Aa
Long Term Klonopin
Hi, I'm pretty new to the forum and I have a question for everyone about klonopin. I'm someone with GAD who worries alot and also has panic attacks and palpitations. I had to leave work early two times recently because I just couldn't handle it. My doctor gave me Xanax to take for the anxiety, but I don't want to get addicted so I don't take it too much. Maybe one or two times a week at most. I've been reading about the klonopin drug and how you can take it everyday, so I asked my doctor about it. He told me "Yes i could take it everyday - if I wanted to get adddicted!" He said it was almost the same as Xanax and he discouraged me from wanting it! I was wondering about anyone else out there who took it for a long time, because it seems like if you take it for a few weeks, you would not want to stop - if it's really working that is. Like me, if I were taking it, and if it really helped my anxiety, it would be so hard to stop taking! Anyway, has anyone taken it for a month or two and then stopped? What's it like? Can I take it for a year? or two? I'm desperate to stop the anxiety, since it's affecting me at work, and my job is going downhill.
Klonopin helped (and continues to help) me tremendously.
I was diagnosed with GAD and bipolar mixed state in 2003. I suffered undiagnosed with the GAD for years before that with severe anxiety wich often manifested itself in hypochondriasis. Towards the 'end' (before seeking treatment) I was starting to get panic attacks. Finally after a prolonged incident where I was panic ridden and couldn't sleep at all for 3 nights straight I broke down and was able to get in to see someone immediately -a psychiatrist who would understand and help where my family doctor was unable to.
I was prescribed klonopin .5 mg two times per day, and that was increased to 1mg two times per day probably within that same month.
I've been on the 1 mg two times per day since March/April 2003, and the relief is still almost palpable. I look back and think about the absolute horror I went through when my anxiety and panic reached it's zenith and thank God that I was given this medicine.
My mother, who was always there for me to seek constant reassurance from during the worst times of my anxiety, says I'm a completely different person.
I do have some problems with some short term memory loss, but that was present before I started the klonopin . I've been on many different meds starting at 19 for depression, and even more now due to the bipolar, so it's hard to say what (if it at all) may have caused the memory loss.
Either way, I'd rather forget where I put my keys or not be able to find the word that's on the tip of my tongue than exist in a living nightmare, like I did 4 years ago.
I was diagnosed with GAD and bipolar mixed state in 2003. I suffered undiagnosed with the GAD for years before that with severe anxiety wich often manifested itself in hypochondriasis. Towards the 'end' (before seeking treatment) I was starting to get panic attacks. Finally after a prolonged incident where I was panic ridden and couldn't sleep at all for 3 nights straight I broke down and was able to get in to see someone immediately -a psychiatrist who would understand and help where my family doctor was unable to.
I was prescribed klonopin .5 mg two times per day, and that was increased to 1mg two times per day probably within that same month.
I've been on the 1 mg two times per day since March/April 2003, and the relief is still almost palpable. I look back and think about the absolute horror I went through when my anxiety and panic reached it's zenith and thank God that I was given this medicine.
My mother, who was always there for me to seek constant reassurance from during the worst times of my anxiety, says I'm a completely different person.
I do have some problems with some short term memory loss, but that was present before I started the klonopin . I've been on many different meds starting at 19 for depression, and even more now due to the bipolar, so it's hard to say what (if it at all) may have caused the memory loss.
Either way, I'd rather forget where I put my keys or not be able to find the word that's on the tip of my tongue than exist in a living nightmare, like I did 4 years ago.
Hi, I have had anxiety attacks for 11 years and I have them 24/7. I have been taking Klonopin for almost the entire time. I recently found out that I am pregant
with my second child and I had to get to my doctors to change the prescription, due to the fact that klonopin can cause major problems in the fetus. My anxiety has sky rocketed. I was given 16 days to completely get off of klonopin, and am now taking prozak, because it is said to be a safe medication. I feel like I am in a zone 24/7 now with more anxiety than I can handle. My opinion would be not to take this or any benzo for that matter if you plan to have children in the future. Getting off the meds is not a fun experience.
with my second child and I had to get to my doctors to change the prescription, due to the fact that klonopin can cause major problems in the fetus. My anxiety has sky rocketed. I was given 16 days to completely get off of klonopin, and am now taking prozak, because it is said to be a safe medication. I feel like I am in a zone 24/7 now with more anxiety than I can handle. My opinion would be not to take this or any benzo for that matter if you plan to have children in the future. Getting off the meds is not a fun experience.
I believe Ryan has said this and I've also read it elsewhere, but sometimes doctors do not like to prescribe Benzodiazepines at all because Xanax has a bad reputation of producing addicts among undisciplined patients. When I was in college I used Xanax recreationally and remember very clearly why it lends itself to abuse. If you combine it with other stuff, it's simply really fun (but dangerous...I saw kids taken to the hospital because of combining Xanax and various other substances). That's not the thing to do, but some people do it anyway.
But that's one of the reasons doctors are squeamish. Another reason is perhaps they haven't taken the time to distinguish between the benzodiazepines and maybe have had a few patients who freaked out when they stopped taking them (because the doctor didn't know how to tell them to taper). I'd guess that most of these docs are general practitioners.
