Posted by tensor on November 4, 2009, at 9:47:39
In reply to Re: Clonazepam discontinuation » tensor, posted by delna on November 4, 2009, at 8:54:17
> I brought my clonazepam dose done from 20mg to 2mg in a month or so, at home. Stupid, I know. I was on Lamictal but I don't think that it helped much with rebound anxiety.. I'm sure it stopped me from getting seizures though. But I was also on Neurontin (for pain not anxiety.) I think it was the Neurontin that possibly helped the anxiety.
>
> I have been withdrawn from Xanax 3 mg in hospital with Trileptal but that didn't help rebound anxiety at all. It just stops you from getting seizures. You just have to suffer it out. No one gave me any cover for the anxiety.(cruel pdocs)
>
> Personally, if I had to place a bet, I would say that Neurontin helped me to not feel the withdrawal. I don't think the Lamictal did, though. Sorry if that is not what you want to hear.
>
> From my experience, the only time you feel no rebound whilst withdrawing cold-turkey is if you go to hospital and they cover you with phenobarbital. Then you are just knocked out for 10 days while they stop the benzo cold-turkey. But you feel the rebound anxiety later.
>
> I would not pin much hope on the Lamictal if its the rebound anxiety you are worried about. If you are starting that anyway then go ahead because IMHO Lamictal is a great mood-stabilizer. But when you are reducing your clonazepam dose, add something like Neurontin (which is given for anxiety anyway) and titrate that up to a decent dose before you commence withdrawal. That's just my suggestion. I think its what helped me. Withdrawal from Neurontin was not hard at all (for me anyway, I can't say about other people.)
>
> Also there are other things you can substitute for Neuontin whilst you slow taper like Zyprexia, Seroquil etc.
>
> Good luck
> Take care (Taper slowly)
> Love
> DWow, thanks! I actually gonna ask my pdoc for neurontin, but yes I would like to try Lamictal anyway. Last time I tried it I also took clonazepam and that's probably why I got so tired and had to discontinue Lamictal. So this time I would like to try Lamictal without clon. and see if it can help my mood, it had if I recall correctly, pretty benign s/e profile, as long as you don't get the rash. But I didn't get it then so I think the risk is pretty small.
Sure rebound anxiety is what has kept me from successful discontinuation before, but I'm more "afraid" of the physical symptoms, I hate the feeling of ground movement. And I know if I'm gonna succeed it has to be done rather quickly, say over a month. I'm taking 2mg a day, but it's the last part that's the toughest, right?Thanks.
poster:tensor
thread:924310
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091029/msgs/924402.html