![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Krissy P on March 16, 2003, at 19:45:17
Hi, I just wanted to get a sort-of census concerning those here who have or are taking Klonopin(Clonazapam)
I appreciate the help, just want to try to understand others' experiences, views etc.
Thanks--------
1) How long have you been on Klonopin?
2) What is your dosage?
3) What is the HIGHEST doase you ever took?
4) What other meds are you cutrrently OR taken in the past WITH Klonopin?
5) Did you GAIN any amount of weight on Klonolpin?
6) For women only-did the use of Klonopin alter your menstrual cycle, increase PMS, breast tenderness?
7) Did you get migraines at all on Klonopin?
8) Have ever withdrawed off of Klonopin, what, if any, were the negative you experienced?
9) Overall-your opinion of the use of Klonopin?
Better than any other benzos for you personally?
Looking forward to hearing your answers:-)
Thanks so much again, Kristen
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on March 16, 2003, at 21:36:40
In reply to Like ANDY....Questions about Klonopin Thank you:-), posted by Krissy P on March 16, 2003, at 19:45:17
>1) How long have you been on Klonopin?
On and off for about five years, pretty consistently for the past two and half years.
>2) What is your dosage?
8mg twice daily
>3) What is the HIGHEST doase you ever took?
10mg twice daily
>4) What other meds are you cutrrently OR taken in the past WITH Klonopin?
Just started Xyrem (GHB) and 5mg Dexedrine two days ago. I've tried practically everything along with the clonazepam in the past though.
>5) Did you GAIN any amount of weight on Klonolpin?
Lost a little, actually.
>6) For women only-did the use of Klonopin alter your menstrual cycle, increase PMS, breast tenderness?
N/A
>7) Did you get migraines at all on Klonopin?
I've always had occasional migraines but they haven't gotten any worse since starting the clonazepam.
>8) Have ever withdrawed off of Klonopin, what, if any, were the negative you experienced?
I've gone off clonazepam many times, but never had any problems at all with withdrawal. Xanax was another story entirely though, just awful. Numb, tingling sensation all over my body, so weak I couldn't stand up, nausea, cold sweats... I'll never touch that stuff again.
>9) Overall-your opinion of the use of Klonopin?
Let me put it this way: if clonazepam were ever taken off the market (god forbid) and all I could do was choose between any of the other benzos, you can bet your life I'd run straight to start taking an organic chemistry class so I could manufacture my own! lol... funny though, I'm actually dead serious.
>Better than any other benzos for you personally?
Better than all of them, hands down. For me it seems to take a few weeks to begin working when first start taking it, which is great. No instant gratification = no abuse potential.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on March 16, 2003, at 21:39:21
In reply to Re: Like ANDY....Questions about Klonopin Thank you:-), posted by Ame Sans Vie on March 16, 2003, at 21:36:40
You know it's funny, I just realized (thinking about my current meds) that I had things more or less right all along when I used to self-medicate with Adderall, GHB, and Valium! lol
Posted by viridis on March 16, 2003, at 21:59:47
In reply to Like ANDY....Questions about Klonopin Thank you:-), posted by Krissy P on March 16, 2003, at 19:45:17
Hi Krissy,
I'm a big fan of Klonopin -- I've been taking 1 mg/day for about 1.5 years, and it's been great for both anxiety and depression. To answer your remaining questions in order:
a) The most I've taken is 2 mg (two 1 mg doses a couple of hours apart, just by mistake). No big deal; maybe a bit of temporary sleepiness. I haven't had to increase my dose yet, although my pdoc has offered to if necessary.
b) I also take Xanax as needed (0.25 - 0.5 mg), 1200 mg Neurontin/day, and 10 mg Adderall/day. I've also combined K with Trazadone, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Prozac, Provigil, Vicoprofen, Soma, some antibiotics, a few OTC meds like antacids, and a variety of dietary supplements (fish oil etc.). I've never noticed any interaction.
c) Weight neutral; maybe slight weight loss if anything.
d) Can't address the female problems.
e) Don't suffer from migraines or even headaches (except very minor), but nothing there with K.
f) If I don't take it for a day, I get quite anxious. Not clear if this is withdrawal, since I was anxious before. However, I definitely wouldn't discontinue it suddenly.
g) For me, it's very helpful. As I mentioned, I also take Xanax, but only once in a while. Xanax seems more powerful to me, but that may just be lack of tolerance. Xanax is great for short-term anxiety relief. K caused some sleepiness and clumsiness initially, but this disappeared in about 1-2 weeks and I have no side effects whatsoever now. I've used Valium (years ago) but found it really dulling, and didn't like it at all. K actually sharpens my thinking and allows me to function normally.
It's also a very good mood stabilizer for me, since I'm prone to ultra-rapid cycling episodes.
Hope this helps!
Posted by SBOATRN on March 17, 2003, at 10:22:20
In reply to Like ANDY....Questions about Klonopin Thank you:-), posted by Krissy P on March 16, 2003, at 19:45:17
> 1) How long have you been on Klonopin?
Almost 1 year> 2) What is your dosage?
.125mgs to .375mgs(.125mg 3 X day). Way LOW - but works for me at this level> 3) What is the HIGHEST doase you ever took?
