Hello. In need of help tapering off my clonazepam

Hi,

I’ve been on .5mg of clonazepam for 20 years. I tried tapering slowly about 5 years ago and it was a nightmare. I’m looking for help regarding the best way.  Dry cuts or titration and how slow I should go given the amount of time I’ve been in it.  I’m really scared I’ll be stuck on this forever. I’m 52 and my memory feels impaired.

Thank you

Hi Sunflowercat

Welcome to Benzobuddies!  I know its scary, but i promise you can do this, you wont be stuck forever!  You will receive a lot of support and information here on withdrawing from benzodiazepines.  A gradual taper of 5-10% every 10-14 days is generally recommended.  I am going leave a link to the Ashton Manual, a great source of information about these types of medications and how to withdraw.  “Professor Ashtons Manual”

Feel free to post to any of the dedicated boards.  We have a wonderful community of people here.  Our members have been through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal and are more than willing to share their experiences.

Here are a few links to information on tapering and withdrawal support:

General Taper Plans 

Withdrawal Support

If you look at the top of the titration board, you will see some stickie threads with information you might find useful.

Titration Taper Plans

If you would please add a signature (history of meds/doses etc) it will help members give you relevant advice.  Go to the top of the page and select PROFILE then choose forum profile then insert drug history into the text box and remember to click change profile

Welcome  aboard

Magrita

Welcome! I'm glad you found us. I recently finished my taper at age 60. My memory was badly impaired on the benzo and is greatly improved off of it. 

I could not have tapered without the information and validation I received on this forum. Spend some time exploring the site and you will find many resources to help you taper off successfully. You will make it and it will be worth it!

Gardie

here is how I tapered from 0.5mG down to ZERO. Worked well for me. Hope this helps, IM me if you wish.

I used the following to taper from 0.5mG. Hope this helps.

I tapered from 4mg (taken at night for sleep) over 11 months. I started out cutting taps which was good until I hit a point where w/d symptoms hit me. That occurred around 2mg. I held here for a couple of weeks to regroup and make a plan. Found the liquid titration here on BB.

I was taking 2-2mg tablets. Like I said I used pill cutter to where I was down to one about 1mg. If I was doing it again I would have used the liquid titration method the whole way. You are so right to go slow but its not necessary to go tooo slow, you will figure out where that point is.

I went back to the dr. that prescribed this poison to me and got my script to 0.5mg tab. Here is how I did the titration but you will need some tools.

Tools:

1. pill crusher (any drugstore)

2. a glass measured beaker (20ml  from Amazon)

3. needless syringe (20ml from Amazon)

4. small container with sealed lid (Tupperware)

How to:

a. crush pill finely

b. dump into Tupperware container

c. measure 20ml of milk (I used whole milk as suggested to me)

d. pour milk into Tupperware, secure with lid, shake well

This part may seem confusing but it is easy, really. (this is my example)

1: I had a 20ml mixture of 0.5mg clonazepam/milk or 0.5/20 = 0.025 mg/ml. Just divide the pill size by the milliliters of milk.

2: Decide how fast you want to taper. In this example I did 1 ml every 5 days. You don't get that drop every 2 weeks, its a steady taper.

3: I would drop 1ml every 5 days for (5 * 0.025 =0.125 mg) Use syringe to pull out 20ml of mixture. (you have your full dose in milk now)

4: Push 1ml out of syringe into trash (never down the sink). You have 19ml left in syringe. This is your dose to take, squirt into mouth.

5: clean up

I also started going down by 0.2ml everyday. Example 19.0 18.8 18.6 everyday. Use the graduations on the syringe...worked for me.

It is easy once you do it a couple of times. You can adjust based on your circumstances.

Lets say in your case. You could use 20ml beaker and syringe for 0.5mg of clonazepam, three times a day

- crush 0.5 mg

- measure milk in 20ml beaker

- mix in container, shake well

- your now have 0.5mg/20ml OR 0.025 mg/ 1 mL

- fill syringe to full 20mg

- squirt out 1ml into trash leaving you with 19mL (you just tapered by 0.0.025mg)

- next step down do 18mL, etc. Write down you steps as you may forget

---- you can taper by going from 20ml to 19.8 mL on a daily basis using the graduations on the syinge. I did this

- empty the remaining 19ml into mouth with the syringe

sounds more difficult than it is but you will get the hang of it......I am sure you will have other methods bu this worked great for me, my jump was totally uneventful. And after about a 6 weeks I was feeling better and now I am out 5 1/2 months and pretty good. I am figuring out what causes me not to sleep. If I sleep I am great the next day. It was beers and sodas for me.

This is more accurate than crushing and measuring pills IMO