Low Dose Clonopin Group (0.5 mg)

Anyone here suffering, healed, or tapering from low dose Clonopin withdrawal or tolerance.  I withdrew from 0.5 mg Clonopin (5 yrs use/2.5 months taper) and thought it might help to share experiences.  Please share dosage, use, timeline, withdrawal status, symptoms, etc...

I have tapered from 1 mg to .5 mg. Details are in my signature. I tapered to this level from May to Thanksgiving a few years ago. All attempts to get below this level have failed and I am currently not tapering. I plan to someday; my son had health issues and I cannot be a mess for months or years as we figure out what is wrong with him. It seems that people tapering from K have a hard time and I have thought about going to Valium but that terrifies me. I hope to be rid of the drug someday without totally losing my mind. I was very sick from January 2018 to August, since updosing and holding doing fine.

I would like some opinions on coming off the .5mg dose.  How was it for you? Where you able to work? My dr. Keep telling me .5 is a easy dose to come off of, but I know better

Hi, I am on .38mg day, tapering down from .5. I’ve been on .38 for several years, bumped up to .5 for few months, and cut .12 with 5 month hold, managble symptoms. However, have had tough time since microcut 3 weeks ago.

 

Clonzapam since 2012 for back/neck paint

Baclofen since 2013, taperedfrom20mg to 12 mg

Lyrica since 2013

I would like some opinions on coming off the .5mg dose.  How was it for you? Where you able to work? My dr. Keep telling me .5 is a easy dose to come off of, but I know better

 

Craigs,

everyone is different so I can't say what's best for you.  That being said, taking it slow would be your best bet.  My doctor also told me I could CT from 0.5 mg and he was wrong.  I tapered over 2.5 month period with dosage reduction of 0.125 and jumped.  I also did a quick taper from Sertraline.  I'm now 5 months post withdrawal and still struggling.  I'm also not able to work yet.

Hi, I am on .38mg day, tapering down from .5. I’ve been on .38 for several years, bumped up to .5 for few months, and cut .12 with 5 month hold, managble symptoms. However, have had tough time since microcut 3 weeks ago.

 

Clonzapam since 2012 for back/neck paint

Baclofen since 2013, taperedfrom20mg to 12 mg

Lyrica since 2013

 

Sundlower,  Since you were on .38, I think you may be going to fast with a cut of .12.  Going slower might work in you favor.  I don't think you should be making more than 10% of your current dose.  Check out the Ashton Manual for more details.

I used the generic form, Clonazepam, and jumped off at .125 mg July 2018. Only symptom left right now is head pressure. 🙏🏽

Freedom,

 

How long did it take for most of your symptoms to go away?

I'm doing a slow taper and down to .0425 K. I plan to take my slow taper all the way down to .01 and then jump. I think that for me, slow and steady wins the race. I've been on this for a little over a year now (taper time included) but I've had a great number of symptoms coming down and I need to make sure that I am as careful with my body as possible. It seems that those who commit to going slow have the fewest problems long term and may even be able to "step off" with lesser wd symptoms.

I started at .5 and my first cut was a lot but I didn’t know anything about this at the time. I suffered for a while then began tapering. I’m going a bit faster than some I believe but I am too ready to get this out of my system and begin healing. My main and worst symptom is burning of the face and chemical sensitivity. My face reacts to EVERYTHING.... heat, moisturizer, u name it. Rashes, burning and itching alone with texture change and rapid aging.

I have been on 0.5MG nightly for 22 years and I am currently in menopause and I have stabilized bipolar 2 and take Depakote 1000MG nightly.  At 55 years old, is it possible to taper off after 22 years?  What are the reasons?  How will my life improve?  What we would be the best plan, slowest possible, to avoid the return of insomnia and onset of acute anxiety and panic?

Ugg! I feel awful. Have been using K for

17 years. Since December 2018 have maintained dose of .5 mg, supplementing with melatonin as needed for sleep. I also take Effexor in am for anxiety. Met new MD who agreed with many opinions about getting off this medication. Around April 1st, deceased K to .25 mg, added Trazodone. Had to increase T to 50 mg to sleep. Met with MD last week and decided to try to eliminate K, up Trazodone. She suggested tapering K again but I didn’t think that this would be so hard. This has not gone well. Rebound insomnia, sweats, nausea. Last night I didn’t sleep at all. Sleepy but felt I was being pulled back from slumber. The less I sleep, the more anxious I get. I already have a note into MD. I have a stressful few  months. Difficult situation at work. One son moving out in two weeks, other graduating from high school in early June than moving 1500 miles away from home for college next fall.

 

I think I need a little stability

Well trazodone is not going to cover up benzo withdrawal. They are different drugs. It may help you sleep but won't help with the withdrawal. I know because my doctor told me to use mirtazapine, then you can cut back Klonopin and it didn't work.

 

I would not taper right now if I were you. I tried to taper a number of times with a lot of life stress after long term usage of K and it did not go well. Some can manage. Having a kid go away to college is a huge life change. Is there a reason why you need to taper now? I have been on for 20 years and have tried to taper three times and recently just gave up, updosed to .75 mg, I have a very sick 16 year old, it has been an awful year, I feel that I may try again some day but not while I am working full time and have kids living at home.

 

Good luck and hope you feel better.

I'm about half way off the .5 starting dose. Very minimal symptoms so far compared to things I've read.  I think the second half will be about the same.