Anyone tried Klonopin for Anxiety?

[armslee]

My psychologist suggested this to me last night. At my doctor appt today, my doctor decided to prescribe it to me as he said that while the drug is good for controlling anxiety, it might help with my pelvic floor spasms too.

Is anyone currently on this or has taken it?

[Dixiefireball]

I take Klonopins. Klonopins help me sleep at night, helps bladder spasms, and also helps keeps my pain medicine in my system longer. which is a huge plus.

Hope if you decide to try klonopins they work just as well for you.

sending you hugs and prayers.
Rhonda

[armslee]

Rhonda,
I decided to take one on my way back from my lunchbreak. Do you recall any strange side effects? I feel kind loopy right now. I hope that passes in a few days.

[ShePurzz]

ACK!!!!! :rant:

Wendi,
This is the drug I have been on for 16 years for anxiety and panic disorder -- I do suggest that you read the posts that I have up for trying to withdraw from this drug -- I have tried numerous times to get off of it and never could -- this time I am insisting because it is so addictive in nature -- you may want to do a search on KLONOPIN WITHDRAWAL on google and see if you want to take it or not.

Short term it is supposed to be okay -- long term, problems are reported.

My doctor is being very supportive of my getting off of it, but it has been a LONG process and the withdrawal is horrible!

I hope you do well on it if you chose to take it, however, I strongly urge you to read about it so you don't end up addicted to it like I am -- I am certain that the former attempts to get off of it were not 'anxiety attacks' as much as they were withdrawal symptoms.

PM if you wish.

Hugs,
Mary

[armslee]

Yes Mary, I will definetly check out your posts. I took a pill about about 1:45 today and about 2:15 felt like a drunk. Haha, I even staggered into a doorway a few times. I have to admit this is the first time I have felt "medicine head" at the office. But here it is 4:30 and I am feeling much more like myself again.

I could definetly see how this drug could be used for anxiety. I certainly didn't care about much during my little stupor. Although I am sure those effects go away with persistant usage.

Off to check out Mary's posts!

[Kara29]

I take Klonopin to sleep when I am suffering real bad. I am usually asleep when I take it so I don't notice any strange effects.

I hope it starts to work for you and not give you that funny feeling!

Kara

[ShePurzz]

..... I am usuallty asleep when I take it :confused: so I don't notice any strange effects.
Kara

Okay Kara -- how on earth do you do that? :biglaugh:

Just teasing.... I know you mean BEFORE going to bed -- at least I HOPE that is what you mean... :lmao:

Wendi -- what dose are you taking and how often each day. I am now down from 3 mg a day (1 mg three times a day) for the past 16 years to just .5 mg a day taken in two .25 doses. However, it is like being in a snare -- if I miss it or take it late, I have the shakes, headache, etc... however, this week has been an improvement over last -- that is good news, because the Doc says, I cannot go lower until these symptoms are completely gone. Also, keep in mind that I have no problems getting off of the first 2 mg per day -- it is going from 1 mg down to the .5 where I get GRABBED by the NIGHTMARE WITHDRAWAL stuff. :rant:

I hope you will also look into something else if you are driving and working -- especially if you are working in any place where safety is an issue -- Klonopin can seriously lower your reaction time, and it will keep you in a haze -- you will get accustomed to it -- but that doesn't meant that you will stop reacting slower -- it just means that you will not realize you are slower -- or that you are in a haze -- that will go away too. When you start to come off it, that is when you will see just how much clearer things are, you will realize just how slowed down you were (I gained 50 pounds total in the past 10 years alone!) and I am certain that it is responsible for my slowed reactions and metabolism... because as I am getting off of it, things are coming back to me -- I am coming OUT of the cloud and there are signs that I am reacting quicker -- however, the withdrawal is horrible and I can not wait until I am OFF of it forever !!! :woohoo:

To be sure, others are on it and have had okay results with it -- I am just telling you what I experienced and how it is looking back over the past 15+ years and now wishing I had NEVER started on it... it was NOT worth the life it sucked from me...

Wishing you well!!!
Mary

[Sarojini]

I take Klonopin for anxiety that comes with my bipolar disorder, but don't take it as often now that I am on a new med for bipolar (Abilify).

