In this article, I’m going to teach you how to get off Klonopin without withdrawal. After I became an alcoholic, but long before I became addicted to opioids, there was a brief period of my life where I was prescribed benzodiazepines for anxiety.
I was prescribed Valium, though the step-by-step plan I’m about to share with you is extremely effective at helping you get off Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, Librium, or any other benzodiazepine drug.
How to Get Off Klonopin Naturally
By using the following natural techniques, you’ll be able to start coming off Klonopin without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Sound too good to be true? After studying and perfecting the art of Klonopin detox over the last few years, I know for sure that this is the best way to get off Klonopin naturally. Simply follow these four easy steps exactly as I’ve outlined, and you will be on your way to coming off Klonopin without withdrawal.
1. Start Tapering Off Klonopin
Individuals coming off Klonopin almost always feel horrible. Most doctors will simply tell their patients to taper off Klonopin slowly and this alone will prevent withdrawal symptoms. Unfortunately, this is typically not what happens.
Usually, an individual using a conservative Klonopin taper schedule will still feel mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms getting off Klonopin. This is because tapering by itself doesn’t work to help a person avoid all withdrawal symptoms.
Whenever I have coaching clients ask me how to get off Klonopin without withdrawal, I tell them the secret is to use a strategic Klonopin taper plan in combination with a natural GABA-building and brain chemistry rebalancing regimen. Steps 2-4 will help you rebalance your brain chemistry.
To taper off Klonopin effectively, there are a few guidelines that you should follow:
- The slower you taper, the less withdrawal symptoms you will experience.
- Use the least amount of medication as possible to feel OK, and avoid taking more.
- Don’t fear coming off Klonopin (fear affects your brain chemistry negatively).
- Always listen to your body and adjust tapering speed as needed.
In a study from 2010, researchers tested the method of slow taper on patients with Panic Disorder that had been on Klonopin at least three years. The trial consisted of a 4-month period of tapering and an 8-month follow-up period.
Here is the Klonopin taper schedule they used:
- The dosage of Klonopin was decreased by 0.5 mg per 2-week period until 1 mg per day was reached.
- Upon reaching 1 mg of Klonopin, they began reducing Klonopin dosage by 0.25 mg per week.
- Using this Klonopin taper schedule, discontinuation symptoms were mostly mild.
According to the study, “the mean dosage at the start of tapering was 2.7 +/- 1.2 mg/d. In total, 51 (68.9%) of the patients were free of the medication after the 4 months of tapering according to the protocol, and 19 (26.0%) of the patients needed another 3 months to be free of medication. Clonazepam can be successfully discontinued without any major withdrawal symptoms if the dose is reduced gradually.”
Here are some other Klonopin tapering techniques that are beneficial to learn about and implement:
- To start your taper, reduce Klonopin dosage by 25% for one week.
- Starting in week 2 of the taper, begin decreasing by 10% every week.
- Adjust tapering speed as needed and don’t be afraid to slow the taper down if withdrawal symptoms ensue.
The reason my “How To Get Off Klonopin Without Withdrawal” Plan is so effective is because it consists of more strategies than simply doing a slow taper. The following 3 steps will teach you how to supercharge your Klonopin taper plan so that you’ll be able to get off Klonopin without withdrawal.
2. Start Taking Calm Support
If you really want to know how to get off Klonopin without withdrawal, start taking Calm Support, an all natural Benzo Tapering Formula (BTF) that has a powerful blend of organic herbs and other natural ingredients that can decrease withdrawal symptoms from getting off Klonopin and other benzodiazepines.
This formula can help you get off Klonopin without withdrawal in the following ways:
- Calms Anxiety
- Enhances Mood
- Eases Stomach Discomfort
- Reduces Insomnia
How to use Calm Support: As soon as you start reducing your Klonopin dosage on your taper, begin taking 1-2 capsules of Calm Support with breakfast, and 1-2 capsules with dinner. Towards the end of your taper, and for the first 1-2 weeks after getting off Klonopin, you can double the Calm Support dosage. I recommend purchasing a few bottles at once as they have a 20% to 30% discount when you buy multiple bottles.
Calm Support Increases GABA
People experience withdrawal symptoms while getting off Klonopin because of the drug’s mechanism of action. Klonopin binds to GABAA receptors in the brain. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that acts as a mental relaxant.
GABA is basically our natural Klonopin, though our bodies produce it in the precise amounts we were designed to handle.
Once you take Klonopin for a month or longer, your body becomes dependent upon the drug, and it begins to rely on Klonopin to create GABA.
While you’re reducing your Klonopin dosage, your body starts to suffer from a GABA deficiency. This leads to symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. Fortunately, supplementing with Calm Support can help you restore healthy and optimal levels of GABA naturally, as it contains specific ingredients that increase GABA.
3. Start Eating a GABA-Building Diet
Along with the first two steps, whenever clients of mine ask me how to get off Klonopin without withdrawal, I encourage them to eat plenty of high-quality protein foods. Consuming at least 20-30 grams of protein three times per day can radically increase your levels of GABA and other mood enhancing chemicals in the brain.
The following dietary guidelines can help you get off Klonopin without withdrawal symptoms:
- Eat plenty of chicken, fish, turkey, beef, and other high-quality proteins (free-range, organic, and wild caught are best).
- Drink plenty of water (half your body weight in ounces per day).
- Consume lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fats.
- Eliminate or decrease sugar, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates.
- Eat as many organic whole foods as possible.
4. Start Exercising
This is the final ingredient to getting off Klonopin without withdrawal symptoms. If you do Steps 1-3 and pass on exercising, you might still experience some mild symptoms. I’ve designed this plan based on the power of synergy, so there is a huge amplification of benefits by doing everything together.
Exercise can help you get off Klonopin without withdrawal because it:
- Reduces Anxiety and Depression
- Uplifts Mood
- Improves Sleep
How to Get Off Klonopin Without Withdrawal – Conclusion
If you use the 4 Steps I outlined, you should be able to get off Klonopin without withdrawal. I wish you good luck on your journey now that you know about this simple yet powerful 4-step plan.
If you have any comments or questions on how to get off Klonopin without withdrawal, please post them in the comment box below.
I have been taking Klonopin for about 20 years. Unlike most of the comments, I was taking it for Cervical Dystonia. I also received Botox injections in my neck for my condition. I have been seeing a new neurologist for the injections and have been having the best results in 20 years. So, I decided to try and wean myself off of Klonopin. I am done to half mg per day from 2mg per day. No serious side effects so far. I got off of Klonopin by myself once before but my head movements came back so I started taking it again. Since the Botox is really working, I decided it was worth another try. For anyone taking this drug for Dystonia, I would ignore the anxiety side effects and worry more about insomnia and gastrointestinal problems and the return of your Dystonia symptoms.
I was on 1 mg for 30 years from age 26 to 56. I then had a severe brain stem bleed in 2019 after being on an inversion table fully down for about 20 minutes. That led to surgeries, a coma, 27 days in the ICU, and then rehab. I have not been the same since. I was unable to sleep and the anxiety became far worse after the brain bleed. I went to 1.5 mg, 2mg, and eventually to 3.5 mg where I am now. I tried to scale it back to 3.375 on my own for 3 days and some of the side effects mentioned.. The worst was poor sleep and more anxiety. I took a full 3.5 yesterday and slept fine. I already take gaba ,tryptophan,lemon balm, and melatonin in high doses. My Dr is like me. We have no idea how much is the stroke and how much is the 3.5 mg. I’ve been on that amount for close to a year. I was on 3 mg a year back. I was on the 1 mg for 30 years and had withdrawals when I came out of my coma until they got me my klonopin. I’m not sure how to do this given the fact I have some cognitive impairment from the brain stem bleed and am very anxious ever since the stroke. I am a completely different person than I was before it. I’m 59, so I am not sure how much longer I can stay at this level. I’m wondering if I can come off.. Does anyone have any advice?
