This is the month where I go all in...need help, advice, support....

I plan on going really slow and really careful. I also have other aids my doc gave me to help in the taper which are Lexapro during the day and Hydroxyzine for the evening. I know it's time because I am going through interdose withdrawal, I can tell my body wants me to up the dose because I can feel the tabs not working at their full effect anymore. I've actually been successfully keeping that at bay though with a multivitamin, two L-theanines, and then every other day some taurine and half an ashwaghanda. I know these are supposed to be a no-go for tapering, but they've helped me out to the point where I do not even feel the klonopin or withdrawal whatsoever.

 

Also switching my BP medication from Losartan to beta blocker atenonol has been a big game changer. According to my cardiologist, my anxiety was largely physical as he did a sonogram of my heart and found that a valve in my heart doesn't pump blood the same way as other hearts do which causes feelings of panic, especially when I am dehydrated, which is why most of my panic attacks have come from heavy nights of drinking, overindulgence on food, too much exercise without proper hydration, and too much caffeine. Once he gave me the beta blockers, I knew that this is what I should've been on the entire time, not benzos.

 

I am going on month five though of taking benzos and I do not want to keep this up any longer, or I am going to get too comfy and soon, I'll find myself taking these pills for years just to avoid the pain.

 

The doc wants me to start off the first month taking 5mg of lexapro the first week, then move up to 10mg the following week and stay there until the effects kicks in, it could take up to a month he says. Then he said it's up to me how I want to start cutting the klonopin down.

 

I figured I'd start cutting down my 1mg daily (day/night), with .5 in the morning, then at night cut it in half, and the half into another half, so I am guessing that would be .375? Try that for a month.

 

The following month still take the full .5 in the morning, but at night go down to half. So .75mg total.

 

The following month cut the .25 in half, so .5 in the morning then .125 at night.

 

The next month I'd be down to .5mg, one tab in the morning, none at night. Then slowly over the next two months reduce the .5mg in half until I am down to .25.

 

I ran this by my doc and he is confident that the Lexapro will have me taper off quicker than that and I would get to an "as needed" basis within a couple months. Coupled with the hydroxyzine to help sleep at night.

 

Honestly how does this sound everyone? To be even more honest, I am not sure if I can go through with this. I am feeling so conflicted. I know I have to, but I am in a good place right now. I feel fine, even happier than I was three weeks ago. I have the withdrawals under control, I am functional at my job, I sleep great, my appetite has come back with a vengeance, my libido is back, I'm social and I feel confident enough to drink again but of course I won't. I went from being agoraphobic, to where you couldn't even feed me a bowl of oatmeal, feeling an annoying lingering anxiety that wouldn't leave, depressed and unable to sleep or even socialize properly, to actually feeling alive and myself again. 

 

But I know the longer I stay on these pills, the longer I prolong the long term effects and might cause permanent damage.

 

In the very least after all of this, I basically just want to start off getting to an as needed basis. If I can there, at least that would be a small victory for me.

 

Please, anyone feel free to chime in. I appreciate any and all advice. Be honest. Tell me what is good about my plan, what's bad, what should be tweaked. Feel free to be as open with your advice. I really appreciate this board and all of the wonderful support you guys have given me.

 

Thanks

Klonopin is tricky to dry taper with, but many people are successful. I used the method you describe and got to .5 mg AM/.25 pm. I developed intolerable withdrawal symptoms and updosed back to my .5 mg twice daily. The recommended starting point is 5-10% every 10-14 days. You’ll need a jeweler’s scale that’s good to .001 g to help make more precise cuts. You may also consider liquid titration for an even more precise taper.

Wow, I figured I was probably cutting too much, but 5-10% seems so precise to deal with cutting. So I would need a pill crusher and a scale? Or am i just cutting it on the jeweler's scale? How do you know where to cut? Do you use a razor blade to cut?

 

How does liquid titration work and how it more precise?

 

What method did you use, and how are you now?

