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MedHelp Member's Question

Klonopin/Pain management

by bkitts, Aug 14, 2001 12:00AM
I have suffered 6 years with IBS, Irritable bladder, prostatitis, pelvic pain syndrome, tinnitus. I am now enrolled at Emory University Pain Management in Atlanta. I have been treated successfully with klonopin since 1998. I have not had to increase the doseage. I take .5mg to 1.5mg per day. I graph how much I am taking and have actually averaged .69mg per day over 30 weeks this year. Is this a good medication for pain, it gives me about 65% decrease in pain. I skip it on days I can deal with the pain and make sure that I manage the medicine. Is this a mild doseage? I feel I could easiy quit the medication if my pain would subside. I don't want to be addicted in time, but then again, I don't take it for a high nor have I found I have had to increase it over 3 years. I see that it is used in chronic pain syndromes. Neurontin did nothing nor did pamelor or elavil and the paxil I'm on now is useless for pain. Should I be concerned about taking Klonopin in my situation?



Thanks



Breck

Member Comments (19)

by Milo, Aug 14, 2001 12:00AM
To: bkitts
You're taking a small dose of Klonopin. If you haven't felt the need to increase your dosage in 3 years, I'd say you're pretty safe and don't need to worry about abuse/addiction. Your body has become dependent on the med, however (normal with long-term use of any benzodiazepine). So if you ever decide to stop taking it, you'll need to taper off gradually -- *never* stop abruptly. But such a small dose should not be difficult to "wean" from at all. Klonopin is used to control seizures and anxiety, both of which could be components of your medical problems. The question is not whether it's a good pain med, but rather is it effective in controlling *your* pain? If so, it's probably much safer than most pain meds out there. A friend of mine has taken it for 5 years, 1 mg/day, with no problems. I hope this info is of some help to you. -- Milo

by Thomas, Aug 14, 2001 12:00AM
To: Bkitts
my friend Milo speaks the truth. That's a very conservative dose considering how long you've been on it. Do heed MIlo's warning about SLOWLY tapering off the drug should you decide to discontinue it. I quit a sister drug of Klonopin, Xanax cold (a truly ignorant thing to do, looking back). The result was three seizures (for each time I tried to stop the Xanax). They were all devestating and only now am I beginning to feel "myself." So, listen to Milo on the subject of tapering off the Klonopin.



I'm a bit curious about how Klonopin works as a pain reliever for you. It must relieve the actual condition causing the pain, as opposed to what a narcotic pain killer would do. Good luck to you. (a big hello to Milo, too)



Thomas

by bkitts, Aug 15, 2001 12:00AM
Thank you for your excellent responses!

Klonopin is used in pain management for "abnormal nerve firing" which is in theory what causes most Chronic Pain Syndromes.

Spinal nerves are rapidly firing as if there is injury to tissue that most likely once was from infection, trauma. These nerves continue firing pain response even after the damage is done. It is a mystery sort of like Phantom Pain as in somebody who still feels pain in a arm although the arm as been removed.

by Milo, Aug 17, 2001 12:00AM
To: Thomas
How are you doing, my friend? You continue to provide invaluable info to people on the forum. When I reply to someone new, I just about always refer them to your posts.

It's been an up & down summer for me. The great news is that my digestive problems, which have kept me in misery for the better part of 5 years, have resolved completely, at least for the last 3 months. Keep your fingers crossed -- most folks who don't have it have no idea what a crippling condition IBS can be. I've also had some success with some new writing projects, kind of branching out from my normal turf. That feels nice.

The bad news is that depression and anxiety still plague me. I can really feel for the posters who talk about social anxiety and just plain fear (I call it terror). But I'm hanging in there.

Take care, and let me know how things are going. --All the best, Milo

by bkitts, Aug 17, 2001 12:00AM
To: Milo
OH my, sorry to hear you are one of many that suffer with IBS!!! I've had it since 96. I ended up in the hospital after 11 months. Left there with the "in your head" diagnosis and went home and couldn't sleep for 6 days! Well, I had burnout, nervous breakdown and spent 2 more weeks in the happy house. Best vacation I ever spent!!! I've read where stress leads to burnout and burnout can alter the chemical changes in your body even after you feel better. I think that's exactly how I ended up with these conditions of chronic pain.

Sorry about the anxiety, if you'd like to compare some info and support, e-mail me at ***@****



Breck

by Milo, Aug 18, 2001 12:00AM
To: bkitts
Thanks, Breck, I may take you up on the offer. Isn't IBS hell? I was sick for the better part of 5 years until my doctor stumbled upon a workable solution to stabilize me...The worst part is that no one who doesn't have this condition takes it seriously. People at work thought I was just slacking off while I was unable to leave the house to even buy groceries. (This was after I had proven myself almost ridiculously dependable and an excellent worker for years.) How sympathetic. Well, forget the polite, "Oh, I was having tummy troubles." If I have to miss work again, anyone who asks me about it is going to get the full details along the lines of, "Well, I spent yesterday s***ing my brains out, went to the bathroom about 14 times, eventually my a**hole was bleeding and felt like a piece of raw meat..." Gee, I wonder what they'd say to that? (Sorry, I'm not normally so gross, but I'm in a bad mood!) -- Milo

by jennyfla, Aug 18, 2001 12:00AM
To: Milo
Wow, how horrible that must be for you!!!

What a pain in the ass, literally (did i make you laugh -- i was trying too).

It's amazing how unsympathic some people can be, totally blind to other people's problems.

My brother suffers from IBS, and my sister to a certain degree too.

I remember on her wedding day, with a full beautiful white wedding dress, having such a 'bleeding' problem, her bridesmaids stood by her side, and assisted her with her bulky dress while she battled her problem (the bleeding part)!  She has to see a dr on her way to catch a plane for the honeymoon the next day -- bless her heart!!!

I feel for you, screw those people, and may they never have to suffer the misery of such an illness, because they don't sound like the types to be tough enough to handle it -- i commend you!!!

(((HUGS)))!

Lv Jenny

by Milo, Aug 18, 2001 12:00AM
To: Jenny
Bless your heart -- yes, you did make me laugh. It feels great to be symptom-free for a while. You know, the same thing applies to depression -- people who haven't had it just don't seem able (willing?) to understand it. There's one person at work who is very open about their emotional & mental difficulties, including depression. Once I asked a co-worker her opinion of this person, and she said something to the effect, "I think she's crazy as a loon." How nice! Later this same co-worker wound up having to take antidepressants...Depression & anxiety have affected every area of my life from health to finances to work to relationships...yet some people act like it's no big deal, an excuse for slacking off, or just "weird." You say screw 'em, I say f*k 'em. (Sorry -- I guess I'm in a worse mood than I thought...it helps to vent...I'kk e-mail you later.) -- Milo

by jennyfla, Aug 18, 2001 12:00AM
To: Milo