Do I start Klonopin and then taper?

[[Co...]]

Greetings folks- first time post so please forgive the naivety. There's so much information on this site and hard to digest it all and find the answers I'm looking for.

 

I'm simply looking for some opinions as my doc is very flexible to what I want to do.

 

tl;dr Currently experiencing the worst panic attacks of my life, and was just prescribed Klonopin 0.5mg to take up to 3 times daily. Afraid to begin taking it knowing what hell people go through to get off of these. I took a single dose after my GP appointment today and felt great for the first time in weeks, but that lasted a total of 4 hours  Do I continue taking "as needed" or find alternatives? My panic attacks are 24/7, 9 out of 10 bad and I have been unable to sleep for weeks.

 

Full Story: Suffered from GAD and crippling panic attacks for the past 14 years. Have been stabilized almost entirely on various meds (Paxil, Effexor, Wellbutrin) at different times and they mostly seemed to work. I always had a prescription for Lorazepam .25mg and then .5mg which I very rarely had to use (1x or 2x a month?). It did it's job great and would pull me out of my absolute worst panic attacks.

 

Fast forward to this past month. I had just finished my Wellbutrin taper and was med-free except for the Lorazepam 0.5mg. Right then my grandmother was unexpectedly hospitalized with a stroke, on life support and I had to see her like that, saying good-bye to her shell. She passed. I didn't think it was that hard on me, after all, I got to say good-bye! But the very next day the anxiety attacks from hell began. I'm one who gets severe digestive issues (non-stop puking and diarrhea), can't hold still, contemplate going to the ER, etc. Words cannot describe how bad these are. So what did I do at the time? Take my Lorazepam 0.5mg as needed. Which ends up being twice for each attack (1mg Lorazepam). The attacks last for 3 weeks, every other day or so, with a brief respite of 3 days in there. So- now I have been taking way more Lorazepam than normal, and regularly. Quite possibly dependent now.

 

During this same time I contacted my GP and requested a prescription of Paxil 20mg as it worked well for me in the past. I'm in week 3 of ramping that up.

 

I am also currently learning CBT from both a therapist and a great self-help book. The goal is to be med-free and healthy, right?

 

And that's where I am at now. Unable to sleep, eat (lost 10% body weight in 3 weeks), cannot work and generally completely miserable. You can probably see why my doc went straight for the harder stuff for me. But I'm skeptical since benzo's seem to metabolize and go through my system very fast and I'm stuck back where I was, with worse symptoms only hours later.

 

What do people here think? Obviously the decision is between my GP, Psychiatrist (shopping for one) and me but I'm very open to learning and making a better informed decision.

 

Thank you and sorry for the novel!

[[Gr...]]

Have you been taking lorazepam or Klonopin on a daily basis?  I wouldn't start taking them, if you haven't been.  CBT will work better in the long run, in my opinion.  Breathing exercises can really help panic attacks.

[[Co...]]

Appreciate the response. Sort of my opinion too and am about to enter an Intensive Outpatient Therapy session over the coming 6 weeks which has a psychiatrists for me to help direct my concerns too. Hoping she will see my point of view also.

 

I'm continually astounded how everyone in the medical community thinks these are the cure-all drugs but reading some of the stories of getting off of these has me mortified.

[[Wo...]]

I know it feels good now but if u get dependent the withdrawal can be way worse than the original panic attacks.

 

Try natural means for coping first and if you need help in SSRI is a better choice because they are much less addicting.

[Guest [ou...]]

Before I give you any advice, let me be clear that I'm not a doctor.

My qualifications are research and experience.

 

Your description suggests that the problem may be 2-fold; perhaps an environmental/drug combo.

Although you don't seem to be addicted, tolerance isn't out of the question.

Add to that your grandmother's passing and you get an explosive mix.

 

While I generally agree that drug-free is better, some anxiety disorders are chronic and need to be treated.

If that's your case, antidepressants are a better long-term treatment than benzos.

 

In the case of Paxil, there have been reports of it not working as well the second time around.

For example, if you were on 30mg last time you could consider going up to 40mg this time;

that is of course if 30mg isn't doing anything for you after a week or so.

 

Another thing you're probably aware of is that SSRIs may worsen anxiety until they've taken hold.

That's why many doctors prescribe benzos "as needed" alongside an SSRI.

If you have to take a benzo during that period, that's where things get complicated.

 

Question: lorazepam or clonazepam and daily or "as needed"?

Short answer: clonazepam as needed for panic attacks.

 

Long answer:

1. Any benzo taken daily will result in tolerance.

2. Lorazepam's short half-life seems to cause rebound symptoms between doses.

3. Clonazepam's long half-life could resolve that.

4. If you do become dependent, clonazepam (being long-acting) might be easier to stop.

 

Regards.

[[Co...]]

This was an immensely informative post that I can completely get behind. Thank you.

