Hello. I hope you can help me stop Klonopin

I heard this group referenced on youtube. I took xanax when I was in my 20s. Back then xanax wasn't regulated and my doctor just gave me higher and higher doses. I wanted to stop, and found another doctor who prescribed Klonopin, ostensibly to quit entirely. I had no idea they were in the same family of drugs. This was the 1980s, no quick google checks back then. I have been off and mostly on Klonopin since then, trying to wean myself off unsuccessfully too many times to count. My current doctor gives me urine tests to make sure I am taking the drug and not selling it, which is humiliating. I am nearly 65 and never knew people did things like that. I am ignorant about the drug I've been taking for decades but now my eyes are open and I want it out of my life. The label says 1mg, 3x daily but I cut it up and try to take smaller amounts. I feel jumpy all the time. I take Propranol 20 mg, 3x daily also.

Hello tiger5, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

Feeling jumpy lets me know your body is dependent on the drug, so reducing has caused you to experience withdrawal symptoms of which this is one.  I can't believe your Dr puts you through that humiliation, that makes me angry so I'm sure you're not happy about it.

 

We can help you get the drug out of your life and that doctor as well since he treats you with such disrespect but you'll need to keep him around awhile longer in order to keep enough pills coming your way to do a safe and slow taper.

 

You've been on them a long time so doing this slowly will be best, we typically suggest reducing your dose by about 5-10% every week or two depending on your symptoms, they should guide you.

 

Can you tell us how much you take each day, that will help us figure out what your starting dose should be, its best to start a taper from a position of stability.

 

I'll provide some links to help you navigate the forum but please ask questions, we're here to help.

 

Pamster

 

The Ashton Manual

 

Planning your taper (Taper Plans)

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

I take Klonopin (1/2 to 2mgs) at bedtime mainly. Sometimes if neighbors are making a lot of noise, I'll take half a 1mg pill during the day. My dosage varies. Just knowing that Klonopin bottle is there helps, so I need to stop that way of thinking and picture a day without it. I also tried Delta 8 600mg THC (which is legal) from Hometown Heroes. I read an article in the New York Times about them and thought it might help me sleep. It feels like I am getting high, so I am very careful and take small doses of that. I was thinking about telling my doctor to put me on a lower Klonopin dose so I can't back out. She doesn't understand withdrawal at all. Years ago I had no insurance and went cold turkey. I was in bed for a horrific month, lost 40 pounds and thought I was going to die. Staying indoors, even before covid, has always been my standard. My mother and sister both took their lives, so I worry about my genetic predisposition to panic attacks and severe anxiety. I've never had a doctor who understood this. I was on anti-depressants (every one on the list) most of my life and stopped those 10 years ago; they didn't work. I know I am strong, and can do this. The first step is asking for help.

So you've experienced a cold turkey, I quit that way and know how horrific it is, we'll make sure you don't feel that way again but I have to be honest with you, this is going to be unpleasant.  We'll support you as you do this, it helps to have others who understand what you're going through, no one who hasn't can fully appreciate how it affects every part of us, emotional, physical and mental.

 

Since you'll be doing a slow taper, it might be best to hold off letting your Dr know you intend to taper, some of them have the idea that reducing quickly is the way to go, we've found that not to be best.  But whatever you feel comfortable discussing with her is of course your prerogative.

 

To start I hope you can figure out a dose to begin taking every day, it's important to get on a steady stable dose before beginning your taper, you'll need a starting point.  Try to choose the lowest dose you can be functional on to give your body some consistency, what dose do you feel you can take?

 

You are strong and asking for help is the right way to approach this, it's important to learn all you can before beginning this journey so you won't fear it.

Thank you. Getting a steady dose will be difficult, but I will work on that. I have a plan to take it only at night and keep a log because sometimes, well, often, I forget how much I've taken. That's my first step. And yes, I know my prescribing doctor won't be any help so I've kept her out of this. Knowing you are out there helps.

Excellent plan to keep a log of your dose and also your symptoms because as I mentioned, you'll use them to guide your taper.  You'll make a reduction and by keeping track of your symptoms you'll be able to figure out if the next reduction should be the same, less or more.  As I said, we hope to let them guide your taper.

 

Klonopin has a fairly long half life so taking it only at night is okay but you may reach a point in your taper where you'll want to dose a couple of times a day to avoid interdose withdrawal but this is just information for future use. 

 

You're taking the first step towards freedom, life is so good when we recover from these drugs.