Hi Colin :) Taper/Titration info

Hi Colin.  Thank you for any help you can give and for being here doing what you're doing.  I'm sure you have helped many many people, now I hope you can help me.  I saw your requirements needed to be able to help with a schedule, but I have a few questions about one or two of them, so I am pasting my "signature" below so you might can help me.  My question is when to start and can I just start going down from my current dose? After 4 days of being off, I reinstated .125 every other day(per my doc) on May 5th, so it will be two weeks of this on May 19th or 20th.  He put me on Zyprexa a week ago and I plan to take 2.5 one more week. I tell you this because it has stabilized me.  I would love to jump at this point if you thought I might be ok, but if not I'll try the titration. Thank you!

 

approximately began regular Klonopin use on Feb. 8, 2010

after 7 weeks of various doses up to 1mg began following taper:

March 30-April 3 = .5 am & .5 pm

April 4-April 8 = .5 am

April 9-April 13 = .25 am

April 14-April 15 = 0(tried to jump - NOT GOOD)

April 16-April 30 = .125 (somewhat hopeful)

May 1-May 4 = 0(tried to jump) hit BOTTOM! Unbelievable depression/anxiety!

May 5 - present = .125 am every other day (REALLY REALLY wanna jump)

 

ADDITIONAL MEDS: morning = 36mg Concerta

                          bedtime = 25mg. Lexapro and 2.5mg Zyprexa

PJV -

 

You will need to supply Colin with the necessary information before he can create a schedule for you.  Just post it as a reply in this thread and he will see it.  It can take a few days to create a schedule so allow some time after you post for the start date.  You will also want to get your supplies by the start date, of course.  Here's a link to the thread on this board about what information is required:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=11093.msg150014#msg150014

 

 

Thank you Beeper Yes, I followed the link you provided me, but I don't know when my start date should be or where I should begin so I couldn't provide all the info he requested.  I was going to follow up after he told me what to do.  I'm still very confused about all this.  I discourages me and makes me just wanna jump. Do you think I might do ok jumping after taking .125 every other day for two weeks? I know I'm not in any danger of seizure, but I mean the overwhelming, painful anxiety and depression.  I can handle some, just not like before.  I know I need to make a decision, but I just can't.  I'm so scared and nobody but you guys understand.  Even still, i get different answers from different folks, and I am thankful for all of them.  Just trying to make the best decision. Thank you, Beeper for helping me.

What is it you wanted Colin to tell you to do, other than creating a titration schedule for you?  As the forum owner, he generally doesn't get involved in coaching members in how to taper because his time is so limited. 

 

Here's what I think is the only danger of you jumping now from .125mg every other day: if you believe you aren't doing it "right" and will pay the price, then you likely will have more symptoms than if you truly believed that you were going to be okay no matter what comes.  If you can't feel that confidence, perhaps you'd feel better psychologically titrating off the last of it.  If you read other threads, you will see the subject of fear come up a lot. 

 

BTW, I stopped at .125mg lorazepam 1/day which is the equivalent of .125mg Klonopin every other day which you are taking. 

Hi pjv,

 

In all likelihood, you will be fine jumping now. It's not necessarily a good idea to take your benzo every other day, as you may get interdose withdrawal. If it were me, I would just stop now. Many of us quit when we are at 0.125mg daily, and do well. You may still have some withdrawal symptoms for a bit, but this is to be expected, and you will get through them and recover.  

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! That's what I needed to hear! (That many of you have jumped at .125 and done fine.)I'm almost afraid to ask, but was it smooth for you guys?  You're right Beeper, when I have hope or confidence, I do much better. Basically 7weeks of .25-1 mg, then 5 days at .5, then 5 days at .25, then 13 days at .125, then 4 off, then 2 weeks at .125 every other day, then jump! Are there good odds that I will get off easier bc of my dosage and duration, even though I did a fairly rapid taper? I know you can't be certain, but any hope will help me! How was it for you?

Your taper was a bit fast, but you weren't on very long. If you are feeling relatively stable, which doesn't mean without symptoms, you will probably do fine.

 

I had a taper and post taper that, hindsite, was pretty easy. It didn't particularly feel easy during, but it wasn't bad. And I recovered fairly quickly. 

Thank you. I know that you can't be certain, but am I looking at days, weeks, or months of withdrawals?  Were your withdrawals anxiety and depression or more physical? After so many months of the mental torture, I can handle the physical...I just can't go back to that DARK place again.

HI Beeper 

I was asking him when I should start the taper and at what dose, since I didn't quite know how I was supposed to start.  So, I wasn't able to answer all the questions he cited as requirements for him to be able to create a schedule.  But, yeah...I see your point about him being too busy.  That makes sense.  I just didn't quite know where to get the answer.  Thanks for bearing with my ignorance while I learn my way around.  I appreciate all your help. 

Thank you. I know that you can't be certain, but am I looking at days, weeks, or months of withdrawals?  Were your withdrawals anxiety and depression or more physical? After so many months of the mental torture, I can handle the physical...I just can't go back to that DARK place again.

 

I had all of the above. My worst one was depression, but that lifted as I got down in my dose.