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Withdrawing from clonazepam/Klonopin

Messages
5
In a nutshell: this drug causes more harm than good.

2 mg a day.

Any protocol/method to withdraw from this drug other than tapering the drug itself or stopping cold turkey ?

I know there is a dr Cheney that advocates tapering with Tranxene and Doxepin elixir, but that single line was all I found !

And there is the famous Ashton protocol, but I don't tolerate diazepam/valium well at all.
 

helen1

Senior Member
Messages
1,033
Location
Canada
This guy has his programs for rx drug withdrawal on his website for free and I find the programs very comprehensive. I'm using the one to taper off trazadone.

He also sells supplements but at least his programs are free and based on sound knowledge imo.

http://www.theroadback.org/
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
There's no shortcut to it, you must taper off very slowly.
If you don't tolerate diazepam well then just stick to clonazepam, i believe that clonazepam has some advantages to diazepam in CFS/ME/SEID anyway.
To taper from clonazepam you can do the liquid titration method with water or milk. Reduction of max of 10% every 1 to 2 weeks.
Another water titration method is daily reductions.
If you are using 2mg (2000mcg) per day then a daily reduction of 10mcg (0.002mg) would be ok to start with, some need to go even slower like 5mcg or 2.5mcg daily reductions.
 

Misfit Toy

Senior Member
Messages
4,178
Location
USA
I've been on klonopin for 25 years. 1 mg. is it that bad? Going off of it is so hard, I hear.
 

joyce.swing

elmtree
Messages
19
Location
Oakland, CA
@Barx
I was taking 1 mg at night and some more during the day. Most days less than 2 mg. I withdrew very slowly, and not on a schedule as above. I found that I could cut down fairly quickly initially, and then began to have withdrawal symptoms and had to go very very slowly. I was on clonazepam for 13+ years. Sometimes I would continue at the same dosage for a couple months before reducing further. I eventually did get off completely. Even after I was off it I had some symptoms. I found, quite by accident that taking Zolpidem seemed to completely block the withdrawal symptoms. I do not know why - they have different mechanisms of action. I certainly would not advice use Zolpidem on a daily basis though - It is probably equally bad for the brain as clonazepam.

I decided to get off clonazpam b/c of the mounting evidence of it having adverse effects on the brain. And I do not know of any research to support Cheney's theory. so I did decide that I wanted to opt for keeping my brain functioning as well as possible.
Good luck
Joyce
 
Messages
5
Thanks. I didn't expect to find a real solution.

If only there was a good 'non-benzo' to get off it.
 
Messages
5
Thanks, anxiety wasn't the issue.

Muscle relaxant and for neuropathic pain, but that's mostly not an issue anymore.

I've noticed a line on this forum (paraphrasing) 'the protocol for withdrawing from Klonopin is by switching to Tranxene and Doxepin elixir, then tapering the Tranxene' by a Dr Cheney
Not much else !
Does anyone have more information, or experience with this (secret?) protocol ?