4 months Klonopin .05mg twice daily

Hello! , I'm really in a bind . 4 Months on Klonopin and the dr. wants to increase my dosage already. Im using .05 twice a day. Terrible at math and was looking for help on how to lower my intake by 10%.....Pills are difficult to cut.

Hello Guitar1, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

 

We are glad you are here!  What I am understanding from reading your Introduction is that you want to get off Klonopin rather than increase the dose as your doctor suggests?  We can help you that and you don't have to be good at math  :-)  You can switch to a liquid taper if cutting pills is already becoming a problem.  If you go to the Taper Support board, there are people who will offer assistance.  Here is the link where you can post:

 

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans)

 

You might want to look at the Withdrawl Support board also which is intended for people who are tapering.  This board offers support and connection as you go along:

 

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

 

Take a bit and get settled in.  When you are ready, you can start a thread.  Let us know how we can help you; you are among people who have been there.

 

Again, welcome,

 

Kate

Thank you . Yes , id like to decrease my dosage ...im afraid of the underlining condition of severe anxiety and panic attacks , but id rather deal with that than be in a life long battle with these drugs.

 

I have no idea how to do water tapering ...I wish. the entire process scares me. how much water ? how much do you take out etc. 

Good for you for recognizing that getting off these meds is right for you.  If you go to the Titration board and post a note about what you need, someone there will help you.  Here is the link:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=164.0

Thank you again!

Hi Guitar1 and welcome to BB. I don't blame you for wanting to get off now rather than much later. You seem to build up tolerance quickly. I am curious. You said you have only been on klonopin 4 months for anxiety and panic attacks. When the doctor first put you on klonopin, what dose did he start you on and how long was it before that had to be increased for symptom abatement?

Ive only been on Klonopin for a little over 2 months and the dr. started me on .5 twice a day . I started on Antivan 3 mg a day two months prior . My tolerance is pretty fast...scary really. it feelss like I'm running out of time. I try to take it easy most days so my tolerance isn't going up more , but at some point I need to work again

Hi Guitar1,

 

I will help you.

 

I can offer you 2 or 3 methods to taper but let me start with something very simple.

 

Watch this video -

 

Since you are taking 2 pills a day, dissolve both pills in the water and then just drink half in the morning and the other half at bed.

 

One more bit of advice.  Since you doctor is talking about increasing your drugs, they think your panic attacks are not in control.  You need to find a non-drug way to deal with panic.  Get on YouTube and search for ways to combat panic attacks and learn everything you can.  For example, learn things like alternate nose breathing.

 

You might also try a psychologist (they cannot give drugs) instead of a medical doctor or psychiatrist.

Awesome ty!. Ok, if I dissolve two tabs in water ...how much water do I use? and how much do I remove to start my taper ? I'd like to start at removing 5% to see how I feel?

 

And yes, I have only had one panic attack , but I think the reason he wants to increase my dosage is because I'm already becoming tolerant to it . I t doesn't even show up in my urine tests ...which he claims is odd.

I will make you a table (see below).

 

Each morning, dissolve two tablets in 300mL of water.

Pour out water to get the percent taper you want (see table below).

Drink half in morning and half at night.

After each taper reduction, hold at least 7 days or until your symptoms are tolerable (whichever is longest).

 

HERE IS YOUR PERCENT TABLE WHEN STARTING WITH 300 MILLILITERS OF WATER AND 2 PILL DISOLVED

Drink(mL) Taper

300 0

285 5%

270 10.0%

255 15.0%

240 20.0%

225 25.0%

210 30.0%

195 35.0%

180 40.0%

165 45.0%

150 50.0%

135 55.0%

120 60.0%

105 65.0%

90 70.0%

75 75.0%

60 80.0%

45 85.0%

30 90.0%

15 95.0%

0 100.0%

 

Thank you very much !

 

Any advice on a good measuring glass with ML markings ? mine only have increments of whole numbers ie 300 - 400 -etc.

You might want to use a syringe like these

https://smile.amazon.com/Frienda-Scientific-Dispensing-Multiple-Measuring/dp/B07GGQP7CQ/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=50+ml+syringe&qid=1623274627&sr=8-4

 

However, these are also worth exploring

https://smile.amazon.com/Coopay-Graduated-Multipurpose-Measuring-Stirring/dp/B08YJWS89S/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2RA3BV8CLT5PD&dchild=1&keywords=300+ml+measuring+cup&qid=1623274515&sprefix=300+ml+measuring+%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-4

 

 

 

You rock...ordered these. I just have to remember to separate the pills/water into equal containers.... so I don't accidently drink both doses

Remember also, after drinking, swirl more water into the empty container and drink that water too - just to get every drop of your benzo.