You can just shave the pill down and weigh it on the scale, but there are other ways too. I crossed over to Valium to taper, but I did a dry microtaper with it for my taper last year. I powdered my pills with a mortar and pestle then weighed the amount I needed and put it in a gel capsule. However, you can’t do it the same way with Klonopin because it’s a more potent benzo. You would need to add a filler. One of the moderators here, Bob7 did his Klonopin taper this way. If you’re interested in his method, I encourage you to do a search so you can see his posts. He also has a website that explains his method at http://benzodrytapermath.com

 

If you look at my signature, you can see that I tapered to a low dose and jumped, then reinstated days later. I am currently doing a liquid microtaper with prescription liquid. A liquid taper is by many considered the most precise and accurate because it allows you make minute, accurate dosage decreases. There is some disagreement on the science behind it, but the idea is that you dissolve your tablets in a solvent (vodka or propylene glycol), dilute with water to a certain concentration then you’ll take your doses as liquid instead. Depending on what country you live in, you may be able to obtain a prescription liquid (not available in the USA).

You can just shave the pill down and weigh it on the scale, but there are other ways too. I crossed over to Valium to taper, but I did a dry microtaper with it for my taper last year. I powdered my pills with a mortar and pestle then weighed the amount I needed and put it in a gel capsule. However, you can’t do it the same way with Klonopin because it’s a more potent benzo. You would need to add a filler. One of the moderators here, Bob7 did his Klonopin taper this way. If you’re interested in his method, I encourage you to do a search so you can see his posts. He also has a website that explains his method at http://benzodrytapermath.com

 

If you look at my signature, you can see that I tapered to a low dose and jumped, then reinstated days later. I am currently doing a liquid microtaper with prescription liquid. A liquid taper is by many considered the most precise and accurate because it allows you make minute, accurate dosage decreases. There is some disagreement on the science behind it, but the idea is that you dissolve your tablets in a solvent (vodka or propylene glycol), dilute with water to a certain concentration then you’ll take your doses as liquid instead. Depending on what country you live in, you may be able to obtain a prescription liquid (not available in the USA).

 

I was thinking of getting a genetic test to see if I can metabolize Valium correctly. I've read with some people the switch to Valium from Klonopin is rough, and sometimes doesn't work. Is Valium just less potent?

 

The liquid taper just seems very complex and I'd think I'd ruin it. I mean, dilute the tab with vodka?

 

I'll see about trying the dry taper capsule method from the link you posted. But is this all done without the aid of other medications like SSRIs or hydroxyzines, and such? For some reason my doc is convinced the Lexapro will most of the work for me, and he has successfully treated my mother from getting off Xanax with this method. She was taking 3-4 Xanax daily, to now only 1 daily, and going to an as needed basis.

You can just shave the pill down and weigh it on the scale, but there are other ways too. I crossed over to Valium to taper, but I did a dry microtaper with it for my taper last year. I powdered my pills with a mortar and pestle then weighed the amount I needed and put it in a gel capsule. However, you can’t do it the same way with Klonopin because it’s a more potent benzo. You would need to add a filler. One of the moderators here, Bob7 did his Klonopin taper this way. If you’re interested in his method, I encourage you to do a search so you can see his posts. He also has a website that explains his method at http://benzodrytapermath.com

 

If you look at my signature, you can see that I tapered to a low dose and jumped, then reinstated days later. I am currently doing a liquid microtaper with prescription liquid. A liquid taper is by many considered the most precise and accurate because it allows you make minute, accurate dosage decreases. There is some disagreement on the science behind it, but the idea is that you dissolve your tablets in a solvent (vodka or propylene glycol), dilute with water to a certain concentration then you’ll take your doses as liquid instead. Depending on what country you live in, you may be able to obtain a prescription liquid (not available in the USA).

 

I was thinking of getting a genetic test to see if I can metabolize Valium correctly. I've read with some people the switch to Valium from Klonopin is rough, and sometimes doesn't work. Is Valium just less potent?

 

The liquid taper just seems very complex and I'd think I'd ruin it. I mean, dilute the tab with vodka?

 

I'll see about trying the dry taper capsule method from the link you posted. But is this all done without the aid of other medications like SSRIs or hydroxyzines, and such? For some reason my doc is convinced the Lexapro will most of the work for me, and he has successfully treated my mother from getting off Xanax with this method. She was taking 3-4 Xanax daily, to now only 1 daily, and going to an as needed basis.

