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where_to_begin
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Member Since Jun 2015
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Default May 23, 2018 at 08:59 PM
 
An update, after being on the Klonopin for over two years , I started having anxiety and panic attacks again. Rather than upping the dose of Klonopin, I went with the Dr. Heather Ashton program of substituting a larger amount of a longer acting benzo--in my case valium--and gradually tapering it. Dr Ashton was a professor Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology at the University of Newcastle.

I must stress above all I did not do this before discussing it with my PsyDoc and getting his approval.

Dr. Ashton developed the reduction chart for people trying to come off Benzos including Xanax, Klonopin and Valium. She has people gradually switch from the faster acting shorter lasting Benzo that they are taking while gradually substituting an equivalent dose of valium, which is typically 20 times the dose of Klonopin and Xanax due to differences in strength and its ability to sedate enough to minimize withdrawl. Valium is much longer acting than the other two and takes longer to wear off. But since it doesn’t kick in as fast, it is not a first line drug to treat panic attacks.

Once you have completely substituted the Valium for the faster acting benzo that you were taking, you gradually reduce the valium. Since the valium is longer acting, it is easier to gradually reduce the dose of Valium than it is to reduce the doses of shorter acting Benzos.

Here is a link to her manual and schedule: https://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htm
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