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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by nikkizeta on September 7, 2007, at 7:14:53
I've been on Xanax XR (0.5 mg) for a couple of months. A few days ago I skipped it 2 days in a row, trying to convince myself that i didn't need it.
The only symptom I felt (on the skipped days) was just grogginess, feeling very tired...was that withdrawal? The next day I took 0.5 mg clonazepam and I felt much better.Is there anyway to dose regularly on klonopin without building tolerance & risk withdrawal symptoms? ie What if i take half a 0.5mg clonazepam...will that develop addiction?
Anyone on Klonopin or Xanax XR long-term? Is this safe? What dosage at the beginning, any increase after awhile?
Thanks..I'm realizing that these benzos really take away my anxiety (klonopin even more so than xanax xr) so now I'm wondering if this can be maintained safely...
What about Valerian, does that ameliorate benzo's withdrawal symptoms? What about Ambien?THANKS
Posted by Squiggles on September 7, 2007, at 9:22:04
In reply to Please help with benzo questions, posted by nikkizeta on September 7, 2007, at 7:14:53
> I've been on Xanax XR (0.5 mg) for a couple of months. A few days ago I skipped it 2 days in a row, trying to convince myself that i didn't need it.
> The only symptom I felt (on the skipped days) was just grogginess, feeling very tired...was that withdrawal? The next day I took 0.5 mg clonazepam and I felt much better.It may be the beginning of withdrawal - but it doesn't sound like the full w/d to me.
>
> Is there anyway to dose regularly on klonopin without building tolerance & risk withdrawal symptoms? ie What if i take half a 0.5mg clonazepam...will that develop addiction?I think so, if you take it long enough.
>
> Anyone on Klonopin or Xanax XR long-term? Is this safe? What dosage at the beginning, any increase after awhile?I used to be on Xanax (0.25 at first and then 0.50, the 1.0, then 2.0 and max 3.0) but not XR.
It's great for panic and short-term anxiety, but i definitely became addicted over a few yrs.
>
> Thanks..I'm realizing that these benzos really take away my anxiety (klonopin even more so than xanax xr) so now I'm wondering if this can be maintained safely...
> What about Valerian, does that ameliorate benzo's withdrawal symptoms? What about Ambien?I think Klonopin is very good for long term anxiety but very dangerous to withdraw from.
This is all from my experience alone.
>
> THANKS
>
Posted by Phillipa on September 7, 2007, at 11:24:10
In reply to Re: Please help with benzo questions » nikkizeta, posted by Squiggles on September 7, 2007, at 9:22:04
Squiggles not sure what you meant about the grogginess and benzos? As that has happened to me and the pdoc said if at night tired try and cut down? Phillipa
Posted by blueboy on September 7, 2007, at 13:46:08
In reply to Please help with benzo questions, posted by nikkizeta on September 7, 2007, at 7:14:53
That's kind of odd. Usually you'd expect withdrawal from a benzo to cause the opposite, i.e. jitters.
You can certainly -- well, you will certainly -- get habituated to any benzo if you take it every day, even in small amounts. But habituation to a small amount means correspondingly small withdrawal symptoms.
Posted by nikkizeta on September 7, 2007, at 17:17:33
In reply to Re: Please help with benzo questions, posted by blueboy on September 7, 2007, at 13:46:08
> That's kind of odd. Usually you'd expect withdrawal from a benzo to cause the opposite, i.e. jitters.
>
Actually now that I think about it, I had little episodes of shakiness/slight hand tremors, along with the grogginess. I'd dismissed it as sugar low at the time.> You can certainly -- well, you will certainly -- get habituated to any benzo if you take it every day, even in small amounts. But habituation to a small amount means correspondingly small withdrawal symptoms.
That makes sense, it seemed my symptoms were 'small' because I had only been on it (0.5 mg Xanax XR)for 2 months
Posted by nikkizeta on September 8, 2007, at 8:29:12
In reply to Re: Please help with benzo questions, posted by blueboy on September 7, 2007, at 13:46:08
Would that help prevent tolerance/dependence issues
What about every 3 days, etc..How infrequently would i have to take klonopin to make sure dependence/addiction can't develop?
Posted by brooke484 on September 8, 2007, at 18:52:55
In reply to What about low-dose klonopin every 2 days?, posted by nikkizeta on September 8, 2007, at 8:29:12
I don't know about klonopin, but I've been taking ativan for about 3 years off and on and am not addicted to it. Sometimes I'll go weeks without it and other times I'll need to take it every day.
Posted by finelinebob on September 8, 2007, at 20:37:13
In reply to Re: What about low-dose klonopin every 2 days?, posted by brooke484 on September 8, 2007, at 18:52:55
I've had similar experiences to nikkizeta but with klonopin. I've been taking it daily for may 6-7 years. I've been off of it from several days to a few months once and I can't say I've had any withdrawal symptoms (having gone thru withdrawal from other meds, I know what it can feel like). I've had my anxiety levels creep back up on me tho. BTW, I take 2mg per day.
Of course, YMMV and my story doesn't seem all that typical.
Posted by polarbear206 on September 10, 2007, at 12:34:44
In reply to Please help with benzo questions, posted by nikkizeta on September 7, 2007, at 7:14:53
> I've been on Xanax XR (0.5 mg) for a couple of months. A few days ago I skipped it 2 days in a row, trying to convince myself that i didn't need it.
> The only symptom I felt (on the skipped days) was just grogginess, feeling very tired...was that withdrawal? The next day I took 0.5 mg clonazepam and I felt much better.
>
> Is there anyway to dose regularly on klonopin without building tolerance & risk withdrawal symptoms? ie What if i take half a 0.5mg clonazepam...will that develop addiction?
>
> Anyone on Klonopin or Xanax XR long-term? Is this safe? What dosage at the beginning, any increase after awhile?
>
> Thanks..I'm realizing that these benzos really take away my anxiety (klonopin even more so than xanax xr) so now I'm wondering if this can be maintained safely...
> What about Valerian, does that ameliorate benzo's withdrawal symptoms? What about Ambien?
>
> THANKS
>If you stick with a lower dose of klonopin, you should be OK. I never had any problems with withdrawal when I was on it on a routine basis. I take .5-1mg as needed now adays. To tell you the truth, some AD's are worst to withdrawal from than klonopin IMOP.
Polarbear
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