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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lotus on April 17, 2005, at 18:38:39
To those of you who are on it or have tried it,how addictive is it? This is the only thing that might keep me from trying it.I don't want to get addicted to something I can't get off of.
Thanks.
Posted by Phillipa on April 17, 2005, at 18:48:30
In reply to Thinking about trying klonopin?, posted by lotus on April 17, 2005, at 18:38:39
First do you get addicted to meds emotionally or physically? If the answer is no then if taken as Rx'd by your doc there should be no problem. What do you want to try it for? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Colleen D. on April 17, 2005, at 21:16:17
In reply to Thinking about trying klonopin?, posted by lotus on April 17, 2005, at 18:38:39
.5mg twice a day. I am "allowed" .5mg more according to my prescription but 90% of the time I don't need more. I wish I had known about this drug LONG BEFORE NOW!
Good luck!
Colleen
Posted by mattw84 on April 17, 2005, at 21:59:34
In reply to Thinking about trying klonopin?, posted by lotus on April 17, 2005, at 18:38:39
Head over to http://www.benzoforum.org -- register and submit your question there. The activation takes a little while but the group knows more about benzos than you will find any place else. Be sure and tell them Mw1984 says "Hi!" (Just so I get the referral points...)
Regards,
Matt
Posted by lotus on April 18, 2005, at 0:02:03
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin? » lotus, posted by Phillipa on April 17, 2005, at 18:48:30
> First do you get addicted to meds emotionally or physically? If the answer is no then if taken as Rx'd by your doc there should be no problem. What do you want to try it for? Fondly, Phillipa
I want to try it for anxiety.I tried Paxil before which worked great(I tried it a second time and it didn't work as good) but had a hard time coming off of it,so this makes me kind of wary about trying this because of it's addictive nature,plus I've never tried a benzo before.
Posted by Phillipa on April 18, 2005, at 0:49:12
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin?, posted by lotus on April 18, 2005, at 0:02:03
I can only speak for myself. But I was on l0mg of paxil with small does of xanax. When I went off the paxil I tried luvox. It also worked with ativan. I've always needed a benzo. The AD's don't relieve anxiety in me. So why should I take an AD which I did have brain zaps coming off, if I can take a benzo, have it relieve my primary symptom of anxiety and risk all the side effects I had with AD's? I think the benzos are much easier to get off of if you wean off slowly. I personally, will always require a benzo as I've been on them over 30yrs. And they just gave benzos then for anxiety. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by lunesta on April 18, 2005, at 3:29:35
In reply to Thinking about trying klonopin?, posted by lotus on April 17, 2005, at 18:38:39
its very addictive. dont use it unles you need it. i had a grand mal seizure when withdrawling and now im partially disabled. i strongly urge you not too. Try Lyrica when its out in may, neurontin for now./
Posted by Spriggy on April 18, 2005, at 13:38:30
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin? NO! » lotus, posted by lunesta on April 18, 2005, at 3:29:35
Okay Lunesta,
Now you have scared me. How long were you on them and what dosage was it?
I am taking 30 mg's of Restoril every night for sleep. I also take a small dose of Klonopin.
I want to know if this stuff is going to mess me up long term.
Posted by stresser on April 18, 2005, at 16:17:03
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin? NO! » lunesta, posted by Spriggy on April 18, 2005, at 13:38:30
I take Klonopin for Restless Legs at night and have for several years. I have no trouble at all, but have not tried to come off it yet. Reading these posts makes me wonder what awaits me in the future. My doctor doesn't seem to be too concerned, and I have asked both of them about it. I will wait until it starts causing problems, or one of them takes me off it. -L
Posted by Maxime on April 18, 2005, at 22:20:11
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin? NO! » lotus, posted by lunesta on April 18, 2005, at 3:29:35
> its very addictive. dont use it unles you need it. i had a grand mal seizure when withdrawling and now im partially disabled. i strongly urge you not too. Try Lyrica when its out in may, neurontin for now./
It is not very addictive. Your reaction to it was an anomaly. Clonazapam has helped a lot of people. When it's time to come off it, you have to do carefully (I am not suggesting that you weren't careful) and slowly and with the help of your physician.
