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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AndyD on September 23, 2003, at 21:15:15
Has anyone experienced shortness of breath on klonopin? Will this go away? It is my second day and on very low dosage. .125 2-3 times a day. The shortness of breath just started today. Just seems hard to catch a full breath like wheb you breath deep.
Thanks,
Andy
Posted by djmmm on September 24, 2003, at 9:10:20
In reply to Klonopin, posted by AndyD on September 23, 2003, at 21:15:15
> Has anyone experienced shortness of breath on klonopin? Will this go away? It is my second day and on very low dosage. .125 2-3 times a day. The shortness of breath just started today. Just seems hard to catch a full breath like wheb you breath deep.
>
> Thanks,
> AndyI never experienced that side-effect, however, if it makes you feel better, it is listed as one of the side-effects
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/clonaz_ad.htm
"Respiratory: Chest congestion, rhinorrhea, shortness of breath, hypersecretion in upper respiratory passages"
Posted by Essence on September 25, 2003, at 10:27:29
In reply to Klonopin, posted by AndyD on September 23, 2003, at 21:15:15
I have, but did not realize it was a side effect of Clonazepam. I had already made the decision to come off of due to other problems that my doctor said was associated with it, ie, can't retain new material when reading, delayed word recall and the worse is the amnesia, total chapters of my life are missing. He says these may or may not come back. I've only been on this med since May 2002, can't imagine how much memory I would have left if I stayed on it for any length of time. I would rather have my memory and deal with the anxiety, then have this anxiety over losing my memory. Also, I know I have lost a LOT of IQ points since starting this med! I take .50 twice a day. Good luck, stay informed!
Posted by Been-There on September 25, 2003, at 11:49:07
In reply to Re: Klonopin, posted by djmmm on September 24, 2003, at 9:10:20
This is giving me anxiety just reading what all these drugs are doing to you people. Makes me wonder if it is all worth it or would it be better just dealing with the depression hands on.
So far from my readings on this board and my own experience with the meds, I have been able to compile a whole list of complications and dangers created from alot of these medications.
Loss of memory
diarria
racing heart
seizures
brain shocks
headaches
rashes
respitory problems
infections
lethargy
sexual side effects
stomach trouble
colitis trouble
tingling
shortness of breath
ect, ect, ect...hummmm....Happpy Pills??? Do we really know what these drugs are doing to our bodies in the long haul? It makes you wonder some times. We need to ask ourselves these questions before jumping on the medicine wagon: Are there safer meds out there? What other safer ways can we manage our depression? Can we do it without the drugs? What is our reasons for taking the drugs? Are we taking meds because we want to or are we doing it because someone else thinks we should just because they don't want to deal with our unhappiness? What caused us to be depressed in the first place? Was it the the way we were treated in life or is it a chemical imbalance?
Posted by JaneB on September 25, 2003, at 11:58:14
In reply to Klonopin Memory Impairment, posted by Essence on September 25, 2003, at 10:27:29
To tell you the truth my memory is much better on klonopin. I never realized how much the anxiety was spacing me out until I got stabilized on Klonopin and could start thinking straight again.
Jane
Posted by AndyD on September 25, 2003, at 19:58:23
In reply to Re: Klonopin Memory Improvement, posted by JaneB on September 25, 2003, at 11:58:14
Jane,
I couldnt agree with you more. I am only taking .25 twicw a day and after the intial drowsy feeling and swollen brain feeling, like a sinus problem passed like in 2 days, I feel like I have been reborn with a crystal clear mind, able to focus and not freak on this stupid stuff. I might be bragging or ranting, I hope everyone has the same effect, but after only 4 days I have already been outside my safe zone and enjoyed stuff that I havent done in a decade. I would agree with many who say that alot of this is in the mind....key is to remember that Klonopin also allows you as a person to realize that...instead of the blender of a brain that I had before. Maybe not a cure all, but in my humble opinion...a life preserver. May not have a rope on it, but I sure as hell can start paddeling towards recovery.
Andy
Posted by Franz on September 26, 2003, at 21:07:41
In reply to Klonopin Memory Impairment, posted by Essence on September 25, 2003, at 10:27:29
have you tried buspirone?
I wonder why this drug is not used by many.
never tried it myself> I have, but did not realize it was a side effect of Clonazepam. I had already made the decision to come off of due to other problems that my doctor said was associated with it, ie, can't retain new material when reading, delayed word recall and the worse is the amnesia, total chapters of my life are missing. He says these may or may not come back. I've only been on this med since May 2002, can't imagine how much memory I would have left if I stayed on it for any length of time. I would rather have my memory and deal with the anxiety, then have this anxiety over losing my memory. Also, I know I have lost a LOT of IQ points since starting this med! I take .50 twice a day. Good luck, stay informed!
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 28, 2003, at 2:31:26
In reply to Re: Klonopin Memory Improvement, posted by AndyD on September 25, 2003, at 19:58:23
I also totally agree re: improvement of memory with clonazepam (I wish I could find that study again that showed the therapeutic benefit of clonazepam in preventing Alzheimer's/dementia... that was very intriguing; I'll dig it up).
As for Essence's experience, wow... that can't be good... I suppose it does make more sense that one's IQ would decrease rather than increase on any benzodiazepine. But my IQ increased very considerably from 150 to 170 once my anxiety was controlled with benzos. Without all those racing, interfering, depressing thoughts, my focus is so much better.
I've had my IQ tested three times during my scholastic life (2nd grade, 6th grade, 9th grade), each time purely to confirm that I met the 130 requirement to be placed in the IHP, Pegasus, college-level courses in middle-school/high-school, and other gifted/talented programs, and it was invariably a 150. I tested after a few months on Xanax 12mg/day, as requested by my p-doc at the time, and my score had increased to 159. I've had it tested three times while taking clonazepam at varying doses, and believe it or not, the higher the dose, the higher my IQ!! At 1mg three times daily, I scored 155. At 2mgAM, 2mgPM, 1mg hs -- 159. At my current dose, 4mg t.i.d., I tested at 170 -- this was four months or so ago... at that time I wan't taking stimulants. I wonder how I'd fare now with the clonazepam + dexamp? :-)
This is the end of the thread.
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