12 hours ago, Chippy said:

Pleasure, not that I did much. You don’t need my help, youre a sharp as a button! 🤣🤣🤣

Don’t sell yourself short. Reassurance is a GREAT help!

I found a link to a topic in Benzo Buddies about the stability of clonazepam in OraPlus. I can’t get all the details so I’ll talk to them over there. I’ll let you know what I find.

The link: https://benzobuddies.org/topic/242644-stability-of-clonazepam-in-oraplus/?_fromLogin=1

2 minutes ago, Golden said:

Reassurance is a GREAT help!

Good!

2 minutes ago, Golden said:

I’ll let you know what I find.

Be great, thanks 😀

@Chippy I sent you a link to our discussion.

😊

1 minute ago, Golden said:

@Chippy I sent you a link to our discussion.

😊

Thanks! I’ll take a look in the morning!👍

@Golden thanks for the response. Yes I’m tapering Escitalopram and almost at 1mg. Soon I’m going to hold for a long time and taper Amitriptyline from 20 to 10mg due to side effects. So I’m going to increase the number of steps in my “home chemistry“ regimen. It’ll be part tablet and part liquid. Scares the shit out of me🤪!!

17 hours ago, Catbird said:

Yes I’m tapering Escitalopram and almost at 1mg

Congratulations! This is great. At some point I may need to hold my Bupropion taper for a while and taper Escitalopram. But I’m not there yet. 🫤

17 hours ago, Catbird said:

I’m going to increase the number of steps in my “home chemistry“ regimen

Yes! That’s what we have to do. I’m now mixing 3 liquids…not really by choice but by necessity. Trying to balance blood pressure & anxiety without sedation is tricky and I’m not there yet. 🙏

17 hours ago, Catbird said:

It’ll be part tablet and part liquid. Scares the shit out of me🤪!!

I understand the feeling. I’m crossing over from cutting tablets of clonazepam to liquid for consistent doses. I haven’t had any problems with clonazepam in the past. I’ve just cut smaller pieces as I didn’t need as much for anxiety. I guess I have been unconsciously tapering it for years. Now that I know what some people go through, it’s scary. I will just try to take one step at a time and focus on healing over fear of “what if.”

Best wishes!

🕊️💞🙏

Thank you @Golden 🧡

Hi @Go2zero ! I need your help if you have time. I’ve made many changes 🥺 since we last talked. After switching from Metoprolol to Atenolol, I decreased Bupropion 1 mg. Since then I have had a lot of sedation. Here is a summary by date:

Atenolol …March 3, 2026: 4 ml (switched from Metoprolol)

Atenolol…March 26, 2026: 3 ml

Bupropion…April 8, 2026: 53 mg (1 mg decrease)

Atenolol…April 18, 2026 2 ml (decreasing due to excessive sedation & BP is well controlled…running on the low side)

Clonazepam…April 18, 2026 crossover to liquid (trying to get consistent doses) pm dose 9 ml = 0.028125 mg, nightly.

Clonazepam…April 25, 2026.crossover to liquid am dose 14 ml = 0.04375 mg morning

Clonazepam…April 26, 2026 13 ml = 0.040625 mg morning (decreasing)

I know! Too many changes! 🥺 And I still feel drugged! My systolic blood pressure is often running in the 110s. I’m dizzy/lightheaded and have brain fog.

I would think it was WD from so many changes except for the low blood pressure.

I don’t think I have high blood pressure any more. I’m also not experiencing anxiety like I used to.

Since you are ahead of me in this journey and have done extensive research, do you have any suggestions for me? Should I stop Atenolol? Decrease to 1 ml/mg for a week and then maybe stop?

I hesitate to add another “horse to this merry-go-round” but I’m near the dose of Bupropion that you were when you had to switch to tapering Lexapro. I saw to sites recently that said Lexapro/Escitalopram is sedative. I wonder if that is why doctors (way back when) added Bupropion. 🤷‍♀️

I’m Poly drugged, trying to be careful, and don’t know what to do.

