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KissMeImBiPolar
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« on: October 28, 2008, 05:09:48 PM » |
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Hey everyone. Came back from Pdocs today. Well, guess what? He decided that he was going to put me on Klonopin today because we kind of figured out some things while I bawled my eyes out in the office today. He said that in the past year, he has noticed that it seems that my General Anxiety Disorder is more of the problem than my Bipolar. Basically, he said that the GAD is the main issue and the Bipolar is the secondary issue. He decided that because I've been going through some severe anxiety with butterflies in the morning and etc....that he decided to put me on Klonopin (.5mg. 3x a day). But right now, because I told him that I'm afraid to just stop taking the XANAX (even though that they are both under the same category of benzodiazapine) and going through withdrawal....he decided that for the first week to take 2 xanax during the day and the klonopin at night....THEN...2nd week, 2 klonopin and 1 Xanax then 3rd week, take all 3 klonopin. He said if it's too much for me, that I could take just 2 klonopin in the 3rd week.
Now, I've been doing research (along with the doctor telling me) and he said that yes, Klonopin IS addictive and that I am only supposed to take EXACTLY what I'm prescribed. NO MORE. He told me that it has a calming effect and that it has a very very small "mood stabilizer" built in (so to speak) and that it has a longer half life (of like 35-40 hours) which is longer than Xanax, Ativan and Valium, so he says it stays in the system longer. Which is what I need.
So now...for those who have been on Klonopin, I've read some of your posts from back in April/May time frame....are you still on the Klonopin and is it working for you and do you like it?
My husband is ready to choke me because I keep reading all sorts of websites and they keep giving all different opinions and stuff about Klonopin and then I went to this one site that has ratings of 1-5 on it and out of 5 the overall rating was 3.7 (which is the highest I've seen on any of the meds I've been on) but of course there was this ONE person who wrote that their son died in his sleep from the medication from respiratory depression  Well, I FREAKED!!! Of course, all the other GOOD comments, I ignore and focused on the ONE particular bad one (Does anyone else do this???) but I called my pharmacist and she said that respiratory depression usually happens in very large doses and that because I have sleep apnea (which that's the reason I called and it said that people with sleep apnea should not take sleep aids) ...she said that the sleep apnea should not be a problem because I'm on the lower to middle end of the medication.
Any input on all of this? Am I crazy? Why do I do this to myself??? It just makes my anxiety 100 time worse!
Hugs to all
*Chelbie*
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You know how to whistle, don't you? You just put your lips together and blowwwww.... :*  |
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clayton
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« Reply #1 on: October 28, 2008, 05:43:13 PM » |
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Jane has been telling me about klonopin--I also know from another friend--seems to me doctors are prescribing an awful lot of that stuff lately--dont you think? It appears to be the new fad--put everyone on klonopin or ativan--its the latest kick in psychiatry--
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law---Love is the law, love under will.
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Phyllis
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« Reply #2 on: October 28, 2008, 06:33:41 PM » |
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My pdoc started me on klonopin when I first started having panic attacks. It didn't work for me. I forget what dose I was on. So, she switched me to Ativan which doesn't kick in AS fast, but it does the job for me. Don't become over informed to the point where you are going to scare yourself silly.  |
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donna14
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« Reply #3 on: October 28, 2008, 08:07:32 PM » |
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I have been on klonopin since 1995 and it works fine for me. I have never had a problem and while I may technically be addicted I don't have a problem if I run out and don't have any for a couple of days. This is a very old drug. Very tested and very safe. Cheap too which is always a good thing. Don't worry about taking it. You should be completely fine and hopefully it will make a huge difference in your GAD.
Donna
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Joe Buck
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« Reply #4 on: October 28, 2008, 08:35:57 PM » |
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Don't become over informed to the point where you are going to scare yourself silly
Very good point: You can research the "Klonopin" issue to infinitum...& get all wrapped up... the more you research. You would be surprised how many "Meds" that have "Death" as a side effect. Do enough research to curb your curiosity & anxiety. But it comes down to: "Second verse...same as the first". The only deffinate way...to find out if Klonopin will help you...is to try it. After a good trial period...you justify "if the ends justify the means... if Klonopin does the job for you. If it doesn't...drop it & "Russian Med Roulette" starts again." All this shit...is so frustrating...you feel like your a god dam Ginnie pig...but if "meds" are presently your line for treatment ( & meds are effective...at times)...this bullshit is "standard procedure". Through the process of deduction...what it boils down to & we are left with is a "leap of faith"....Joe Buck (Bob)
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The Most I Can Do For My Friend
... Is Simply To Be His Friend—Thoreau
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elwood
Full Member
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Posts: 173
George my boy. RIP
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« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2008, 03:42:06 AM » |
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I don't know why but klonopin works better for me than Xanax. It also lasts longer. If I feel an anxiety attack comming on I just quietly take one pill (1 mg) try not to panic for about a half hour then usually after that I can relax some.
