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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cubbybear on April 27, 2003, at 12:04:22
In my post earlier in the week, ("Klonopin withdrawal--and a reckless pdoc") I talked about the withdrawal problems I encountered coming off Klonopin and how I had to change to a different pdoc in order to go down more slowly. Well, I backpedalled to the dose (3.75 mg/day) that I was taking before the insomnia and anxiety got bad, and sure enough, I slept well again and felt a good deal better the next day. Then something went wrong. It's hard to describe, since this is the first time I've ever encountered this problem, but for the past couple of days I've been feeling a considerable amount of anxiety even though my sleep is fine.
( By the way, I'm also taking MAOI anti-depressant Parnate and am hoping that the feelings of anxiety have nothing to do with loss of efficacy of the Parnate.)
In other words, I was feeling fine for more than 3 weeks as my depression went into remission; then I tried the Klonopin reductions, followed by the withdrawal distress, went back to earlier dose of K, thought I had everything back in order, but then after just one day, I'm feeling rotten again with anxiety. Can anyone who has had problems coming off Klonopin (or another benzo) identify with this? What in the world is going on? Unfortunately, I won't be seeing my pdoc again for nearly a couple of weeks so any help would be appreciated.
Posted by Janelle on April 27, 2003, at 14:23:04
In reply to Klonopin/anxiety problems--Please help, posted by cubbybear on April 27, 2003, at 12:04:22
I can be of minimal help to you - I have been on Klonpin for like 10 years, most of which was 1mg/day; for the past few months it was upped to 2mg twice a day. I did taper off it (back when I was on 1mg/day) successfully; no withdrawal problems. Of course, no sooner did the pdoc (different one than now) have me off it for a few days, when she started me on Ativan! ACKKKKKK. I refused to be on that for long, then another pdoc (the pdoc from he--; she was a bi-tch) put me back on Klonopin.
You've got me scared shi--less about going off because that is what my pdoc is planning to do (a slow and gradual taper to either the "lowest effective dose" - his phrase - or none at all if I can do without it). First, I'm tapering off Buspar and so far, so good (KNOCK ON WOOD) but that one has no withdrawal problems from what pdoc says and from what I've read.
Anyway, it sounds to me (and I'm only a consumer, not a professional) like you may need to stay on a small dose of Klonopin for awhile. That is what I anticipate for myself, although I don't want to have a self-fulfilling prophecy!
I don't know if you mentioned it in a previous post but WHY are you going off Klonopin - I gather your pdoc is having you do it, and the slow taper sounds good. I'm just curious as to why go off it completely, when it sounds like you might need a wee bit?
Posted by cubbybear on April 29, 2003, at 2:55:27
In reply to Re: Klonopin/anxiety problems--Please help » cubbybear, posted by Janelle on April 27, 2003, at 14:23:04
>WHY are you going off Klonopin - I gather your pdoc is having you do it, and the slow taper sounds good. I'm just curious as to why go off it completely, when it sounds like you might need a wee bit?
It's just a "personal" thing with me--I don't like the idea of being dependent on a benzo for a long period. I am resigned to having to take an AD (Parnate) every day for the rest of my life, and the Parnate always helped somewhat with anxiety. If I had intermittent insomnia or anxiety, I would take .5 Xanax, on the average once a month perhaps.
So now that the Parnate is in my system,I would just like to see how I can manage without the Klonopin. But it's evidently going to be a longer tapering off process than I thought. Hope that answers your questions.
Posted by Viridis on April 29, 2003, at 3:08:39
In reply to Re: Klonopin/anxiety problems--Please help » Janelle, posted by cubbybear on April 29, 2003, at 2:55:27
Klonopin is safe and effective for long-term use, so why not go slow on the discontinuation? And if you need it, how is that different from using Parnate or any other AD etc. for extended periods? Most ADs induce at least as much dependency as benzos, if not more. In any case, if something helps, I'd stick with it, or at least go off it very gradually.
Posted by cubbybear on April 29, 2003, at 3:33:35
In reply to Re: Klonopin/anxiety problems--Please help » Janel » cubbybear, posted by Viridis on April 29, 2003, at 3:08:39
> Klonopin is safe and effective for long-term use, so why not go slow on the discontinuation? And if you need it, how is that different from using Parnate or any other AD etc. for extended periods? Most ADs induce at least as much dependency as benzos, if not more. In any case, if something helps, I'd stick with it, or at least go off it very gradually.
I agree about going very slowly during discontinuation, but I fully disagree about ADs causing dependency. It's much harder to withdraw from a benzo, compared to an anti-depressant, and there's a common misconception that ADs are habit-forming. It's not true!
Posted by Viridis on April 29, 2003, at 3:56:29
In reply to Re: Klonopin/anxiety problems--Please help » Viridis, posted by cubbybear on April 29, 2003, at 3:33:35
Well, the best available evidence (from the World Health Organization) ranks ADs such as Paxil and Effexor as the hardest-to-quit meds, and reports here seem to concur. I don't know much about MAOIs.
Benzos rank much lower, on average, in terms of difficulty of discontinuation, although of course it varies according to the individual. So, the myth of benzos being hardest to quit just isn't supported by the available evidence, although they certainly may cause problems for some people.
This is the end of the thread.
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