Short term user, rapid taper

Hey guys, so I started taking .5mg Klonopin on a nightly basis to assist me in anxiety-induced insomnia. I made the personal decision to come off of it as I would rather avoid continuously taking this medication. I took .5mg for approximately 10 days.

 

I started tapering to .25mg on Sunday, and tonight would be Day 3 of that taper. I understand that's a sharp cut, and I'm currently dealing with some mild symptoms such as headaches, a few muscle spasms, and some skin crawling sensation. Is this too fast of a taper?

 

I was planning on doing .25mg the rest of the week, .125mg the next week, then ceasing the medication. Or should I revert to something more conservative like .375mg this week?

 

I am more sensitive to medications but wasn't sure if the Ashton method should apply to me given my short term usage. Having said that, I want this road to be easy as possible as I've been through Paxil withdrawal hell ten years ago.

 

I'm seeing my GP tomorrow to discuss my taper schedule and consulted with a pharmacist today saying I could stop today if I wanted to (nope). Anyway, seeking any guidance to make this as painless as it can be.

Hi RKO

 

I wish I was so wise like you are now when I started my first 0.5 mg of Clonazepam 4 years ago. Congratulations for being able to foresee the havoc from benzo and not go on to use it for months/years.

 

The general rule is that by using benzo between 2-3 weeks, the body has no time yet to develop dependency. In your case you have already started to cut 50% off the initial dose (.25 out of .5 mg). In my opinion, this taper rate that can be considered as fast for long-term users suits well your low number of days use. I don't think it is necessary but should you want to go slower for the last .25 mg then divide it to 2 x .125 mg and cut each trunk after a few days hold. In any case I don't believe you will have withdrawal symptoms except perhaps the insomnia you took benzo for.

 

Keep us informed.

 

Hi RKO, I think Jim wrote wise words so nothing to add but seems you do it as well as it can be done. I think prolong tapering builds more drug to your body so I would avoid it despite of the wd symptoms. Take care! T.

Hi RKO

 

I wish I was so wise like you are now when I started my first 0.5 mg of Clonazepam 4 years ago. Congratulations for being able to foresee the havoc from benzo and not go on to use it for months/years.

 

The general rule is that by using benzo between 2-3 weeks, the body has no time yet to develop dependency. In your case you have already started to cut 50% off the initial dose (.25 out of .5 mg). In my opinion, this taper rate that can be considered as fast for long-term users suits well your low number of days use. I don't think it is necessary but should you want to go slower for the last .25 mg then divide it to 2 x .125 mg and cut each trunk after a few days hold. In any case I don't believe you will have withdrawal symptoms except perhaps the insomnia you took benzo for.

 

Keep us informed.

 

 

Thanks Jim. I'm a bit concerned if the cut is too steep. I had awful insomnia last night and have some mild tingling in my extremities as well as some brain fog (most likely due to lack of sleep. I feel wired this morning and I seriously cannot believe I got myself in this position after such short usage. I'm so scared of the road ahead. I've worked so hard to get where I am today and am beating myself up repeatedly for falling into this trap. I'm concerned if I'm already dependent on it if I'm already having withdrawal symptoms. Can you explain what you mean by wanting to go slower with the .25mg a bit more?

Hi RKO  ,

 

Can you explain what you mean by wanting to go slower with the .25mg a bit more?

My understanding is that you have started 10-11 days ago with .5 mg of Klonopin (Clonazepam) trying to get a better sleep. Last Sunday (4 days ago) you were at 50% of the initial dose after a cut of .25 mg. You will continue to take .25 mg/night until next Sunday (May 13, 2018). Then you will cut again 50% of the current dose to come down to .125 mg/night. You will hold with this dose for a few days or one week max then ...you jump

 

Don't worry for the muscles spasm. Benzos are known as muscle relaxers and muscle spasm are the manifestation of the drug leaving our body. Said differently it is the way our organism reacts to withdrawal of the drug.

