Posted by viridis on August 31, 2002, at 19:44:46
In reply to correct dose benzos » alan, posted by hildi on August 31, 2002, at 18:25:18
Hi Hildi,
I hope you're feeling better. I posted a more detailed response to your questions about adderall etc. earlier (higher up the page), and my dosing schedules for Klonopin and Xanax. Basically, I started with 1 mg Klonopin at night and Xanax prn, but the Klonopin wore off by mid-morning, so then I tried 0.25 mg 4X/day (since initially it made me a bit clumsy and sleepy). The I went to 0.5 mg 2X day (after a week or two), and now I just take 1 mg in the morning (along with the additional meds described in my earlier post). Klonopin no longer has any noticeable side effects for me, and it provides all-day relief of anxiety and stress without any cognitive dulling.
I used Xanax (0.25-0.5 mg) whenever I needed it initially, and had no problem with it interacting with Klonopin. As I got used to the Klonopin and my anxiety level dropped, so did my use of Xanax. Now I take Xanax (at most) once or twice a week for particularly stressful situations, but I take the Klonopin every day, never more than 1 mg/day.
I did take a tiny dose of Zoloft (12.5 mg) for a short period while on K & X, but it had such a drastic effect on my moods and stress level that I soon dropped it, with my pdoc's approval. I just can't tolerate SSRIs (I've tried others), even with benzos in place. I wonder if you might be having a similar reaction to the Zoloft -- maybe something to discuss with your doctor. I'm much better with just benzos (and even more stable with a bit of Adderall and Neurontin as I've mentioned before). Maybe your brain chemistry is similar?
Anyway, I'd talk to your doctor before dropping the SSRI or any other medications, but it's something to consider. Oh, by the way -- I started taking 6 g fish oil and 1 g evening primrose oil every day a couple of months ago, and that also seems to help me feel more stable (but I still think the Klonopin is the real key).
Good luck!
poster:viridis
thread:118149
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020829/msgs/118384.html