Posted by laima on August 28, 2006, at 11:25:23
In reply to Psychopharmacology of addicting drugs, posted by Squiggles on August 28, 2006, at 11:00:02
Is this question for me, Laima?
If I am understanding the question accurately-
I am 100% living proof that a person CAN develope a tolerance to clonazepam/klonopin. Requiring more and more to get same effect- even when trying to stick to the prescribed plan. My doses have actually been raised in recognition of tolerance developing. And, if I stick to exact precribed amount, it eventually loses effectiveness. Not just lose effectiveness, but I develope backlash anxiety as "mini" daily withdrawals get started. Guarenteed. Doctor who is psychopharmocology professor agrees, and has seen it in other patients, too. Pharmacist also concurs.
Best choice in my case has been to taper down, rather than keep going up indefinately. (Note how I found it made me "fuzzier" and "stupider" on higher doses, for one thing--and what would happen when I would reach highest precribable dose, and need to come down froom that???)
This doesn't mean that it's true for everyone, though.
My withdrawals have been mixed- when sharp and sudden from high "abuse"--very, very, very rough 1-1 1/2 weeks. Slow taper, not so bad. Not fun, but not so bad as some of the other accounts I've read about.
I think we all have different tendencies and "other factors" mixed up into our experiences with klonopin and other benzos.
Maybe it's sort of like alcohol- some people can always have their 2 glasses of wine and get "happy" or tipsy and not want or crave more- others feel nothing from those 2 glasses, want to get "happy" or "tipsy"- and keep reaching for more and more and more-I know people who can drink an entire bottle and then see with surprise that it's all gone-and they "don't feel drunk yet". And then there are those enviable folks who can have their glass of wine with dinner because they love wine, and are not interested in getting any tipsiness at all-yet don't even mind if it should happen.
> Here's a question for you:
>
> While most benzos require an increase
> in dose, otherwise you reach tolerance
> and feel withdrawals-- in the case of
> clonazepam that is not so. You can stay
> on the same dose for a decade and not
> feel withdrawal, though if you try to
> withdraw it is hellish and dangerous.
>
> Q: Is it possible to stay on the same
> dose of certain benzos and over a long
> period of time simply withdraw by default
> until you reach a point when 0.50 mg Xanax
> in 1986 becomes 0.00 in 2006 even though
> you have been taking the same dose?
>
> The fact that withdrawing from clonazepam
> after many years on the same dose creates
> serious withdrawal including seizures,
> might suggest that changes have taken place
> in the brain and it has little to do at all with
> the dynamics of narcotic addiction known in pharmacology.
>
> Squiggles
poster:laima
thread:679936
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060825/msgs/680834.html