Just like everything else, meds work for one person, but don't do anything for someone else. Only you will know after trying it if it will work for you.
Elwood
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Living alone again.
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KissMeImBiPolar
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« Reply #6 on: October 29, 2008, 08:12:26 AM » |
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Thanks everyone....I took one last night and still woke up with butterflies this morning I don't understand. I slept fine, but by the time 6:00 a.m. came around, there goes the butterflies once again. I wish they would just go away Hugs, Chelbie |
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You know how to whistle, don't you? You just put your lips together and blowwwww.... :* |
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high maintenence
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« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2008, 12:01:44 PM » |
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I take Valium, which I'm hoping to change when I finally see my doc next week. I only take the Valium when I feel panicked, but when I do take it, it just knocks me out cold and it takes the effects a day or so to wear off. It does work withing minutes, maybe 15, but I don't like just being knocked out like that. I hope she'll try something different for me. I've never tried anything else for anxiety.
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jtokc
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« Reply #8 on: October 29, 2008, 05:30:39 PM » |
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My doc put me on Klonipin for this period when I am off meds. I don't like it. I cry when I am on it and I bump into walls. So it is back to ativan to for me.
Jane
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The endless, agonizing recycling of what might have been, soon followed by a litany of rationalizations and self-deceptions as you struggle to reconcile the void between the person you want to be and the person you fear you are.
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GarryV
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« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2008, 06:48:01 PM » |
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I take Klonopin 3 times a day for Anxiety and panic attacks I have real bad Anxiety and the dose I'm on is small and doesn't work for me. But because I have a bad past of popping pills she doesn't want to increase it, so she put me on two low doses of seroquel to calm me down and help my manic episodes. I was already on seroquel 300MG at bed time and now she added 25MG with Breakfast and 25MG with lunch so far so good I guess but I haven't put it to the test yet and gone out to a crowded place to see if it is working I plan on doing so soon I've only been on the added dose one week but I have my fingers crossed. lol
GarryV
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chasemanzmum
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« Reply #10 on: November 02, 2008, 06:04:05 PM » |
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I am thinking about asking to be put on that myself. I am constantly in a state of panic which no one usually sees due to me coming on here an talkin to yall. I feel like everyone is staring at me everywhere I go....especially in closed in spaces (the more so the more the butterflies).
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If you can't run with the big dogs; stay on the porch!
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KissMeImBiPolar
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« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2008, 06:56:15 PM » |
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Chase, I know what you mean...I feel like I'm in a constant state of panic as well...and it's so nervewracking...not to mention, I just don't know what started it all...I do know that the whole thing with my stomach and nausea and diarrhea started when they took me off of Geodon 2 weeks ago....and it hasn't stopped since...I don't understand because supposedly you can't go through withdrawal from Geodon and THAT'S what it feels like I'm going through...is withdrawal!
Hugs,
Chelbie
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You know how to whistle, don't you? You just put your lips together and blowwwww.... :* |
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high maintenence
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« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2008, 09:51:23 PM » |
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It's withdrawal. They are crazy as hell when they say things like that, Chelbie. I tried at one time to come off the geodon, but the withdrawal was utter hell.
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KissMeImBiPolar
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« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2008, 10:28:50 AM » |
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High,
I just wish I knew for sure ...even though I FEEL it's the Geodon...and I wish I knew how long it was going to take to get through my system....I know normally when I went through withdrawal last year, it was like 2 weeks...but it's been 2 weeks since yesterday and I don't feel any better...my whole body feels like a "demon" is inside waiting to get out....and now I have a call into them about my Klonopin not affecting me. It doesn't "calm" me down like it's supposed to...and these "shakes" are horrible when I wake up! I can't even "lay down" to take a nap because I get those "shakes"...and then I go to bed at night and I sleep through the night, but then BAM I am awaken by the shakes...and it's usually about 6 hours after I took my pill.
I wish I would never have gone on any pills and just dealt with the screaming....yea, I know...sounds easier said than done, huh?
hugs,
Chelbie
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You know how to whistle, don't you? You just put your lips together and blowwwww.... :* |
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high maintenence
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« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2008, 07:57:55 PM » |
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I had those kind of shakes with Lithium. I had an MRI done to confirm that I was having seizures. You might want to check that out. This could be medical, although the ER doc didn't seem to think so, but talk to your doctor about it. I have felt the way you are describing and it's pure hell. I do know that it can take a month for meds to leave your system, but you weren't on a high dose of geodon, so it seems like maybe that may not be it. Didn't you say you were coming off of ativan also? That definitely could be it. Ativan is an addictive drug and you've been on it for years, if I remember correctly.
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