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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SoftTones on January 11, 2001, at 10:20:32
I suffer from depression/severe anxiety. I've been taking imipramine 150/mg a day for a couple of years now with
no side effects...but...it doesn't help with the severe anxiety. I tried buspar for a year and it didn't help..then I tried
ativan. Ativan helped when I used it for very brief periods..maybe a couple of days but I couldn't take it long term
because it was worsening my depression and making me feel extremely ill. So, my doctor weaned me off ativan
and we both knew that I absolutely needed something to help my anxiety. I can't take any of the SSRI's so it was
decided to try me on klonopin.This started on Dec19th and I have only been taking 0.5 mg at night when I go to
bed. The first morning I woke up with a splitting headache ..I continued to take it and since that time I've had
recurring headaches, lethargy, deepening depression and starting to feel very weird as if my whole thought process
is screwed up...there are times through the day when I feel almost insane. Has anyone else had any bizarre
reactions to klonopin? Even the bad reaction I had from taking ativan for longer than a couple of days was nothing
compared to this!! I'm completely lost as to what to do..I know I need something to help with the anxiety but have
no idea what I could take.
Posted by r.anne on January 11, 2001, at 18:55:02
In reply to Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by SoftTones on January 11, 2001, at 10:20:32
> I suffer from depression/severe anxiety. I've been taking imipramine 150/mg a day for a couple of years now with
> no side effects...but...it doesn't help with the severe anxiety. I tried buspar for a year and it didn't help..then I tried
> ativan. Ativan helped when I used it for very brief periods..maybe a couple of days but I couldn't take it long term
> because it was worsening my depression and making me feel extremely ill. So, my doctor weaned me off ativan
> and we both knew that I absolutely needed something to help my anxiety. I can't take any of the SSRI's so it was
> decided to try me on klonopin.This started on Dec19th and I have only been taking 0.5 mg at night when I go to
> bed. The first morning I woke up with a splitting headache ..I continued to take it and since that time I've had
> recurring headaches, lethargy, deepening depression and starting to feel very weird as if my whole thought process
> is screwed up...there are times through the day when I feel almost insane. Has anyone else had any bizarre
> reactions to klonopin? Even the bad reaction I had from taking ativan for longer than a couple of days was nothing
> compared to this!! I'm completely lost as to what to do..I know I need something to help with the anxiety but have
> no idea what I could take.@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Hi. I took Klonopin and was too sedated from it. It can be potentially addicting, too, depending on how it is taken. I quit taking it and tried Buspar with no relief, in fact I got a strange reaction from that-heart jumping-going blind and shocked for a split section but enough to get off of it. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we all can get weird reactions from different drugs and different combinations of drugs. I've had side effects that no one would probably believe but I know they were side effects.Some like to try kavakava but you have to pay cash for it and it's on the expensive side. I don't know how it would mix with imipramine and if you are interested in it I would ask your doctor about the combination. I know someone who takes "Same" and says it helps her with her nerves and depression.
Another possible option would be a low dose of a major tranquilizer. I take the lowest dose possible of seroquel(25mg) and it helps with the major anxiety problem. I don't know if you want to get into them but I find them helpful for me.
That's about all I can think of besides exercise and massage and relaxing music and meditation and hot baths. All of which I need to do. Hope this helps some.
Posted by ksvt on January 11, 2001, at 20:31:51
In reply to Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by SoftTones on January 11, 2001, at 10:20:32
>I've been taking klonopin for years as a sleep aid, but never in the amounts you are. When anxiety becomes a problem for me, as it does periodically, I take the smallest dose I can of Xanax. (I really break those pills up into tiny pieces) It works very quickly for me and usually helps me get over the immediate hump. There was a time when I was taking it on a very regular basis, but I was fortunate to get myself to a place where I could really restrict my use. On the rare occasions when I have substantially increased my dosage of klonopin, I, too, have woken up with a pretty severe headache. ksvt
I suffer from depression/severe anxiety. I've been taking imipramine 150/mg a day for a couple of years now with
> no side effects...but...it doesn't help with the severe anxiety. I tried buspar for a year and it didn't help..then I tried
> ativan. Ativan helped when I used it for very brief periods..maybe a couple of days but I couldn't take it long term
> because it was worsening my depression and making me feel extremely ill. So, my doctor weaned me off ativan
> and we both knew that I absolutely needed something to help my anxiety. I can't take any of the SSRI's so it was
> decided to try me on klonopin.This started on Dec19th and I have only been taking 0.5 mg at night when I go to
> bed. The first morning I woke up with a splitting headache ..I continued to take it and since that time I've had
> recurring headaches, lethargy, deepening depression and starting to feel very weird as if my whole thought process
> is screwed up...there are times through the day when I feel almost insane. Has anyone else had any bizarre
> reactions to klonopin? Even the bad reaction I had from taking ativan for longer than a couple of days was nothing
> compared to this!! I'm completely lost as to what to do..I know I need something to help with the anxiety but have
> no idea what I could take.