I am on 4 mg of Klonopin – 1 around nine, 1 around 3, 2 at bedtime which is not helping me sleep through the night so I take 10 melatonin at night. I started out at 6 mg. and was able to get down to 4 mg. and I have never gone lower. I started the Klonopin because I could not sleep at all because my daughter had many spots of cancer in her lungs in her early 20’s. She was not a smoker. The fight went on for three years and she passed away. My whole word was turned upside down. I still miss her every day. I’m 64 so I’ve been on Klonopin for awhile. I think it makes me confused and forgetful at times. I am going to see my psychiatrist and see if I can wean off.
How should I wean off of .05 milligrams of Klonopin. Only been on it 2 weeks. Only take @ bedtime.
regarding the person weaning process I did it but the last year was on .5 mg…it helped some but had my head and my body still messed up….the problem I suspect is my pschy had me on it for 25 years…..that is a long long time and I did not know it was a muscle relaxant which is causing me the most problems even after a year of weaning off….
I’m currently in the same scenario you were in. Are you better? Did you feel dizzy during the process? What did you end up doing? I took mine for anxiety, and trusted the MD at that time. Mistake. Thank you for in advance for your response.
Hi, my name is Paula. I started taking Klonopin back in Oct. 2018. I started with 0.25 mg and took it 2 or 3 times a day. This didn’t seem to help with the anxiety much so, I started taking 0.5 mg 2 or sometimes 3 times a day. After talking with my doctor, he said I could start taking 1mg up to 3 times if needed. I have taken 3 1 mg tablets a day a few times but, I have been able to drop back to 1 or 2 1 mg tablets for the most part. In the past few days or so I have been able to take 1 1 mg tablet, occasionally I’ve taken a 0.5 mg in that same day, not every day though. Sometimes I just take 1 mg tablet once a day. I’m also taking 20 mg of Lexapro a day and at night I take 50 mg of seroquel. I’m wanting to get off all of these medications. Any ideas or comments are welcome.
I have been on 1.25mg a day for about ten years now. My doctor wants me wean off because she says how horrible this drug is. I am a nurse myself and know to wean off slowly but do you think half of .25mg a day would effect my anxiety level?. Withdrawal effects… thx so much
Hello I’ve been taking kolonopin on and off for 1 year I would take about 1 to 2mgs at the most when I did take them and go about 3 to 7 days without taking anything then start the process all over again and take some for a couple days and then skip 3 to 7 days and it’s been like this for a year . Anyone have any input on how I could stop this cause I know by now my body is immuned and depended on it.. when I do try to go over 7 days without the pill I do feel the withdrawal symptoms and I get the insomnia part really bad for a couple nights and do not get any sleep. And I wanna stop taking them completely . I’ve never really suffered from panic attacks or anxiety I just took the pill to feel good to be honest and now when I go days without it I feel the need to take some because my body feels off . Any answers for this I need help. Thank you
Julie or Matt you guys have any advice for me? It’s justing again from the comment above or under this one lol
have you tried kratom?
Hello I was on klonopin 1mg 2x daily and decreased to 0.5mg to which caused bad rebound anxiety and all its horrible symptoms. I kept it strong and for the last month been taking 0.5mg 1x a day. How do I wean off 0.5mg? I really do not want to experience the bad withdrawal symptoms. Please I need help. Thanks
Thank you for this insight. After a doctor putting me on this terrible drug and then trying cold turkey I left the dose on 2.5mg pet day.
This time I prepared my body. Cut out sugar and junk food 8 weeks ago, increased protein and vegetables. Started gentle exercise and meditation.
This also resulted in losing a few kilos and helping clear my mind.
Scaled back my business to give myself time not under pressure and saved up enough money for 2 months.
Working with a new doctor we have balanced my hormones and now reducing by .25mg every week.
Only on day 4. If it goes slower so be it.
I do feel my health is so much better now to handle the withdrawal.
Looking forward to never taking this drug again.
I have been on clonazsapam for 27 yrs , and am currently on 4 mags per day , my dr has cut me off cold turkey, and have not been able to see a psychiatrist , I am scared and don’t no what to do , I have a severe panic disorder , and very worried about my health as I have no medication? HELP!!
That pisses me off so much. Your doctor cut you off cold-turkey? That’s inhumane. I’m so sorry you’re in this position. What a horrible doctor.
My doctor cut me off of 2 mg in 2010. I had been on in 12 years. It was a living hell. After one year I was still miserable and was put back on 1 mg. at a time. I am back on 2 but would love to get off it as I feel I can’t live without it. Total of about 21 years now. I function well with it but hate the dependency. My new doctor said maybe it’s better to be on it then be miserable without it.
Go to an emergency room. Cold turkey off klonopin is very serious. Your doctor is an obvious sadistic idiot. There is the package insert for this terrible drug it clearly states DO NOT go off this drug suddenly. You might go into Protracted Acute Withdraw Syndrome. Your doctor is a quack.
I had been taking Klonopin for a month after switching from Xanax. I used the approach outlined here and I am now med-free. I had also been taking Seroquel for Sleep. I first tapered off the Klonopin 0.125mg every week starting from 0.5 mg. Then, I went off the Seroquel (used to treat anxiety and insomnia in low doses). The Seroquel may have helped with the withdrawals from the Klonopin. It may be easier to taper off of Seroquel than Klonopin. If this approach alone is not working for you, you may want to bridge with another med that will be easier to withdrawal from.
Hi I’ve been on clonazepam for 10 days. 0.5 mg or micrograms. I started feeling really really ill so I rang my pharmacy and they said to go see my Dr. I’ve not been able to see Dr yet but hoping to get in tomorrow. I’ve had such bad upset stomach and feeling sick 24/7 and can’t eat at all. Is it possible for me to have withdrawal even tho I only had them for 10 days? I’ve been off them 4 days now and don’t feel any better at all. Idk if it is the tablets or something else but I’ve had enough now. I’m not a well person. As it is and I feel so ill from them. Any advice gratefully received thanks.
Get over it. . . You’re not going to die going cold turkey. If you we’re an alcoholic maybe. . . . Buckle down, pray and detox. If you go to jail, at least most jails, you got to kick so man up and do it🤗. It’s worth it. Get the water, juices, any comfort you think you might need and hit your knees. . . .you’ll be reborn
Wow you are a idiot. Have you ever tried to come off of klonopin after 10 years of use. I went cold turkey had seizures hallucinations and when I got to day 23 I could no longer take it. Not to mention I lost 40 pounds because your senses do a complete 180 the smell of any food made me sick to my stomach and I didn’t eat for 12 days straight. Going cold turkey is a good way to end up in the morgue from seizures, malnourishment, physcotic episodes or even suicide. DO NOT listen to this idiot it is not safe. I had such bad hallucinations I almost stabbed a family member. Even in jail they will give you a benzos because they know the danger. Please listen to me get help from your doctor or if you have no doctor try detox but I want you do not attempt to do it alone. You will regret it possibly for the rest of your life this drug is no joke and far worse than alcohol withdrawal because with alcohol they can at least give you benzos but with benzos withdrawal there is nothing they can give but a taper. Please never ever attempt cold turkey you may lose your life.
He is so wrong ….got to go slow.
