Teva Clonazepam Discontinued Group

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Thanks free.

[[on...]]

I dont know if anyone has mentioned this,because I havent read all 57 pages yet, but Genetech has a prescription assistance program.You could qualify to get brand name for free. https://www.gene.com/patients/patient-foundation/apply-for-help

.Instead of being bounced around on different generics which gives no baseline for reference to taper.Hope it this helps.

[[In...]]

I dont know if anyone has mentioned this,because I havent read all 57 pages yet, but Genetech has a prescription assistance program.You could qualify to get brand name for free. https://www.gene.com/patients/patient-foundation/apply-for-help

.Instead of being bounced around on different generics which gives no baseline for reference to taper.Hope it this helps.

 

onemorety,

 

It does help. Just a question. Have or will you try this yourself?

[[on...]]

Yes Im going to try cause my insurance wont cover it.

[[on...]]

I called Genetech just now and the only one's they help with are the one's on the enrollment list and klonopin isn't on it so Im sorry.You would think all the medicines they make would be on there but that's what I get for thinking.Im so sorry everyone.

[[In...]]

I called Genetech just now and the only one's they help with are the one's on the enrollment list and klonopin isn't on it so Im sorry.You would think all the medicines they make would be on there but that's what I get for thinking.Im so sorry everyone.

 

onemoretry,

 

You tried so don’t be sorry. I would have thought exactly the way you did.

[[de...]]

Sorry I havent been around had to read back about 3 pages and cant believe whats going on with the brand change..I asked my pharmacist who knows about all these brands and changes if people are saying anything about feeling different or anything and she said no..that i am the only person that has had questions about the teva brand.

 

Thats why i wonder why more people arent on this thread and having problems..i wish someone would do a poll and see if they are struggling and think its withdrawals and not realize it might be the brand change

 

as far as teva they have had a massive recall of their blood pressure meds something about them being contaminated or something if thats true they are going to be sued big time and i wonder if some pt teva goes under completely..and why all of a sudden all these meds are changing and havent for yrs.

 

it might be due to this might sound crazy..think about it..how would it effect people worldwide if they stopped making any k or any brand even the name brand or benzos in general...what would happen to people..we know but people who arent trying to get off of them dont know about what happens..

 

i am not trying to scare anyone but i keep thinking well population control government things like that..

 

Intend you said your hubby was on losartan b/p med if i remember right that was one of the ones they are recalling not sure you might want to check about that.

 

I am worried about the start to switch over to a different brand and i am going to try to do it 1/4 of a dose every time i weigh out my pills for my doses which would be 2 weeks..i figure it would take me about 10 months and i have 9 months of teva to work with..but with it not being the same that i can get not sure what will happen with the change if i get to say like half changed over then have to use a different brand and 1/2 teva brand..i am terrified that i have to do this but i cant put it off any longer...i have called everyone around here even the mom and pop pharmacies and they tell me they are out also.

 

my doc i talked to him when i went in on last monday...and he said we will cross that bridge when we get to it..at the dose i am on 2.75 mgs and not going down and holding then i might not even notice the change since i have so much going into my body since it sounds like its that one ingredient that makes it like almost a time release thing and thats the only change in ingredients...and if need be he would write it for k brand..but with all the stuff on the news lately about benzos an opiates..i think they are trying to do away with them all..and limit what people get ..thats just my opinion..

and the more people that are suing say teva and the phamas its just making it worse.

 

hang in there everyone and maybe we can find out if anyone else is having problems on here even with the other meds changing brands.

 

 

many hugs coming everyones way

 

deep

[[In...]]

Sorry I havent been around had to read back about 3 pages and cant believe whats going on with the brand change..I asked my pharmacist who knows about all these brands and changes if people are saying anything about feeling different or anything and she said no..that i am the only person that has had questions about the teva brand.

 

Thats why i wonder why more people arent on this thread and having problems..i wish someone would do a poll and see if they are struggling and think its withdrawals and not realize it might be the brand change

 

as far as teva they have had a massive recall of their blood pressure meds something about them being contaminated or something if thats true they are going to be sued big time and i wonder if some pt teva goes under completely..and why all of a sudden all these meds are changing and havent for yrs.

