reducing clonopin

[Dunkelheinburger]

Hallo there

I've been on 1mg of clonopin about 6 weeks along with other meds and doing OK
is it safe to knock say 0.25mg off?I don't intend to come off completely yet. Psych has left it up to me

[diamondgeezer65]

Hi,
I'm on the same dose trying to get off 1mg of klonopin. I've been on it a lot longer though since jan 2017. I started reducing by a quarter of a tablet at a time with only minor issues. It wasn't till I got down to 0.25mg that I experienced bad withdrawals. Everybody's different though but you have only been on it for six weeks so you should be ok.

[ana]

Reduce by quarter of a tablet at a time. I'd lower the dose once a month. The withdrawal symptoms can be really unpleasant, but push through them because the sense of accomplishment for coming off Clonazepam is worth the effort. :)

[Dunkelheinburger]

Thanks

Quarter tab at a time it will be

[Ethansmom]

Hi,
I too am trying to reduce the clonazepam dosage. I take 2MG a day in a addition to Lexepro. Yesterday I cut one of the tablets by a quarter and felt okay. I'm going to do this for a month and gradually take my time tapering off.

[ana]

Slow and steady wins the race, as they say. :)
Don't be discouraged by bad days, just ride it out till you've withdrawn completely. The sense of accomplishment is worth it, trust me.

[pulisa]

Hi,
I too am trying to reduce the clonazepam dosage. I take 2MG a day in a addition to Lexepro. Yesterday I cut one of the tablets by a quarter and felt okay. I'm going to do this for a month and gradually take my time tapering off.

I'm really pleased to hear this, Ethansmom.

[Ethansmom]

I felt anxious just reducing the dosage yesterday and the day before. I'm guessing a lot of this is in my mind? The clonazepam is just a band aid for me, just like the propanopolol was. It's the fear of panic that takes over. I read somewhere that you have to ride through the anxiety symptoms to get to the other side. I see my doctor Thursday and will let you know what she says. I'm so depressed :( I needed the clonazepam when I was going through my worst and it really helped, but it doesn't change your thinking. It just helps with the physical symptoms. I will try to keep at it--- CBT.

[pulisa]

It IS a band aid and taking it on a regular basis will give you more problems than you bargain for. You know what is really the problem here and you are very honest to acknowledge it. You deserve to get better and you will. Physical symptoms cannot harm you but they can scare you rigid. Recognising this and floating through them gives them less power and less control over your every thought. It's not a quick process and far from easy but whatever you can do to lessen the fear will work in your favour. You can do it!

[Ethansmom]

I'm trying pulisa, I really am!!!! I need to believe that the physical symptoms can't hurt me. I need to believe it 100%. Just as Claire weeks says in her book.

[pulisa]

Yes you do and once you do things will start to get easier and you won't be searching for the perfect med to help your anxiety..because you will be doing the work yourself. It will be so liberating xx

[Mermaid16]

I'm going to start mid Nov. I'm really not looking forward to it. I'm on 4mg. I have done a lot of research and am going to drop slowly. I only increased to 4mg a month ago and hoping that the drop back down isn't to hard. I'm going to reduce by 5% to startbwith and change it if I need to. I havevread that doing a slow taper allows yOur CNS to adjudt to the change. Hopefully it isn't to painfull.

[pulisa]

I'm sure it won't be easy, Mermaid, but it's a good decision to make. With the right support from your doctor you will be in control and can take things slowly but steadily.

[Mermaid16]

Thanks Pulisa. I guess it's one of those things where you don't really understand the dangers of Benzos until you go down that road. It wasn't until I really started researching about withdrawal that I realised just how dangerous they can be. In saying that, I've got a family to look after and if given my time again I would have made the same decision or I probably wouldn't be here right now. I am now in a better headspace to come off them, or at least give it my best shot. I didn't just take the easy option by starting them, they weren't given for insomnia, they were given because at that time in my life there was no other option. Well there probably was, I could have gone down that road, but at least I'm here with my family and functioning and that will always come before anything else.

[pulisa]

Of course I understand that and I've also been in that position. Your psych should be aware of the dangers of long term benzo use so it's good that you have her on board in this.