I ran out cuz the date on the bottle now I have nothing till the 26 6 days ill go without will I die or what please help
I have been on Klonopin for twenty years. I was given it for seizures, restless leg and anxiety. I have tried 15 – 20 times and had all the symptoms that you posted. I literally thought I was going to is. I have had six major surges an have taken every pain meds there are and I have always been able to stop taking them but Klonopin is as bad a heroin. I have tried tapering off each time but could not do it. I asked my Dr.to help me but he never would. His comment was that I didn’t like being uncomfortable. I have never been so mad in my life with anyone. I have had 16 bones broken, two back surges, plate in my neck, two hip replacements and both knees. This is just a few surgeries. I get steroid shots in every joint of my body. I know what uncomfortable is.
I see my Orthopedic every month and pain med that’s twice a day 7.5. I have degenerative arthritis and fibo. My Orthopedic that gives me the shots has always know what meds I take. My Dr.moved and a new Dr. has told my MD to get me off Klonopin. They do not want me to take it and pain med. The pain med is easy to stop taking it doesn’t even touch the pain. I’m scared to death to stop taking the Klonopin because I have tried and failed taking myself off. I’m sorry for this long history but i could use all the help or advise possible.
HE WAS ANSWERING TO THE GUY WHO ONLY TOOK .5 FOR 10 DAYS…..WHOS THE IDIOT NOW?
Okay, okay. Calling someone an idiot for a possible misunderstanding just makes you look like an idiot, one with a 5 year old’s temper. Great job fixing that problem. Think before you speak, maybe?
Taking his comment out of context, anyone who spends time on the internet deliberately mocking people who are strong enough to admit and search for help for a dependency, as in this case, getting off of Klonopin, is the type of person who deserves to go through the severest case of withdrawals that every one of us has experienced. Good luck with your life, buddy. You must be getting really far in life to be childishly commenting on others’ genuine search for help and advise. It’s pathetic people like that in this world that deserve to suffer endlessly. You’d be long dead before you could come back to make another moronic remark if you went through an ounce of what others are going through. Useless waste of human life. Daddy should’ve pulled out. I’m sure he’s just as bright as you. Wonderful.
Anyway, moving on. I myself am looking for natural substitutes to aid in an attempt to ween off of Klonopin. I’m going to try this supplement called “Nerviosil” which contains hops and other calming herbs. It has worked for me as a child and throughout high school. Valerian root helps very much, too. I take tryptophan sometimes, and that has helped incredibly. Everyone’s different though, so the effects will naturally vary, but hopefully some of my suggestions will help at least someone, even just a bit.
Yes, years ago I quit cold turkey and I was yelling into the air towards the ceiling, crying every 2 min. and calling everyone I knew to relieve my anxiety onto them… I was nuts.
My poor 5 children and husband had to endure this for 3 weeks. And I had only been taking .75 mg for a year.
I swore to never go near the stuff.
Until I developed severe tinnitus and it was the only thing to stop the torture of that nonsense.
I’ve been on 2.5 mg for a year to treat tinnitus.
I’ve tapered with many of the same suggestions in this article and its going great! I have .5 mg to go, and thankfully, all the time I need to taper slowly. Using vitamin Bs gabba and a small amount of exercise… Plus, I’ve learned to relax my body and mind every night
👍
👍 Correct / Charlie b is right
I have been on about 2 mg/day of lonazepam for 37 years. I started at 1 and reached 2. I decided to taper of this as I no longer needed it, or so I thought. I made a mistake in the dosage and tapered too quickly. After 12 days I couldn’t see, stand up and didn’t know what was going on. Fortunately my wife realized I had miscalculate and got me back on my original dose. This time I am being extremely careful and going slowly. If someone has been on this drug for years, just stopping would be really risky. Don’t do it. In addition to the taper suggested here, which is based on quite an interesting paper, there is the Ashton approach, which is much slower. The Ashton manual is available free online.
Julie or Matt forgot to add to my comment that I was on clonazepam and Perphenazine for 30 years as well Would this make the taper (if one is needed or help being I did a cold turkey already 3 months ago) more like 2 months or longer?
Eddie,
This is Julie. I am not a professional. I do not work with Matt or know him. I too have been on Klonopin for 30 years. I posted something and commented to someone. Just wanted to make that clear.
Are you tapering off clonazepam? If so how? And if you take anything that helps?
HI Julie , or Mat: Question I did a cold Turkey on clonazepam 3 months ago, and still suffer from side effects, do I even need to do a taper. I left clonazepam 3 months ago and have been on diazepam 10mg a day. for about 1 month now makes sense to taper that however my anxiety and panic attacks which feel like shivers are only calmed by clonazepam so I went back to it just 3 days ago 2mg a day. Before back in February I was on 4mg a day and 4mg of Perphenazine. I want to taper on 1mg of clonazepam for 1 month then come down .25 every 2 weeks but not sure if it will even work at this point. Any suggestions
My situation is this I am currently taking 1 mg 2x daily I have been on klonopin for 25 years, I have tried to wean off of it twice now and both times were complete disasters. I went to refill my prescription and my doctor sent the refill in for .5mg 2x daily. With all of the issues I have had I have no idea how he thinks I can cut down in half overnight. I know that if I do wean off successfully it’s going have to be very slow, so the question is what is a slow wean off of 2mg because my doctor doesn’t believe that I can do .1mg or .25 down. I have read that some people can take up to a year to wean off but my doctor thinks a couple weeks is good. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
I was in a very similar position. I had been on 2mg /day for almost 40 years. I then tried to get to 1mg by decreasing by .5 every 2 weeks. I managed to get to 1.5 fine but then the drop to 1 was too much. I went up to 1.25 ( not usually wise to reverse course) and have stayed here. Am debating what to do next. Even the 1.25 is too low. Perhaps the GABA supplement route will work. I don’t know. The other option is to use the Ashton method which is the authoritative guide for tapering off benzos. It is now free on the web.
How fast should I taper off .50 mg (1 daily)Clonazepam?
I have been taking Klonopin for over 30 years. Started with 1 mg per day .5 twice a day. Years went by went up to 2 mg per day one in the morning one at night. Years go by again now up to 3 mg per day. One in the morning and 2 at night. It has only been over the last year that I have noticed I am addicted to these pills and if I forget to take my morning one by supper time my head feels like it’s floating off my shoulders. It took a while to actually realize that if I didn’t feel anxious in the morning I didn’t take my pill. Not on purpose, but just because I didn’t feel anxious. I have wanted to get off these benzos for over a year. I’m sure you have heard this before… I am afraid! In fact the fear is so real that I asked the doctor to increase my Klonopin to four 1 mg tablets per day. I guess the fear comes with…. I might not have money for an appointment, I don’t want to run out, or just knowing I want to stop them and just the plain fear of the social anxiety or GAD. Over the last couple months I have tried to only take 2 mg a day. One in the morning and one at night. My sleeping is off, I will wake and stay awake for hours with my mind just spinning and racing with every thought or moment or whatever it might be in my head that can go back 40 years of my life! As I mentioned I ask the doctor to increase to four 1 mg per day. I never started taking that I just wanted to have the medicine. I think it’s in my head that it is some sort of a comfort to know that I have them. So I am still on the 3 mg per day. That being said, as I have digressed, I am still trying to take 1 mg in the morning and one at bed. This last week has been awful. I am waking mid-way through the night and then the mind starts racing and the spinning just begins. I try to lay still I don’t toss and turn. But my head is spinning so fast with any and every thought you could possibly imagine. I realize it has only been a week but if this is any inclination of how it feels to come off benzos then I am really scared. It is a terrible feeling. In fact as I type this now I feel like I should take a Klonopin because I’m about to cry. I know they are controlling my life and now realize that they have been for over 20 years or more. I actually feel like I have a hangover while I am detoxing down from 3 mg per day. I am not exactly sure how I am going to figure this out. But I am going to get off these damn benzos and try to have a life. I started them in my early twenties and I am now 55! Any suggestions that anybody has are welcome. While I have talked to a couple doctors about the process I am getting mixed answers. Some say 3 months others say 6 months to 12 months. It can be a little bit discouraging. There is a lot of information online about it and as we all know you can’t believe everything that you read you have to do your research. Matt, thank you for the research that you have done and I am glad that you were able to overcome this immense hurdle. I see an herbalist and he is a really smart guy. I was sick about 3 years ago and I blew out my adrenals! Spent two years in the medical community and not one doctor knew what was wrong with me they kept blaming it on my anxiety. I kept telling them I don’t feel well, I can’t eat, I am not sleeping well, I am losing weight. Finally a friend referred me to this herbalist. I was in his office for five minutes and he knew what my problem was! It has been almost a year now so I have had a bumpy road of trying to recover. When you blow out your adrenals your body just does not function. I am petite in size to begin with so I weighed 134 pounds and I lost 40 lb in a six month time period. A lot of other issues went along with that. Another subject for another forum. So I’m going to continue with my research, try to stay healthy and eat right while staying in the process of trying to get off the benzos. I have only gained back 20 of the pounds that I lost. My body may not be ready physically to get off the benzos but I’m going to give it a try.
