Hi

Hope you can help me , I’ve been taking diazepam for many years for  PTSD, and complex  family problems. As you know  lose all sense of time , get into a cycle of not even remembering what you’ve taken, and end up living half a life .

I stupidly added Clonazepam to the mix last year , I was too weak and couldn’t cope with my father’s death . Ive been taking those for 6 months.     

I caught Covid which increased anxiety and panics  ,  recovering now , it’s like I’ve woken up and need to sort myself out as time is passing me by . I take Prednisolone for an autoimmune condition and my adrenals have packed up now .

How do I drop the clonazepam and stabilise on diazepam again in order to get off these benzodiazepines . Looking forward to your help and advice. Little wonder I spent most of last year in bed with depression I didn’t realise clonazepam cause that too . 

I'm not sure if you have read the Ashton manual but that's a good guide to tapering. She especially recommends switching over to valium so it sounds like her plan would work for you. I'll give you the link.

The Ashton Manual

I would think you'd want to get stable on the valium before you start to get rid of the clonazepam. After that you could do a slow and steady taper.

Thank you so much, do you think I should increase the Valium?

I was looking at dr Ashtons plan

Clonazepam 0.5 mg am

Clonazepam 0.5 mg afternoon

Diazepam 10mg

It is easy to follow ( on paper ) but there is more Clonazepam than diazepam and I feel it should be half and half then a c/o to just diazepam .

It’s so complicated especially when your brain is messed up.

I appreciate your reply .

Anyway take care x

Are you able to get prescriptions/work with a doctor on a proper taper?

I recently came off clonazepam using the Valium crossover method. I’ve also (in 2011) come off clonazepam alone unable to crossover then. It’s ideal to crossover to diazepam for a more gradual taper off clonazepam.

Unfortunately clonazepam pills can’t be broken down small enough for a slow taper. In 2011 I remember just shaving part of a pill (eye balling it) to get off

Thank you so much, do you think I should increase the Valium?

I was looking at dr Ashtons plan

Clonazepam 0.5 mg am

Clonazepam 0.5 mg afternoon

Diazepam 10mg

 

It is easy to follow ( on paper ) but there is more Clonazepam than diazepam and I feel it should be half and half then a c/o to just diazepam .

It’s so complicated especially when your brain is messed up.

I appreciate your reply .

Anyway take care x

If you'll start a thread on this link we can help you work on getting a plan together for eliminating the Clonazepam.  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=61.0