 

Rock and roll! ...I think ill start as soon as I get the glasses in (next Tuesday) do you think taking 10% out at first is a good idea? I kind of have to hurry my taper up a bit as I'm already in tolerance mode ...slight symptoms etc. Plus who knows when my dr. will cut me off.

I think you can try 10% to start.

Remember, after making a change to your dose, hold for 10 days or until symptoms are tolerable.

Also, learn non-drug anxiety methods.

 

Sounds good to me....I really hope I can do this before they cut me off....it just seems unfair that I have to spend more time getting off the drug than was actually being on it .

 

Quick question...so when I take out my 10% from the 300ml and separate them into two glasses . My math stinks but , 10% off is 30% so I'm leaving 270ml split into two glasses =135ml each glass?

 

sorry...I just want to get this right.

Yes, 10% off is 30mL and so 135mL in each glass.

 

 

Ok Im starting this tomorrow ...I think I might try 5% to start...any other tips before I get going ? again ty very much. You are saving me !

Just the usual vital things:

(1) Keep a journal (record date/time, dose, symptoms every day)

(2) If you got on benzos for anxiety/panic, google and youtube to educate yourself on non-drug solutions.  You need to learn to cope without the meds.

(3) Be patient

(4) Trust God or as they say in AA, in a higher power

 

Thank you again!, I'm having a hard time with math again lol ...if I take out 5% off the 300ml....how much does each glass /dose get?

 

I think you already gave me a table to follow , but with all my anxiety its confusing me 

 

Sorry you have anxiety.  Remember, look for non-drug ways to address it.  It takes practice.

 

Let us look back at the table to answer your question (I reposted it below).

 

If you want 5% reduction, then you are removing 15mL to get 285mL.  That means each glass gets about 142.5 mL.

 

 

HERE ARE THE ORIGNAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Each morning, dissolve two tablets in 300mL of water.

Pour out water to get the percent taper you want (see table below).

Drink half in morning and half at night.

After each taper reduction, hold at least 7 days or until your symptoms are tolerable (whichever is longest).

 

HERE IS YOUR PERCENT TABLE WHEN STARTING WITH 300 MILLILITERS OF WATER AND 2 PILL DISOLVED

Drink(mL) Taper

300      0

285      5%

270      10.0%

255      15.0%

240      20.0%

225      25.0%

210      30.0%

195      35.0%

180      40.0%

165      45.0%

150      50.0%

135      55.0%

120      60.0%

105      65.0%

90      70.0%

75      75.0%

60      80.0%

45      85.0%

30      90.0%

15      95.0%

0      100.0%

Thank you! ...its pretty bad . woke up one night with it out of nowhere . Im sorry to be such a bother ...The table confuses me a little "300ml and then as I take my taper % out I keep lowering the water as shown?  Im terrible at this stuff ...I really appraicfte the help!!

 

Does the list start from the bottom upwards?

 

 

No the list starts at the top.

Each time you do a new reduction, you move one line lower.

 

So, the first line is 300 mL (called 0% taper).  It is 300 mL because you always mix 300mL of water with the 2 pills. 

 

Always use 300mL of water.  After mixing, you throw away some of the mixture and consume the rest.  Here is a table with an extra column to show how much of the mixture you throw away before drinking the rest.

 

Look at the last row in the table.  You throw away all 300mL and drink 0 because you are done (100% taper).

 

HERE IS YOUR PERCENT TABLE WHEN STARTING WITH 300 MILLILITERS OF WATER AND 2 PILL DISOLVED

Drink(mL) Taper Throw Away mL

300      0         0

285      5%   15

270      10.0% 30

255      15.0% 45

240      20.0% 60

225      25.0% 75

210      30.0% 90

195      35.0% 105

180      40.0% 120

165      45.0% 135

150      50.0% 150

135      55.0% 165

120      60.0% 180

105      65.0% 195

90      70.0% 210

75      75.0% 225

60      80.0% 240

45      85.0% 255

30      90.0% 270

15      95.0% 285

0      100.0% 300