 

I thought the liquid taper was too complicated too, then I tried it and it’s so much easier! Yes, there are people who do not tolerate Valium and in some cases it’s best to deal with the devil you already know. I had the GeneSight test done and it told me I could metabolize all commonly prescribed benzos. I do have one variant that causes me to be an ultra rapid metabolizer but it’s not the main enzyme that metabolizes Valium so I think it hasn’t been an issue for me.

 

Some people get a benefit from an AD during withdrawal. I’m on an SNRI and have been since shortly after going on Klonopin so I don’t truly know if it helps or not. I also know hydroxyzine is commonly prescribed to help with sleep (both ADs and benzos mess with our sleep) and hydroxyzine is seen as a “safer” alternative to hypnotics.

You can just shave the pill down and weigh it on the scale, but there are other ways too. I crossed over to Valium to taper, but I did a dry microtaper with it for my taper last year. I powdered my pills with a mortar and pestle then weighed the amount I needed and put it in a gel capsule. However, you can’t do it the same way with Klonopin because it’s a more potent benzo. You would need to add a filler. One of the moderators here, Bob7 did his Klonopin taper this way. If you’re interested in his method, I encourage you to do a search so you can see his posts. He also has a website that explains his method at http://benzodrytapermath.com

 

If you look at my signature, you can see that I tapered to a low dose and jumped, then reinstated days later. I am currently doing a liquid microtaper with prescription liquid. A liquid taper is by many considered the most precise and accurate because it allows you make minute, accurate dosage decreases. There is some disagreement on the science behind it, but the idea is that you dissolve your tablets in a solvent (vodka or propylene glycol), dilute with water to a certain concentration then you’ll take your doses as liquid instead. Depending on what country you live in, you may be able to obtain a prescription liquid (not available in the USA).

 

I was thinking of getting a genetic test to see if I can metabolize Valium correctly. I've read with some people the switch to Valium from Klonopin is rough, and sometimes doesn't work. Is Valium just less potent?

 

The liquid taper just seems very complex and I'd think I'd ruin it. I mean, dilute the tab with vodka?

 

I'll see about trying the dry taper capsule method from the link you posted. But is this all done without the aid of other medications like SSRIs or hydroxyzines, and such? For some reason my doc is convinced the Lexapro will most of the work for me, and he has successfully treated my mother from getting off Xanax with this method. She was taking 3-4 Xanax daily, to now only 1 daily, and going to an as needed basis.

 

I thought the liquid taper was too complicated too, then I tried it and it’s so much easier! Yes, there are people who do not tolerate Valium and in some cases it’s best to deal with the devil you already know. I had the GeneSight test done and it told me I could metabolize all commonly prescribed benzos. I do have one variant that causes me to be an ultra rapid metabolizer but it’s not the main enzyme that metabolizes Valium so I think it hasn’t been an issue for me.

 

Some people get a benefit from an AD during withdrawal. I’m on an SNRI and have been since shortly after going on Klonopin so I don’t truly know if it helps or not. I also know hydroxyzine is commonly prescribed to help with sleep (both ADs and benzos mess with our sleep) and hydroxyzine is seen as a “safer” alternative to hypnotics.

 

I may try the docs route first and see how much I can taper down before learning the liquid method and trying it out. Antihistamines like what's in Zzzquil, Diphenhydramine, have been really vital to helping me sleep and bringing me back to life in a way. So have the beta blockers. I am hoping to start on Lexapro soon and trying it out, hopefully there are little to no side effects and I can start getting to an as needed basis in a couple months. The hydroxyzine is supposed to be a super benadryl, yet it didn't help when I went cold turkey, but coupled with the benzo I took at the time, Xanax, I slept much better. So hopefully as a I taper down it will help with sleep.

 

My doc says he's taken many people off Benzos through this method, but most of them were with Xanax, not Klonopin. So I don't know if I have to switch over to Xanax or what, but I really do not want to do that. I tried after he cut me off Klonopin and gave me Xanax for emergencies and when I withdrew hard, Xanax helped but I felt I would have to take them like tic tacs to get any long term relief. I really hope this docs method works with Klonopin.