14 hours ago, Golden said:

I wonder if that is why doctors (way back when) added Bupropion. 🤷‍♀️

FWIW I was put on Bupropion because the Effexor knocked me out in the afternoons and I needed a nap. I recall being told it would give me some extra energy getting out of bed in the morning. I guess it did, but I got a whole lot more as well 😌 😆

Hi @Golden ,

I will keep the answer short for now. I need to go in a few minutes, am too busy atm and I do not feel te well myself. As of Thursday I hope to have more time to get in detail (if needed).

Yes, I think you may have done too many changes. This needs time to settle.

Yes Escitalopram can be very sedative. Especially at such a (extreme) high dosage of 20mg. At 10 mg it is already a very powerful drug and much too high dosed at 10mg for most people. Going even higher than 10 mg does not have much effect on SERT (blockage of serotonin receptors). Most are already blocked with 10mg. But side effects often do increase with dosage (so also the sedation).

What I experienced (this is not so for everybody, but I have seen it often), is that under 60 mg it may become much more difficult to taper Wellbutrin/bupropion. Tapering 1 mg became nearly impossible for me when I came under 55-60 mg. At the moment I can not taper more than 0,1-0,2 mg , which takes me in a wave pattern that lasts 2-3 months...

I cannot say what would work or not work for you. I can share my experience with Altenolol. I SLOWLY worked the dose up from 1 to 10 mg. That seems to be the sweet spot for me. Most symptoms are 80-90% less in strength and therefore so much better to handle. The period of recovery after each taper does not seem to get shorter. So the length of the waves seem the same, but the depth of the wave is decreased extremely.

Edited April 28Apr 28 by Go2zero

Thank you so much @Go2zero for your response! I truly appreciate you sharing your experiences with me. You have been very helpful and supportive on this crazy journey.

53 minutes ago, Go2zero said:

Yes Escitalopram can be very sedative. Especially at such a (extreme) high dosage of 20mg. At 10 mg it is already a very powerful drug and much too high dosed at 10mg for most people. Going even higher than 10 mg does not have much effect on SERT (blockage of serotonin receptors). Most are already blocked with 10mg. But side effects often do increase with dosage (so also the sedation).

I read this also. But as you said:

58 minutes ago, Go2zero said:

Yes, I think you may have done too many changes. This needs time to settle.

I agree.

This morning, I realized that clonazepam is causing my problems at the moment. My morning dose is too high. It is somewhat better after decreasing to 0.040625 mg (just 2 days ago) but still too sedative. I feel better after it wears off some in the afternoon. I haven’t had any problems with cutting smaller pieces of my original 0.5 mg clonazepam pill in the past. I don’t really feel like I am in WD now, except for occasional spikes of irritability. The fog and head pressure that I had previously has cleared for now. I should probably hold here. Then wait and see.

1 hour ago, Go2zero said:

I cannot say what would work or not work for you. I can share my experience with Altenolol. I SLOWLY worked the dose up from 1 to 10 mg.

Since I was already on a beta blocker and trying to lower my dose, I started at 4 mg and very slowly decreased to 2 mg. I think my blood pressure is well controlled for now except for the effect from the clonazepam. 🤷‍♀️ My blood pressure goes down after my morning dose of Clonazepam.

I think I’m beginning to get a clearer picture of what’s happening. It can be so confusing. My brain seems to be working better this morning than it has in the last week. As I write this, I think just holding is the right thing to do. Of course, holding is always a good thing when uncertain. 🤦‍♀️😊

52 minutes ago, Go2zero said:

Most symptoms are 80-90% less in strength and therefore so much better to handle. The period of recovery after each taper does not seem to get shorter. So the length of the waves seem the same, but the depth of the wave is decreased extremely.

I’m glad the depth of your waves have decreased. You are in my prayers.

Thank you again for your support! Even though you are busy and not feeling great yourself, you continue to be a blessing.

