I've been on clonazepam for a long time. I know I need to taper off but most doctors I've come across just want to cut pills in half for a few months. Maybe this strategy works for people who have only been on for a short time but I know this would not work for me.

I finally found a doctor who knows about the Ashton Method and the importance of slow tapers for long-term users. His initial recommendation is a cross-over to Librium and a slow taper from there. I never even heard of Librium until I met this guy.

I asked about crossing-over to diazepam and he's fine with that but said the reason he prefers Librium is that diazepam has a quicker peak. I think I might have read about this where some people refer to the initial cross-over as having a coverage gap. I think he might have mentioned Librium crosses the blood-brain barrier easier as well.

I also read in the Ashton Manual that some people have trouble crossing from clonazepam to diazepam. So he's giving me the option to taper directly using a compounded solution or ODT tablets.

I feel overwhelmed with options. My gut says trust Dr. Ashton and cross-over to diazepam but she even said it can be difficult for clonazepam. I don't want to overlook this doctor's knowledge in pharmacology, so maybe he has a point about Librium. But maybe I could prevent a horrible cross-over if I just tapered using a compounded solution?

Which option would give me the best chance for success? Thanks.