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Mental Health (Expert Forum)

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prozac and klonopin problems

Answered by

Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness

Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.

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MedHelp Member's Question

prozac and klonopin problems

by chrismary, Mar 20, 2003 12:00AM

Tags: prozac, mental, Health, Mental Health, Anxiety, head

I was put on prozac last year. I was put on it to get off of klonopin which I took for a structural problem. I had a variety of bizarre experiences on prozac. First I felt even, then I started to see colors. Then my dose was changed to the weekly and that worked until I began to halucinate again. The doctors hate me for this. They keep putting me back on klonopin. I have been off Prozac for 5 months now and they are giving me klonopin to relax me. I can't chew. I can't get my questions answered. Do the visuals of prozac go away. Is this proper? The doctors just say they don't know. I think they are not treating me right. Now they want me to try Ambilify. I am not schidzophrenic. I had a twisted face from having taken librium in my twenties. I was healthy on nothing. I just had the headache. Now I am really screwed up. Can you suggest something that might help or answer me about the visuals etc. No one will talk to me.

Thanks,

Chrismary

Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D.

, Mar 21, 2003 12:00AM

This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many question I would like to ask to help me give you what you need.If you have been having a side effect of visuals from prozac, and you have been on it for 5 months, it is very unlikely that those symptoms will go away . But if you are wrong, and the visuals are part of a pattern, and a form of hallucinations, then you should be on a different medication. That is what you should talk to your doctor about. And possibly trying the new drug recommended could solve the problem and answer your question. Taking that medication does not make a diagnosis. It is used for the symptoms, not for the label.

Member Comments (6)

by chrismary, Mar 21, 2003 12:00AM

To: Dr.

I did not start seeing colors etc. until I took prozac. I have been off it since October. Before that I took klonopin and I had real bad mask face, so I wanted to quit it. They put me on Prozac to replace the klonopin. My concern is that Now I am back on klonopin to relax me because my head is real tight from having taken prozac, and I am having some distonia. It's scarey. I am just wondering how my head will heal up if I keep taking stuff especially something addictive. I think I was overdosed. I have been off prozac since October, but I took it for a year. At first I felt even. Then it wooshed through my head. It's supposed to help with structural problems. Why I was seeing things in 3 D is I think because I took it too long? I am not sure. I never hallucinated before. Each day I feel a little better, but I keep looking around to see if the colors are gone, and they aren't. Maybe it just takes a really long time? for any healing to set in? I think I am having head jerking and possibly had seritonin syndrome? I also think I might have been allergic. Any other advice would help. It's scarey. There must be something I could take besides klonopin to relax my head and jaw. Flexeril? I kind of like the fact that my head changed shape. I am just concerned that I am not stable on what I am taking and I would like to get a job.

Thanks,

Chrismary

by Gryffin900, Mar 29, 2003 12:00AM

Thanks for your comment chrismary. I read klonopin works best for reducing anxiety with social anxiety disorder. What effects did klonopin have on you when you first started it? Did it reduce anxiety? Any side effects? I read your post, what is mask face? Also is there any difference between generic clonazepam and klonopin that you know? I'm glad I didn't have the same side effects as you when I started taking my SSRI. Hope it's not too bad. Could you reply to this post or email me? I would really appreciate it.

Email: ***@****

Thanks,

DAN

by chrismary, Mar 31, 2003 12:00AM

To: Dan

I was weaned down to klonopin from Xanax. It did help a lot. It relaxes you nicely. Mask face is a side effect that I developed after long term use. It's like seeing lines across your face. It kind of gives you a headache. I wanted to get off it for that reason. The Prozac was fine for a long time for me. Then it reversed. I think you are supposed to be weaned off it. In any case don't stop klonopin suddenly. You can go down 1/2 mg. every 100 hours but slower than that is better. Generic versus real...I don't think there is much difference. I definitely had a problem with generic vs. real Prozac though.

I have heard that Lexapro is less agitating than Prozac, but lots of people stay on Prozac a long time. I know many who do and they feel really good on it. I think I had an averse reaction, and I have read that can happen. I am on klonopin now. You might notice that your head feels kind of like it is shifting around inside a bit after time. I'm not sure if you will. It's called shifting and rotating. Sometimes they give you Zyprexa with it to stop that. I might go back on Zyprexa at night. I am not sure. Write me too. Chrismary

by Gryffin900, Apr 03, 2003 12:00AM

To: Chrismary

I called my psychiatrist and he prescribed 0.5 mg of clonozepam 3 times daily. I'm also taking 40mg of paxil daily. The clonozepam has helped sooo much with my anxiety. I din't know he prescibed me the generic clonozepam, I thought he would prescribe klonopin. So I'm taking the generic clonazepam right now. I'll probably try klonopin next. It helps but over the few weeks the effect is reducing. Maybe I'm just getting use to it or the dose isn't high enough. I know I can take 1mg or more 3 times daily because when I first started clonazepam it only caused my to be a little tired and dizzy. It seems like the more sedated I am the less anxiety I have. Now I don't really experience any side effects. It seems like when I take a dose it last for only about 2 hours. Is this because I'm on too low of a dose or my body is getting use to it. Is there another benzodiazipine that last longer like Xanax, etc.? Write me back or email me: ***@****

Thanks,

DAN

by chrismary, Apr 04, 2003 12:00AM

Klonopin and genreic clonaxapam are the same thing. One should do you for 12 hours. That is what they say. I used to take 9...honestly...before that I was on Xanax...yes it is stronger. Valium and Librium are even stronger. Stick with what you have and deep breathe through some of your anxiety. Personally I found that the SSRI made my anxiety increase. It made me hyper so I needed the benzo to bring me down. Oxyepam is good...that's Serax...the weaker the better..really. In all seriousness I would rather see someone smoke a joint than get into downer psych drugs. I have been a mess ever since but they do help if you need them and if they don't give you problems. Yes, you may become dizzy and tired. You will build a tolerance fast and that is the tricky thing. You will always need more of them after time unless you change your life and what is causing your anxiety. There is Busbar...I think it is spelled that way. That is what I want. It's not addictive. It doesn't help with muscle spasms as well though. A lot depends on why the drug was prescribed in the first place. I had seizures when I quit drinking a long time ago. I think that messed me up. They usually give klonopins for seizure disorders. Anyway...less is more for sure.

Chrismary

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