 

it might be due to this might sound crazy..think about it..how would it effect people worldwide if they stopped making any k or any brand even the name brand or benzos in general...what would happen to people..we know but people who arent trying to get off of them dont know about what happens..

 

i am not trying to scare anyone but i keep thinking well population control government things like that..

 

Intend you said your hubby was on losartan b/p med if i remember right that was one of the ones they are recalling not sure you might want to check about that.

 

I am worried about the start to switch over to a different brand and i am going to try to do it 1/4 of a dose every time i weigh out my pills for my doses which would be 2 weeks..i figure it would take me about 10 months and i have 9 months of teva to work with..but with it not being the same that i can get not sure what will happen with the change if i get to say like half changed over then have to use a different brand and 1/2 teva brand..i am terrified that i have to do this but i cant put it off any longer...i have called everyone around here even the mom and pop pharmacies and they tell me they are out also.

 

my doc i talked to him when i went in on last monday...and he said we will cross that bridge when we get to it..at the dose i am on 2.75 mgs and not going down and holding then i might not even notice the change since i have so much going into my body since it sounds like its that one ingredient that makes it like almost a time release thing and thats the only change in ingredients...and if need be he would write it for k brand..but with all the stuff on the news lately about benzos an opiates..i think they are trying to do away with them all..and limit what people get ..thats just my opinion..

and the more people that are suing say teva and the phamas its just making it worse.

 

hang in there everyone and maybe we can find out if anyone else is having problems on here even with the other meds changing brands.

 

 

many hugs coming everyones way

 

deep

 

Deep,

 

Whenever I see this support group, pop up on my replies list, I wonder what’s going on now.

 

I end up repeating the same thing over and over again.

 

The basic problem with Teva is that they bought Actavis pharmaceuticals in 2015. Actavis had just acquired Allergan pharmaceuticals in this multi billion $ deal. I’m no merger and acquisition specialist, but I do try to track all these pharmaceutical companies so I can better understand.

 

I’ve had trouble tracking Allergan as it looks like it spun off to being only a branded medication company again after Teva bought Actavis. Teva paid 40 billion $ to get Actavis so it seems much of that might have gone to Allergan. And Teva has been trying to pay off that debt ever since. They’ve had to lay off thousands of people and close many manufacturing sites to do this, but they do get “hold” and “buy” recommendations on a variety of major investment companies lists.

 

I do know that numerous people here at BB have been affected by the discontinuation of their generic of clonazepam which they substituted with the Actavis clonazepam. If this sounds like a repeat of what I’ve said before, it is.

 

I do not think this has anything thing to with over population or anything like that. Plenty of people are still Rx’ed benzos everyday. All you have to do is go to the introductions section of BB to see that. And many of these are for diazepam, alprazolam, Librium, Ativan, and clonazepam.

 

And if you go to the tapering section, there are lots of questions about “what in the world is going on?”

You just have to look.

 

Several people are now trying the orally disintegrating tablets made by Par pharmaceuticals and also made by Teva.

 

I also been surprised that more people haven’t been on this group myself. Maybe we need to change the name of it. I wonder what clonazepam people have been taking for years when I see people join BB because we sure can’t taper it if we can’t get it.

 

My hubby is taking losartan by Lupin Pharmaceuticals by the way.

 

 

[[de...]]

Intend

 

Thanks for getting back to me on this..i am just at a place that i dont know what brand i should try and cross over to if i have a choice..after being as sick as i was i sure dont want to have to go back down that road again if i can avoid it.

 

People here at my house maybe just dont get it..and say if you cross over slowly and the only ingredient is that one from all the different brands once you are totally onto another brand why would it hurt you if your body is then use to a pill if the ingredients are the same..and its hard for me to get them to understand the ingredients may be the same but doenst mean the quality of them are.

 

So i guess thats why my doc said we will cross that bridge if you have issues once you are totally over onto a different brand..he gets the benzos but not the mental things we go through like how i am stressing it and where my mind has already taken me and i dont even get the new script until tomorrow..i guess i am lucky in that i have the extras to play around getting onto a different brand for 10 months slowly..

