Klonopin is not the answer

[LifeWithPanic]

I suffer from GAD and debilitating panic disorder.  I did well on Xanax for anxiety but as I tapered off I experienced the horror of a full-blown panic attack.   The psychiatrist I eventually saw switched me to Klonopin 1mg  for panic fearing that I had an addictive personality -- I do not.  Within 3 weeks I was up to 3mg of Klonopin and within 1.5 years I experienced severe klonopin withdrawal while still taking my prescribed dose.  I thought I was dying.  I went to another psychiatrist who listened to me when I told him that I had done well with GAD on Xanax and that I felt as though the klonopin was poisoning me.  Of course as soon as I used that "poisoning" expression i was looked up with suspicion as being a nutcase.  I am not a nutcase.  Klonopin is BAD.  My muscled twitching and weakness had become so bad while on Klonopin that I was not able to live a life that resembled a life.  I had failed on all the SSRI's because they made the panic worse.  Now I take Xanax XR 3m x2 a day and I am gradually getting my life back.
KLonopin is NOT less addicting - it's a terrible drug that nearly ruined my life.  I live in the world of common sense and just because Klonopin lasts longer it does not mean it is better.  In truth, Valium, the drug doctors abhor, is the best because when I was on that I took 10mg a day, felt fine and lived a productive life.  I never took more than 10mg and I had no desire to -- with Klonopin I was a zombie and had to take more and more to relieve the symptoms that the Klonopin was causing and nobody can convince me otherwise.

If you fail on SSRI's as most people do because in reality only about 20% of people respond to them and what they really do is make the panic worse.  My psyhe said that I would have to endure the panic induced by Effexor etc for a few months -- that's like telling somebody that after the elephant stops stepping on your foot for a few months you'll fell better, but then again maybe you won't.  Is this logical?  On Xanax or Valium I was in perfect shape but still a bit weary with morning anxiety -- on Klonopin I had no real full blown panic (well almost) but I gained 40 pouns and felt like a shaking, frightened, agoraphobic zombie.

Please do not get conned into taking this Klonopin -- it is 10X more addictive and doctors only prescribe it because they fear being sued if you start taking too much -- like I said, my only big attack came when I tried to taper off Xanax too quickly.  In my world there is nothing wrong with being addicted to xanax , but to be adddicted to Klonoipn is like throwing your life down the drain,.  You will find no doctor who will agree with me but I have been there and I know my body and my mind.   I had one good t=year on Klonopin butr after that I was ready to just die.

Thanks

[lynn57]

I totally agree with Julie when it comes to being kinder and gentler, especially when people are reaching out and need a sympathetic ear.  However I think the original post was not asking for help or anything like that.  The poster was giving a very strong opinion and leaving no room for anyone that could benefit from the use of Klonopin.  That is a dangerous thing to do when anxious people may have just started Klonopin and are now expecting to be swallowed up by the jaws of death.  Everyone needs to be careful about negative opinions and not generalize.  I feel bad for anyone with these disorders and if they can find some relief it doesn't matter what class of drugs it is or whether I hated it.  We all have to find the best way of dealing.

[Julie359]

Just to say i have flown the white flag personally with amish and now we are ok, to which i am glad about.  

Yes everyone has there own strong views and yes we should be allowed to share them openly, but my feelings personally is because people on this community are very vunerable we do need to be more sensitive and take this into consideration... we may not realise that a comment may throw someone over the edge, so we do need to be careful.

For example i bet you any money Lifewithpanic is so wishing he/she never posted this on here now as it has sparked strong emotions from alot of us, we don't know but now he/she may feel unable to post any more and feel he/she can't chat to any of us through fear of repremand.

I do hope that's not the case and just to know you can chat to me any time... just inbox me... xx

[Paxiled]

I don't know why everyone's attacking everyone here.  All the opinions expressed seem valid to me.  There are people who don't want the horror stories of what these meds can do to people to be told because that could have a psychological effect on those already suffering with anxiety.  True.  But I favor letting these stories out, because psychiatrists don't tell us these things, and they do happen.  Paxil withdrawal killed me because my psychiatrist didn't tell me it was possible and didn't treat it when it happened.  If I had known, I would have been prepared, and would have known to go back on it and taper more slowly.  I didn't, and now I can't get back.  Just because the really bad stories only affect a minority, because of a lack of reporting we have no idea how many bad stories there are.  As to klonopin doing this or Xanax doing that, no, they affect people differently.  They don't do this or that, they just might do this or that.  You only find out when you take them, and when you try to stop taking them.  We all have to realize that.  But we also have to realize that, when life gets to where it isn't worth living, it's good these meds are there to try.  So to admit they can be terrible isn't to say they shouldn't exist, just that they need to be used with care and knowledge.  So let's stop using words like irresponsible because we disagree from our own experience, and we don't need to pick on others who believe these claims are excessively harsh.  Let both voice their opinions, and let the patient then make a more informed decision.   'kay?

