Diazapine vs Clonezepam for tapering?

[Endure]

Hi, 

The relative I’m caring for is currently on 3.5 MG Xanax (3 MG are extended release and .5 is regular Xanax)

Ashton Manual calls for cross over to Valium before tapering, but the current psychiatrist is pushing to use Clonezepam instead. 
Anyone have any information about which one would be easiest to taper from? We are planning long slow taper

Thankd

 

 

[WebDevElijah]

@Endure Just from my experience, I am currently tapering off of Valium, which is so much easier since it comes in lower doses and the half life is really long.  
 

Both diazepam (Valium) and clonazepam (Klonopin) can work for a taper, but they have some differences that might make one a better choice depending on your situation.

 

Valium is often preferred because it has a very long half-life, which makes for a smoother taper with fewer withdrawal symptoms between doses. It also comes in smaller doses (like 2 mg), which makes it easier to do gradual reductions. That’s why it’s the go-to option in the Ashton Manual.

 

Clonazepam is also an option since it has a relatively long half-life compared to Xanax, so it helps reduce the intense ups and downs. However, it doesn’t have as many low-dose options, so precise reductions can be trickier unless you use a liquid formulation. Some people also report that tapering clonazepam can be a bit rougher than Valium.

 

If the psychiatrist is more comfortable with clonazepam, it might be worth asking if they’d still support a long, slow taper and explore how they’d handle the dose adjustments. In the end, the success of the taper will come down to how gradual and individualized the process is.

[Endure]

15 minutes ago, cyberelijah said:

@Endure Just from my experience, I am currently tapering off of Valium, which is so much easier since it comes in lower doses and the half life is really long.  
 

Both diazepam (Valium) and clonazepam (Klonopin) can work for a taper, but they have some differences that might make one a better choice depending on your situation.

 

Valium is often preferred because it has a very long half-life, which makes for a smoother taper with fewer withdrawal symptoms between doses. It also comes in smaller doses (like 2 mg), which makes it easier to do gradual reductions. That’s why it’s the go-to option in the Ashton Manual.

 

Clonazepam is also an option since it has a relatively long half-life compared to Xanax, so it helps reduce the intense ups and downs. However, it doesn’t have as many low-dose options, so precise reductions can be trickier unless you use a liquid formulation. Some people also report that tapering clonazepam can be a bit rougher than Valium.

 

If the psychiatrist is more comfortable with clonazepam, it might be worth asking if they’d still support a long, slow taper and explore how they’d handle the dose adjustments. In the end, the success of the taper will come down to how gradual and individualized the process is.

Thanks Cyberelijia, 

Thanks for your response! 

I’ve heard MDs in the US prefer Clonezepam but don’t know if that’s true. Are you in the US? I read your history, that’s a nice long taper, how are you doing symptoms wise? 
 

[WebDevElijah]

@Endure yes I’m in the Pacific Northwest. I haven’t had really bad symptoms because I’m doing a very slow liquid micro tapper. I’m still fully functional working a full-time job and travel.

 

Many doctors prefer Klonopin but I hate it because it’s 20 times stronger than Valium and doesn’t come in small enough doses to taper.  
 

In the end, this is all a personal decision but I will personally never touch Klonopin again.  

 

[Endure]

That’s fantastic! We’re definitely going to persuade the MD to go with Valium. 
depending on where I look 1MG Xanax is equal to 10 Mg Valium, so we would be starting at about 35 mgs valium just like you. Did you find that overly sedating? That’s the only negative thing I’ve heard about Valium. (That and depression). Did you run into any of those problems! 

[Endure]

@cyberelijah, 

Sorry I didnt @ you in the above post. Just one more question, do you make up your own “potion” for the liquid taper or do you get it ready made at a compound pharmacy? 
Thanks for your patience! 

[WebDevElijah]

@Endure I made this:  

 

 

How To Liquid Micro-Taper off Benzos

https://youtu.be/r_BUJNW8sxU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WebDevElijah]

@Endure it’s not overly sedating your body will adjust to it.  It’s half life is so long that you could just take it at night time if you wanted to. Just my opinion. If not, you could start a couple times a day.

[Endure]

4 minutes ago, WebDevElijah said:

@Endure it’s not overly sedating your body will adjust to it.  It’s half life is so long that you could just take it at night time if you wanted to. Just my opinion. If not, you could start a couple times a day.

@WebDevElijah Thank you! 

Edited January 6 by Endure

[Endure]

37 minutes ago, Endure said:

@WebDevElijah Thank you! 

Oh, one more question. (Just watched your video, very good). What was your taper schedule like? Did you start out with bigger reductions at the beginning and then make smaller ones towards the end or has it been the same throughout? We plan on doing a liquid microtaper too but don’t know if we have to start that yet as we have such a long way to go! However, we want to have a smooth taper like yours! Able to work and live life! 
Thank you! 

[WebDevElijah]

@Endure Thank you.  Yes when I started I was able to make larger cuts and get down fairly quickly to 15mg.  Once I got to 15mg, I started a very slow liquid micro-taper.  When I was around 35mg, I would cut 0.5mg about every 2 weeks and and waited to see how I felt before continuing.  It has been pretty uneventful and with  some mild  waves here and there but nothing crazy. I am going slow enough so my body has time to adjust and it works. I have learned that you can't go by a schedule, but you have to go by your symptoms.  If I feel any major symptoms  coming on, I hold my taper until I level out and then continue. I have been fully functional, traveling, working full time and raising my family...so yes, a slow taper is the way to go.

[Endure]

14 minutes ago, WebDevElijah said:

@Endure Thank you.  Yes when I started I was able to make larger cuts and get down fairly quickly to 15mg.  Once I got to 15mg, I started a very slow liquid micro-taper.  When I was around 35mg, I would cut 0.5mg about every 2 weeks and and waited to see how I felt before continuing.  It has been pretty uneventful and with  some mild  waves here and there but nothing crazy. I am going slow enough so my body has time to adjust and it works. I have learned that you can't go by a schedule, but you have to go by your symptoms.  If I feel any major symptoms  coming on, I hold my taper until I level out and then continue. I have been fully functional, traveling, working full time and raising my family...so yes, a slow taper is the way to go.

That’s fantastic! Thanks for giving me hope! 

[Endure]

On 1/5/2025 at 8:20 PM, WebDevElijah said:

@Endure Thank you.  Yes when I started I was able to make larger cuts and get down fairly quickly to 15mg.  Once I got to 15mg, I started a very slow liquid micro-taper.  When I was around 35mg, I would cut 0.5mg about every 2 weeks and and waited to see how I felt before continuing.  It has been pretty uneventful and with  some mild  waves here and there but nothing crazy. I am going slow enough so my body has time to adjust and it works. I have learned that you can't go by a schedule, but you have to go by your symptoms.  If I feel any major symptoms  coming on, I hold my taper until I level out and then continue. I have been fully functional, traveling, working full time and raising my family...so yes, a slow taper is the way to go.

Haha, I keep sayin “just one more question “. Sorry. I’m still trying to learn how the liquid microtaper works. If you are cutting .5 mg Valium every two weeks, are you splitting that cut up so that you are reducing a little bit of it everyday? How do you figure that out? (Im bad at Math even when im not on Benzos)! 
Thank you, 

Cheryl