How I Became Properly Acquainted With the "Notorious" Benzodiazepines

I am joining this forum to learn more about other people's experiences with benzos and how they may relate to my own experiences with these medications. I would like to acquire some valuable insight on how to best navigate these treacherous waters, as well as providing any of my own knowledge that could be valuable in helping others like me.

Diagnosed around 7 years ago with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder. Been on benzodiazepines for about 6.5 years or so.

Medication History: (In Chronological Order)

Ativan 1mg PRN - 1 Year

Xanax 1mg Twice daily - 1 Year

Xanax 1mg Twice daily + Klonopin 2mg Four Times Daily - 1 Year

Klonopin 1mg Twice Daily - 1 Year

Klonopin 0.5mg's Twice Daily - 1.5 Years

(Present Dosage): Klonopin 0.5mg's PRN

Hello, CK - welcome to BenzoBuddies!

Congrats on reducing your benzo dose so much already. 

I'm glad that you decided to join the forum – our members have gone through benzodiazepine use and withdrawal themselves, so you'll find plenty of information and support here.

Here are a couple of links that may be a good starting place for you:

  General Taper Plans

  Withdrawal Support

Please take a moment to Create a Signature. This will allow members to see where you are in the process, so that they can better support you.

Looking forward to seeing you on the forum!

Leslie 

The Ashton Manual is an authoritative resource on what to expect during withdrawal and recovery. It provides information that can be very reassuring during any stage of this process, including a list of common symptoms with helpful explanations.

For those who are currently tapering, a starting guideline is that the dosage not be reduced faster than by 5-10% every 10-14 days, although some taper even more slowly than that. One exception: very short-term users of a few weeks or less may be able to taper somewhat faster.