 

and maybe by then this will be all straightened out

 

Wish you could get on a brand and them leave it be..i just dont know why they keep changing it..i get its because of their prices but i wonder if the smaller pharmacies would always have the same brand..i see you talk about cvs alot and thats where i get my med but since my hubby doesnt have health insurance i use goodrx for his scripts and go to two different pharmacies because at one 3 of his are free and at the other its cheaper with the good rx.

 

hope you have a good rest of your afternoon

 

hugs

 

deep

[[In...]]

Deep,

 

I understand why your family doesn’t “get it.” They know how you suffered trying to taper Teva clonazepam, but they don’t understand why different generic versions of clonazepam can vary so much.

 

From my understanding, the various versions of any generic drug is required by the FDA to have 80% to 125% of the active ingredient going into your bloodstream. So if you take Teva clonazepam for example, then another version may contain 80% of the Teva version. And believe me, you will “pick that up” in a few days. Your CNS will notice that difference pretty quickly.

 

And if you take another version that has 125% of the active ingredient going into your bloodstream, your CNS will notice that also.

 

And then there are the binders, fillers and dyes that each version has. Some people notice side effects from these or maybe an allergic response. I have called the FDA before, and they say that all the generics are exactly like the branded drug. But they are not!!!

 

I’ve even had doctors say the same thing-there can be a big difference between generic versions of the same drug.

 

Right now, it seems that the only versions of clonazepam around here is accord and solco. I did manage to get several refills of Actavis before the pharmacist said they would not be able to get it anymore. And this is a kind of mom and pop type pharmacy (actually a statewide pharmacy) that is willing to order a generic medication if their supplier (McKession) can get it.

 

So for all this promotion of Actavis being the “new” version of Teva clonazepam, now I can’t get it here.

 

As far as CVS, yes, I’ve mentioned them a lot. During the summer, one of the pharmacists there said that they were getting a lot of shipments of Actavis in. And that same pharmacist about a month ago said that he never heard of Actavis before. And I even asked that Teva in the US (who I had on the phone) would check on this while I waited on hold. He said “sure,” and then came back to me and said, “well, seems like they now have a contract with accord clonazepam. 

 

I don’t know what’s available where you are, but here, it’s accord and solco clonazepam the last time I checked. My pdoc doesn’t like all this BS with these different versions of clonazepam. I won’t even go into all the changes and pain I’ve experienced with going from Actavis to Sandoz to Actavis to Sandoz and back to Actavis, but it sure isnt “fun.” And now I have to make another switch because I’m going to run out of Actavis.

 

Maybe you can cross over slowly to another version of clonazepam and adjust to it. In fact, there’s no “maybe” about it. You can do that. The biggest question now is will that same clonazepam be available when you need a refill. I truly envy those people here on BB who don’t notice a change in generic of their particular Benzo. And I’ve always crossed over to a new one slowly and carefully. But I felt that difference pretty quickly.

 

This who process has turned into the biggest mess and is so stupid I can’t even believe it. And yet I have to keep a cool headed attitude about this because I have way too many responsibilities. Please stay in touch.

 

[[NJ...]]

My own opinion is that these pharmaceuticals companies are not going to stop making klonopin. While the brands may change, I don't think they are going to pull benzos from the market. Even with the opioid crisis, these drugs are still being made and they even just came out with the new one that is like 1,000 times stronger than regular opioids, which strikes me as totally irresponsible. I am sorry for all struggling to find the right generic for them, I was lucky to get the brand k, but I really don't think you need to worry about it becoming unavailable. I worry about everything but this isn't one of those things.

[[In...]]

NJ,

 

For me it isn’t a problem of finding the right generic of K. It’s a problem of crossing carefully and slowly to a different generic and then holding for awhile to be fully accustomed to that generic.

 

That process can take several months for me. And before I can even begin to taper, the pharmacies will then have a different generic in stock.

 

I remember that you had described this as the “generic merry go round” which is why you went to the branded K.

