Posted by2 years ago
Archived
In terms of seizure risk how fast can one taper? I've read 2 extremes. The Ashton Manual which calls for pretty slow taper schedule which can take 30-60 weeks(but it also says some can go faster or slower). Then I've seen another taper schedule that has a starting point of 6mg xanax a day and says drop 1.5mg every two weeks.
I've been prescribed alprazolam daily for 4-5 years at different levels that went up and down. It was never more than 2mg until just short of a year ago and now has been 3mg a day and some days 3.25 and tops of 3.5 but on average 3mg a day.
How to use the Water Titration Taper Schedule.xls Directions The Water Titration Taper Schedule spreadsheet has 10 pages to accommodate various length taper schedules. To begin, please become familiar with the following areas on the spreadsheet. Automatically gives you the potency of your drug compared to Valium per the Ashton manual. Valium is a much milder version of Clonazepam, but equally addictive. Fact, not opinion. I was on Clonazepam for 8 years and did a crossover to Valium and then spent almost 18 months doing a very slow micro-taper from the Valium. The general rule is to taper 5% per 3-4 week window.
Well a little over a month ago I decided it was time to start tapering and try to get off these things or at minimum reduce my dose quite a bit. In the past when I've tapered I would do .25 mg reduction every week and the first 4-5 days were hell(okay, maybe not hell but pretty uncomfortable). This time I decided to make a bigger drop each step and go 10-14 days between reductions. To my surprise I started off reducing around .66mg(which put me at 2.33mg a day) a day and the first 4-5 days were hell as usual but not any worse than dropping .25 a day which I found odd. I stuck with that for 2 weeks and then dropped to 2 mg a day and the withdrawals from .33mg reduction were pretty much as bad as the .66mg a day reduction. I stuck with 2mg a day for around 8-9 days and then dropped to 1.5mg a day and I'm on day 7 of that and after day 4 I haven't felt too bad.
So it's been about 46 days since I started tapering and I've reduced my dose by half or just slightly more than half. Physically I don't feel bad I just don't want to go too fast and risk a seizure. I will probably wait until day 14 on 1.5mg and then drop to 1 or 1.33mg a day. I would just go straight to 1 a day but don't want to risk a seizure.
Ashton Taper Method
Long post, I know, but hopefully this will inspire some of you that need reassurance that it is possible to get off benzos.
Ashton Valium Taper
30 comments
Ashton Manual Benzo Taper Schedule
That taper is too fast and the reductions are too big, way too aggressive! Slow and steady wins the race! Your other taper schedule that you modified from the Ashton manual is a much better taper plan! I'm looking for help in setting up a tapering schedule for 4mg diazepam daily. I've been taking 2mg., in morning and 2mg., mid afternoon for approx., 10 years for Meniere's disease. I've been looking at Ashton Manual but just can't seem to figure out a taper schedule.