🕊️💞🙏

6 hours ago, j1290 said:

FWIW I was put on Bupropion because the Effexor knocked me out in the afternoons and I needed a nap. I recall being told it would give me some extra energy getting out of bed in the morning. I guess it did, but I got a whole lot more as well 😌 😆

Thank you @j1290 for sharing your experience. When we realize how little most doctors understand about ADs now, it isn’t surprising what they did to us in the past. I think they did the best they knew how at the time, they just didn’t/don’t understand how all these drugs work and the harm they can cause.

Although my current doctor doesn’t understand, he and his wonderful PA (that left last year) quit shifting things around…for the most part… and got me stabilized in 2019. 19 years after my hysterectomy that started all this mess. (“for the most part” … except for the up and down of Bupropion for winter depression for 3 years until I learned better. 😜🤣)

My current doctor listens, trust me that I am not doing something crazy, and is willing to help me with prescriptions to taper. That in itself is a blessing.

I’m so thankful that I found SA and the very helpful people there before I started this journey! I continue to be thankful for the support offered here and at BB. And to you, my friend, for continuing to support me in this journey.

🕊️💞🙏

On 4/28/2026 at 10:01 AM, Golden said:

I realized that clonazepam is causing my problems at the moment. My morning dose is too high. It is somewhat better after decreasing to 0.040625 mg (just 2 days ago) but still too sedative. I feel better after it wears off some in the afternoon. I haven’t had any problems with cutting smaller pieces of my original 0.5 mg clonazepam pill in the past

@Go2zero update:

My morning dose of Clonazepam is still too high. I feel like I must take it down another notch. I’m so…drugged…(I don’t know any other way to describe it) after taking it in the morning until it wears off enough that I can function. I really don’t like feeling this way!

I think I should get this resolved before I do anything else. One step at a time, keeping everything else the same, and then letting everything stabilize before moving forward.

My current plan after stabilizing from decreasing clonazepam: would then be to try tapering one mg of Bupropion again to see if I can. (Does that sentence make sense? Clonazepam is still making my brain slow this morning.)

One step at a time: reduce Clonazepam, stabilize, reduce Bupropion, stabilize …

Does this seem reasonable to you?

I’m trying to check with benzo buddies about reducing clonazepam.

7 hours ago, Golden said:

Does this seem reasonable to you?

Hi @Golden ,

Before answering in detail I need to know why you are taking such a high dosage of escitalopram. 20 mg is extremely high...

Furthermore, you have reached a dosage level with bupropion where tapering may become more difficult. Wouldn't it make sense to first lower other drugs like clonazepam and escitalopram that are both sedating? Or do you have good reasons to stay on escitalopram?

1 hour ago, Go2zero said:

Before answering in detail I need to know why you are taking such a high dosage of escitalopram. 20 mg is extremely high...

Years ago (prior to my current doctor since 2019) doctors made adjustments to both my HRT and antidepressants often. I think I spent most of the 19 years (from my hysterectomy until my current doctor) in an unstable state. My current doctor and his previous PA stabilized both my HRT and antidepressants and then left them alone. They didn’t change the dose of escitalopram that I was taking when I came to them.

Honestly, I didn’t know it was such a high dose until recently. 🤷‍♀️

1 hour ago, Go2zero said:

Furthermore, you have reached a dosage level with bupropion where tapering may become more difficult. Wouldn't it make sense to first lower other drugs like clonazepam and escitalopram that are both sedating?

Yes, and after discussing it on BB, I am going to reduce my morning clonazepam dose to reduce sedation. I haven’t had any issues with lowering it in the past. I’ll have to take it step by step. This may relieve the sedation problem.

On 4/28/2026 at 10:01 AM, Golden said:

I realized that clonazepam is causing my problems at the moment. My morning dose is too high. It is somewhat better after decreasing to 0.040625 mg (just 2 days ago) but still too sedative. I feel better after it wears off some in the afternoon.

My blood pressure was normal before I took my morning clonazepam dose. An hour or two later my systolic pressure was in the low 110s and the heavy sedation was present.

1 hour ago, Go2zero said:

Or do you have good reasons to stay on escitalopram?

No, not at all. That is why I brought this ⬇️ earlier.