 

Of course, we are not clones of one another, so some can start a new generic and not feel the difference if there is one, while others will notice the difference. But I’m guessing that you didn’t want to go through this rigamarole yourself which is why you went to branded K.

 

Basically, all I can say is that plenty of people here on BB are being affected by these different generic brands. Even others who also were able to get the branded K found that it didn’t work for them either. Since BB is primarily for support tapering and getting off these “gems,” it would be great if we could just get a consistent supply to accomplish that w/o spending hundreds of dollars per month depending on who has insurance that will help pay for it.

 

I think it’s been pretty “mucked up” myself, but most likely we’ll see more and more new companies come along producing these newer generics that appear to be of lesser quality. My “golden rule” for me is to stick with what you were originally prescribed, and if you decide to get off of it, you probably won’t notice a difference in generics as you taper. But that only applies to me because it’s what I’ve noticed about myself. But I didn’t have that “grule” when I started taking Xanax because I didn’t know what it was.

 

Well, rambling here as usual, so I agree that generic benzos will be around. All kinds of drugs are part of our lives.

 

NJ,

 

Read the LHSG earlier. I haven’t posted there in awhile as I’ve been trying to deal with this clonazepam situation.

 

I sure hope something happens with a dx for your son. You do have so much going on, but I’m sure he’s at the top of your priority list.

[[NJ...]]

Intend,

 

I agree that the generic changes are messing people up. When I first started tapering I tried a compounded from the pharmacy liquid klonopin and it was a disaster. I strongly believe that this was likely because the generic K was different than teva. I never thought about it at the time but I believe now this was the case.

 

I just think people don't need to panic that the drug will no longer be available in any form. They are still being prescribed too much and too often. Have a friend that was just offered xanax by her doctor because her dad passed and she was having trouble sleeping. Well, it is normal to not sleep after losing a loved one like that--why does that need to be medicated? But of course, this is what the doctors still do. It's horrible.

 

I hope you are doing okay. I am not on much as I am just overwhelmed with everything that is still going on with my son's health, but I do try to check in from time to time.

[[In...]]

NJ,

 

So true. Doctors often give people a Xanax Rx for the slightest reason. My oldest daughters ex boy friends 15 year old son was given an Rx for generic K because he was having trouble in school and at home. Then that doc wanted to give him an Rx for Xanax for panic attacks.

 

Yes, his parents had divorced long before this happened, but he’d always had trouble in school and trouble keeping the smaller type jobs these kids get like grocery bagging and bringing in the grocery carts. Once crashed a bunch of shopping carts into the store and broke the door and glass of the door and surrounding glass windows just by accident.

 

Kind of a lazy but pleasant kid who preferred to stay at home all day and smoke and watch tv.  Whatever was wrong there was much deeper than any Benzo Rx could help.

 

And as far as these compounding pharmacies for whatever generic Benzo they use, I often wonder if they’re even using the same generic brand to make up the compounded liquid. It could vary from month to month very easily.

 

I agree that these will be around for a very long time. Trouble sleeping? Time for a Xanax or generic K.

Get upset that you forgot your purse or locked your keys in the car? Time for a Xanax. Upset about getting caught in traffic, and getting panicky because you’ll be late for an appt? Time for a Xanax.

 

Like I said, everything now requires a drug of some kind. Forget about the side effects; just take it and everything will be fine.

 

I’m doing ok considering how many times I’ve had to switch generic Ks. And now looking at a 6th switch to possibly Teva ODTs. Never taken Teva anything, but want to stay with clonazepam rather than go to Valium. One clonazepam to another is way easier in my mind than going to Valium even if  Valium is less potent. Don’t know how to get on it, much less taper it. If it was the first Benzo I was on, this would be different. But going from alprazolam to clonazepam to diazepam is too much for me to wrap my mind around. Luckily, I have a very Benzo wise doctor who only wants to help me.

