Posted by Tony P on September 1, 2001, at 1:27:05
In reply to Re: Roche calls it an anticonvulsant? » Tony P, posted by Cam W. on August 31, 2001, at 2:19:05
Thanks, Cam, that is very helpful.
I stepped the Wellbutrin up to 150 2xdaily today, according to plan. The worst of the anxiety side effects at the first level have subsided quite quickly, so I would not have anticipated staying on the clonazepam much more than a week or two, except that I have been having considerable sleep problems for months, which the Serzone I was taking was no longer helping. So I may be on it a month or so. I will talk to my MD about tapering at our next appt.
He has also given me Zopiclone (7.5) to help with the insomnia, so I have two strings to my bow there. Lately, and esp. with the WB, I have trouble both not falling asleep and waking up in the middle of the night. I am hoping that as I get more healthy generally - with the help of the extra energy from the Wellbutrin - and detox from the OTCs I was self-medicating with, the sleep problems will at least improve.
Tony
> Tony - You will have to taper the dose of clonazepam when you (&/or your doc) do decide to stop taking it (ie. when the initial start-up side effects of the Wellbutrin begin to wane, and the potential antianxiety action of Wellbutrin kicks in). The half-life of clonazepam is fairly long, so I doubt that you will have to go diazepam (Valium™) when you are tapering.
>
> Manufacturers recommend that if benzos are used for only 2 weeks, a tapering of the dosage should be done, to avoid any unpleasant withdrawl symptoms.
>
> I would hazard a guess that the chlorpromazine was a major factor in lowering your seizure threshold, and the alcohol and Valium withdrawl triggered the seizures. I sincerely doubt that weaning from the clonazepam would cause Wellbutrin-induced seizures, but a very slight risk is still there.
>
> You are taking a relatively low daily dose of clonazepam, as well, which also makes it easier to stop. If the clonazepam is being used judiciously, as you are saying (ie. not increasing the dosage &/or mixing it with alcohol, other anything else which may lower seizure threshold) you should have little problem weaning from the drug when the time comes.
>
> I would recommend that the longer you stay on the clonazepam, the longer the weaning process should be. Have your doc follow you closer than normal during the weaning process. An objective eye on the situation is always useful.
>
> I hope that this answers your questions. - Cam
poster:Tony P
thread:76985
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/77221.html