Down to 0.1275mg and I am stuck!!!

Hi, I am in the process of tapering down from 0.75mg (0.25x3) Klonopin for 20 months. Used slow taper method  (0.0025mg every 3 days) with liquid suspension formula prepared by my pharmacist 0.1mg/1ml. My current dosage is 0.1275 a day. (half in the morning and half at night) I do not use any other meds or supplements.  Tried at the beginning B12, D3 and Mag, Fish Oil, Probiotics and i felt worse.

However, it seems like I hit a dead end. The withdrawal symptoms i experience started to get harder to manage. I have now developed high BP due to increased anxiety and taking Propranolol (beta blocker) 10mgx3.  Stomach cramps and mood swings are getting worse.  The morning anxiety is still present.  Sometimes I am anxious all day long. Comes in waves.

To combat these symptoms, should I:

1. dose klonopin 3 or 4 times instead of 2. If so, How to switch from twice a day  to 3 or 4 dosing system. Will this change make me more anxious at the beginning?

2. Should I slow down the taper schedule or decrease the dosage for each taper?

3. Is CBD oil an option to help with the symptoms?

 

Does anybody have any other suggestions, which might help? I realize now that i might need another year to jump off and some more to hopefully feel somewhat normal.  Trying very hard to accept this fact.  Winter is coming to New Jersey and i will not be able to have my 5 mile walks every day outside.  Planning to join YMCA to continue with my daily work out indoors. I believe this is essential for my recovery. Thanks for all the help.

 

 

Klonopin has a reasonably long half-life, so I think that twice a day should be sufficient.  I'm sure some people dose 3-4 times a day.  I've modeled it in Excel and the difference in the dose variability throughout the day isn't very large for 3 doses versus 2.  I suspect you're just getting to such a low dose that the med isn't sufficiently covering your body's 'needs' any longer.  There is little 'net positive' therapeutic action left in the dose you are taking. 

 

Perhaps hold for a 2-3 weeks at your current level and see if you notice any change in symptoms.  Sometimes the body will catch up to the taper with a modest hold.  Perhaps also work more with your psychiatrist on approaches to dealing with anxiety that do not involve taking meds.  My psychologist was good at giving me little mind games to help me deal with my anxiety.  One of them (feeding the right wolf) sort of became my mantra.

 

CBD oil might help.  It helps some people.  I don't think it's as strong as klonopin, but if it can take some of the edge off, ...

 

Keep up the exercise.  I think moderate, sustained (>60 minutes) exercise can really help reduce anxiety.

I wonder if a higher dose of propanolol would help--it sometimes reduces anxiety symptoms and if your blood pressure is high anyway...... would be a question for your doctor. I take 40mg twice a day.  BTW if you're able to walk 5 miles you're doing much better than a lot of people me included. I'm stuck on the couch.

Thanks for the suggestion about Propranolol.  I indeed increased it to 10mgx4 a day yesterday just to see if it will be some help. I will wait and see.  Today i feel a bit more tired. BP is between 140/90 to 130/82 using the meds. I still need to find a better way to deal with the early morning anxiety that I get as soon as I open my eyes.  Seriously considering CBD oil.  There are so many out there, need to find the one that is tried and true. 

 

There are so many different things happening during the taper, from sweating, palp,  to anger, irritation, impatience, ect...ect..ect,  that it is getting very complicated to find my way out of this mess as the dosage is getting lower and lower. Considering the fact that I was lucky with my health issues and did not need to take too many meds.  Now however, I find myself in a totally different situation.  For every withdrawal symptom I am suggested by the dr's to take a different pill.  At this moment I am holding at 0.1275mg until I can stabilize my BP.

The withdrawal symptoms suck, but they will subside in time.  I would resist the temptation to add a new med for each withdrawal symptom that pops up. 

Thanks for the suggestion about Propranolol.  I indeed increased it to 10mgx4 a day yesterday just to see if it will be some help. I will wait and see.  Today i feel a bit more tired. BP is between 140/90 to 130/82 using the meds. I still need to find a better way to deal with the early morning anxiety that I get as soon as I open my eyes.  Seriously considering CBD oil.  There are so many out there, need to find the one that is tried and true. 

 

There are so many different things happening during the taper, from sweating, palp,  to anger, irritation, impatience, ect...ect..ect,  that it is getting very complicated to find my way out of this mess as the dosage is getting lower and lower. Considering the fact that I was lucky with my health issues and did not need to take too many meds.  Now however, I find myself in a totally different situation.  For every withdrawal symptom I am suggested by the dr's to take a different pill.  At this moment I am holding at 0.1275mg until I can stabilize my BP.

 

Have you considered meditation? Emotional garbage is a lot easier to deal with when you meditate and learn

to recognize it all. You see anger pop up and instead of becoming angry you say "hey, that's Anger." and just

let it go or recognize why you're angry.

 

I personally like Theanine now for little anxiety pop ups. I tried it previously and it was "okay" but I moved the

dose up to 500mg in roughly .75l fluid (usually mint tea) in the morning with exercise. It's been pretty effective

at that higher dose. I started a thread about it in the anxiety area to see if people used it.

 

I assume you're taking propranolol for high blood pressure? Or are you taking that beta blocker to help with the

anxiety you feel? Upping a dose of propranolol without consulting a doctor probably isn't the best. Based on your

blood pressure you appear to be pretty hypertensive.

 

I'm unsure how much that amount of hypertension is affecting your negative "effects" you attribute to Klonapin.

You're taking like a fraction of a mg which medicinally should barely register.

 

The problem diagnostically is that you're not sure if you're treating anxiety or hypertension. That's something a

doctor needs to work with you on. Possibly further work on other health habits to lower hypertension etc.

 

Hang in there