 

I never do see you often now, but like me, being a caretaker of your family, and particularly of your younger son is your biggest priority. I only hope all these doctors can get a firm dx and begin to treat him. Unfortunately, real life gets in the way of living a peaceful life no matter what all those commercials say. Buy this, buy that, and our lives will be wonderful. Only wish it were all that easy. It used to be as I remember when I was a kid and even as a teenager and young adult. And benzos have made my life so much more complicated. I’m just glad you’re doing well on the real K. Something is at least stable in your life. You’ve made some very good decisions so you can now focus on your son.

[[on...]]

I been reading old post on this thread and about the inactive ingredients specifically providone,well the Par odt's have CROSPOVIDONE in it which is the same as providone according to wikipedia.Dailymed is where I seen the inactive ingredients of the Par odt's.please chime in on this.

[[In...]]

onemoretry,

 

I always have problems with Daily Med unless I have the NDC # to put into the search box area.

 

But I remember that post on this group like you do. Can’t remember who posted it (DubCity maybe).

 

Whoever posted that was saying that possibly that inactive ingredient in the regular Teva tablets (Providone) gave the tablets a possibly “extended” duration of action type quality to tablets as I recall.

 

I don’t doubt at all that both Teva Pharmaceuticals And Par pharmaceuticals put that ingredient in any of their clonazepam products. I just can’t navigate these government websites like Daily Med or the FDA. I’ve even found that the people who work there can’t navigate them either. Obviously, customers can do it better in many instances.

 

If someone picks up a prescription or calls a pharmacy, they can easily get the NDC # then, and put that into the search box, and I’ve found that the NDC# will immediately identify the drug.

 

So if you saw this on Daily Med, the ingredient is in those ODTs. Whether or not that povidone/providone does do something to extend the duration of action or the half life of any drug, I do not know.

 

My Walgreens here carries those Par ODTS and the other pharmacy I use carries the Teva ones. Walgreens here will often change the manufacturer of different drugs depending on whatever one their wholesaler/distributor sends them based on cost. My other pharmacy will order those ODTs in for me if they don’t have enough on their shelves. And they carry the Teva ODTS.

 

I’ve never thought much about the cost of benzos at the pharmacy level, but these ODTS are apparently a lot more expensive than an ordinary clonazepam tablet. It seems that whether I go to Walgreens to get them or go to my other pharmacy to get them, I’m going to pay more for them either way.

 

But my biggest concern is to get a consistent supply of clonazepam so I can taper off this Benzo. I’m also thinking i need to do some more research on my insurance plan.

 

onemoretry,

 

I just went to the websites of both Teva and Par, and got their NDC # and compared the ingredients. Both do have povidone and other ingredients are the same also. And then it seems the last 2 of these ingredients were not the same. I could list them, but what’s the point?

 

For anyone who want to try this, just go to the product list of the particular drug company, and see what they make. A lot of drug company’s do not make orally disintegrating tablets but many do. It’s a matter of going to their websites to see what they make.

[[de...]]

I just have one question maybe it brain burn out but what does ODT mean..i read the last couple of posts and i understood everything except what kind of k is that?

 

I lucked out and found a small pharmacy that still has teva so i got my script filled and if i can get really lucky i might get 1 more refill in a month..but then my crazy benzo brain..keeps telling me you know you are just putting off what has to happen but i am so scared about it..and with every month i can find teva somewhere its one more month i have to mess around with slowly getting on a different brand.

 

Have any of you heard of people getting the other brand whatever it might be and just having to start taking it right away and had no issues what so ever with the change?

 

I stressd dropping from the 2mg tabs to the 1 mgs due to the dye in it because i am so sensitive to things but i never had one problem with it..but i know this is a whole different rodeo.

 

big hugs for all

 

deep

[[In...]]

Deep,

 

The term “ODT” means the orally disintegrating tablets or wafers as they are sometimes referred to.

 

I’ve never seen these myself, but I am trying to stay with clonazepam and not go to Valium.

 

I am one of those people who’s gone from one generic brand of clonazepam to another generic brand.

 

I took Actavis clonazepam and then went to Sandoz clonazepam. But I did not do this once.

 

Every since Teva bought Actavis, the ability to get Actavis Clonazepam has been highly troublesome.