Hi I have been on Klonopin for 5 yrs now and prescribed for my anxiety, depression and insomnia. And, Dr, wanted me to take 3 mg daily but, never did that tried 2mg and it was too much, so always did 1 mg daily…then cut it in half for long while and still no problems sleeping, and then was down to 1/4 pill and tapering down to every other day etc…baby dose as my Dr. called it…well, then had family problems and my job very high stress and the Anxiety and insomnia set in so increased back to 1/2 pill at bedtime and then 1 mg at bedtime for while and last fall (Oct. 17) having insomnia again and Dr. tells me when I wake up in middle of night to take another 1/2 pill, which I had done off and on but not every time. Meanwhile, for some time this dose was not working and sleep 2-3 hrs and wide awake and can’t shut off my brain and wanting me to take more and I googled the side effects of long term which is pretty scary, focusing, memory loss(big time for myself), insomnia and high anxiety and tremors….so realizing that my body is addicted even though the Dr. keeps telling to increase my dose…So, refuse to do this and tapering off….so been on 1 mg again for 1 week now and wanted to cut in half after one week or should I wait 2 weeks…..do not like anything controlling me and had no idea it was this drug, but the memory loss is horrible and friends keep telling me something is wrong with me as I keep repeating myself and can’t remember….I am 60 yrs old not like I am elderly etc. So what would you suggest, as I am done with the Dr. and just wanting me to increase and they wonder why so many are hooked on this and other drugs….sadly.. I just want my focus and memory back and this is affecting my marriage and lack of sleep is shutting down my body…Please help…Thanks so much
Sherry, enter this is Julie I made a comment above I think it was May 10th. The best thing that I can say to you… Is get off those benzos. They are ruining your life. They have changed the chemistry in your brain. And they are controlling your thoughts, every bit of insomnia, causing more anxiety, trust me it’s been 30 years for me I am in week 3 of weaning off the benzos! I’m not saying it’s going to be easy but, don’t keep going back to them for help. Once they change your brain chemistry you don’t function properly. If you don’t already I will tell you you have adrenal fatigue. There are hundreds, millions of things online about adrenal fatigue. Most doctors cannot help you with it. Like I said in my comment I found an herbalist. He started messing around with plants and learning about them when he was 10 years old. And he’s I believe a little bit over the age of 55. He is extremely smart, intuitive and is saving my life period started with my adrenals and now helping me with getting off these benzos! I personally live in Southwest Florida. Not sure where you are because we’re on somebody else’s site of course. If you live in Southwest Florida find me on Facebook. Julie St Peter. We are very close in age and in reading your comment you’ve been playing with the benzos for about 5 years. It is way past time. You can get off them. And once you find the right person to help you you will know that they have been controlling your life it will make you more determined and you will get off them I promise you that! Best to you always, Julie.
Hi Julie
I to want to get off them .
Ive been on them bow a year and a half. 1 mg a day …5 in the morning .5 at night. I started taking them for anxiety attacks and they worked great. But now they dont and my Gp and Psych want me to start Prozac to reduce mh anxiety to ween off the benzos. I dont feel comfortable about that its another pill . More chemicals in ny body
I think your defi itly right. I javent been the same since ive been on them. My lofe and thoughts have changed drastically. Ive become depressed and uninterested in so knay things. Plus my heLth anxiery has really taken off again. I want my old life back. Ut im scare to start weening.
Looking for advice
Tim
Tim,
Hi…Julie here. Remember one thing for me…. I am not a doctor…. I will give you advice….which I wish someone would have done for me. Before I start though I am going to ask one thing of you to also keep in mind since you did mentioned Prozac. I did not mention that I have in the past taken Paxil and Celexa… but, only because the subject was about Klonopin . Just like you said more drugs! I stopped taking them years ago but stayed on the Klonopin. I thought it was helping me. From my experience over 30 years between doctor’s and counseling… And by the way conseling will help you and I would have Been successful if I had stopped taking the Klonopin at that time as well. I just got misguided or misinformed and thought it was best at the time to stay on the Klonopin . I now realize that was a mistake, a big mistake! I don’t think it’s in your best interest to start on Prozac and increase your Klonopin. Not no but absolutely hell no! If you think you are being controlled by the Klonopin… Starting and SSRI… Such as Paxil, Celexa, or Prozac… They are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors… Hence, SSRI’s. Pharmaceutical companies and doctors want you to think that they will help you because they prevent the gland in the back of your head that secretes the serotonin from re-uptaking it when you are having anxiety. We were designed to have the reuptake happen so that if you have some type of an emergency you still have your fight or flight mechanism working . I’m pretty sure you have fight or flight in you right now! In other words they make it sound as though it is designed to allow the serotonin to stay in your body so that you remain on an even Keel and do not have anxiety! While that may be true clinically, I do not recommend it! It is definitely another drug that is going to reprogram and take control of your brain and eventually more control over your life. If you think you are unhappy now, trust me it will not get better. You stated you want your old life back… You will get it back by stopping the Klonopin as soon as possible. I don’t know you, I don’t know how old you are, I don’t know if you work, I also do not know if you take any other drugs or if you take care of yourself and eat properly. so my advice is being given to you on the premise that you are not taking other drugs or supplements and you do take care of yourself. Otherwise this advice does not apply! Agreed? OK. So here we go. I will tell you this… And believe me when I tell you it is true. It is always recommended to be under a doctor’s care however if you truly want it you can do it. Klonopin is a drug that stays in your body on a daily basis. In other words you use it up on a daily basis. Another way of saying it is it has a half life. Since you use it up on a daily basis when you wake up in the morning you have depleted what you took the day before! Then you take your pills and you start all over again. I won’t lie to you. It will be a little bit of a shitshow and you will feel crappy as hell however, you can get off those Klonopin in 3 days. Pick a time when you think you have 3 days because on the 4th day you will feel better. You will need to increase your water intake as Klonopin is known to retain water within your body and organs. So you do not want to dehydrate. As a side note proper hydration other than being super important is required to be an intake of half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. The easiest example I have is if you weigh 100 lbs each day you need to drink 50 oz of water! Once you start doing it it’s not a hard thing to continue and you’ll never leave home without a water bottle in your hand! I got dehydrated in 1997 from not drinking enough water… I learned the hard way… And I have never gone anywhere without a water bottle in my hand or extra water for my day or wherever I’m going since! My urine is almost clear in color! That being said let’s get back to point. Whenever you read this, make your decision, and try this. Start in the morning and do not take your .5 pill. Drink plenty of water and nibble on food all day. That night take your.5 mg. That will make your dose for the day half of what you normally take hence, half life ! The next day do not take your .5 mg in the morning and that night cut your .5 mg pill in half and take that. The next morning when you wake up do not take any more Klonopin… Ever! in between the last thing that I wrote to you I met with a doctor at a rehab / detox facility. I was recommended by someone who took 7 to 8 mg of Xanax per day for 7 years! That friend went into that facility to get off the Xanax, but the reason for the facility was an additional problem, he was going to commit suicide. So being under the doctor’s care was the best thing for him. the doctor told him he would be off the Xanax in 3 days ! my friend was in disbelief but, did what he