Posted by Donna Louise on May 13, 2006, at 21:53:25
In reply to Re: Everyone PLEASE share your ENSAM updates? » Donna Louise, posted by RobertDavid on May 13, 2006, at 11:54:28
> Donna:
>
> A lot of what I hear you describe sounds like anxiety, feeling pressured, late, etc. I understand you take a low dose of klonopin which has been helpful for you. May I ask how low the dose is?
>
> Klonopin was a life saver for me. But I had to get up to 2mgs for it to fix the anxiety problem. When I was taking lower doses I was ready to throw in the towel and move to something else, was still edgy, anxious, but my Dr. had me go up on the dose which did the trick.
>
> And since starting EMSAM the issues I was having with Klonopin as mono therapy are gone, I'm more alert, clear headed, getting more done and happier. I suspect some of the issues I was having with mood, energy and slight mental fog was partially due to the anxiety disorter and perhaps partially the 2mg dose of klonopin.
>
> Anyway, have you considered going up a little bit on klonopin, perhaps just for a short while to see if some of your anxiety issues improve? My guess is that since your taking EMSAM you can more easily deal with an increased klonopin dose and the combo may just be the ticket. If it works, you won't need to do other med trials.
>
> I don't know the dose you take of klonopin or when, but if you decided to go up you might just consider taking the increase at bedtime. I take my full dose then and with the long half life it's always lasted through the next day (and with less daytime side effects).
>
> Just some food for thought. Sounds like your headed in the right direction. Perhaps with more time on EMSAM the other issues will get resolved, but in the mean time you might consider upping klonopin, it wouldn't take much time to figure out if it helps and of not, just drop back down.
>
> RobI think it is anxiety too, I was afraid though it was a hypomanic manifestation. I have always called it anxiety and who knows what the difference is anyway, it is whatever helps it GO AWAY that matters. I do take a low dose of klonopin and some days it is lower than others. Usually, I will take 1/4 of a pill in the morning, and 1/2 in the afternoon, maybe another 1/2 at bedtime. so that is just 1 1/4 pill. .625mg? not even a whole mg. There are days when I may take 1/2 in the am, another 1/2 in the pm and then a whole one at night. That at least gets me up to 1mg. I am a recovering drug addict and have been afraid for years to take a benzo but started gradually doing it a few years back and have acclerated to this humonguous dosage..:-)) I am over being a benzophobe I thought but maybe I still have some residual fear or I would take more. I could try taking a whole pill at night and then 1/4 or 1/2 inthe am and pm as a matter of course instead of just on bad days and see if that doesn't level me out. More than 1/4 in the morning makes me sleepy but not so in the afternoon and that is usually when I get the most wound up. I will take your suggestion as I like that alot better than any other and as you say, as time goes on, maybe I will not get the irritables so bad. What are they saying about how long it takes for the patch to reach peak efficacy? Is it 4-8 weeks like the others? And of course I am on the lowest dose of EMSAM too. And I still feel way better than I can remember just like I am now.
Donna
poster:Donna Louise
thread:640308
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060510/msgs/643679.html