Posted by jimmygold70 on February 17, 2004, at 18:13:36
In reply to chlonazepam for life vs. effexor, posted by SuzieV on February 9, 2004, at 12:25:18
There is nothing bad with clonazepam for itself, but the usual strategy is to give Effexor at a high dose (150-225mg). Effects takes up to 3 months to kick in (after a long research and personal experience - you can feel nothing for 2MO and after 2 wks it kicks in!!!)
After that, you can start taking clonazepam down very slowly, like 0.1mg every two weeks. If you can't bear it - stay on clonazepam for good. It's fine. You are dependent on it, not addicted.
Jimmy
> Hi, I am new to this forum. I am 49 and have been on chlonazepam for over four years for GAD and SAD. I was a new person for the first two years, lost weight got a job and slept for the first time in years. All my unbearable symptoms disappeared. But after two years of working I had a nervous breakdown, (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Anxiety disorder and depression. I saw a shrink who tried me on Remeron which was awful and I had to quit working because I went into a depression when I went off it. Now I am on 2 mg. of chlonazepam and it has been loosing affect. I need to increase it but toy with the idea of getting off it all together. My doctor wants me to decrease it. Lately I have been taking an extra .05mg, which is the difference of day and night but I am going to be in trouble when I see my doctor. We are moving and have teenagers that are difficult so my stress level has really increased.
> Originally my idea was that I would go on it for life, I had discussed this with a previous doctor who left the province. We acknowledged it's addictive quality but hoped it would give me a more normal happy life.
> Now I am concerned. I know going off it would be a disaster but I'm not sure what will happen if I continue. I don't really understand why I can't just cautiously increase it when needed. I don't have an addictive personality and don't drink. Does it start to make you have bad side effects at higher doses? Does it eventually not work at all no matter how much you take and make you stupid at the same time. My memory and concentration are not great but never have been and I think that's just because of my GAD.
> My sister has had really amazing results with Effexor after she had a major nervous breakdown last year. But she has depression where I have anxiety. But I thought it might help me wean myself off the chlonazepam. But now I am reading bad stories of what happens when you go off Effexor. All other anti-depressants have had intolerable side effects for me anyway.
> My brother-in-law, who has Tourettes syndrome is also in the same boat as me. He takes the same amount of Chlonazepam but it isn't working anymore and so his neurologist is giving him an anti-pyschotic and trying to wean him the chlonazepam. This made me consider anti-psychotics, but don't think it's a good idea due to the side effects.
> Is there any reason why I can't stay on Chlonazepam for life and increase the dosage as needed? I personally believe it's the best option for me.
> Thanks for listening,
> SuzieV> Hi, I am new to this forum. I am 49 and have been on chlonazepam for over four years for GAD and SAD. I was a new person for the first two years, lost weight got a job and slept for the first time in years. All my unbearable symptoms disappeared. But after two years of working I had a nervous breakdown, (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Anxiety disorder and depression. I saw a shrink who tried me on Remeron which was awful and I had to quit working because I went into a depression when I went off it. Now I am on 2 mg. of chlonazepam and it has been loosing affect. I need to increase it but toy with the idea of getting off it all together. My doctor wants me to decrease it. Lately I have been taking an extra .05mg, which is the difference of day and night but I am going to be in trouble when I see my doctor. We are moving and have teenagers that are difficult so my stress level has really increased.
> Originally my idea was that I would go on it for life, I had discussed this with a previous doctor who left the province. We acknowledged it's addictive quality but hoped it would give me a more normal happy life.
> Now I am concerned. I know going off it would be a disaster but I'm not sure what will happen if I continue. I don't really understand why I can't just cautiously increase it when needed. I don't have an addictive personality and don't drink. Does it start to make you have bad side effects at higher doses? Does it eventually not work at all no matter how much you take and make you stupid at the same time. My memory and concentration are not great but never have been and I think that's just because of my GAD.
> My sister has had really amazing results with Effexor after she had a major nervous breakdown last year. But she has depression where I have anxiety. But I thought it might help me wean myself off the chlonazepam. But now I am reading bad stories of what happens when you go off Effexor. All other anti-depressants have had intolerable side effects for me anyway.
> My brother-in-law, who has Tourettes syndrome is also in the same boat as me. He takes the same amount of Chlonazepam but it isn't working anymore and so his neurologist is giving him an anti-pyschotic and trying to wean him the chlonazepam. This made me consider anti-psychotics, but don't think it's a good idea due to the side effects.
> Is there any reason why I can't stay on Chlonazepam for life and increase the dosage as needed? I personally believe it's the best option for me.
> Thanks for listening,
> SuzieV
poster:jimmygold70
thread:311272
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040215/msgs/314852.html