was told . What that doctor did for him was the first night he was there he did not take any Xanax, as the daytime had already gone by so he had had a daily dose! so like I was saying being off it in 3 days. so technically that night made day one . the next day they gave him 1 mg of Xanax which made his day 2. on day 3 he took .5 mg of Xanax! Day 4 he took zero Xanax ! He felt like s***, I won’t lie but the drug was out of his body. That is what I’m talking about the half-life of the drugs. My friend was in disbelief but took the doctor’s advice and did it. By day 4 he actually felt better. His total stay was 12 days but as I stated he was suicidal so he stayed. he went to a counselor after he got out so that he could have someone to talk to and work through things… I recommend that as well… this person now has their life back , has no anxiety and is happy ! Even if you can’t afford a counselor go to a pastor at your church or your priest… There is someone out there that can help you if you do not have insurance. it will be the best thing you have ever done. I do not have insurance however, I am also not suicidal. if you recall I mentioned that I take 3 mg of Klonopin a day. That is a high dose. It has taken me a week to get down to 2 mg a and I have felt like s*** everyday! after speaking to that doctor we have decided that today is my day 1 so… Tonight I will take 1mg at bed time and tomorrow night I will take .5 mg at bed and the next day I will take 0 milligram! Oh yes, it’s going to be a shitshow but I’m going to do it because I too want a life! The hardest part is over because I have spent a week already wasted staying on the 2 mg thinking that I was weaning down when I really was not continuing to cut it down when I should have been getting off them. if you’re not comfortable with the 2-day and being done by day 3 which I only stated because you are on .5 mg… try this. Consider the fact that in the morning you will take .5 mg and that night do not take any. Hence, half life. The next day take only .5 mg at night that will be considered your day 2. The next night will be considered your day 3 so cut your .5 mg tablet in half and take that. the next day do not take anymore Klonopin ever! I can certainly understand any hesitation that you might have as I have the same. You may need to think about it so I say this. Write to me on Sunday as I will have taken zero on Saturday and I will tell you how I feel. I am actually writing myself a note to check this website specifically to see if you have written back so I can let you know how I did. Tim, I am going to be off this Klonopin Saturday! No ifs ands or buts about it! Peace, Julie
I take 1.5 mg a day how do I he off in 3 days
Hi
I was prescribed clonazepam because of anxiety about a year and half ago
I take .5 in the morning before work and .5 in the evening when i get home.
Can you pleae provide me a senseible taper plan to get off these based on my dosage and tine ive been on them.
Greatly appre iate a reply back
Tim
Tim,
Hi my name is Julie. That’s exactly what I started on… 30 years ago! I have made comments above. I cannot give you professional advice but I will tell you this. I take 3 mg a day. One in the morning and 2 at night. I am now weaning off them. I am in week 3 and have dropped down to 2 mg per day at bedtime. I have the help of an awesome individual, he is an herbalist! I don’t have much faith in the medical community because they want to give you a drug to get off a drug. I have looked through this program and site that we are on and I think that Matt has some good advice. Since I am already being helped I haven’t actually purchased anything from Matt. I’m not going to go into a big long thing or explanation but I would just like to make a suggestion. Get off the benzos immediately. Start with cutting your .5 mg pill in half. Take that half in the morning and continue with your full .5 at bedtime. You will need it to sleep! You will need to increase your water intake, make sure that you eat something more often during the day as in nibble on things, as weaning down affect your blood sugar and makes you shaky. Or at least it does for me and that is part of what I am doing as advised by the herbalist I see. You will feel the difference when you cut the morning pill in half probably by noon time. That is if you get up around the 7 a.m. hour or in the morning. Look into some stuff… Try valerian root… Look into it first research it. It might make you tired but it is an all natural muscle relaxant. I’m going to stop now because I feel like I’m giving you advice that may not be good for you… But works for me. I will tell you that I am still feeling the effects of not taking my one pill in the morning. I really want off these benzos they have been controlling my life for 30 years! Please don’t let that happen to you. Get off them. Go talk to somebody. Anybody that you think will listen… A pastor at a church etc… anxiety sucks! I was told once that anxiety is anger turned inside out! You’ll have to check that out for yourself as well. I will tell you though if you don’t get off them you will need to increase… The more you increase the more dependent you will become… You might feel better… But what’s really happening is the drug is reprogramming your brain and controlling you. It’s just a matter of time before you figure it out or decide to make a change. Darn, I just said I wasn’t going to continue… I guess I have a little anxiety right now! When I read your dose that you are taking and I know that’s where I started 30 years ago and I’m still taking them… I just can only say please, do your best, whatever you need to do, naturally though… And get off those benzos. They have the potential of ruining your life! They are an opiate! Then you are addicted to opiates! Even though you don’t run for a pill and you only take them as you are scheduled to because they are working for you right now… Once you exceed the limitation of what that dose can provide for you you’ll need more. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be a heroin addict… You know somebody that smokes heroin all day… Runs out and then needs a fix! They go into immediate withdrawal… Starts shaking and go through hell… Klonopin, though it is prescribed, acts the same way. I’m not sorry that I continued on but I didn’t mean to run a on and on. If anything I said helps you that would be great. I will keep you in good thought, and do your best your very best to keep yourself in good thought. If you have that mindset you will be able to get off them. I am going to do it! And I have help from somebody and it is going to be done as quickly as possible! Your dose is so low and you have not been taking it very long… of everything that I have read on this site, comment wise, you are the one that has the best chance of getting off them the fastest. Just do your best. Peace, Julie
You mentioned that anxiety is anger turned inside out. I find this very interesting and I think I very much agree with you. I have been on Klonopin for 18 years (since I was 14 years old!!) because I have always had anxiety troubles.
Not to keep our minds on the anxieties we suffer from and on the terrible withdrawals (I have been off them before, once, for a 3 year stint. I was not happy about it. I did not have good medical insurance at the time and they treated me like I was a homeless junkie and forcefully tapered me VERY fast then I later decided that may have been a bad decision and I started taking it again. Mistake, but I needed it at the time and no other benzo works for me and I don’t like to feel “high” on drugs………)…………. But back to what i was saying, I have recently been addressing some deep stuff within myself, this is even after 10 years of being sober, living a spiritual life, I believe in God, but trust me I’ve had my ups and downs, but generally speaking, I’m just saying that even still after 10 years I’m just now getting to what I feel like could be life-changing for me—
And I was curious if any other panic disorder sufferers (perpetual state of fight-or-flight like PTSD) had anything in common with me in regards to growing up with a narcissistic parent? I don’t like to throw words like that around, especially as a child of the supposed narcissist, since I tend to be apologetic for their behavior towards me much of the time, but after many ups and downs into my adulthood with this in my life, I’m only now starting to think “hmph… maybe the constant negation of my reality or lack of validation and constant shoving of my own emotions in favor of my mother’s had an effect on me…” as I remember my anxiety first forming in childhood as stomach and digestive issues, then transitioning to more social isolationism in my teens, with fainting spells, then later in my latter teens and early 20s, began to have racing heart/immediate fear of death types of anxieties.
