Having to withdraw from Klonopin, direct taper-diazepam or ??

[Brac]

This is not a real case of substance abuse since I took the drug as prescribed, but I cannot find a better place so I am posting this question here.

I have been on the drug for about 10 years, for over 5 years at 2 mg a day, taken in the evening.
Prescribed as a muscle relaxant and for neuropathic pain but that is no longer an issue. Dependency is.

This drug always had some unusual properties and paradoxical or troublesome side effects, but I could tolerate them easily. No longer.
The past few years my health (physical, and as a consequence ´mental´ too) has declined seriously and it´d incredibly hard to either tolerate or taper the drug. I simply took it too long.

Typically, this drug is either tapered directly or one switches to diazepam. I did try diazepam, and for me it is a completely different drug. Short acting too. (´ half life´ vs ´duration of action´)
Diazepam was hard to tolerate, and I know it will take forever to get it out of the body if I would start a taper.

Doctors have been no help, on the contrary. In my experience they generally don´t have a clue. This drug is not commonly prescribed here.

What are my options, really ?
One the one hand there is the ´taper the drug directly´ school and on the other hand there is the ´Ashton cult´, to put it not so subtly.
I have read the Ashton manual, the promotional material. But the fact is that the ´duration of action´ of diazepam is shorter than clonazepam/Klonopin. The half life of both drugs is long.
The ´clonazepam vs. diazepam´ section of the Ashton manual is mostly nonsense. She did not taper people off clonazepam in her clinic. For me, all benzodiazepines are NOT the same.

Typically, people either taper the drug directly or they switch to diazepam. But what if both are problematic ?
I believe that my problems are partly due to some of clonazepam´s unusual properties (e.g. binding to receptors, serotonin). It´s also the case that I cannot split the dose in an afternoon dose and an evening dose.

I have no theoretical framework beyond the ´Ashton method´. Which is at least partly incorect.

Suggestions, advice ? At one point I considered a ´C-T´ with carbamazepine, but at this point that might just make things worse.

[Brac]

Well, at this point I don't believe a regular, direct taper would work.
I have plenty of experience at this point. Too much.

I don't really know how to explain my issues with this drug well. I haven't been 'fine' for a long time. Very poor physical shape. Body functioning poorly. And this is a very physical drug. If I were in excellent health I wouldn't be having these issues.
A very messy drug. Neurologically, endocrinologically (if that's a word)

I think I require either a taper with a different drug, or some add-on (I have considered antidepressants and antipsychotics to deal with clonazepam's sertonergic properties, but I can't think of a way that would not introduce other issues) This is a very not-benzo type benzo ...

If I were to take a different benzo for a taper, it would definitely help if it had a long duration of action. Not long half life, but duration of action.
Diazepam has a short to medium duration of action, a very long half life and it accumulates in tissues dramatically.
Are there any non-diazepam like drugs (not Librium, prazepam etc) that could be used ?

Any suggestions ?
I have that 'Ashton resource', which amounts to pretty much nothing since it's just not correct regarding Klonopin vs. Valium for the most part.
I'm taking a single dose of clonazepam a day, not multiple doses a day so her crossover schedules do not apply.
Her experiences 'a benzo is a benzo' are not mine.
I can't taper just by 'symptoms', since I've been having 'symptoms' for quite some time. If I were to try diazepam again, I don't really have a framework/point of reference.

So, back to my 'other benzo to taper', 'add on drug(s)', something else ?

[clean_in_ks]

If I have my math head on straight....there are 4 (0.5 mg) doses in what she's currently dosing (2 mg).  Definitely, cutting by half would be crazy!  But I'm not sure there is only one way to taper benzos either.

I didn't realize you could take anything lower without shaving a 0.5 tab or using a water dosing reduction.  As Gnarly said, no method will be w/o discomfort and w/drawals....but hopefully she'll find a way that works for her~  

[vicki595]

I would never suggest cutting a dose in half and calling it a taper. With benzos, tapering by TENTHS is the only way it should be done.  Perhaps consulting a compounding pharmacy would help.

Are you searching for another way to accomplish this? Other than tapering or switching to Valium?  With your sensitivity, I'm not sure there's another way other than tapering with the Klonopin, very slowly.  You might try consulting a doctor in the US also.

[clean_in_ks]

Is it not possible to get your script in the 0.5 mg strength as Vicki suggested and continue taking your dose only at night as you always do but tapering the 2 mg by 0.5 mg?

If another benzo doesn't work for you, and you truly want to get off this one....weaning SLOWLY by 0.5 mg seems like the only way to go, imo.

[gnarly_1]

Hi  well I tapered off clonipin a few years back  and it is not a ez detox you MUST GO SLOW  I agee with Vicki see if you can get the .05s and take a little less each month it took me around 5mo to get offf 4mg  im bipolar and my doctor did not want me to go into a manic eppasode just know there is no compleatly comfortable way to do this you wile feel each drop and get anxiety insomnia and just a crummy feeling of withdrawal  I to was on it for years and to day im greatful to be off of it and it is so so worth all the agony to get off it  we do have a member here mymayberry that will see this and post  she is a wealth of information  my adivis is keep posting for support  and we will be here  you can do this but it takes resolve and perseverance .....Gnarly

[Brac]

Well, a classic example would be: taking it twice a day would make the daytime dose sedating, the evening dose more stimulating.
At best, there would be issues with sleep.

This drug has a very complicated effect. I can't just take half the dose and get 'half the effect'. I think someone described it as 'it doesn't scale well'.

It's not a neutral drug. Perhaps a correct phrase (someone else's suggestion) is that it is 'physically destabilizing', perhaps to a lesser extent mentally as well. Especially when tapering