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Not sure what to do


[Li...]

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So I was taking 2 mgs of Klonapin per week for about three months. The past three weeks I am down to anywhere from 1/4 to 1/6 of a milligram taken about every three days. I have found that on the third or fourth day after my last dose I start to have some physical and mental withdrawals. Do I stay at the dose my body tells me it needs for another month or so before making another cut, or? I’m not sure how to do this the right way.
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Yes .25 every 3 or 4 days is what keeps me from going into withdrawal symptoms. They are round, blue, one mg pills
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I guess before we discuss your taper I should ask you how bad your symptoms are, can you function, can you take care of your daily tasks when they hit and how long does it take you after a reduction for them to level off?

 

Members who use Klonopin report feeling symptoms show up around days 2-5 so yours are showing up right on schedule.  Even though you haven't taken the drug every day your body has still developed dependence.

 

We typically like to see you take the medication every day, this keeps your blood serum levels at a steady state which will hopefully keep you from feeling the whiplash effect of severe symptoms. Gradual steady declines of the medication are thought to be the best so how would you feel about taking it every day?  If you're interested we can help you figure out an appropriate dose.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
I have no idea why it doesn’t notify me when someone messages me back. So again, I was taking 1 mg of Klonapin every 3 or four days for about 4 months. Dropped straight down to 1/4 mg with a two day period between each dose. There have been a few times since dropping to 1/4 that I wake up and feel clammy and off balance and can’t sleep ect, so far able to function well. Nothing like any kind of depersonalization or paranoia, (fingers crossed). I thought about getting a scale and doing it that way but I have no idea what I’m doing, especially now that you say I should take it every day. From 2 mg a week to a total of 3/4 mg a week divided up in quarters is the only drop I’ve made because idk where to go from here. Thanks
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The only way I can figure trying to take every day as suggested would be to take 1/6 of a mg 5 days a week as this would keep me at the same dose I’m presently taking. I can’t risk asking the Dr to switch me over so I can take every day and have her cut me off completely.
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I have no idea why it doesn’t notify me when someone messages me back. So again, I was taking 1 mg of Klonapin every 3 or four days for about 4 months. Dropped straight down to 1/4 mg with a two day period between each dose. There have been a few times since dropping to 1/4 that I wake up and feel clammy and off balance and can’t sleep ect, so far able to function well. Nothing like any kind of depersonalization or paranoia, (fingers crossed). I thought about getting a scale and doing it that way but I have no idea what I’m doing, especially now that you say I should take it every day. From 2 mg a week to a total of 3/4 mg a week divided up in quarters is the only drop I’ve made because idk where to go from here. Thanks

 

I'm sorry, I didn't see your response but you can go to Profile>>Modify Profile>>Notifications then adjust your settings to hopefully get notified.

 

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The only way I can figure trying to take every day as suggested would be to take 1/6 of a mg 5 days a week as this would keep me at the same dose I’m presently taking. I can’t risk asking the Dr to switch me over so I can take every day and have her cut me off completely.

 

That sounds impractical unless you use one of our other taper methods like crushing the pill and weighing your dose or putting it in a liquid.  Lets see if we can work this out.

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First lets talk about how you're feeling, are you still in the same symptom pattern and dose as you were at the end of March?
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I am still at .25 of K. Each dose seems to start to wear off after about two days. So I usually go two days without taking anything. Symptoms are not unbearable, but noticeable.
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2.5 mg is where I’m at with a two day period in between that I don’t take anything. Symptoms are noticeable but not unbearable.
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I can see two ways to approach this but I'll ask others to stop in with suggestions too.  You can continue like you are now but instead of taking the same amount, you begin to taper.  This isn't the best thing to do in my opinion because of the peaks and valley's you'll experience.  Or you could start a liquid or dry titration and begin taking it every day then begin your taper. 

 

Here is some information about titration and if you're interested, we'll get someone here who has experience with them.  Titration FAQ's

 

Bob7 Benzo Dry Taper Method 

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Pamster asked me to join in.

 

Lilly

 

I understand you are taking 1/4 of a pill (0.25 mg) every 3 days.

 

I agree with Pamster, it will be better if you take something everyday to keep your blood levels smooth and slowly taper.  Here is a nice way to do it.

 

(1) Put your 1/4 of a pill into a jar.  Some people add several drops of Vodka to help break down the pill - that is up to you.

(2) Add 300 mL of water and shake or stir

(3) Remove 3 mL of the mixture and throw it away.

(4) For the next 3 days, drink 1/3 of the jar per day.

 

Repeat the above steps except, for each new mixture, throw away an additional 3mL.  Do you see how in 100 days, your taper will be done?

 

 

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I hope you are willing to walk me through this because the stress of doing it wrong is unbearable. I’m sorry that I can’t do the math but are you sure I’m not uprising by doing it this way? Thanks so much
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Meant to say updosing in last comment. Had to process what you said and it makes sense. What percentage of a drop would this be per week?
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Meant to say updosing in last comment. Had to process what you said and it makes sense. What percentage of a drop would this be per week?

 

Lilly, with this method it is not necessary to calculate percentages.  This is the method I used at the end of my taper and I found it easy to do and to tolerate.  But if you want to calculate percentages, here is a free online calculator:

 

https://percentagecalculator.net/

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I really don’t know how to figure all this it’s all new to me. I have always heard 10-20% every 2-4 weeks and I was curious to hat it was in comparison to that. This is all a little scary for me. If anyone knows please lmk. Thank you all so much.
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We don't usually suggest tapering 10-20%, that's an awfully big reduction, what we mostly say is 5-10% every couple of weeks but really, its all about what you can handle, what your symptoms dictate, this should be what guides you. 

 

As Kate08 mentioned, with the method Bob7 laid out for you, you won't have to worry about percentages, you can just follow this plan.  However, if you feel good you can speed up the reductions or if you feel bad, you can slow it down.  This is your taper and you can adjust it as neccessary.

 

Pamster asked me to join in.

 

Lilly

 

I understand you are taking 1/4 of a pill (0.25 mg) every 3 days.

 

I agree with Pamster, it will be better if you take something everyday to keep your blood levels smooth and slowly taper.  Here is a nice way to do it.

 

(1) Put your 1/4 of a pill into a jar.  Some people add several drops of Vodka to help break down the pill - that is up to you.

(2) Add 300 mL of water and shake or stir

(3) Remove 3 mL of the mixture and throw it away.

(4) For the next 3 days, drink 1/3 of the jar per day.

 

Repeat the above steps except, for each new mixture, throw away an additional 3mL.  Do you see how in 100 days, your taper will be done?

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I really don’t know how to figure all this it’s all new to me. I have always heard 10-20% every 2-4 weeks and I was curious to hat it was in comparison to that. This is all a little scary for me. If anyone knows please lmk. Thank you all so much.

 

Yes Lilly, the taper methods and such all feel overwhelming and scary - I get it and I felt the same way.  When someone like Professor Ashton develops and publishes a method for tapering, they need to have a starting point so they come up with a recommendation for a rate of taper based on what they have observed during their years of clinical practice.  Ashton settled on the 5-10% every two weeks or so but it is a guide and not a hard and fast rule.  You will see all sorts of rates of taper here at BenzoBuddies - some much slower than Ashton's and some much faster.

 

If the water method feels like something you might consider, you could crush up a vitamin and practice using Bob7's method with it for a few days just to get a feel for how to do it and if it resonates with you.

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I went ahead and started the liquid dose earlier today. Thank you for responding

 

I hope this goes well for you Lilly.  Please let us know how it is going for you.  :thumbsup:

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