I know a lot of people whose doctors have prescribed them benzos were required to sign some sort of contract (probably a waiver). Really silly.
About Paxil:
I know a friend who (years ago) took Paxil for anxiety and it served him quite well. However, I've read that most (if not all) SSRI's tend to increase anxiety as a temporary side effect during the first couple weeks of treatment. I'm not a big believer in SSRIs for panic or depression, but I've read in a lot of forums about them helping a lot of people. Often, the doctor prescribes a benzodiazepine for the first few weeks of SSRI treatment specifically to counteract the initial increased anxiety caused by the SSRI. Once the SSRI has started to take effect, the patient hasn't been on the benzo that long so tapering is pretty quick and easy.
You're right that this is a great forum. I don't visit as often as I should. Ryan, in particular, is a very informative poster who helped me back when I was afraid to take my clonazepam and had been staring at the full bottle for weeks.
But that's one of the reasons doctors are squeamish. Another reason is perhaps they haven't taken the time to distinguish between the benzodiazepines and maybe have had a few patients who freaked out when they stopped taking them (because the doctor didn't know how to tell them to taper). I'd guess that most of these docs are general practitioners.
I know a lot of people whose doctors have prescribed them benzos were required to sign some sort of contract (probably a waiver). Really silly.
About Paxil:
I know a friend who (years ago) took Paxil for anxiety and it served him quite well. However, I've read that most (if not all) SSRI's tend to increase anxiety as a temporary side effect during the first couple weeks of treatment. I'm not a big believer in SSRIs for panic or depression, but I've read in a lot of forums about them helping a lot of people. Often, the doctor prescribes a benzodiazepine for the first few weeks of SSRI treatment specifically to counteract the initial increased anxiety caused by the SSRI. Once the SSRI has started to take effect, the patient hasn't been on the benzo that long so tapering is pretty quick and easy.
You're right that this is a great forum. I don't visit as often as I should. Ryan, in particular, is a very informative poster who helped me back when I was afraid to take my clonazepam and had been staring at the full bottle for weeks.
Wow, what an amazing post, especially the part about the difference between addiction and dependency. I know what you mean, any drug for brain chemistry can make you dependent, but not addicted, very clear difference! Its awesome that klonopin can work for such a long time without tolerance building up. It sounds almost like a wonder drug. I wonder why my doctor didnt' want me to have it. Could he be so ignorant of the real qualities of the drug? Anyway, Im worried about the paxil now because i dont't want it to make my attacks worse. Isnt it supposed to be prescribed for anxiey and panic disorders? Unbelieveable that it could make it worse! Does it help anybody with anxiety and panic? Since Im already on it should i try it for a few weeks at least? Thank you everyone for the great posts. This is an awesome forum!
Im starting klonopin tomorrow well today july 4th. I have alot of anxiety due to my heart arrthymias. I am on low dose of ativan .5mg twice daily. my doc wants me to change to klonopin because it stays in system better. He said you could stay on it forever at a low dose with no problem. he has had people on it for ten years. I read that if you take as prescribed and the level of it in your blood stays the same then it really helps. Ativan peaks faster and then you go to a low. klonopin keeps a steady level. Im gonna take .5mg twice daily. Im a bit nervous im always nervous with new meds. But klonopin also works like a ssri so im hoping this is my ticket to some relief and a little bit of the normal life. lol
wmac
wmac
Time for you to change doctors, my friend. If yours doesn't know the difference between Xanax and Klonopin, he doesn't know much about it and shouldn't be prescribing either one.
There's a big difference. RCA will probably come on here and articulate it better than I can, so we'll wait and see what he says.
I've been on Klonopin for four months or so. If I were hardcore addicted to the stuff, I'd be having tolerance issues and would need more and more to get the same therapeutic effect. I don't feel the need to increase, though. Sometimes I think about it, but it's certainly not a physical desire. The more appropriate term would be "physical dependence". If you take Klonopin everyday then, yeah, you'll be physically dependent on it and will not be able to just up and stop taking it without going through some withdrawal.
For what it's worth, my doctor told me I could take Klonopin the rest of my life if I so desired.
Anyway, Xanax is basically for people who experience occasional panic attacks and need to stop them quickly. Klonopin is for people who have them all the time. It was designed to take everyday. Xanax is much more addictive, so that's why it's only for occasional use.
There's a HUGE difference between the two.
There's a big difference. RCA will probably come on here and articulate it better than I can, so we'll wait and see what he says.
I've been on Klonopin for four months or so. If I were hardcore addicted to the stuff, I'd be having tolerance issues and would need more and more to get the same therapeutic effect. I don't feel the need to increase, though. Sometimes I think about it, but it's certainly not a physical desire. The more appropriate term would be "physical dependence". If you take Klonopin everyday then, yeah, you'll be physically dependent on it and will not be able to just up and stop taking it without going through some withdrawal.
For what it's worth, my doctor told me I could take Klonopin the rest of my life if I so desired.
Anyway, Xanax is basically for people who experience occasional panic attacks and need to stop them quickly. Klonopin is for people who have them all the time. It was designed to take everyday. Xanax is much more addictive, so that's why it's only for occasional use.
There's a HUGE difference between the two.
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