 

The lorazepam I've basically tossed (will donate at pharmacy) at this point because exactly what you said, and I have experienced. The in-between dose rebound/withdrawal whatever you want to call it. I've experienced this for as long as I've been prescribed the drug and have enough personal evidence to know it and hate it. Clonazepam is a different story. Thus far I've taken a total of ~1.5mg (2 pills in one day when I was really bad and 2 split pills over 2 days) out of a 3 day period in total and in all honesty think perhaps my SSRI may be starting to take hold. I am in the ~4week range. That or by some magical coincidence by taking a half a Clonazapam here and there when really needed, cured my non-stop anxiety (/sarcasm )

 

Either way, I am happy to report that I am in a manageable state with my severe anxiety the past 2 days to think clearly and make informed decisions of when I will be taking these. As rarely as possible. The last thing I want it to have to taper at all. I even made a full 24hours without needing anything (besides the SSRI obviously). That's huge for me after this past month!

 

I'll be taking all of this information to my new psychiatrist on Tuesday and seek assurance I'm on the right path. (In my own words and evidence of course; not "But benzobuddies told me!". Haha)

 

Thank you again. Onward! I have hope!

[Guest [ou...]]

Either way, I am happy to report that I am in a manageable state with my severe anxiety the past 2 days to think clearly and make informed decisions of when I will be taking these. As rarely as possible. The last thing I want it to have to taper at all. I even made a full 24hours without needing anything (besides the SSRI obviously). That's huge for me after this past month!

 

Thank you again. Onward! I have hope!

 

I'm glad you're feeling better.

 

I'll be taking all of this information to my new psychiatrist on Tuesday and seek assurance I'm on the right path. (In my own words and evidence of course; not "But benzobuddies told me!". Haha)

 

You should definitely do that.

No amount of even the best info can ever replace a doctor.

 

Regards.

[[Fi...]]

Hi there, I'm going to chime in because I can't let someone else find themselves where I am now. I have PTSD. My anxiety attacks were out of control (or so I thought) and my doc put me on Clonazepam. If I knew then what I know now I would have never taken that first pill. I highly recommend that you do not start it. Stay away.

Once I finally finished my taper from it I had the worse panic attacks I have ever had. BUT using various coping strategies, breathing, holding ice packs in each hand and practicing various distraction techniques I quickly realized that I had listened to my doc far too quickly. Thank goodness you are being taught CBT. It is invaluable. We have to remind ourselves that our panic attacks won't kill us. That they are like a wave that will come and then go. Which as you know they do.

When I first finished antidepressant my anxiety was also through the roof. That would explain why your is right now as well. As time goes on and the brain heals they will get far better, please trust me. It's imperative that the cbt strategies become like breathing to you. When and if you feel a panic attack coming on its time to implement them.

Here are some that really helped me:

1.)  4, 4, 4 breathing. You and I both know when we are having a panic attack how hard it is to breathe but this technique is so beneficial. Multiple studies have shown that breathing techniques actually reset the brain. So you would breathe in for 4 seconds, hold it for 4 seconds and then breath out for 4 seconds. It will be difficult to do but continue doing it until you can and the keep it up for at least 5 minutes.  Don't panic because you can't get 4 seconds of breath in just keep doing it.

2.) there is an app called "Calm". It has various techniques on it to help bring your anxiety down. You can breath along with it as it instructs you. There are also meditations and calming sounds to use as distractions while you are breathing or not at all.

3.) Meditation - there are tonnes online that you can just put on and will help ground you.

4.) Using anything cold - you can either hold things from the freezer in each hand or take an ice cube and hold it while it melts. Cold compresses on your neck etc. This technique distracts the brain from the anxiety you are having. While you are holding the cold item focus on how it feels in your hand/neck.

5.) Grounding techniques - this is as simple as sitting in a chair placing your feet on the floor and naming everything that you are doing, what you see and how it feels. So.. I'm sitting in a chair, my feet are on the hardwood floor. My hands are in my lap, I see my dog who is sleeping, the light shining through the window etc..

If you use these techniques it will definitely help you while your lying benzo brain is causing the panic attack. Always remember that the anxiety is actually the brain trying to heal itself as you have stopped your anti-depressant. You will may have all kinds of side effects pop up but please know that this is all the brain healing.

As a former Clonazepam user I plead with you not to start it. Now that I am able to manage my anxiety and it keeps getting better on a daily basis I wish I would have really tried harder using these coping strategies. Clonazepam is the most evil of all, if anything take them to the pharmacy and get rid of them so you aren't tempted to take a dose.

There is a post at the very top of this forum entitled "what is happening to your brain" if you haven't read it have a read it will explain everything that is going on and give you some reassurance. If I have mastered my anxiety you can as well. Mine was also a life long problem but I'm proof that although I endured several horrible crisis' and traumas we can get it under control ourselves without any meds whatsoever. Everyone can its a matter of persistence and not letting our negative benzo brain tell us we can't.

Hope this helps, wishing you the best of luck 

P.S. If there are spelling errors in this I apologize. I type quickly and don't usually go back and edit, I'm sure you understand

[[Fi...]]

Check this out as well: 

 

https://www.bustle.com/articles/147219-6-podcasts-to-listen-to-if-youre-feeling-anxious