Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 244947

Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by matthhhh on July 24, 2003, at 16:47:32

Does anyone take Klonopin for ocd? Im going to start my first dose tomorrow. I took ssri's but couldnt sttand the side effects.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by paxvox on July 24, 2003, at 17:48:59

In reply to KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 24, 2003, at 16:47:32

Oh for sure! Klonopin is an EXCELLENT med for anxiety. As far as it ALONE treating OCD, well, no. In conjunction with something like Wellbutrin or Paxil, sure, good stuff, but by itself it is only an anxiolytic.

PAX

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh

Posted by galkeepinon on July 24, 2003, at 22:11:29

In reply to KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 24, 2003, at 16:47:32

I take Klonopin. I have OCD tendencies and it has seemed to really help them. I think that the OCD tendencies have also been helped by a lot of other things also, but I believe Klonopin is a great medication. What SSRI'S have you tried? What kinds of side effects did you have? I've been on a lot too.

Hope this helped and good luck!

Gal

> Does anyone take Klonopin for ocd? Im going to start my first dose tomorrow. I took ssri's but couldnt sttand the side effects.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh

Posted by ace on July 24, 2003, at 22:15:32

In reply to KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 24, 2003, at 16:47:32

> Does anyone take Klonopin for ocd? Im going to start my first dose tomorrow. I took ssri's but couldnt sttand the side effects.

G'day buddy!,

Your a lucky dude, you can't get Klonopin here in Aussieland unless you have proven epilepsy- dumb ass government!
But good news bro- I have heard HEAPS of great stories about Klonopin for OCD. Some of the earliest ones on OCD augmentation. I think it will work grand as an OCD augmenter, so say goodbye to your OCD- it's fat ass is going straight to the ground!!

Good luck champ!
Ace, Nardil Man, 90mg. Xanax 1mg PRN.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 9:21:08

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh, posted by ace on July 24, 2003, at 22:15:32

I'd have to agree with Paxvox on this one--Klonopin is a wonderful anxiolytic, but alone, it does little for OCD. It does help some on its own, but I'd say the vast majority of OCD'ers are going to require something more than a benzodiazepine to treat their symptoms.

That being said, I believe you know that tramadol and Klonopin was a great combo for me. Xanax XR I like even better than the Klonopin, though. But the bottomline is, as far as I know, both Xanax and Klonopin promote serotonin utilization within the brain, in some way or another. I don't know of any other benzos available in the U.S. that do this, except perhaps Ativan. But this serotonergic action could be what's responsible for the mild improvement some people with OCD get from taking a benzodiazepine alone.

By the way, does anyone know if we can ever expect Deracyn (adinazolam) to be presented to the FDA?

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by david_maclean on July 25, 2003, at 9:55:35

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh, posted by ace on July 24, 2003, at 22:15:32

> Your a lucky dude, you can't get Klonopin here in Aussieland unless you have proven epilepsy- dumb ass government!
> But good news bro- I have heard HEAPS of great stories about Klonopin for OCD. Some of the earliest ones on OCD augmentation. I think it will work grand as an OCD augmenter, so say goodbye to your OCD- it's fat ass is going straight to the ground!!


Here in the UK I got my doc to give me Klonopin at my request to help me sleep but it didn't agree with me. I have taken many other benzodiazepines and had good results with them all but Klonopin was the only which I didn't like.

One thing about Klonopin was its very long half life. I wanted it just to help me sleep at night. But the daytime effect was not like that of nitrazepam or valium or flurazepam or whatever. It made me more headache-y.

BTW I was not taking it specifically for OCD.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by matthhhh on July 25, 2003, at 14:13:56

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 9:21:08

Hey Ame, so what do u think is the biggest factor in reducing your ocd, klonopin or tramadol?

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by Kari on July 25, 2003, at 15:09:20

In reply to KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 24, 2003, at 16:47:32


I used to take klonopin with luvox and it had some effect on my ocd tendencies. I don't know if it would help without an AD, though.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 18:13:32

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 25, 2003, at 14:13:56

Well, for one, I don't take Klonopin anymore, I take Xanax XR. But the Klonopin never did a thing for the OCD; the tramadol eradicates my obsessive-compulsive symptoms completely.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by matthhhh on July 25, 2003, at 19:20:44

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh, posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 18:13:32

so do u find that the klonopin and xanax help with the social anxiety? What type of ocd do u have? I have body dysmorphic disorder as ocd, and am hoping when i get a hold of some tramadol that it will alleviate that

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 20:09:22

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 25, 2003, at 19:20:44

>so do u find that the klonopin and xanax help with the social anxiety? What type of ocd do u have? I have body dysmorphic disorder as ocd, and am hoping when i get a hold of some tramadol that it will alleviate that

Nothing compares to Klonopin and Xanax for social anxiety, as many people here I know will agree with me on (especially re: Klonopin). Though Klonopin is usually the medication of choice, I think Xanax is at least as effective, and for me, more effective. Perhaps with the advent of the extended-release version it will be prescribed more often... though many doctors are still afraid of the stigma attached to the name "Xanax".