On 4/27/2026 at 1:05 PM, Golden said:

I hesitate to add another “horse to this merry-go-round” but I’m near the dose of Bupropion that you were when you had to switch to tapering Lexapro. I saw to sites recently that said Lexapro/Escitalopram is sedative.

My only hesitation was because I am now creating three liquids (Atenolol, Bupropion, and Clonazepam). So I would be back to cutting and weighing pills or creating another liquid. 🤷‍♀️

Does this explain your questions? Feel free to ask more if I am not clear.

Thank you for your time and patience!

14 hours ago, Golden said:

after discussing it on BB, I am going to reduce my morning clonazepam dose to reduce sedation.

I reduced my morning clonazepam dose today. (Signature is updated).

I feel so much better already! I feel a little tired but not the heavy “drugged “ feeling. It’s like a big feeling of relief.

***I think I should hold here for a few days and then perhaps try another step down.***

@Go2zero When I first started tapering, I thought I would take one at a time in this order: Bupropion, Escitalopram, Gabapentin, then Clonazepam. I thought Clonazepam would work like a “safety net” of sorts. Reality how shown me that it doesn’t seem to work that way. One affects another and then another. So I am readjusting my thinking to fit my reality. 🤷‍♀️

I’m not sure what next steps should be. Continue tapering Clonazepam, perhaps a bit slower so that I don’t build up a WD reaction.?

Or switch to tapering escitalopram.? In the meantime, I will read information on SA about this process.

Thank you again for your input.

🕊️💞🙏

Hi @Go2zero

On 4/30/2026 at 5:39 PM, Go2zero said:

Before answering in detail I need to know why you are taking such a high dosage of escitalopram. 20 mg is extremely high...

I found the best answer to this question on SA. “However, many doctors are unaware that milligram for milligram. escitalopram is stronger than other SSRIs and dose it as though it were the same.” (https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/forums/topic/406-tips-for-tapering-off-escitalopram-lexapro/ ) 🤦‍♀️

By reducing Clonazepam, I have also reduced much of the sedation. I plan to make one more tiny cut to equal doses morning and evening. Then HOLD.

I am holding on Bupropion as you recommended.

Now, I need help to start planning my Escitalopram taper.

On 4/28/2026 at 8:13 AM, Go2zero said:

Going even higher than 10 mg does not have much effect on SERT (blockage of serotonin receptors).

I read this also in the Maudsley Deprescibing Guidelines.

So according to SA, I need to do a straight 10% taper of the drug amount . I know they advise that for all drugs and I understand. Example: 20, 18, 16.2, 14.58, 13…. To get these doses, it looks like I would need to start with a liquid from the beginning. I learned that there is a liquid available in the US. I haven’t checked the local availability, manufacturer, or price yet.

Maudsley suggests a 3 percentage points of SERT occupancy taper (in the slower taper plan). I could get 5 mg tablets and use those and cut the 20s in half. With that combination, I could do: 20, 17.5, 15, 12.5, 10….As long as each cut did not create a lot of WD. If at any time I am hit with too “deep” WD, I would hold and stabilize before resuming a smaller decrease the next time. I am guessing that if I make it to 10 mg in this way, I’d probably want to switch to perhaps a combination of 5mg tablets and liquid.

I know that you did not start on as high a dose of Escitalopram/Lexapro as I am on. However, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts, advice, and/or comments.

🕊️

Update to above 👆and request for help tapering Escitalopram 20 mg.

I found that my insurance company covers all forms of Escitalopram at a very reasonable cost. Good news.

I checked with my pharmacy and they have a good manufacturer for liquid Escitalopram but it is a different manufacturer from my current tablets. This would mean a cross over from one manufacturer to another and from one form (tablets) to another (liquid).

My pharmacy’s 5 mg tablets are from a third manufacturer that I would NOT want to use.

I could try calling around to see if I can find a pharmacy that carries the 5mg tablets from the same manufacturer as the liquid but that adds more stress than I want to deal with.

I have plenty of 20 mg tablets. I’m pretty sure my doctor will be willing to call in a prescription for liquid Escitalopram.