 

I would continue to taper off quickly to avoid developing dependency. Withdrawal symptoms at this stage must be manageable and the prize ahead is huge

 

Wish you a smooth jump!

Hi RKO  ,

 

Can you explain what you mean by wanting to go slower with the .25mg a bit more?

My understanding is that you have started 10-11 days ago with .5 mg of Klonopin (Clonazepam) trying to get a better sleep. Last Sunday (4 days ago) you were at 50% of the initial dose after a cut of .25 mg. You will continue to take .25 mg/night until next Sunday (May 13, 2018). Then you will cut again 50% of the current dose to come down to .125 mg/night. You will hold with this dose for a few days or one week max then ...you jump

 

Don't worry for the muscles spasm. Benzos are known as muscle relaxers and muscle spasm are the manifestation of the drug leaving our body. Said differently it is the way our organism reacts to withdrawal of the drug.

 

I would continue to taper off quickly to avoid developing dependency. Withdrawal symptoms at this stage must be manageable and the prize ahead is huge

 

Wish you a smooth jump!

 

Thanks Jim! Seeing my GP today and will be asking for a script for .125mg pills. I was originally prescribed 1mg pills (I NEVER took the full pill) but cutting into quarters with my pill cutter is rather difficult. The insomnia last night also stemmed from the anxiety for whatever lays ahead as I'm scared out of my mind about this even though I've only consumed 7mg total thus far. I would have quit C/T but am trying to make this as conservative as possible even though I hate to still be taking it.

Hi RKO

 

The insomnia last night also stemmed from the anxiety for whatever lays ahead

Absolutely normal and can be read in many many posts from buddies . Conscious thoughts although useful in most practical cases can...harm in certain others. Imagination can trigger fears that triggers insomnia that triggers weakness that triggers low pressure that triggers ...

 

Don't oppose resistance, just accept. Let things quietly flow and be a spectator without the enormous pressure of a gladiator fighting for life in an arena.

 

All the best!

 

 

Went to the GP and had high blood pressure! She prescribed .125mg for 3 days and then .125mg for every other day. Don't know what to do here. The sensation of burning skin, muscle spasms, brain fog, and insomnia are very concerning. I'm assuming I cut too much? I can't believe this.

Hi RKO

 

Although they are not expected for such a short time use of Clonazepam, yours appear to be typical withdrawal symptoms:

 

 

The least that I can say is that I'm surprised . Apparently the sharp cut (50%) after just 7 days use was capable to trigger in your body withdrawal symptoms. Then you have little choice. In your shoes even if many will say I'm a damned fool, I would reduce as quickly as possible to let my benzo-free body to start restoring its normal capability and heal.

 

As for the doctor's prescription of .125mg for every other day, please know that the biological half-life (the time required for the body to eliminate half of an administered dose of any substance by regular physiological processes) of clonazepam is ‎19–60 hours. In the best case its effects will still be present when you take the successive dose 2 days later. In the worst case after 19 hours you will start to feel inter-dose withdrawal symptoms that you seem to experience already.

 

So it is up to you. If you feel that nothing has improved and symptoms continue to be rough while alternating doses then I think it is useless to continue. Pay attention, due to the long elimination half-life of clonazepam the effects of a change might take 4, 5 days to kick in.

 

Wish you a smooth end for your taper.

 

I was able to get some sleep last night (hallelujah) but my heart was POUNDING out of my chest before settling down and getting to bed - felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Woke up with anxiety and heart racing. This morning I felt wired the entire time. While walking to work I felt slightly dizzy. I don't know what to do and am so horrified by all of these effects from such short usage. WTF!? The spasms and itching have subsided for now but still have head pressure and brain fog.

 

It's challenging to concentrate at work like this and I don't know which knowledgeable medical professionals to turn to (my PCP was dismissive that I could be dependent this fast). I made the cut to .125 last night but don't know if that was a mistake or not.