It is hard to withdraw from, as are all benzodiazepines. You can feel an increase in anxiety and panic -- just work with your doc when you need to, and it'll be okay, I promise. :)

[ShePurzz]

It is hard to withdraw from, as are all benzodiazepines. You can feel an increase in anxiety and panic -- just work with your doc when you need to, and it'll be okay, I promise. :)

Thanks Jen for the encouragement -- I have stopped taking Xanax (another benzo) without a bit of problem -- was taking 3 mg a day along with the Klonopin until I finally decided that NO ONE ELSE seemed to care how much medication I was taking except for me.

This new doctor is different -- he is very helpful as is my family doctor (a she) who has also been very supportive and caring as I go through this.

The withdrawal from Klonopin is especially wicked -- :evilgrin: and I suggest that before anyone start on it that they read the withdrawal -- even with another medication that was given to help me get off of the Klonopin, withdrawal has been worse than any anxiety or panic I have ever experienced.

I wish I could say it is just me -- but after reading about the withdrawal of Klonopin on line, I have read stories of others who have gone through what I am experiencing and some much worse -- God forbid that I will get that bad with my last .5 mg to go.

I can say that I have been nearly a week at the dose that was causing me DAILY problems and have had only a little bit of problem - I feel like I can drive this week, and I am not shaking nearly as badly -- so, next drop will be hopefully within a couple of weeks -- he is taking me down .125 mmg at a time -- it's literally like a speck of dust! Amazing the hold it can have on you though!

I say -- evil stuff -- know what you are getting into.

Hugs,
Mary

[armslee]

Thanks for the input Kara, Mary and Jen.

My dosage is 1mg up to 3 times a day as needed. So after yesterday's escapade, I decided that for now, I am going to take 1mg at night only and see how that does. I will keep them in my purse just in cause I start to have another manic moment and need them out of desperation.

It is funny because I remember a thread not too long ago about safety in driving and working under all the meds we are on. (I have a desk job) Currently I am on 25 mg of fentanly and take up to 3 10mg Lortabs per day too. I have never felt "woozy or drunk or high" from those drugs. But the Klonopin did make me feel drunk at work yesterday. :bonk: Not the night dose before bed of course, but I did sleep really well which was nice for a change!

If I get to the point that I have to take the Klonopin during the day, then I am handing my keys over. I won't be driving on that stuff anymore. Even 4 hours after taking that dose when I was leaving work, I was sooooo sleepy I felt like a danger on the road.
Nope. Not taking that chance again. Scared the poop out of me. :shake:

[L. Thomas]

I took a very low dose (.5mg) for axiety. It worked for the anxiety and I got a good night's sleep:smile tee
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[ShePurzz]

My dosage is 1mg up to 3 times a day

That is where I started too -- then up to the full 3 mg a day to stop the anxiety and panic attacks, along with xanax 3 mg per day -- so I was in a stupor for a few months until I learned how to cope with the effects.

If you are feeling that loopy on 1mg. you should be able to cut it in half and take the lowest dose possible that works for you -- WITH your doctor's advise/knowledge of course.

I am sooooo glad you got good sleep -- it doesn't work that fast for me -- it takes a bit to get it into my system steadily -- but getting off of it, I can tell when my next dose is due :help:

Be safe -- it clouds your head but you 'adjust' then when you come off of it, you realize, you really didn't come out of the cloud, you just learned to deal with it... I have been driving on it for 16 years and to my knowledge it hasn't been responsible for any of the 22 accidents I have been in... (JUST KIDDING!!!!) I haven't been in any that were my fault -- but I was in two where someone else was at fault and I was injured. I don't believe that it was anything I could have avoided even if I was able to react even faster -- one was just THERE and I blasted him across two lanes and up the curb -- that will teach him to pull out into oncoming traffic without being able to see (a semi driver was in the turning lane, facing him, and waved him into oncoming traffic -- I was in the semi's 'blind spot' and he didn't see me until it was too late to stop the other guy... I got two broken wrists and two very bad burned arms from the air bag. My daughter had a little whiplash -- the other daughter was frightened but unharmed.. they were so little at the time and saw all the smoke coming from the steering wheel -- scared them bad!

Anyhow, I have been fortunate that most of the time I could drive -- however, now during withdrawal, I am not as comfortable because I have the shakes and this awful anxiety without much warning -- so I try not to go anywhere alone right now...

:smile tee

[L. Thomas]

I am Bi-polar so I didn't take klonopin for IC. Antidepressants and "normal" sleep meds are not effective when dealling with my sleep distrubance. I used it as a sleep aid to supress anxiety. I have only had to use it a few times. Interupting my sleep for more than 3 days has a tendancy to trigger manic behaviors.

