Posted by GypsySoul on September 3, 2013, at 4:46:45
Hi,
I was wondering, is it common to be prescribed both Klonopin and Xanax at the same time?
Currently, I am prescribed K-pin 2mg twice a day, and .5mg Xanax as needed up to 3 times a day (and I usually need all three, however, if I forget because I am not feeling anxious it is fine.)I have been pretty much housebound for quite a few years. I have taken a few different SSRI's and none seemed to help much if at all. Was always on Xanax with them, which helps a little if I take at least .5 to 1mg as needed.
Have always had a high tolerance for these types of meds - even when I was going in for surgery, the anesthesiologist was surprised at how high a dose I needed to calm me down and knock me out.
Valium, even a 10mg, does nothing for anxiety for me, though it does make my muscles useless and I feel like an octopus out of water.
Recently, I asked my doc if I could try Klonopin (she really wants to find an SSRI that will help, although none have yet and getting off them - Zoloft this last time - was pretty bad and I really don't want to go through that again. I've tried Buspar, Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft, Viibryd. I also have severe IBS and all the SSRIs seem to aggravate it.
Anyway, started on Klonopin 2mg 2x day about 2 months ago, along with three .5mg of Xanax spaced out through out the day (if needed), and for the first time in YEARS I rode in car, went out with my family, and just felt...normal. It was great. Not high, or spacey, or euphoric or anything like that. Just *normal*.
Then I googled.
I found story after story about how mixing Benzo's is a deadly combination.
Since meds are always a major trigger (it took years before I would try meds at all) I am now afraid to take Kpin & Xanax together. Been taking Kpin daily 10am & 10pm, with a .5 Xanax if needed around 3 pm. Sometimes another .25 Xanax if really anxious or IBS gets really bad. Back to being pretty much housebound (after a glorious few weeks of going outside, going to the store, riding in the car and not freaking that I was in a car, etc...) Kpin alone doesn't *really* seem to be doing much *at all*. Xanax was never enough by itself (at least not at 4mg a day). It seems to be the combination of the two that made a difference.
*Is* it uncommon to get two Benzo's like this?
Or is it likely that just increasing Xanax alone have made the same kind of difference?
Also, last refill of Kpin was with a different generic - and I developed a weird cough. DH checked side effects and saw that cough was on there (I do not read PI sheets from Pharmacy, as if it is listed I am sure I will have that side effect...but DH does so he knows what to look for....). I really didn't think there would be a big deal between generics, now I don't know, didn't have the cough before the switch (and the previous brand was the one I finally felt normal on...this one just seems like it is not helping, no anxiety relief, or at least not much...)Even being on a dose as high as I was, I am not sleepy or dizzy or lightheaded or anything. But I will still get breakthrough attacks, that I often will not take anything for if I feel like I have already taken "too much".
Is it better to just use one Benzo, even if it would have to be a pretty high dose to get any real help?
I want to be able to go out, ride in the car, go on vacation with my family....Years ago I drove across the country by myself...now I can barely ride around the block. When I was feeling so good, we even booked a trip to Disney, and it didn't freak me out at all. After Googling...and now not taking the Xanax so I don't "mix benzos", I have no idea how I would do the trip - but I am loathe to let down my kids one more time.
I'm frustrated. Sorry, this got longer than I wanted. Hope I made sense.
Oh - can only go to GP Docs here. Insurance won't cover pdocs. My GP has Anxiety Disorder herself, and will pretty much work with me wrt meds.
Right now I just want to stop taking the Kpin and just take Xanax, but don't even know if I could do a straight switch or would have to taper. Terrified of seizures. Any info, advice, etc, very much appreciated.
~GypsySoul
poster:GypsySoul
thread:1050062
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130828/msgs/1050062.html