.5mgs daily> 4) What other meds are you cutrrently OR taken
in the past WITH Klonopin?
None - monotherapy for me> 5) Did you GAIN any amount of weight on Klonolpin?
No> 6) For women only-did the use of Klonopin alter your menstrual cycle, increase PMS, breast tenderness?
Hard to tell, problems before using K, certainly don't think K made anything worse> 7) Did you get migraines at all on Klonopin?
No - don't get them> 8) Have ever withdrawed off of Klonopin, what, if any, were the negative you experienced?
Attempted once, at a time where anxiety wasn't controlled really well. Got caught up in Benzophobia and didn't want to take it, although it was starting to really work for me!! Didn't work to quit it !!> 9) Overall-your opinion of the use of Klonopin?
> Better than any other benzos for you personally?
Has worked well. Haven't used others.Signed,
SBOATRN
Posted by mrporter1 on March 17, 2003, at 17:15:55
In reply to Like ANDY....Questions about Klonopin Thank you:-), posted by Krissy P on March 16, 2003, at 19:45:17
> 1) How long have you been on Klonopin?several months as needed, several weeks every day
> 2) What is your dosage?
.25 every morning
> 3) What is the HIGHEST doase you ever took?
.5 if needed
> 4) What other meds are you cutrrently OR taken in the past WITH Klonopin?
Wellbutrin (225), adderall (5 - 7.5), atenolol (37.5)
have Xanax that I use in a panic emergency. it's much quicker acting and gives stronger relief and feeling of well-being.
> 5) Did you GAIN any amount of weight on Klonolpin?
taking adderall, so appetite not a problem
> 6) For women only-did the use of Klonopin alter your menstrual cycle, increase PMS, breast tenderness?
haven't noticed a difference
> 7) Did you get migraines at all on Klonopin?
no
> 8) Have ever withdrawed off of Klonopin, what, if any, were the negative you experienced?
n/a
> 9) Overall-your opinion of the use of Klonopin?
so far so good - took me a while to accept the idea of taking it daily, but i'm over it.
> Better than any other benzos for you personally?
I think it's a good balance - more even and longer acting.
Posted by falconman on March 17, 2003, at 20:45:08
In reply to Like ANDY....Questions about Klonopin Thank you:-), posted by Krissy P on March 16, 2003, at 19:45:17
> Hi, I just wanted to get a sort-of census concerning those here who have or are taking Klonopin(Clonazapam)
>
> I appreciate the help, just want to try to understand others' experiences, views etc.
> Thanks--------
> 1) How long have you been on Klonopin?
just stopped 3 days ago. been on it for the last 1.5 years> 2) What is your dosage?
was 4mg daily untill I started tapering off it about 5 weeks ago> 3) What is the HIGHEST doase you ever took?
stupidly 70mg> 4) What other meds are you cutrrently OR taken in the past WITH Klonopin?
nothing at the mo. used to take moclobermide 1200mg and lamotrigine 400mg> 5) Did you GAIN any amount of weight on Klonolpin?
no
> 6) For women only-did the use of Klonopin alter your menstrual cycle, increase PMS, breast tenderness?
pass> 7) Did you get migraines at all on Klonopin?
never and I used to get them nearly every other day before I started Klonopin. I have them again now I've stopped. They were tension migrains and klonopin is a great muscle relaxant.> 8) Have ever withdrawed off of Klonopin, what, if any, were the negative you experienced?
I found the drop from 4mg to 1mg relatively easy. Obviously more tension + anxiety , but not overwhelming(and I do have a tendancy to panic big time). The last mg was more tricky. restless legs, agitation, serious insomnia(haven't slept before 6am for the last 2 weeks), depersonalization big time(although this is my underlying illness), very scared and panicky (although this goes hand in hand with the depersonalization). Although I say this, to be honest withdrawel has not been half as bad as I thought it would be, especially considering the underlying condition I have. Not at all as hard as some AD's, namely Paxil. Also I came off the last 1mg in about 3 weeks - not advisable. I'm sure it could have been much easier if I'd done it properly.> 9) Overall-your opinion of the use of Klonopin?
I'm glad I took it, at the time I was in such a panic I needed something that would calm me down instantly. It allowed me to leave the house and interact with people a bit which I desperately needed to do. In a sense it was a life saver, and I may well go back to a small dose in the future.However these are the reasons I stopped it
-had no pro-social properties. I didn't care much for anything. It allowed me to leave the house, but socially I wasn't interested in taking part, I was not getting any enjoyment out of interaction. Didn't ever really have much to say about anything.
-decreased 'get up and go' big time.
-increased anger(only subtly but definitely there)
-decreased creativity
-didn't worry about anything including things I should have worried about
-lost track of time in that I would ask- What day is it? did that really happen yesterday? Is that the date...really? stuff like that.
-I noticed becoming much less playfull with my younger sister
Although this is a mixed review, I have no regrets about going on it. If your crippled by anxiety expect a fairly drastic inproovement in quality of life.
> Better than any other benzos for you personally?
its the only one I've been on> Looking forward to hearing your answers:-)
> Thanks so much again, KristenHope this is useful, take care
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.