[lynn57]

Lifewithpanic was irresponsible. First of all Klonopin is much more geared towards preventing the anxiety and panic attacks.  Xanax is better for the short-term treatment of anxiety and best taken on an "as needed" basis.  Xanax is more addicting, but if it helps, better to be addicted then miserable. Most doctors know that klonopin is safer for long term use and you do not build a tolerance to the anxiety effects as quickly as with Xanax. You may never need a dosage increase with Klonopin.  With Xanax it is almost inevitable.

[Julie359]

Because you are too harsh in your judgement thats why...the other woman who you critcized for having an abortion saying does that make us 'Pro Death' was an awful thing to say...that could of sent her into an even deeper depression and anxiety state... you are saying to this person on this post to watch what she says but this also applies to urself....

Yes you can give good advice as i have read...but you have to apply a bit of softness as well in some, like this one and the other i have just referred to.. an a couple of others.

Writing on here i don't want to offend anyone but if i feel someone is being attacked i will stick up for them... sorry but thats the kind of person i am.

[amish1979]

Julie359,

Why don't you stop criticizing my posts?  Or as you put it "jumping down my throat".

[Julie359]

I can understand that due to you having an extremely bad experience on Kolonpin you feel the need to express this, but in fairness this drug had helped a vast array of people.  Each person's chemistry is different so therefore what will suit one person may have unpleasant side effects for another.  Some people get withdrawal some don't... thats why doctors can't be 100% sure to how you will respond untill you take the drug.

SSRI's cause my anxiety to become far worse as well, but my safe drug seems to be an anti-pychosis drug, which when used in small doses is extremely effective for anxiety... and in larger doses for schizophrenia, bi-polar etc... i do not have a pychotic illness, but this works for me and apparently alot safer than the benzo's.

Anyway, just bare in mind that people who come on here are anxious and suffer terribly with it, it would be a great shame that they read this post and decide that they will never take this drug and become scared to death to... when all the time it may be their answer to controlling it.  

Please don't take this post as i am having a go at you because unlike some i am not... i am sorry you are having a hard time at the mo, and it's important to know that this site is safe to express your feelings and we anit all gona jump down the person's throat.

All the best to you, hope you start to feel better soon... take care Julie x

[amish1979]

The title of this thread is very irresponsible.  Here you have a forum with people suffering from severe anxiety, who are already deathly afraid to take any number of medications that their doctor is prescribing, and you have the nerve to proclaim from the mountain tops that "Klonopin is not the answer!"  You go into a diatribe about how it has ruined your life and assume that everyone will have the same experience.

Very irresponsible!

For some people it has been the only thing that has worked for them.  I could easily shout that "SNRI's are not the answer!" because they never worked for me and I had terrible side effects, but I realize that they do work for others and it would be wrong for me to make such a declaration.

[theotterone]

I take .5 mg PRN of Klonopin.  I got addicted to Xanax.  I find it helps, but as Paxiled said, everyone is different.  We found out I am adult ADD (was misdiagnosed at age 10 at not being ADD) and my psyc dr says my anxiety will very likely come down.  Dosage and the correct medication can take YEARS to figure out.  I have been dealing with this since before the age of 16 (depression was diagnosed then) and it took me a decade to find a doctor that I am comfortable with and trust.  We went through a lot of different meds.  It can be hard, disconcerting and frustrating to find the right balance of medications.  So Klonopin does not work for all, but it works for some.  Keep talking to the doctors, ask questions about the side effects and possibilities of complications.  You will find something that will work for you!

[jakegorzen]

Well,

What was your original dose of Xanax? "Before the Klonopin"
How was the Klonopin dosed?

[Paxiled]

Basically, what you are saying is what psychiatrists and doctors fail to understand -- we're all different and respond differently to the same meds.  I've been on klonopin for years, and while I have no idea if it's ever done anything, I've never had a bad reaction to it.  On the other hand, Xanax made me nuts, and I got new phobias on it.  So there you go.  By the way, Effexor isn't an ssri, it's an snri, and can be more problematic because of that.