 

So as you probably know, I went from Actavis to Sandoz to Actavis to Sandoz to Actavis. I always introduced each one of these carefully and slowly and never all at once.

 

Now I know I’m going to have to change again, and frankly, I’m upset about this. Maybe other people can change generic brands all at once, but I can’t. I highly sensitized at this point, so I’m going to have to start out as I usually do and that’s by replace 1 tablet at a time over a 10 day period, and moving on like that.

 

I actually use pills and liquid titration. So it’s a combo of both. I take 2 doses per day as clonazepam has a long duration of action so the first dose is made up of a pill and then a liquid split in half for the night dose. At night I take another pill, and then I drink the other half of the liquid.

 

I don’t know what I’m sensitive to, but with that variance in generic Clonazapam or any other Benzo or actually any generic drug you can think of (which is 80% lower of the Benzo your on to 25% higher than the Benzo your on), I suspect it’s that variance and the excipients (binders, filler, and dyes) that are affecting me.

 

At this point, I feel a little bit desperate because I’m going to have to switch again. And it won’t be to Actavis (I’m on that now), or Sandoz (which for me was horrible and they’ve stopped making clonazepam anyway) but to a different generic altogether. I never taken a Teva product before, but those ODTS made by Teva are a possibility along with Par pharmaceuticals who also make the ODTS.

 

All I can say is you do change to another clonazepam, do it slowly, and not in one day. Some people might be able to do that, but I can’t.

[[NJ...]]

NJ,

 

So true. Doctors often give people a Xanax Rx for the slightest reason. My oldest daughters ex boy friends 15 year old son was given an Rx for generic K because he was having trouble in school and at home. Then that doc wanted to give him an Rx for Xanax for panic attacks.

 

Yes, his parents had divorced long before this happened, but he’d always had trouble in school and trouble keeping the smaller type jobs these kids get like grocery bagging and bringing in the grocery carts. Once crashed a bunch of shopping carts into the store and broke the door and glass of the door and surrounding glass windows just by accident.

 

Kind of a lazy but pleasant kid who preferred to stay at home all day and smoke and watch tv.  Whatever was wrong there was much deeper than any Benzo Rx could help.

 

And as far as these compounding pharmacies for whatever generic Benzo they use, I often wonder if they’re even using the same generic brand to make up the compounded liquid. It could vary from month to month very easily.

 

I agree that these will be around for a very long time. Trouble sleeping? Time for a Xanax or generic K.

Get upset that you forgot your purse or locked your keys in the car? Time for a Xanax. Upset about getting caught in traffic, and getting panicky because you’ll be late for an appt? Time for a Xanax.

 

Like I said, everything now requires a drug of some kind. Forget about the side effects; just take it and everything will be fine.

 

I’m doing ok considering how many times I’ve had to switch generic Ks. And now looking at a 6th switch to possibly Teva ODTs. Never taken Teva anything, but want to stay with clonazepam rather than go to Valium. One clonazepam to another is way easier in my mind than going to Valium even if  Valium is less potent. Don’t know how to get on it, much less taper it. If it was the first Benzo I was on, this would be different. But going from alprazolam to clonazepam to diazepam is too much for me to wrap my mind around. Luckily, I have a very Benzo wise doctor who only wants to help me.

 

I never do see you often now, but like me, being a caretaker of your family, and particularly of your younger son is your biggest priority. I only hope all these doctors can get a firm dx and begin to treat him. Unfortunately, real life gets in the way of living a peaceful life no matter what all those commercials say. Buy this, buy that, and our lives will be wonderful. Only wish it were all that easy. It used to be as I remember when I was a kid and even as a teenager and young adult. And benzos have made my life so much more complicated. I’m just glad you’re doing well on the real K. Something is at least stable in your life. You’ve made some very good decisions so you can now focus on your son.

 

Kind of falling apart again after a rough week with my son. I am wondering if my updose is enough. I just don't know. Hate to go up more but not doing well. Being the caretaker while working full time and having my own issues with the nausea is completely overwhelming. feel so stuck.

[[In...]]