I haven't been officially dx'd with OCD, and I believe what I have fits more with obsessive-compulsive personality disorder than OCD. I had problems with counting words in sentences, and letters in words, I felt everything had to be "even" or "symmetrical", plus a few other little idiosynchracies that were just annoying.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by shocker147 on July 25, 2003, at 21:43:16

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh, posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 20:09:22

I've never tried klonopin for ocd. My doc prescribed anafranil (generic is clomipramine), I started at 25 mg gradually went up to 75 mg. Worked like a charm to get rid of the obsessive thinking. I had tried Risperdal and Zyprexa for the OCD but never got as much improvement as I did when I started taking the clomipramine. It is also inexpensive. I would strongly recommend anafranil (clomipramine) especially if obsessions are driving you crazy.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by Rick on July 26, 2003, at 0:47:32

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD? » matthhhh, posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 25, 2003, at 20:09:22

After more than three years, low-dose daily Klonopin remains a Godsend for my severe social anxiety. (As-needed Xanax didn't do much except make me feel drugged.) The only (bad) Klonopin side effect is that it seems to adversely affect my memory.

But as for my OCD tendencies, Klonopin has done nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

Rick

 

Double-blind study: Klonopin for OCD

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 26, 2003, at 1:07:50

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by Rick on July 26, 2003, at 0:47:32

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of clonazepam in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Hollander E, Kaplan A, Stahl SM.

Department, of Psychiatry, Box 1230, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, USA. eric.hollander@mssm.edu

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are currently the first-line pharmacological agents in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Appropriate treatment for OCD also involves cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), including exposure and response prevention. As there is a time delay in seeing full therapeutic response, and not all patients tolerate SSRIs, there remains an unmet need for additional treatment approaches in OCD. In addition, most responders report only a partial reduction in symptoms. Clonazepam has demonstrated effectiveness in several preliminary reports in treating OCD. Twenty-seven patients with OCD were entered into a 10 week, double-blind, parallel design trial of clonazepam vs. placebo. Overall, only 3 out of 25 patients who had >/= 1 rating on clonazepam/placebo were judged to be treatment responders, by scoring a 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) on the CGI improvement scale. Responders included 2 of 9 in the placebo group and 1 of 16 in the clonazepam group. No significant difference was found between clonazepam and placebo groups on responder/non responder status (Chi(2 )=1.39, df =1,24, p=0.238), nor on change in YBOCS, Ham-A, Ham-D or NIMH scales from beginning to last evaluation carried forward. These findings suggest that clonazepam is not effective as monotherapy in treating OCD. Its effectiveness in specific subgroups of OCD patients with co-morbid anxiety disorders or as an augmentation strategy added to SSRIs remains to be determined.

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by matthhhh on July 26, 2003, at 7:27:30

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by shocker147 on July 25, 2003, at 21:43:16

What does everyone think about anafranil. Someone here claimed it worked good. But have u tried the ssri's? they just make me soo zonked out and tired i cant function. Im hesitant to try anafranil. What are your thoughts?

 

Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?

Posted by Ame Sans Vie on July 26, 2003, at 11:39:16

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 26, 2003, at 7:27:30

Anafranil (clomipramine), along with Luvox, is considered a first-line medication for OCD. I've heard it often helps greatly when the SSRIs fail. However, you should be aware that the incidence of side effects with clomipramine is about the same as with most SSRIs (i.e. sexual dysfunction, apathy), except the sedation is a lot worse on clomipramine for most people.

Here's a basic rundown of the anti-obsessional medications and their side effect profiles:

ANTI-OBSESSIONAL DRUG PROPERTIES

ANAFRANIL
Dosage Range: 150-250 mg
Sedation: High
Anticholinergia: High
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 0
Action on Serotonin (0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5: 0
Most Common Side Effects: dizziness, tremors, mania, drowsiness, aggressiveness, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, dyspepsia, delayed ejaculation, anorgasmia, urinary retention