It happens when I am in conflict with myself internally. Like, if my intuition tells me one thing, but I think I should do, say, or think another way. It’s like these two thoughts collide and cause an implosion inside my mind which annihilates me or at least the fear IS total annihilation. My faith in God and that we live an eternal life despite what we may think has carried me all the way. But when I lived at home, I was so smothered by my mothers needs and neglect of my own needs, that I often wanted to die and began questioning the world and reality and stuff like that as a form of escapism and I later drank to my detriment, which ended in my sobriety (but also because I’m very prone to always think things are my fault, but thankfully, I did take responsibility for what was my fault and what is within my control but narcissists like to always make you feel blame even when you’re not to blame at all and this can be very believable especially when the person is your mother and you just automatically trust them and are an open and honest person, which I am.).
I’m sorry for anyone having to read my life story. I’m not trying to blame anyone for my upbringing, but I am saying that I do believe there is some weight to the notion that this could have had this effect on me quite strongly.
I am in a 9 year relationship with someone who I only recently started to awaken to how they are like my mother in these terrible ways and how I inadvertently surround myself with people who doubt me, criticize me, question me, project onto me, tell me what I’m doing, how I feel, what my motivations are, etc etc always telling me I am guilty for a crime I not only didn’t commit, but had no thought of whatsoever. The ironic part is, I am a very thoughtful person, extremely empathic and responsive to others’ needs because of how my mom trained me. But this could only be believable to me IF I BELIEVE it. Even if my mother did have a hand in embedding her projections into me of herself, at this point, it is my responsibility if I choose to believe it.
And there has just been a stack of situations lately which have called for me to speak up for myself (even though I’m a loudmouth individual, I am painfully shy sometimes and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings or them get into some sort of power struggle with me if I have to assert myself, so I mostly try to avoid it) when I haven’t wanted to, which has made me feel extremely deep levels of anxiety and the sense of feeling trapped and untrusting of who I would have to speak to– just a quick example, I had some fillings done last month in my teeth and they did them quick and they were still high and my teeth hit together, I let them know this when I was there, but they didn’t take care of it. This made me feel so invalidated and disrespected and made me NOT want to ask again, even though I was told to come back if it needed to be filed down, which made me fear them for putting me in that situation. I said “Why would I come back when you ignored my request when I was there?” It sounds perfectly reasonable to me, but I specifically hated the situation because I was going to have to ask for what I wanted again. So, I went finally and it got somewhat taken care of– but now I have to go back. And honestly, I feel guilty for making them have to make it comfortable for me even though it’s causing me pain in my jaw and my mouth where the teeth click together where they shouldn’t. This is exactly that “internal conflict” I mentioned earlier. I need one thing, but also need another. I need my fillings fixed, but I also need to avoid asking for it for fear I will be seen as a burden, a bother, a nuisance, an irritation, being difficult, am imagining things, etc. This is how I am trained to think of myself!! It is absolutely SICKENING!!
So, yes, I do agree that it is deep anger. Anxiety is fear. Fear and anger are the same thing. Someone gets angry because they are AFRAID ______ will happen or has happened or might happen. Anger is an expression of fear just as much as the panic itself is. And both are absolutely dreadful. But yes, where anger tends to target someone on the outside, anxiety attacks you directly. But neither is justified. I feel just as terrible when I get angry as when I get anxious. Same emotions almost and everything. LIke, if a person were to get angry, they may feel bad afterwards, like maybe they overreacted, right? Well, when I get anxious, I feel guilty for feeling like I can’t help it. Which further makes me feel anxious which makes me feel more guilty, especially when I feel like it makes me reliant on others and a burden.
And I get disappointed in myself that maybe I try to get out of relationships– the care and love and validation (not approval, there is a difference) of my reality/perception/feelings that I never received from my mom. And it’s hard to come to terms with because anyone who knows a narcissist knows they have always pretended to love you and act wonderful sometimes and other times are absolute monsters. And my mom silent treats me when I assert myself to her. THis feedback from her tells me she is not interested in me. And instead of saying to myself that I do not deserve that, I justify it and say she’s my mom, I should love her, I’m not being very understanding of her, etc etc until I rationalize her feelings and stuff my own.
I’m 32. My mom just text me 2 days ago after a couple week long silent treatment acting like everything was fine and no big deal and pretending like she cared how I was doing, talked about the weather, her pain, her dogs, etc and even though I KNEW she would do this, I knew she would go about and pretend again nothing ever happened (because when she’s wrong she can’t admit it– so she’s just never wrong!) and I was ready for it.. and I said to myself that I would not respond to her when she did this because it is so insulting and hurtful and I do not deserve to be silent treated and then sought out when it’s convenient for her (this is after I have told her I always contact her and not her contact me so that is also why she was pretending to be checking on me bc she knew she was wrong and was trying to look good so I wouldnt be able to say “no”). It IS enraging!! But again! It’s mixed emotion!! Rage mixed with complete guilt and feeling like “maybe I really did do something…. ???????” and honestly and insanely questioning myself AS IF I remotely did, KNOWING full well how she does this cycle over and over again! So, I did NOT respond to the message. I know she didn’t know it right away (or maybe she did bc I always respond quickly, it’s my mom, she’s kept me on a short leash, I know to be reliable but she doesn’t have to be) but I absolutely PANICKED. Except this time I was Half excited and half scared to death!
I don’t want to look down on myself anymore and I have never wanted to push her away and I have always allowed her in my life and I just can’t do it anymore, especially if I’m beginning to think “what if my life improved so tremendously just doing this for myself even if it seems difficult at first?”
So, that is my priority. I really wantto get off the klonopin as well, but I don’t think we should be cruel to ourselves. I also experience side effects from the klonopin such as frequent urination and bladder pain, shoulder/joint inflammation, restless limbs, etc that are not from anxiety but make me anxious bc of the health anxiety fears and how it mimics symptoms of something worse. I only just saw those side effects in the last couple hours after googling about it, even though I’ve been on the drug for 18 years, for the past few years I’ve been at my wits end why I have to drink so much damn water all the time. It’s like I MUST or else my bladder will feel painful and constantly wants to eliminate (like a spasm or muscle tightness). This symptom became first noticable when I went OFF the medication. I noticed I could no longer hold my pee as long as I used to and I often must pee 5-6 times before going to bed because I get OBSESSED with complete elimination or else I wont be able to relax and sleep if I think there’s any pressure on my bladder! It’s just insane and weird and ritualistic. But it’s definitely related to the medication. I read recently about it after being at my wit’s end regarding it, too, and saw how anxiety can also cause the need to constantly eliminate because it compared it to being like an animal in fight or flight and you must keep your bladder empty so you’re “always prepared” and it IS just like that. I cannot relax to go to sleep unless I know for sure I am completely drained out enough to go to sleep. The tiniest of dribbles I can FEEL in my bladder and it’s NOT an UTI or anything. It’s long term, it’s a sensitivity. So, I think it’s also a side effect of the medication, but also made worse by sleep anxiety and needing to “be ready” to sleep.