I know exactly what you are going thru. I got bad symptoms after using Bromazepan after 2 weeks use. It is a benzo too but weaker than Clonazepan. The effects were mainly very bad insomnia and disturbing thoughts. My hell actually started when I went to a psychiatric. She started to medicate me with other stuff thinking that the withdrawal symptoms were there before. She prescribed me Zoloft and added Lorazepan to the mix. Short story I almost had to ask for leave in my job. I quit everything almost cold turkey. After living in Hell for three months she put me on Clonazepan 1 MG at night and same those during the day. Instead of 1 MG I cut her dose in half and got the same effect. For the first time in three months I was able to sleep. Now after 2 1/2 months I started to taper. From what I learned you have to do it really slow. I tapered 0.5 for a month cutting 1/4 per week but when started the other half I didn't feel good. So I'm thinking to cut 1/4 's every 2 weeks instead of weekly. You can play with the cut size or the time. If you look at the Ashton manual they go very slow and use 2 weeks periods. The problem with Clonazepan is that the smallest dose is 0.5 and it gets tough to cut less than 0.125. So that's why I use time. Hope this help. But again, don't be surprise to what happen to you. There are people very sensitive to this ugly drugs and doctors have the idea that one size fits all. good luck! 

Thanks Miguel. 

 

I'm definitely doubting my actions right now as the withdrawal symptoms are quite unpleasant. I mean most people in my situation would C/T I would assume. I mean would anyone do the Ashton protocol for 10 days of usage? In hindsight perhaps I should have.

 

I'm just at a loss of words right now. The racing heartbeat before going to bed last night was the scariest moment thus far in this ordeal - it's made me afraid of going to bed even though I'm dealing with massive insomnia to begin with. This whole thing is BS and I'm scared about how much I've damaged my brain/body with this crap.

 

Thank goodness for my wife but I am just beside myself right now and broke down in front of my 5yo son while putting him to bed. I actually told my coworker what was going on and he was very understanding of the situation.

 

I'm just at a loss on what to do.

I just know I’m tapering too fast. I’m already on my second cut (.125) when I didn’t really stabilize from my first (.25). But I’m also following doctors orders so I have no clue whether to grin and bear it and hope for the best or listen to my body and take it slow.

 

Problem is I can’t really do the latter as I don’t have a measurement scale to go back on a higher dose with my 1mg tabs and have a fixed amount of .125 tabs. Plus I’ve already started the .125 cut.  I should have stayed on .25 longer (if not cut to .375 initially) but my PCP said to start the .125. Finished the three tabs and then it’s one every other days for 8 days, meaning skipping today and taking Monday.

 

I’m at such a loss on what to do and want to escape this hell and I totally understand why this community exists.

 

My only other experience with benzos was with K back in 10 years ago that I took sparingly to deal with panic situations during my last medical issue. I believe I didn’t have any issue back then but perhaps that’s playing a role into this current episode.

 

Is updosing even worth it? Main symptoms are insomnia, head pressure, and brain fog.

Again RKO when my ordeal started was insomnia the main issue. And as I said above, it was a tiny dose during 2 weeks. It seems to me as I have experienced myself, that may be your anxiety is playing with you. Not because you are an anxious person is that this meds seems to amplified/exacerbate everything that is in you during withdrawal. I had moderate anxiety but this drugs put it to the limit. Like you in my worst moments, my blood pressure was all over the place and my heart beat was crazy. Never had those issues in my life.

As I told you above I had to go to a long life benzo for two months to get my sleep back. I don't recommend this for you. You are already on Clonazepan and also you are tapering. Im not a doctor but it seems to me that to be constant with the doses during tapering is the key.

Also something that is really helping is stomach breathing, mainly for you heart beat spike. Cold showers is another thing that helps to sleep. I have one at night before going to sleep and was a life changer. You have to start with cold for one minute and then hot if you want but always finish with cold. That's gonna relax you big time. Mindfulness is also of great help. Youtube all this. there are a lot info there.

Last, tried to focus on other things. Start a project. Schedule things to do during the day. Don't keep monitoring yourself all the time!

Hope this all helps!

Regards