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Re: Help! Now I'm confused ...! » Janelle

Posted by Snoozy on April 18, 2003, at 22:43:35

In reply to Help! Now I'm confused ...! » Snoozy, posted by Janelle on April 18, 2003, at 21:40:45

Buspar, the little stinker! I looked it up in the "Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs" (you'd think!) and they say it doesn't make the patient sleepy. I just looked it up on medlineplus though, and it says drowsiness can be a side effect. And would it surprise you to know that the Buspar company booklet says it should not make you feel sedated? Were you on a really high dose - were you ever over 30mg? Or up to 60? It's not known as an especially effective drug for anxiety.

Do you think the Buspar is doing anything for your anxiety? If not, it's pretty easy to stop it. I think it would definitely help with the drowsiness to decrease the Klonopin. Cutting the morning dose sounds good - you don't get the full hit of the drowsiness during the day then, but you still have some left in your system from the nighttime dose.

I've been on Xanax for about 8 years. I have a friend who tried it recently and she asked me how I can stay awake on it (she was taking even less than me). I just figured - tolerance. But then I started paying closer attention, and I realized I do get some drowsiness from it. Nothing like what a newbie has though.

It sounds like the Depakote is really helping you, and at 250 it shouldn't be a huge factor in the sleepiness. Do you have a sense of whether the Celexa or Seroquel are helping? (I've never taken Seroquel and my experience with Celexa was very limited, so I don't have any personal experience with what the side effects are like). Maybe just cutting the daytime Klonopin dose would make a big difference.

It is sad but true that our bodies do change in their response to meds over time (not mine of course ;) I don't know if you use caffeine, but when I have some when I haven't had any in a long time, I feel so good. I wonder if this is what normal people feel like?

Are you seeing your dr soon? I'd like to hear how things go.


> Hi Snoozy (great name, btw!)
>
> Yeah, I know there is a variation in what people's natural need for sleep is (and yep, those folks who only "need" 5 or 6 hours sure do love to tell you that!) I'd say that yes, I have always needed a little extra, but when I was in better shape and could have a more regular schedule, I was able to get by on less sleep than my *ideal* amount, whereas now I am just pooped all the time on less sleep. I'm also considerably older now than I was then. LOL!
>
> Ah, someone else who has been on *only* 250 mg. of Depakote! Guess what - I had once been up to 1000 and it made me virtually comatose! I've also tried 500 and it was too sedating.
>
> Now here is my confusion and I will have to ask my pdoc about it because HE is the one who told me that he plans to take me off the BUSPAR first, then do something with the Klonopin.
>
> I think that part of his plan is based on the fact that months ago when I was on a higher dose of Buspar, it was very clear that it was too sedating and he lowered it. Boom, the symptoms of drowsiness went away when it was lowered. Trust me, Buspar CAN cause drowsiness!
>
> Additionally, I would often forget to take my noon time dose of Buspar and there was NO DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER in my anxiety level up or down without that noontime dose. It was hours until my nighttime Klonopin and I felt no different on days without noontime Buspar than on days with it.
>
> I myself have also heard that Buspar is very *weak*, almost like a placebo.
>
> Furthermore, I do NOT think my pdoc will take me off Klonopin completely, probably just cut the morning one and leave the evening one.
>
> Thank you for mentioning that one can just stop taking Buspar without suffering any withdrawl symptoms, unlike Klonopin.
>
> What it's boiling down to is which of my two anti-anxiety meds (Buspar, Klonopin) is causing this dang drowsy/tired/sleepy feeling all day long?
>
> Remember, I think I said I've been on Klonopin for like 10 years and NEVER had this drowsy stuff. Then again, I only took it once and in the morning no less!
>
> Of course, my body chemistry is different now than it was, so who knows what's going on.
>
> You make a VERY GOOD case for stopping the Klonopin before the Buspar; I'm now soooooooo confused. I'll have to run this by my pdoc. Thanks so much for your responses. I'm really in a quandry here (cuz remember there's also Celexa, Depakote, Seroquel to factor in - argh!)


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