Could I attribute IC to Bi-polar or Bi-polar to IC?

I feel so lucky when I read some of the stories. My IC "symptoms" are not the usual "symptoms".

Ever heard Larry the Cable Guy? Well I'm his grandmother! I have the "Walking Farts" and the urge to use every bathroom I pass.

My gyn thought he caused the problems after extensive pelvic reconstruction...so he wouldn't give up until I was fixed. :cussing:

He sent me to a urogyn (who happened to specialize in IC--sought after presenter at conferences across th US). My urogyn said he had seen 30 or 40 that had my problem and when he "mixed me a coctail" I could tell imediately that was the cure.

My IC is under control with PRN instillations (lidocaine, heparin, sodium bicarbonate). I have used this coctail for almost 2 years):woohoo:
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[ShePurzz]

Ever heard Larry the Cable Guy? Well I'm his grandmother! I have the "Walking Farts" and the urge to use every bathroom I pass.

My urogyn said he had seen 30 or 40 that had my problem and when he "mixed me a coctail" I could tell imediately that was the cure.

Wait??? Your urogyn fixed a cocktail for what -- the walking farts or the IC -- and what was it? It stopped the walking farts or the IC?

I am curious -- just gotta know -- walking farts -- too funny -- is that a real dx? smiles!

Mary

[redfearn]

:pray: Hey there!!! I used to take Klonopin, but did not work as well as Ativan--I changed to Ativan due to Klonopin's side effects--sleepy, irratible....I love Ativan due to the fact that you can place it under your tongue to dissolve and it gets into your system really fast..it is really great and it does not cause all the drowsiness that Klonopin did. I take 1mg twice a day, but my Doctor wrote me for 2mg twice a day...I try to get by with the least dose so I usually just cut the 2mg in half. Now, there are MANY days lately that I take the entire 2mg...my husband and I are separated, but are living together until my bladder removal scheduled for October 17th. He is really a pain and has caused me so much unnecessary grief....he really thinks I'm making up this terrible disease and has even gone as far as having my previous family doctor to write up an affidavit saying I have Munchausen syndrome (disorder that I make up my disease. He is really crazy and is a control freak (he is a Sgt. with the police department and thinks he knows everything...but obviously does not..even my Dr.'s--urologist and hematologist are now referring to him as Dr. Redfearn--HA!!). Anyway...sorry to blab on and on, but had to get that out...so if you are having side effects from Klonopin..ask about Ativan..it works for me, but again...everybody is different. Take care and good luck:)
Laura

[armslee]

Laura,
Did the Ativan help with your muscle spasms too? My doctor thinks that the Klonopin will.
I am actually getting used to the tiredness. It is starting to wear off now as I am ONLY taking it at night before bed.
Waking is a little tough but feel good other than that!
THANKS!!

[redfearn]

Wendi-

Yes, the ativan really helped with my muscle spasms--even more than the Klonopin...

:)

Laura

[toby75]

I have to totally agree with Mary on the withdrawals from Klonopin. I was given Klononpin a year ago to take up to 3-1mg a day. I was very naive that this drug could be physically addicting. I took it for anixety and to help with bladder spasms. I just stopped taking it over a week ago when I just ran out. I thought nothing of it. A couple of days later I started having horrid feelings. I was frantic and crying and had no idea what was wrong with me. Then I realized I was no longer taking klonopin and started looking it up on the internet.

I was going through horrible withdrawals. I called my doctor monday morning for a refill. As soon as I took one I felt like "normal" again. I am kinda glad it happened because I now know, to start weaning myself off this medication and not just pop them freely like I did and just stop like I did. I can't wait to be free of this ball and chain. It's scary and even more scary that if you run out and can't get anymore, withdrawals are bad. I say worse then taking pain medication for years and getting off it. (which is pretty bad too)

Yeah, any benzos are very addicting and it sneaks up on you without realizing it. Also I was reading that benzos stay in your fat a lot longer then most drugs so it can take months to get over the withdrawals, although they do get better with time!

Just my testimony on klonopins.

I wish I would have known this a year ago because I would have never taken them like I did. I would have only taken then when really needed or not at all. I never craved taking them because the effects are so subtle, I wish doctors would inform you of addictions to medications other then just narcotics!