Clonopin

[Cechee]

I don't have a therapist and get my medication from a rather dreary Medical Dr.

Long story.

Anyway I have been on clonpin for years too many years..I take 2mg twice a day an extra if needed...I have extreme anxiety..I do disassociate but not enough at this point in my life,,lots of stress memories pain etc..

I had taken ativan once for sleep and it helped so much more then the clonopin,,I guess I thought clonopin was basically the same or is it more for memories...?

I need to find an MD..but have such bad insurance,,I'm lucky to get what I do get.

I really could use more help in regards to meds.

Anyone has any insight I would be happy to hear it.

I know it is not medical advice and I will not considered it so.

thank you!

Christine

[tachyon]

clonopin and ativan are basically the same, as i understand it the only difference is onset and duration.

sometimes meds will just stop being as effective. Try taking omega-3 supplements (like cod liver oil) and B vitamin complexes, they've helped me for months at a time with severe anxiety, clouded thinking, and some of my med side effects.

You really should talk to a doctor though.

[leedavid08]

"years, too many years"

There's your problem; and the exact same one I'm having now. Klonopin(clonazepam) like all benzo's are supposed to be used for short term use. I've been on it for 7 months and already I'm beginning to have withdrawl symptoms from it. I started on 0.5mg a day now I'm up to 4mg a day and it still isn't working.

Problem with clonazepam is is that it's one of the few benzo's that are long-lasting. Plus it's a very potent benzo (called a nitro-benzodiazapine) and 1mg is roughly equal to 10mg of diazepam (Valium). There's plenty of literature suggesting that two years plus on a benzo can cause permanent brain deformities and a plethora of problems when you try to come off them.

It's pretty obvious, though Im not a doc, that clonazepam isn't working for you anymore and probably hasn't been for some time - because it's having little physical effect where it's supposed to (GABAa) you've probably already been through the withdrawl which has made your anxiety worse and you might aswell be taking sugar pills.

It's incredibly negligent of your doc to have you on ANY benzo for that amount of time, especially clonazepam. It's imperitave you talk to him/her about a change to a shorter acting benzo - diazepam perhaps while weaning you off the clonazepam. Then if I was your doc I'd put you on buspirone

Id be grateful if you'd let me know what happens when you've spoken to them. And if 20 years down the line you have a seizure caused by brain defects find your old doc and sue the bastard - not that Im suggesting you do don't worry the chance is around 1 in 1000.