Posted by JohnL on January 12, 2001, at 2:59:50
In reply to Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by SoftTones on January 11, 2001, at 10:20:32
Hi,
I thought I would jump in with a few ideas to think about. Just when you thought you were running out of options! :-)
First, anxiety can be caused by a variety of different chemistries, some having to do with the serotonin system, some more related to GABA, some to excess dopamine or excess NE, and some to chemical instability. These are broad generalities of much more complicated stuff, but they allow one to categorize things into a way that is useful in treatment.
Since SSRIs acted negatively with you, and Imipramine doesn't help completely, that could rule out serotonin.
The negative reaction to Ativan and Klonopin is not a good sign for the GABA system, however other drugs from the same class could be tried. It's not unusual for one to work real well while the others don't.
If the chemistry involved is dopamine related, a small dose antipsychotic could work. If the chemistry is noradrenaline related, then an antihypertensive drug could work nicely.
And for chemical instability there is small dose Lithium.
All of these drugs have been helpful in treating anxiety. Some have no clinical justification in anxiety--Lithium for example--yet they still work. One doctor kept records and graphs of which drugs worked in his anxiety patients, and all of the above mentioned drugs worked. It's just a matter of sampling them all to find which one you like. When you stumble onto one you like, then you'll know what chemistry you're dealing with. In the'probing' process to find the superior med and to better identify the underlying chemistry, long trials are not needed. You should know within one week whether one of the above drugs will be helpful or not. Listed below are drugs to try:
Xanax (benzo)
Valium (benzo)
Zyprexa (antipsychotic)
Risperdal (antipsychotic)
Two or three antihypertensive meds
Lithium
And sometimes, but not as often as the above drugs, Depakote or Tegretol.
And this sounds strange, but it's true...sometimes stimulants actually helped. That's usually the opposite of what would be expected, but they sometimes work for anxiety. The others listed though would probably have better odds of working.There are plenty of options. So far the real underlying chemistry of your anxiety has not been targeted. One of the above drugs will target it head-on. Your doctor might at first think you're nuts, but ask him/her to let you try these drugs for one week each. They may not work completely in that short of a time, but that's not the point. You are merely screening for superior meds, and in the process gathering clues to better identify which chemistry to focus on. The superior med you are looking for will make itself known quickly. You'll have no doubt that you are onto something good. If we were talking about chronic depression, these trials might have to be longer. But for anxiety, one week is plenty of time except with the SSRIs.
John
Posted by rogdog on January 13, 2001, at 17:28:38
In reply to Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by SoftTones on January 11, 2001, at 10:20:32
I would give xanax a shot,start at a low dose mabey 1 to 2 mgs a day and see how that works. good luck, Rogdog
Posted by danf on January 14, 2001, at 6:11:09
In reply to Re: Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by rogdog on January 13, 2001, at 17:28:38
The other group of meds to try is beta blockers. many times the physical symptoms of anxiety are dominant.. then beta blockers help quite a bit.
if the mental symptoms are dominant ? then beta blockers may not do much...
Posted by werther on January 15, 2001, at 19:49:47
In reply to Re: Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by danf on January 14, 2001, at 6:11:09
> I have heard that neurontin is a possible solution to anxiety. My doc gave me an rx for it just in case the buspar i just started recently is a total wash....
i truly wish you the best......
Posted by Chris A. on January 19, 2001, at 14:20:28
In reply to Re: Klonopin Side-effects?, posted by werther on January 15, 2001, at 19:49:47
Yes, there is recent solid research to indicate that Neurontin (gabapentin) is an effective treatment for anxiety. My pDoc added it to my cocktail ten days ago because I would like to decrease any possibility of dependence on Klonopin and also enhance my mood stability (dream on). My only difficulty with Neurontin is a fogged over effect durning the day, so I can only take a p.m. dose. Note: I have a long history of the same difficulty with every other anticonvulsant except for Lamictal (lamotrigene), so not everyone will have a problem with this. Taking mini doses of Klonopin during the day is providing good coverage and I have been able to discontinue the 0.5 mg p.m. dose. My system for keeping track of medical journal articles is non-existant, so am sorry I can't give you the best reference. Scott (aka SLS) or Medlib would be able to cough it up at the touch of a key.Blessings,
Chris A.
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