So how would I cross over to a combination of tablets and liquid?

Standard cross over: 3/4 tablet and 1/4 liquid for 4-7 days.

Then 1/2 tablet and 1/2 liquid for 4-7 days.

How would I taper from there? It would be very easy to taper from the liquid but then I would be back to all tablet by 10 mg. I guess I could do another cross over at that point but is there a better way do do this?

Thanks for any help/suggestions.

🕊️

Edited May 5May 5 by Golden

Hi Golden

14 hours ago, Golden said:

I checked with my pharmacy and they have a good manufacturer for liquid Escitalopram but it is a different manufacturer from my current tablets. This would mean a cross over from one manufacturer to another and from one form (tablets) to another (liquid).

When swapping brand or type of drug, we suggest a crossover taper.

14 hours ago, Golden said:

I have plenty of 20 mg tablets. I’m pretty sure my doctor will be willing to call in a prescription for liquid Escitalopram.

So how would I cross over to a combination of tablets and liquid?

Standard cross over: 3/4 tablet and 1/4 liquid for 4-7 days.

Then 1/2 tablet and 1/2 liquid for 4-7 days.

How would I taper from there? It would be very easy to taper from the liquid but then I would be back to all tablet by 10 mg. I guess I could do another cross over at that point but is there a better way do do this?

If it were me I would continue to cross taper, 3/4 liquid 1/4 tablet, then all liquid for a few days, then taper from all liquid.

If you wanted to mix it, then this is fine too. Just taper the liquid portion down and then convert the rest of the pill over to liquid in the same way as before. Although this might be more fiddly as you may want to move the 2nd 1/2 tablet over in 4 stages as it would be your complete dose at this point...... If you do it now you could just do it in 2 further moves and then taper from there, all liquid. But either is fine.

On 5/3/2026 at 10:04 PM, Golden said:

So according to SA, I need to do a straight 10% taper of the drug amount . I know they advise that for all drugs and I understand. Example: 20, 18, 16.2, 14.58, 13…. To get these doses, it looks like I would need to start with a liquid from the beginning. I learned that there is a liquid available in the US. I haven’t checked the local availability, manufacturer, or price yet.

SA recommend a max 10% of your last dose, taper of most Psych drugs. This is often not what people do the whole way. Listen to your body is key. If the nervous system is sensitive, sometimes 10% even at the start, is too much. You can make these dose reductions by cutting on a scale at first until you get to the lower doses, then a liquid is likley required.

On 5/3/2026 at 10:04 PM, Golden said:

Maudsley suggests a 3 percentage points of SERT occupancy taper (in the slower taper plan). I could get 5 mg tablets and use those and cut the 20s in half. With that combination, I could do: 20, 17.5, 15, 12.5, 10….As long as each cut did not create a lot of WD. If at any time I am hit with too “deep” WD, I would hold and stabilize before resuming a smaller decrease the next time. I am guessing that if I make it to 10 mg in this way, I’d probably want to switch to perhaps a combination of 5mg tablets and liquid.

I know that you did not start on as high a dose of Escitalopram/Lexapro as I am on. However, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts, advice, and/or comments.

🕊️

Maudsley makes suggestions based on Sert points as you say, this is sometimes too fast for people, but in theory you can go quicker in the higher doses. As I note above either way you can use you 20mg pills and a set of scales to make the reductions without switching tablets or going to liquid should you choose to do this. When to switch to a liquid is up to you, should you choose to taper from the 20mg tablets, there just become a point where cutting becomes fiddly. You can also grind tablets up, then weigh out a little of the powder and put that powder in a capsule, which you can buy online.

Not sure if you have read these topics:

Tapering Information

Micro Tapering

Preparing Doses for Tapering - Weighing & DIY Liquids

Using Manufactured Liquid Antidepressants

Lexapro is very potent, especially at the lower doses, so some caution is required for sure when you are down in the 1mg range.

