T which was horrible.

I will use milk or try a small amount of vodka. I have had gastric ulcers and don't want them flaring up.

That's my plan for now.

Hope this helps and I Pray that you are doing well.

 

Dana

 

Wow, so you were even crushing tablets and mixing? Were you using capsules too? That should've all but eliminated the distribution issue and made things much more uniform. I think the uneven dosing is much more likely to happen when you're filing tablets down and are taking pieces like I am. I hope and pray you stabilize soon, and a liquid taper works well for you.

 

I'm still having a lot of trouble. Thank you for the prayers.

 

Hereforhelp,

 

I was not using capsules. I was pharmacy paper. I knew another BB who did that. If fact, I did that the beginning of last year. It seemed to be ok, but I was on the Brand and did not do well for me.

I thought of weighing, filing or shaving, as I watch some youtube videos. I don't how accurate that would be. Again, where is the active ingredient?

I will continue to Pray for you and hope that you find a method that agrees with you.

We will get through it with Prayer and Perseverance

 

Dana.

I have to trust in that too. We will make it. I have to tell myself that. We have to speak truth to ourselves. I also have to trust that these cuts and files of tablets are accurate. Man, inaccurate even with the Roche stuff? I forgot you said you used the weighing paper. That shouldn't have been any different than capsules except that you didn't have a container to get all the medicine into your stomach.

I don't think it was inaccurate with the Roche. That was just too strong and it wore off very fast.

I was getting panic attacks which I did not have since my C/T withdrawal.

The pharmacy paper held the powder well and it was folded good. I licked the remaining residue as not to waste it.

 

How much do you shave off of your doses. Are they different weights? I am just curious.

How much percentage wise are you reducing?

If your method has been working good for you, I would stick with it. Accuracy is very important, but so is consistency.

 

You are low, so that is a great thing. I have a long ways to go, but I will not stop trying.

 

Remember, it is one day at a time.

 

I don't think it was inaccurate with the Roche. That was just too strong and it wore off very fast.

I was getting panic attacks which I did not have since my C/T withdrawal.

The pharmacy paper held the powder well and it was folded good. I licked the remaining residue as not to waste it.

 

How much do you shave off of your doses. Are they different weights? I am just curious.

How much percentage wise are you reducing?

If your method has been working good for you, I would stick with it. Accuracy is very important, but so is consistency.

 

You are low, so that is a great thing. I have a long ways to go, but I will not stop trying.

 

Remember, it is one day at a time.

 

I've heard that about the brand. Potent but not long lasting.

 

If things go really well, I probably have another 13 months. If I have to go slower, I'm looking at almost two more years. That is a bit daunting, especially has symptoms have increased.

 

I am moving at the daily equivalent of 5.5% / 14 days right now, which is about 0.4% per day and trying to even up my doses. My nighttime dose is about twice my daytime. My tablets basically have the same range as yours did, but I try to pair up tablets to give me the average I'm using, which is 170 mg. So I'll file a 169.5 and a 170.5 tablet for my two doses. It gets frustrating when I have a bunch that weigh 165 to 167 and over 173.

 

It has been working for me, but I've struggled so much the last 3.5 weeks, and I want to attribute it to something in the process, which it may not be at all.

 

It is definitely one day at a time. Often one minute at a time.

Hereforhelp,

 

I was wondering how you file your pills if they weigh different. For example, if I have 1 pill that weighs .170 and want to reduce by .001mg and then I weigh my next pill and it weighs .165. How do you figure out how much to file?

My goal is to reduce by .001mg to 002mg with liquid.

If I tried shaving I would only reduce by .001mg. This is a .5mg K. This would be by afternoon dose.

I appreciate your feedback and help.

I am still  conflicted as to what I am  going to do. I just want it to be accurate as possible and consistent.

 

God Bless,

 

Dana

 

I have two doses to work with, so I can use each tablet to average out. Some would say the discrepancy doesn't matter because K has a long half-life and all that, but I think some of us are sensitive enough to feel the difference you would get from a 170 and a 165-mg tablet. I guess you could have your reduction value for the average weight and adjust it slightly in the right direction, whether the tablet is heavier or lighter than the average. I'm not sure how I would handle it with just one dose.

I wish I were tapering Teva like the rest of you so we had that in common, but I was started on Accord and so have stuck with it, although Walgreens moved over to Teva in the middle of my taper. I feel like I'm no longer getting very accurate dosing when I file the tablets, or the taper is just getting harder. I'm currently holding and trying to stabilize a bit after a rough week and a half. I tried to encapsulate for five days a few weeks ago, and I think that helped destabilize me. I've had trouble ever since.

 

Final, why did you have to hold at .400 mg? Did symptoms just get really rough for a bit? I'm right at .375 mg and was struggling immensely to continue tapering (intrusive thoughts and SI), but I'm having pretty bad symptoms holding as well. I haven't had a day without at least one fog if not two or three in over a week (the multiple fog thing is new in the last month). I had starting getting multiple days in a row without any fog and all while continuing to taper. It has just felt like the bottom has fallen out, and I don't know exactly what happened.