NJ,

 

So true. Doctors often give people a Xanax Rx for the slightest reason. My oldest daughters ex boy friends 15 year old son was given an Rx for generic K because he was having trouble in school and at home. Then that doc wanted to give him an Rx for Xanax for panic attacks.

 

Yes, his parents had divorced long before this happened, but he’d always had trouble in school and trouble keeping the smaller type jobs these kids get like grocery bagging and bringing in the grocery carts. Once crashed a bunch of shopping carts into the store and broke the door and glass of the door and surrounding glass windows just by accident.

 

Kind of a lazy but pleasant kid who preferred to stay at home all day and smoke and watch tv.  Whatever was wrong there was much deeper than any Benzo Rx could help.

 

And as far as these compounding pharmacies for whatever generic Benzo they use, I often wonder if they’re even using the same generic brand to make up the compounded liquid. It could vary from month to month very easily.

 

I agree that these will be around for a very long time. Trouble sleeping? Time for a Xanax or generic K.

Get upset that you forgot your purse or locked your keys in the car? Time for a Xanax. Upset about getting caught in traffic, and getting panicky because you’ll be late for an appt? Time for a Xanax.

 

Like I said, everything now requires a drug of some kind. Forget about the side effects; just take it and everything will be fine.

 

I’m doing ok considering how many times I’ve had to switch generic Ks. And now looking at a 6th switch to possibly Teva ODTs. Never taken Teva anything, but want to stay with clonazepam rather than go to Valium. One clonazepam to another is way easier in my mind than going to Valium even if  Valium is less potent. Don’t know how to get on it, much less taper it. If it was the first Benzo I was on, this would be different. But going from alprazolam to clonazepam to diazepam is too much for me to wrap my mind around. Luckily, I have a very Benzo wise doctor who only wants to help me.

 

I never do see you often now, but like me, being a caretaker of your family, and particularly of your younger son is your biggest priority. I only hope all these doctors can get a firm dx and begin to treat him. Unfortunately, real life gets in the way of living a peaceful life no matter what all those commercials say. Buy this, buy that, and our lives will be wonderful. Only wish it were all that easy. It used to be as I remember when I was a kid and even as a teenager and young adult. And benzos have made my life so much more complicated. I’m just glad you’re doing well on the real K. Something is at least stable in your life. You’ve made some very good decisions so you can now focus on your son.

 

Kind of falling apart again after a rough week with my son. I am wondering if my updose is enough. I just don't know. Hate to go up more but not doing well. Being the caretaker while working full time and having my own issues with the nausea is completely overwhelming. feel so stuck.

 

NJ,

 

From your post, I’m not sure what this past week entailed as far as your son, but tremendous pressure, stress, and worry is what you describe.

 

I’m not sure about updosing because I’ve never updosed, and from what I’ve read, it may make no difference and/or it could make things worse, and/or it may make your future ability to taper (if you decide to do that ) more difficult.

 

Are there results yet from all the testing your son has had? If not, at this point, I would look into a research university in New Jersey like Princeton, Rutgers, or the State Universy of New Jersey to see what’s going on.

 

Could you possibly take a leave of absence under the fmla act to focus on this problem while your husband works? I don’t know if you qualify for that, but if you do, it would give you @3 months to completely work on your sons problem and still keep your job. Some states do pay during this time while others do not and I’ve looked up New Jersey but I still don’t know as far as New Jersey and your job in particular.

 

Could your son have his school work be done at home if that would help?

 

I’m only mentioning these ideas because I’ve been the subject of a very rare disorder myself which has been studied by all the major research universities in the US along with some in Australia and Europe. Plus I missed 2 years of going to a private Catholic school while I recovered from untreated stepthroat (got complicated rheumatic fever), and whooping cough that did not respond to the vaccine I already had.

 

[[NJ...]]

Intend,

 

I don't qualify for FMLA leave--employer is too small, have not worked there enough hours even if it did qualify.