PROZAC*
Dosage Range: 20-80 mg
Sedation: Low
Anticholinergia: None
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 0
Action on Serotonin(0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5): 0
Most Common Side Effects: Headache, nervousness, insomnia, drowsiness, anxiety, tremor, dizziness, fatigue, sedation, poor concentration, abnormal dreams, agitation, hot flashes, palpitations, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, anorexia, dyspepsia, constipation, cramps, vomiting, taste changes, flatulence, decreased appetite, dysmenorrhea, decreased libido, urinary frequency, urinary tract infection, sweating, rash, pruritus, pain, infrection, pharyngitis, nasal congestion, sinus headache, sinusitis, cough dyspnea, bronchitis, asthenia, viral infections, fever, allergy, chills

ZOLOFT*
Dosage Range: 50-200mg
Sedation: Low
Anticholinergia: None
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 0
Action on Serotonin (0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5): 0
Most Common Side Effects: insomnia, agitation, somnolence, dizziness, headache, tremor, fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, anorexia, dry mouth, vomiting, flatulence, male sexual dysfunction

PAXIL*
Dosage Range: 20-60 mg
Sedation: Low
Anticholinergia: Low
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 1
Action on Serotonin (0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5): 0
Most Common Side Effects: headache, nervousness, insomnia, drowsiness, anxiety, tremor, dizziness, fatigue, sedation, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, anorexia, abnormal ejaculation, male genital disorders

LUVOX*
Dosage Range: 50-300 mg
Sedation: Low
Anticholinergia: Low
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 0
Action on Serotonin (0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5): 0
Most Common Side Effects: amnesia, apathy, hyperkinesia, hypokinesia, manic reaction, nyoclonus, psychotic reaction, malaise, hypertension, hypotension, syncope, tachycardia, elevated liver transaminases, edema, weight gain, weight loss, libido decreased, sexual dysfunction, impotence, anorgasmia, cough increased, sinusitis, accidental injury,

CELEXA*
Dosage Range: 10-60 mg
Sedation: Low
Anticholinergia: None
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 0
Action on Serotonin (0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5): 0
Most Common Side Effects: impaired concentration, amnesia, apathy, depression, aggravated depression, suicide attempt, confusion, tachycardia, postural hypotension, paresthesia, migraine, saliva increased, flatulence, increased appetite, decreased weight, increased weight, amenorrhea, libido decreased, anorgasmia, impotence, coughing, rash, pruritus, accomodation abnormal, taste perversion, polyuria

LEXAPRO*
Dosage Range: 5-20 mg
Sedation: Low
Anticholinergia: None
Action on Norepinephrine (0-5): 0
Action on Serotonin (0-5): 5
Action on Dopamine (0-5): 0
Most Common Side Effects: dreaming abnormal, lethargy, irritability, concentration impaired, paresthesia, light-headed feeling, migraine, tremor, vertigo, vision blurred, ear ache, tinnitus, vomiting, flatulence, heartburn, tooth ache, gastroenteritis, abdominal cramp, gastroesophageal reflux, appetite increased, increased weight, decreased weight, urinary tract infection, urinary frequency, menstrual cramps, impotence, anorgasmia, decreased libido, bronchitis, sinus congestion, coughing, sinus headache, nasal congestion, rash, arthralgia, neck/shoulder pain, muscle cramp, myalgia, yawning

ULTRAM
Dosage Range: 100-400mg
Action on Opioid System (0-5): 2
Action on Norepinephrine: 1
Action on Serotonin: 1
Action on Dopamine: 1
Most Common Side Effects: dizziness, CNS stimulation, somnolence, confusion, euphoria, headache, nausea, constipation, flatulence, orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia, pruritus, rash, urinary rentention, urinary frequency, menopausal symptoms, dysuria, amenorrhea

*often higher doses are required to control obsessive-compulsive symptoms than the doses generally used to treat depression.

Anticholinergic symptoms include dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, blurred vision, memory impairment, and confusional states.

I got the info on sedation, anticholinergia, and neurotransmitter action for each of these drugs from this chart, which I find very useful:

http://64.33.4.253/assets/images/Medications%20Card%202002.pdf

The information on Ultram came from http://64.33.4.253/assets/images/Medications%20Card%202002.pdf, as well as some other sources I can't recall at the moment.

The side effects listed for Anafranil, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Ultram I got from "Mosby's Drug Guide for Nurses - Revised Reprint with 2004 Update". The side effects for Luvox, Celexa, and Lexapro came from the drug monographs at http://www.rxlist.com.

My personal experience with Anafranil was that it was way too similar to Luvox, but with a very unwelcome anticholinergic effect... in short, it was awful. But YMMV.

 

Anafranil » matthhhh

Posted by Kari on July 26, 2003, at 12:36:21

In reply to Re: KLONOPIN FOR OCD?, posted by matthhhh on July 26, 2003, at 7:27:30


I was on 150 mg anafranil for years and it had no effect at all on my ocd or depression.
Many people find it helpful, however.


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