Hi! Scared newbie here.

[[Buddie]]

Hi everyone!
I was prescribed .25mg of Klonopin to calm my anxiety in 2018 along w Effexor.
After 5 months on Klonopin I tapered off over 6 months. When I started the taper, I had already cut my dose down to 12.5mg.
I did fine on the taper. I felt so much better off of it! A year later I tapered off of Effexor w the help of my psychiatrist. I was feeling better, life was good.
Then Covid hit and my mom passed away from Dementia. My anxiety came back and then some. I was  given Klonopin .50mg in 2021.  I was also given several antidepressants that gave me horrible side effects and had to come off and go on 5 in a year.
I have not increased my dose or deviated from the am/pm dose. I take .25mg twice a day. I’ve been on it for a year now.

I want off this benzo so badly. I know my body is dependent. I’ve been through so many med changes at the hands of Dr’s who have thrown me into AD withdrawal.

Can I taper off of Klonopin while tapering off of Lexapro or do I need to wait until I finish the lexapro taper?

How do you know if you are in tolerance withdrawal? I don’t want to increase my dose!!

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. 🌺🌺

[[Buddie]]

Hello [...], welcome to BenzoBuddies,

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom, and to know you've been dealing with a medication nightmare that is most likely making everything worse for you.  It's probably not a good idea to taper off the Klonopin while tapering the Lexepro, you know how it is, its too difficult to know which taper is causing you what trouble so you can't make adjustments.  I realize you're probably having difficulty differentiating between what could be tolerance and your Lexepro symptoms but the only other thing I can suggest is to hold the Lexepro taper and tackle the Klonopin.

I'll give you a couple of links so you can ask the wider membership about your options, it's good to get a variety of suggestions so please reach out, we have many members on A/D's too so you're among friends.

[...]

 Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Deprescribing Guidelines

Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper)

Withdrawal Support (during your taper)

The Ashton Manual    

[[Buddie]]

Hi [...],
Thank you so much for responding. I did a switch from Lexapro to Effexor because I was having major anxiety on the lexapro. When my psychiatrist left the practice I was left w a temporary psychiatrist who paused my Lexapro taper and pulled me off of the Effexor ( she claimed it’s too hard to come off of if you can’t tolerate it) and put me on Cymbalta. That was 3 months ago. They want to resume the Lexapro taper next month. My poor system has been through so much. I finally found a wonderful PNP and she is trying to “fix,” what has been done to my system. Our plan is Lexapro first then Klonopin. Then I will only be on one med… the Cymbalta. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I’m trying to be positive and hopeful in the middle of WD.

I HAVE to make it. I have a 21 year old son that I want to be here for.

[[Buddie]]

That 21 years old son is our reason for sure.  You are GOING to make this. Sending love and prayers.