Chippy

3 hours ago, Chippy said:

SA recommend a max 10% of your last dose, taper of most Psych drugs. This is often not what people do the whole way. Listen to your body is key. If the nervous system is sensitive, sometimes 10% even at the start, is too much. You can make these dose reductions by cutting on a scale at first until you get to the lower doses, then a liquid is likley required.

I do agree on this. Tapering escitalopram may be much easier in the beginning. As said 20 mg escitalopram is extremely high. The difference in SERT between 20mg and 10mg is quite small. In my experience tapering from 10mg to 3-4 mg was quite easy (I was never higher than 10mg, which was much too high for me). Lower than 3 mg the hyperbolic effect may start to play much more a role. As we know the lower the dose the more difficult it may become. But not for everybody. So maybe you are lucky.

I I were you I would start with 10% (so 2mg down) and if that would work out easy after 1 month, you could try a bit more, like 15% or so. Listening to you body is key!

And do not taper 2 drugs at the same time. Do you plan to taper down the clonazepam to zero? That would be my first choice if possible. And leave the wellbutrin for later (that is what I would do). The idea is to get rid of a lot of the sedation you described.

Hi @Chippy and @Go2zero ,

Thank you both for your responses! They are very helpful!

6 hours ago, Chippy said:

If it were me I would continue to cross taper, 3/4 liquid 1/4 tablet, then all liquid for a few days, then taper from all liquid.

Yes! This would absolutely be the best method. I guess I was just thinking of not wasting the pills. 😂 But keeping it simple makes much more sense.

7 hours ago, Chippy said:

Maudsley makes suggestions based on Sert points as you say, this is sometimes too fast for people

I agree. Safer is better than faster.

7 hours ago, Chippy said:

Not sure if you have read these topics:

I have read variations of these topics on SA, read some of them here and will re-read them again before starting to taper. I had forgotten about Mark Horowitz’s video on tapering Escitalopram (mentioned in one of your topics). I will watch it again today.

4 hours ago, Go2zero said:

I I were you I would start with 10% (so 2mg down) and if that would work out easy after 1 month, you could try a bit more, like 15% or so. Listening to you body is key!

This sounds best. A safer approach. This will let me know how my body reacts with the first reduction.

4 hours ago, Go2zero said:

And do not taper 2 drugs at the same time.

Right!

4 hours ago, Go2zero said:

Do you plan to taper down the clonazepam to zero?

No, not at this time. I will hold everything else at my current levels.

@Chippy Our signatures are missing today. I updated mine recently.

4 hours ago, Go2zero said:

And leave the wellbutrin for later (that is what I would do)

That is my plan.

4 hours ago, Go2zero said:

The idea is to get rid of a lot of the sedation you described.

The decrease of clonazepam that I have already done has reduced the sedation significantly. I’d rather leave it as is for later. Anders Sorensen mentions this in his book “Crossing Zero” to possibly mitigate some WD issues (I’ll have to find that reference again). As a matter of safety, I do NOT drive! 😊

Thank you both for your excellent advice! You’ve given me a lot to digest and research.

I’ll call my doctor and see about getting the liquid Escitalopram. Then start the cross over.

Despite the inner pressure we may sometimes feel to get this stuff out of our bodies, it is much better to be safe. It’s all one step at a time. Slower is faster. 🐢

🕊️💞🙏

@Go2zero , I hope you are feeling better. 🙏

3 minutes ago, Golden said:

Thank you both for your responses! They are very helpful!

Pleasure Golden

4 minutes ago, Golden said:

Our signatures are missing today. I updated mine recently.

I’m a little confused. I can see your signature fine. Did you save your signature when you updated?

8 hours ago, Chippy said:

I’m a little confused. I can see your signature fine. Did you save your signature when you updated?

I am not seeing anyone’s signature. Yes, I saved when I uploaded my signature. I checked through account settings and my updates are there. 🤷‍♀️

4 hours ago, Golden said:

I am not seeing anyone’s signature. Yes, I saved when I uploaded my signature. I checked through account settings and my updates are there. 🤷‍♀️

There is a setting to hide peoples signature. I’ll have a look later and see if I can turn it back on for you.