 

My son started not feeling well again this week, so after a really train wreck interaction with the doctor's office, which my husband had to shepherd us through, I just could not do it, my son is on a new medication. It seems to be helping. But we still have no diagnosis as all the tests have come back negative. I am on the fence about further testing at this time as he seems to be doing better. There is a blood test we will do that will likely cost us several hundred dollars but at this juncture think we need to do it. A video endoscopy is another possibility but I think I want to wait on that. I don't think we will see anything more if everything else came back negative. We are in good hands with the doctors ... if we need another opinion we have the name of someone in NYC who is a specialist in inflammatory bowel diseases.

 

I am really a mess. I am having a lot of nausea again, and right now feel like I also have the flu. I was up all night ... another food intolerance issue. I am really having so many issues with that I don't know where or how to take care of me. I have a colonoscopy next week, so we will go from there. I need to tighten my diet further I think to avoid the nausea/diarrhea that is just making all of this work.

 

Too much going on in all fronts. It's exhausting and really worsening depression again.

[[In...]]

NJ,

 

Sounds like you’re doing all you can do. I was looking at major research universities in the US, and NYC did come up. But when I looked further into NYC, it talked about research in the dental school. So that’s when I looked at research universities in New Jersey. But I know you’re close to New York City so you’ve done your research as far as NYC university.

 

I do hope that new medication helps your son. It sounds like one of those newer ones we often see advertised on tv while watching regular shows. And of course, I didn’t know how long you’ve worked at your job so wasn’t sure about fmla.

 

I did read the LHSG, but have not posted there in awhile. I did consider doing it today and still might.

 

And let’s hope that no updosing is needed for reasons I mentioned in my previous post here. Maybe “titghtening up” your diet is all that is needed as you say. And I saw that going part time was also something you are considering. I worked part time for many years and I reallly liked doing it.

 

As far as this flu situation, I’d get a rapid strep test to eliminate that possibility. As I mentioned, I got a very complicated rheumatic fever from my parents leaving my sore throat untested. And another thing I learned later on is that strep throat does cause nausea because people swallow they’re saliva and those strep throats are caused by bacterial infections and not viruses, and the saliva causes nausea. Strep shows symptoms of high fever, sore throat, no cough or congestion. Just the fever and chills you decribe.

 

But the hardcore flu also shows similar symptoms. Fever, and that shivering you describe. I used to catch everything my kids had when they were in school from kindergarten to elementary school to high school whether it was strep, the flu, or a really bad cold.

 

I like your idea of going part time. That and getting a rapid strep test is a good start to dealing with all these problems. You have so...much going on, it would not only exhaust me, but it would drive me crazy or nuts as we say. You’ve used up all your coping ability, and I truly understand that because I’m totally worn out myself.

 

I hope you post again next week for that weekly update. I truly care about you and your family.

 

 

 

[[NJ...]]

Intend,

 

Hope you are doing okay yourself. If I am not feeling better tomorrow will go to urgent care in the morning. To get that strep test because my throat is on fire truly. My weight is down 4 pounds since yesterday I am so dehydrated. Hoping to just rest. Honestly, if I don't feel better tomorrow may stay home from work. I am tired and overwhelmed.

[[In...]]

Intend,

 

Hope you are doing okay yourself. If I am not feeling better tomorrow will go to urgent care in the morning. To get that strep test because my throat is on fire truly. My weight is down 4 pounds since yesterday I am so dehydrated. Hoping to just rest. Honestly, if I don't feel better tomorrow may stay home from work. I am tired and overwhelmed.

 

NJ,

 

I’m so, so, so glad you’ll get that rapid strep test tomorrow.

 

I hope you at least drink water to help that dehydration. I drink lots of water all day long. When the ENT I first saw discovered my idiopathic subglottic stenosis and sent me to the university of Utah, I saw a speech pathologist who told me that she never wanted me to be w/o water. So I always carry water with me. Take sips at the very least.

 

And if you need to stay home from work, stay home. And then please consider going part time.

 

[[NJ...]]

Intend,

 

Thanks for your concern. Was able to work this week. Sore throat fading, still nauseous but honestly think it is hormones. Got my period tonight, which always messes me up. I wish this would just end already, I am 50 today!

 

I do need to be better about drinking more. Hard when you are nauseous. Trying to drink two cups when I wake up, which is helping.

 

Hope you are doing well.