hey guys had a setback could use some help on a clonazepam taper

I was started on 3 milligrams of clonazepam 6 to 7 years ago. It started as a result to extreme agitation after an reaction to an over the counter medication. Turns out I'm very allergic? Sensitive? To cold and allergy meds. Original doc just loaded me up on clonazepam I could tell it left me functional. But wasn't solving the problem. Left went to my awesome current doc we found lamotrigine 2 x's a day was my stabilizing agent. After stabilizing we planned on titration.

 

I wanted to switch to a longer acting benzo was told somewhere that lamotrigine and diazepam don't play well together. Lamotrigine makes the body reduce diazepam faster? Turns out that was false info. My doc can't find any issues with the two pharmacologally. Due to this error in communication though I started my titration off of clonazepam. It was tough at first but smoothed out. It was a slow titration my doc is supportive of the Ashton method. I started out by shaving tiny peices off of the morning and afternoon pills leaving the nighttime alone I was told by my doc to not touch the nighttime one the procedure is eliminate the first 2 slowly leave the last dose for last. Had issues with trying to shave pills when forced to use different generics.

 

So I went to a weight reduction method taking .008 off of my morning and afternoon pills until I got down to .008 on morning and afternoon doses with a full .170 pill I still hasn't touched at night. Took me almost 2 years maybe more

 

I tried to jump off of the .008 chip in afternoon about 40 days ago. Long story short I began having withdrawal symptoms in afternoon. A return viciously of old symptoms crushing agitation and anxiety but only for that window from 4-10 until I took my nighttime dose Id wake up start my day with lamotrigine and my morning .008 and go back to hell from 4-10pm. After 14 days I realized something was wrong it had never taken this long for symptoms to stabilize. Contacted my doc who determined my body was unable to go without that afternoon dose.

 

We put back in the .008 in the afternoon and waited for me to stabilize. But a weird thing happened when I reintroduced the afternoon dose I stopped sleeping. So after a week of that as detox symptoms lessened my doc thought we may need to cut something so since the daytime doses had got so low. Let's cut the evening. So I took .008 out of the last .170 pill I take each night. BIG MISTAKE too much I went through not detox level but one of the worst reductions I've ever had. Still couldn't sleep after a month of this and not sleeping my mind was really doing some weird things and my body as well the methodology was severe enough that my doc put me on medical leave for work till the 12th of August. To let my body try to catch up to the obvious too large cut and the overexcitement of the CNS and brain. Almost immeadietly after being at home my body started to rest. Sleep returned I couldn't walk right for 2 weeks but symptomology from underlying issue receded and my body and mind began to clear.

 

I had to cut this last Tuesday I can always tell I start feeling drunk all day long after my medicine. This time I went down .003 from nighttime dose. It went much better more manageable.

 

Where I'm at now is still shaky but improved not to where I was at a month ago I obviously really kindled my brain and body but I'm okay with that I've been through it before. My concern is return to work I'm less stable in afternoon even with return of .008 dose. They will move me to days but I'm stuck on 3-11 for now.

 

My doctor has suggested switching to a longer acting such as valium since its not an issue with the lamotrigine he feels I may do better on a longer acting benzo at this point. I could really use some help here guys I'm not sure if converting to the valium is wise at this point but if it can help I'm willing to try. I need to keep my job. How would I do this I'm down to .159 out of .170 on the nighttime clonazepam and still take .008 in am and .008 in afternoon of the clonazepam. I take 25 mg of lamotrigine in am and 37 milligrams in pm. The doc has suggested 3mg of Valium am 3mg of Valium afternoon to replace the .008 of clonazepam so 6mg total in day and 18 milligrams of Valium in evening to replace the .159 out of .170 pill in nighttime

 

Should I consider this or just stick with the clonazepam. I'm off 2 more weeks so if I was going to convert the time would be now. To see how it goes. The job I have does have stress and stimulation so Im and he feels the change to a longer acting benzo at this point may help me manage 3-11 shift while my body is adjusting to nighttime cutting and just help with overall symptoms. Thank you for your feedback any help is welcome sorry about the long post just a lot of ground to cover

Hi I'm just sorry no one has answered You I am a newbie so I can't give advice I don't have but I think You and Your Dr. sound like you work together well a lot of folks on here have turned to longer acting benzo I think this is according to Dr. Asheton's manual have you read any of it? 

Hey no worries thank you for replying yourself I don't blame people not replying it is a complicated situation. As you can see I take lamotrigine which is for an underlying condition. So I wouldn't blame people for not replying too much you don't want to give somebody the wrong advice aggravate the original problem. My doctor is the greatest I know a lot of people on here struggle to find the right doctor. I got really lucky he fully supports Ashton and believes in letting his patients set there own pace. In fact you have to be very careful to cut benzos with that type of underlying condition we met today and he feels towards the end I went down way way too fast and this aggravated that problem so we're going to move back up to restabilize and then try the valium conversion going the slow route of crossing over. Then begin titration again. We both feel the smoother reduction in blood flow will help the taper and not cause the aggravation of my primary treatment at least we hope so. How are things with you I hope your doing well and thanks again for your support

I have not crossed from K to V but most do it over a longer period of two weeks. You may want to check out the substitution threads to see how others have done this. I know it is so damn hard to do this and hope you can find a way through.

Hey thanks for the advice and support I wish you the best as well