 

I'm so sorry for those who are struggling. I hope things turn around soon.

 

Hi,

 

Every time I held for a bit had to do with symptoms. I always wanted to push through the symptoms but I had to just stay put.  Most of the time my waves would last 3-4 days (doing a micro cut) but I did have times where I would hold for a week.  At the time it always felt like the symptoms would never pass but they did.

 

You will stabilize again.

 

Final, did you hit tolerance before you tapered? I've heard some say holding is not helpful if you've hit tolerance and are in a tolerance or relative wd situation and you need to keep moving down, but others who have hit tolerance before their taper have said it is helpful.

 

Hi, sorry I missed this post.

 

I did not hit tolerance before I tapered.  Early on, someone told me not to get too focused on tolerance because most times it's either plain old withdrawal or the side effects of the medication.  I'm not saying that tolerance doesn't exist but that was not my experience.

 

In terms of holding, I would hold when the cuts hit, and then when I felt strong enough (not to be confused with feeling good) I would start cutting again. 

 

You can do this and most struggles have to do with the awfulness of withdrawal and nothing else. 

I have been taking clonopin for a year. I'm taking 2mg divided into two doses. I want to taper off semi fast was thinking of dropping 0.5 every 1-2 weeks depending on how I feel. Is taking it for a year a long time to do that kind of taper.

I just want to be off of it cuz it doesn't do much for my anxiety anymore,I even think it makes it worse. Makes me feel tired, slow, memory ain't that sharp anymore,just feel useless when on k. What could I expect from 0.5 taper? My only concern is I would have to do it with one of the doses not divide 0.5 less into two until my scale arrives. Or just do it slow and wait for the scale,but can't really see my self doing a year taper because how bad I want of off this drug. I might consider it idk. What could I expect from tapering 0.5 mg every week or two. I would probably consider slower taper when I'm on 1mg a day. (scale is on the way anyhow)

hoping for some re assurance.... I have been doing fairly well with my titration the past few months. Two weeks ago I decreased from 0.125 to 0.0625 mg ( I have been doing these cuts the whole time). Initially felt ok... starting this past Monday I have had such bad muscle tightness from head to toe I think Im gonna fall over every time I walk. Every thing just aches and feels tight with tingles, and my head had a band around it.

 

Has anyone experienced this type of symptom? Is it common at the end of a titration for symptoms to get worse and more severe?

 

 

Thanks.

I have been taking clonopin for a year. I'm taking 2mg divided into two doses. I want to taper off semi fast was thinking of dropping 0.5 every 1-2 weeks depending on how I feel. Is taking it for a year a long time to do that kind of taper.

I just want to be off of it cuz it doesn't do much for my anxiety anymore,I even think it makes it worse. Makes me feel tired, slow, memory ain't that sharp anymore,just feel useless when on k. What could I expect from 0.5 taper? My only concern is I would have to do it with one of the doses not divide 0.5 less into two until my scale arrives. Or just do it slow and wait for the scale,but can't really see my self doing a year taper because how bad I want of off this drug. I might consider it idk. What could I expect from tapering 0.5 mg every week or two. I would probably consider slower taper when I'm on 1mg a day. (scale is on the way anyhow)

Hi,

I know everyone on this thread understands your desire to get off as fast as possible. And we also understand that the medication isn't helping in any way. That certainly was my experience.

 

I always think it's good to set yourself up for success when you are tapering. If your scale is on the way, why not wait for it so that your cuts can be as steady as possible?

 

As far as your rate of taper, it really depends on what you can handle. You can start with your plan and then gauge how you feel. I'm a big fan of a body based taper-meaning taper according to your plans but hold when your body says it's too much.

 

In my personal opinion, a year is not a long time to taper. And with benzos it sometimes doesn't matter how long or short of a time you took them because it causes dependency so quickly. 

 

So, create your plan, choose your method for tapering and then pay attention to your body's ability to handle the pace you have chosen.

 

Getting off benzos is truly possible.

 

FH

hoping for some re assurance.... I have been doing fairly well with my titration the past few months. Two weeks ago I decreased from 0.125 to 0.0625 mg ( I have been doing these cuts the whole time). Initially felt ok... starting this past Monday I have had such bad muscle tightness from head to toe I think Im gonna fall over every time I walk. Every thing just aches and feels tight with tingles, and my head had a band around it.

 

Has anyone experienced this type of symptom? Is it common at the end of a titration for symptoms to get worse and more severe?

 

 

Thanks.

 

Hi,

I had no real physical symptoms for a majority of my taper. Then I got towards the end and all of a sudden had muscle aches and tight muscles. 

 

I know that other people have had this too.