Anyway, I know this was very very long, but I would be interested to hear from other people WHERE they believe their initial anxiety comes from!! Rather than focusing on the anxiety and the medication and the withdrawals, it would be interesting to hear from a bunch of people on their backgrounds and how they deal with things emotionally, in relationships, etc and the thoughts they have. I really want us to take our power back, you guys. There is no shame in needing to take the medication, heck, we’ve done it for a long, long time, but what is it that would be TERRIBLE for us to approach and resolve once and for all? For me, it’s cutting my mom off. Bc I know deep down she’s a good person and I am a good person, but I just cant tolerate it any longer. I think it’s important for me to finally take some step in the right direction regarding that relationship and I also think it will help me in my relationship I’m in now. I get really sucked into their worlds, trying to fix their problems, and meanwhile get totally steamrolled and the life and goodness sucked out of me. I would compare it to how somebody things they can fix an addict. It is quite actually the same thing. I’ve just never connected the dots. ANd I would never want to leave an addict without help and assistance and positive feedback about making better choices, but when someone doesnt really want to make that change for themselves, I find they just start lying to me, as if I am asking them to be accountable to me, which I dont (because I dont like that and it doesnt show trust in somebody’s word), but my mom will often tell me “you’d be proud ,im doing better at this and that and the other” when in reality, she wants that to be true, but it’s just not, and worse, I didn’t even ask her to explain herself, but deep down she knows she’s not taking care of what she should, and so she volunteers how “good she’s doing” with whatever even when she’s not just to hedge me off before I ever ask any questions, when I wouldn’t do that, but it’s revealing what she is trying to hide. So it’s just dishonest all together and once it reaches that point, I’m literally not even useful to her at all bc she’s only lying to me (and to herself by lying to me). And I just have to give all this to God and stop trying to be a hero. This hero needs a’savin’.
Thanks for reading if anyone made it this far or found any of my keywords through google search.
BAD ADVICE FOR TAPERING. Taper no more than 5 to 10% every 2 to 4 weeks that is 5 to 10% of the current dose that you have taken let’s say you start at 5 mg you can drop 0.5 mg that leaves you at 4.5 you wouldn’t want to reduce anymore then 10% of 4.5 less would be more comfortable so on and so on.
I’m no doctor either, Julie, but 3 days is way, way, way, waaaaaaaaaay too fast and dangerous.
Hi, I’ve been perscribed Klonopin for 2 and a half years. 1mg, 2 times daily, but many days I take more than that. Rarely do I make it through a month without running out. I WANT SO BADLY TO BE OFF OF THIS STUFF. But the thought of losing t gives me anxiety. I’ve been doing just a .5mg a day for almost a week and I feel so irritable that it’s affecting my relationships. Is it possible to taper off within a month? I’m very low on my supply. I have insurance through the state and it’s very hard to find a therapist, I’m not sure what to do, I know your article says go slower on the tapering, I’m just running out of time to taper and cold turkey isn’t an option with benzodiazepines. It feels like I will not be able to live my normal life with my normal relationships after I quit. That has to be my anxiety talking but I just would love if you could help me taper so I felt “normal” enough to lead my life and take care of my child. Is there a way to get the GABA supplement at a lower price? Thank you in advance!
It feels as though my being/personality is defined by this medication, and that is what hurts the most.
I am trying to taper off 1mg 3xday klonopin that I have been taking for many years. After 2 days of decreasing to 1mg, 1mg, 0.5mg, I have palpitations all night and constant shakes.
I am very concerned about how this will affect me at work. Does it matter what dose is the decreased one?
Hi DD. Those symptoms you’re experiencing are due to tapering too fast. The key to greatly minimizing symptoms is to taper slowly. Sometimes very slowly. You were taking 3 mg a day so typically a doctor would have you first taper down to either 2.75 mg or 2.5 mg but likely not lower than that. It also depends on how long you’ve been on Klonopin. But slow tapers are the main key to preventing withdrawal symptoms. And like this article stated, supplements, nutrition, and exercise help as well, but one cannot taper too quickly because that’s hard on the body.
I am going to have to disagree with exercising as a way to reduce anxiety i have anxiety disorder and can literally feel the chemicals in the back of my head released into my body post workout its a terrible feeling.
if you suffer from panic and anxiety and you are tapering off benzos VERY light exercise might help but do not train unless you want your body to dramatically increase the amount of anxiety you feel for hours post workout.
i am still on benzos and had to start taking them after exercise to help with the chemical release and shakes and all around terrible fear afterwards.
Hi Ryan,
I can see why you would disagree. This is an awful side effect of exercise you’re getting. I’m so sorry to hear this. Typically, exercise works very well for anxiety, and it is proven to increase mood-boosting neurotransmitters that help with benzo tapering and benzo withdrawal.
I’ve never heard of anyone feeling more anxious from regular exercise but I completely agree that we are all different biochemically and so not everyone will respond the same to treatment approaches. Thanks for bringing this to my attention and I wish you the best on your journey. Take care.
Matt
Best advice for getting off 2x .5 pills s day?
Hi Tim, 30+ years on K-pin here. was .5 mg 2x a day for yrs then 3x a day got back down to 2x a day almost 2 yrs ago . literally 3 days ago i started 1/4 pill taper in the am and the whole .5 in pm so far. I started talk therapy again for some stress at home and have seen the psych for intake who wants me to take an antidepressant as well which i told him i have allergies to and bad reactions. They are in denial about us not wanting to be on something potentially dangerous that controls us and really takes our life away. So from my experience Tim, I have managed to do 1/4 pill cut maximum until i feel steady enough to try another cut no matter what the amount. For me it took about a year to go from 3mg to 2 mg again comfortably. I never even told my dr until after i did it successfully for fear of him cutting the dose if i wasn’t ready. I’m doing my best to share my experiences with you in hopes it helps you not feel like it can’t be done. I am a young 63 year old single mom of a 21 year old son and it’s time to get my life back. There is no such thing as 1 size fits all. No amount of taper is a failure no matter how small is how i see it. Even if you backslide, it’s ok, just try again the next day. Good nutrition, rest and hydration are key. Talk to people, get out of the house, do little things that make you feel good. I know you think you will go back to how you felt which drew you to take klonopin in the first place. I never thought that i could cut 3mg to 2 mg after all these years and function but I did it. If you feel that tapering 1/8 of a pill in the am feels more comfortable for you I can tell you I did that on part of my cut down journey from 3mg to 2mg so that i wouldn’t wind up increasing and defeating the purpose. I hope all this makes sense to you and anyone reading. Tell yourself you are strong and so worth feeling like yourself and you deserve it.