Wellbutrin causes seizure in 1 percent of the people who take it. Considering how many people have or are taking it, many people have suffered a seizure (myself being one of them). But it still works for many people. There are risks with ALL meds. Even things that may seems harmless like vitamins and other alternative meds.
I don't think it's right to scare people away from various meds on this board. I have had the weirdest things happen to me some meds, but I would never tell anyone not to take the med.
You are telling someone to take Neurontin. Well I took neurontin and had pitting edema in my legs and had to be admitted in the hospital for a week and take medication to counteract it. But that is how I reacted to the med. It also made me so spacey that I was almost hit by car in China Town in Washington D.C.
I'm sorry your experience was so bad Lunesta, and that you have permanent damage from the med. And it's great that Lunesta is working out so well for you. But for others it might cause serious side effects.Maxime
Posted by Sylvia65 on April 21, 2005, at 5:36:21
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin? (nm) » lotus, posted by Sylvia65 on April 21, 2005, at 5:21:05
I was on this drug for 6 years. It made me a mess. Long term use does reverse. I found it very adictive and had to be hospitalized. Side effects are wicked. OK for short term use. I' now on Effexor XR and I'm doing great. Sylvia65
Posted by reefer on April 22, 2005, at 12:52:46
In reply to Thinking about trying klonopin?, posted by lotus on April 17, 2005, at 18:38:39
I started on diazepam(Valium) 30 mg/day. I tapered this to about 10 mg per day. But i wasn't comfortable at this dose so i switched to alprazolam(Xanax XR) 2-3 mg/day. I stayed at this dose for about a year then i wanted to taper but i found it hard to taper on alprazolam so i switched to 2-3 mg/day clonazepam(Klonopin) i've been tapering slowly at my own pace since November last year and i am now down to 0.5 mg/day. I have the double scored 0.5 mg clonazepam tablets made by Roche brand name Iktorivil. So i taper by 0.125 mg(quarter of a tablet) whenever i feel ready to lower the dose. And at a slow pace forced by no one i haven't had any problem tapering. And even if it takes me a couple more months to get to 0 so may it be, i'm in no rush. Benzodiazepines are safe in the long term and when used properly aren't very hard to come off. If you abuse them though or stay on very high doses for a long time and then stop abruptly you can suffer horrible withdrawal and even have seizures. So my advice is, if you trust yourself go for it.
Posted by reefer on April 22, 2005, at 13:17:16
In reply to Re: Thinking about trying klonopin? NO! » lotus, posted by lunesta on April 18, 2005, at 3:29:35
Lyrica probably causes withdrawal when used in the long term since it's a very close relative of Neurontin that causes horrible withdrawal in a lot of people. I have a hard time understanding your thinking here. If i remember right you are on GHB(Xyrem) and eszopiclone(Lunesta) for sleep. Fentanyl(Durogesic) 24/7 and pregabalin(Lyrica) during the day.
I've seen friends coming off of GHB only and that was a horrible sight. They also told me it felt like coming off of benzos and opiates at the same time. And looking at your med combination:
GHB which binds to GHB and GABA-B receptors. Lunesta which is closely related to benzodiazepines, much more selective though. Still binds to some subtypes on the GABA-A receptor complex. Combined with Lyrica which has a direct effect on Cl- channels. And add to that a very potent pure opiod mu-agonist(Durogesic). Now that sure covers a lot of receptor sites which all can lead to dependency and withdrawal. It seems strange to me you feel safe on this but scare people who want to try a simple benzo? I hope this isn't offending cause that is not the purpose. I'm just curious if that statement is based on your very sad experince with clonazepam(the grand mal seizure). I'm really sorry that happened. How fast did you taper? And from what dose?
This is the end of the thread.
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