Looking for advice on next step with Klonopin taper

TL;DR: wondering if I should taper off Buspar and Propranolol before resuming my taper

 

My whole taper has been a mess. I really messed up by attempting two CTs. But I've managed to get down to .15mg.

 

I held at .25 for a long time, tried and failed a c/o, and never felt very well until I started Buspar. Could have just been placebo, but it seemed to help immediately. Maybe almost too good, because going from .25 to .15 has been the easiest of my taper (I felt each cut, but only for a few days and would feel pretty good again).

 

Now I have crashed and burned after my last cut. I'm sure I went too fast, but I am also wondering if the Buspar has now also turned on me. Wondering if anyone else has had this experience with it? I am also on Propranolol which I don't think is doing much for me, but I'm afraid to come off because I'm not sure what will happen. But I also kind of want to because I have heard depression and nausea can be an sx, and I definitely have both of those things.

 

Could these two meds be doing more damage than good? I am going to hold and try to stabilize either way, but I am wondering if I should taper off Buspar and Propranolol before resuming my taper.

 

Any thoughts?

It's definitely possible that the buspar has turned on you, though I heard it is supposed to be pretty mild compared to benzos.  When I took it, I barely felt anything from it, and so I didn't continue.  If you are going to taper the other drugs, I highly recommend only tapering ONE drug at a time.  I tapered an antidepressant during my benzo taper, because I felt, like you, that it had turned on me.  It was hard, and I had to hold a while with my benzo taper.  However, I am so glad I did it.  I am not sure, but I think that the longer you are on a drug, may make your taper and withdrawal harder, so I was glad to get off of those. 

 

I don't know what the withdrawal is like for either of those other drugs you are on.  I held on my benzo dose for 3 months, before I started tapering my AD.  Then I also held another 3 months once I was done with the AD taper, before I resumed the benzo taper.  That's just my story though.  I really just waited until I felt *okay*, which usually took about 3 months for me.  I had a ridiculously long taper. 

It's definitely possible that the buspar has turned on you, though I heard it is supposed to be pretty mild compared to benzos.  When I took it, I barely felt anything from it, and so I didn't continue.  If you are going to taper the other drugs, I highly recommend only tapering ONE drug at a time.  I tapered an antidepressant during my benzo taper, because I felt, like you, that it had turned on me.  It was hard, and I had to hold a while with my benzo taper.  However, I am so glad I did it.  I am not sure, but I think that the longer you are on a drug, may make your taper and withdrawal harder, so I was glad to get off of those. 

 

I don't know what the withdrawal is like for either of those other drugs you are on.  I held on my benzo dose for 3 months, before I started tapering my AD.  Then I also held another 3 months once I was done with the AD taper, before I resumed the benzo taper.  That's just my story though.  I really just waited until I felt *okay*, which usually took about 3 months for me.  I had a ridiculously long taper.

 

Thanks for the response. I am feeling much better today, but oh man, yesterday I had a pretty bad episode at the tail end of a week and a half wave. I really now think that my recent cuts caught up to me, and the last cut was just too much. Plus, I got food poisoning or something last week which I'm sure did not help.

 

I am going to hold for a few more weeks, and continue with the Buspar. I do think it is helping me get through the rest of this taper, and hasn't turned on me. I was just experiencing some harsh wd.

 

Thanks again!

That's great news, hearsaybenz, that you are feeling much better today.  I felt pretty bad the whole end up my taper.  Especially when I got down below .10mg of klonopin.  I don't know why, but every tiny little cut really seemed to effect me.  I'm glad the buspar is helping you.

How did you get through it? I'm back to feeling pretty bad today. I am terrified to go any lower. I wasn't feeling great, but I was able to stay hopeful and optimistic for most of the first half of my taper. Ever since I hit .25 it's been pretty much a shit show. I have no idea how I'm going to get below .1, and I'm starting to get pretty worried I'll never make it to the end of this. How did you do it??? And how are you doing now? Did you start feeling better pretty quickly after getting completely off?

 

My gut is telling me I need to take this last bit very very slowwww, but if it's not gonna get any easier, I kinda just want to pull off the bandaid and push through quickly. I just have no idea what the right thing to do is.