My faith in the mental health field is now zero. Legal drug pushers terrify me all the while trying to take what you say out of context by picking your brain the way a lawyer would in a courtroom to make a diagnosis to write a prescription, keep their job and make big money. I believe that most of us on here know a lot more about mental health and these drugs than they do. My brother once said , “It’s hazardous to your health to get sick in this country.” Just by you coming here and reaching out tells me you are going to succeed and be free again. I wish you the very best journey back. Regards, Barb in NY
Hi I’ve been on Clonazepama almost 4 weeks I stop taking it for 48 hours I got chest pain and shakes in my hands Havana weakness and the chest . I was on 1mg per day so now I decided to take half a day ? When can I completely stop ? Please help It’s destroying my life
Matt, Hi I left a comment on your taper off Oxycodone page & said I was down to my last 5mg tablet & had heard that it should be taken in two doses during the day but then I didn’t mention that I was also on Klonopin 3mg per day but had only been taking 1mg around 11 a.m. or 12p.m. Then I’d take the other 2mg at bed time so I could sleep better. The problem arose when I’d started tapering off the opiates & didn’t feel the physical need for the morning Klonopin suddenly or the morning Oxy so I cut out both the 5mg Oxy & the 1mg Klonopin in the morning & kept doing so with only a runny nose & a bit of running to the bathroom-the second part was only for 1 day. After doing this for about 6 days I hit the biggest wall of my life. First I’d gotten down to only 5mg of Oxy & kept trying to wait as long as possible to take it in the evening usually around 7:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m. with the 2 Klonopin & 1 Metoprolol Blood Pressure Med I take for Migraines-then this is where I think I really screwed up but I’ll let you tell me. As I’d mentioned I’d heard you should always take the opiate when tapering in 2 doses to minimize withdrawal so I cut my 5mg Oxycodone in 1/2 & took 1/2 at about noon & the other 1/2 at around 8p.m. along with the 2mg of Klonopin & 25mg of Metoprolol & this is where I started to have the major problem. I got a massive & I do mean Massive headache that night mainly due to not being able to sleep. The following day was so terrible I could hear my head pounding in my ears but took my old remedy of 4-5 extra strength Tylenol Rapid Release Capsules & a small amount of decongestant with my 1/2 Oxy but didn’t take the Klonopin again that morning & surprise surprise it didn’t work-not even a little bit so I waited & as I mentioned in my post on the Oxycodone taper page I took around 7mg of Morphine with 3 200mg Ibuprofen & a small amount like a tsp of decongestant cause the pain was going from my eye making it run to my forehead & down to my cheek bone & my upper jaw bone on the same side. I couldn’t stand it any longer or I felt like I’d have blown my head off to stop the pain…it didn’t work cause I needed to take more Morphine than I had by this time & the dose I took only made my nose run more so I took another 1/2 of a Morphine about 1 1/2 hrs later-(another 7.5mg). But because when I have a migraine I have to sock it to it all at the exact same time or it gets so out of hand that I wind up in the ER but I’m not planning on going during this flu epidemic. So again & this was this past Saturday night I was awake most all night due to the head ache or the combination. The following morning I still had the headache but it was a bit lessened. I talked to my friend who lives here too & asked that they perhaps could help me when I’m feeling this fidgety feeling by maybe talking with me or playing a game or taking a walk, watching a show on TV-anything to help but this persons whose been in my life for more than 35yrs just kept their back to me & didn’t hear anything I said cause I even asked if they heard me 3 times before I got a one word response “could”. This was about the 9th time I’d talked to them about this & told them what I was doing & why I needed their help as I’d helped them many times as in everyday. Finally by the evening my headache was so far in the background that I felt a bit better & went out to tell this person that I felt like it was gone…when again they just sat w/their back to me & said nothing in response & I asked if they heard me at least 4 times to no avail. Then I lost it. I completely totally lost it. I have no friends due to trauma I’ve been thru & my family except my Alzheimers riddled father all shun me. I am in a room the size of a solitary confinement cell all day everyday & I’d been trying to come out to be around my friend throughout the day over the last 2 wks only to see them watching the stock market on TV or reading the paper & completely ignoring me or reading a book doing the same or just leaving, not telling me & not returning for several hours only to tell me when they did come home to go put away their groceries by busting into my cell without a knock or anything. So after trying to tell them how their actions make me feel, I could feel the tension & heart rate building in my fresh off a migraine head. I wanted to feel like somebody cared but I don’t have any skills or much care for myself so it escalated & I punched a window I smashed everything I could that belonged to me I tried to put my head thru a window. I stabbed myself in the head with scissors, broke my pinky knuckle & bone in my hand which now hurts all the way down to my elbow & it swollen & black. I picked up furniture & threw it across the room in the dark I just didn’t care what broke or what happened, I wanted to get in my car & leave but it’s all snow & ice & freezing here near the Canadian Border & I have no money or anyone to turn to-so after screaming for several more hours by now it was after 9p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday & I’d planned to make stuff & watch the game with my “friend” but I felt like this rage & hatred towards everyone & everything & if I could have just exploded myself right then I would have spontaneously combusted but I went into my cell & took my 5mg Oxycodone & 2.5mg of Klonopin along with 3 Tylenol & the 25mg Metoprolol & slept until 9:24 a.m. that morning-Monday. Monday I didn’t take any meds until 7:15 p.m. when I took the 5mg Oxycodone & 2mg Klonopin plus 1/2 a mg & 25mg Metoprolol with a tsp of decongestant & some Tylenol & I fell asleep by 8:15p.m. & didn’t get up until 8:32 a.m. & for the first time in 20 yrs I remembered my dreams from that night where I saw old friends who talked to me like I used to know them before they either committed suicide or overdosed or both-many many many people-people who I love/loved & I’d fallen asleep thinking of each of them & seeing their faces as I cried so hard wishing I was just gone. So yesterday Tuesday I thought perhaps I shouldn’t be trying to get off both these meds at the same time although I was still extremely angry & behaving disgustingly I decided that I would just take 1/2 a mg of Klonapin during the afternoon & then I also had a bunch of soups I’ve made throughout the year in my freezer so I am making sure I eat some at lunch with extra fiber to solidify things & then again an hour after my meds to make them last longer & start working even as I’d noticed a long time ago that if I took my meds & didn’t eat they didn’t work as well as when I’d take them & wait an hour or close & then eat. Do you think you could tell me how to best do this? I am now taking 1/2 or .5mg of Klonopin at about 11:30 a.m. & then take the 5mg Oxycodone plus 2.5mg of Klonopin & 25mg of Metoprolol with a tsp of decongestant or it gives me severe restless leg it always has & either some Tylenol or Ibuprofen-I try to alternate them as I’ve had heart failure from being on such high doses of Opiates that I didn’t drink or eat for nearly too long & died on the table several years ago. I have tapered from 140mg of Oxycontin down to this 5mg of Oxycodone. I only weigh about 80lbs also. Though I used to be on numerous other meds as well that I’ve stopped over the past year-600 Gabapentin 4X’s a day, 25mg Hydroxyzine 4X’s a day, 25mg of Promethazine 4X’s a day plus 5mg of Valium at bed with the Klonapin & highest dose of lunesta at bed all along with the 140 mg of Oxycontin plus other meds like muscle relaxants & more crap than I can tell you. My eyes were swelling shut, my bowels weren’t functioning & I wake up in the dark vomiting & pooping just liquid & I’d never know when it was going to happen there were no warning signs. Plus my pain was worse than ever & I’d stopped getting out of bed or dressed or bathing even. I wanted my life back but I wanted to be able to do it myself as I went to a pain clinic & the guy threatened me with taking my Klonopin & dropping me by 1mg every 3 days so I’d be off it in a bit over a week-this terrified me as I’d had a psychotic break in the 90’s when a doctor put me on 10 1mg lorazepam a day & then one day told me he wasn’t filling it any more & so I just stopped taking it. After 3 days without sleep I started hallucinating & I hallucinated for well over a week that people were in the trees shooting at us & trying to kill my son & when my friend finally decided to take me to a hospital I saw the house explode as we drove away, I looked at my friend & he suddenly was one of the shooters so I tried to jump out of the car, I saw a nurse getting raped in the yard where we’d parked to go into the ER by one of the shooters from my house. They didn’t believe me about the Lorazepam dosage & made me talk to a crisis worker who shipped me off 3hrs south because every hospital refused to take me all they said was that I would destroy their facility but I wasn’t acting violent I was scared & just needed someone to tell me it wasn’t real. But for the next several days I was in a glass room where they said in the notes I was literally trying to climb the walls. I don’t really know how long I was like that but I remember the 1st day they let me go into the day room & my hands were shaking so bad I couldn’t feed myself. I was put on heavy psych meds & wound up abandoned there for over a month with no-one. My “friend” kept my son but wouldn’t let me come back & I had no $’s & no one to call I cried until my eyes swelled shut-I don’t want that to happen again. Please tell me what you think I should do now-I don’t trust to talk to my doctor other than he knows I’m taking myself off these meds & have been successful thus far. Please read my post on Pink’s comment on How To Taper Off Oxycodone or Opiates. Thanks BonBon