Klonopin to Diazepam - should I be anxiety free before starting?

I've been on Klonopin for 7 years.

Within the past few months it seems to just have stopped working.

So I'm finally making the leap to taper with the Ashton Method.

 

For years I had no anxiety at all and was just tapering very, very slowly.

 

Now, I'm taking it three times a day, but always feels nervous.

 

Should I kick my dose back up before starting?

 

Or do a lot of people go into the Ashton taper with quite a bit of anxiety?

 

Thank you

 

Edward

We tell people they should feel stable before starting a reduction in their dose, this doesn't mean feeling good, it means functional.  Would you describe yourself as functional?

 

I wouldn't advise increasing your dose, many members have done this but it's difficult to find the dose that takes away symptoms, it tends to be higher than what they hoped. 

 

Are you planning to cross over to Valium in order to taper?

I don't feel stable, to be honest. Functional? It's hard to say. I feel like I'm towing the line.

 

I did for a long years while I decreased my dose. Even last week when I was taking my 3mg in two doses I was feeling fine.

 

But the past week has been full of anxiety unlike anything I've ever experienced before. It's a bit odd. It came on suddenly.

 

I've tried taking a bit extra here and there this past week but it's only made me tired, which Klonopin has NEVER done in the past.

 

I took an extra milligram yesterday afternoon, and that helped...for a bit.

 

I took an extra milligram today, and I've been full of anxiety ever since.

 

So I don't know what to think. My psychiatrist doesn't either, unfortunately.

 

And yes, the plan is to cross over to Valium ASAP to taper. Do you think that switching to Valium might help? I've never had Valium.

 

As of now I'm just going to take 1mg every 8 hours and hope this anxiety subsides.

 

Thank you for writing to me.

It looks like from your other thread that you've found a manufacturing connection, I hope that's it.