Figuring out the process of tapering

I decided to join BenzoBuddies to see success stories to keep me positive & to look for helpful information during my taper. I was on ativan for about 5 years for sleep with my ending dose being 1mg and taken as prescribed. I started having all these crazy symptoms & couldn't figure out what was going on. After many tests with no answers and research of my own, I figured out I was in tolerance withdrawal. My doctor tried switching me to librium but wasn't quite sure how and ended up moving me back to ativan. I started having withdrawals from the librium so she increased my ativan to 2mg. I started seeing a pshychiatrist who changed me to .50mg of klonopin twice a day. It was too much for the morning so I divided that dose in the morning & afternoon.  I stayed on it for about a month and then started to taper it in Dec of 2020. I'm down to about .62mg currently. Kind of stuck at the moment. I started having interdose withdrawals after my last 2 cuts. I tried splitting it out to 4 times a day but that's causing some pretty intense migraine type headaches. Trying to figure out what to do next. Was hoping to get the bedtime dose level with the others & taper by dropping them all at the same time. Seems like everytime you make a change it wreaks havoc. So hard to know the right answers.

Hello Katpunkin, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

We are glad you have joined our community!  As you've discovered, the process of tapering can be trial and error.  Is your doctor guiding your taper plan?  To help keep withdrawl symptoms to a minimum, we at BB support a slow taper, reducing no more than 5-10% every two weeks or so.  You can review taper plans with this link:

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans)

 

So that you can enjoy the support and connection many of us here have found here, you can access withdrawl support with this link:

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Take your time to get your footing here and when you are ready, you can start a thread.  Let us know how we can help.

 

Best and again, welcome,

 

Kate

 

 

 

 

Welcome. I am doing a liquid daily micro taper. It is working very well for me. I sleep well at night, and am functional and stable during the day. There are different options for tapering, and you can find one that is just right for you. Please ask any questions in the tapering section.

I wish I could do the liquid taper. The klonopin is so much more potent than the ativan was. I did try it but it was too strong. It might be something to try now that my dose is getting lower, though. I just wish I had known more when I started trying to taper. I prob could've done it with the ativan. Have never liked being on the klonopin. I'm so glad that's working well for you! 

As the numbers get smaller, I found it difficult to deal with pills, cutting pills, filing pills, weighing pills and powder. I was always worried about messing it up or losing a small chunk.

 

The liquid solution was just simpler for me. With a 100ml solution, if I want to take 0.185mg, I just ingest 18.5ml (mixed in juice)  The syringes were free at the local pharmacy, and I use an old jam jar. Each 100ml batch lasts a few days.

 

Your klonopin is equivalent to Xanax in dosage.

 

In suggest that you find a tapering plan that makes sense for you, and allows you to reduce at your comfort level. Keep listening to your body.