![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
I now take 3mgs of klonopin a day along with:
45mg remeron
150mg seroquel
600mg gabapentin
100mg pristiq
200mg provigil.
1mg resperadolWhat I'm wondering is if anyone has had the experience of discontinuing klonopin- a long and difficult process I know- and feeling less depressed? I know theoretically it is a depressant but none of the pdocs I seen seem concerned about it. In fact they all say I'm not on a very high dose. I know valium depresses me but I'm not sure about the klonopin. I do know I still feel pretty depressed and anxious and want to feel better!
Zana
Posted by SLS on June 20, 2009, at 10:43:11
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
It is not exactly the world's best-kept secret that Klonopin can produce depression. I don't know why doctors aren't more aware of this side effect. Klonopin is more liable to do this than any of the other benzodiazepines. You might want to try using Tripleptal, an anti-epilepsy drug, as a buffer to make the withdrawal from Klonopin much easier.
- Scott
Posted by floatingbridge on June 20, 2009, at 11:35:43
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
Hi Zana,
Yes--recently have been on, off and on Klonopin again. I went off because I suspected it was depressing me, which turned out to be true. When vicious anxiety returned, I resisted Klonopin and went instead for librium--a failure. Back on klonopin 1.5 a day.
I hear the last bit of withdrawal is the most difficult. Best wishes for achieving your regime. Can't comment on SLS's suggestion (am unfamiliar with med). Maybe worth a try for the last leg of withdrawal?
Posted by Phillipa on June 20, 2009, at 11:36:30
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me? » Zana, posted by SLS on June 20, 2009, at 10:43:11
In all seriousness it made me feel suicidal and wasn't. Off one dose and on one dose of xanax at the time it was gone the feeling that is. Phillipa
Posted by bulldog2 on June 20, 2009, at 15:21:18
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
> I now take 3mgs of klonopin a day along with:
> 45mg remeron
> 150mg seroquel
> 600mg gabapentin
> 100mg pristiq
> 200mg provigil.
> 1mg resperadol
>
> What I'm wondering is if anyone has had the experience of discontinuing klonopin- a long and difficult process I know- and feeling less depressed? I know theoretically it is a depressant but none of the pdocs I seen seem concerned about it. In fact they all say I'm not on a very high dose. I know valium depresses me but I'm not sure about the klonopin. I do know I still feel pretty depressed and anxious and want to feel better!
>
> Zana
>
>I've found that sometimes dose adjutment can do the trick. It's a powerful med and you might get by on less.
Posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on June 20, 2009, at 19:21:53
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me? » Zana, posted by SLS on June 20, 2009, at 10:43:11
Yes! I so agree w/ Scott, Zana, that benzos have that as a clear side effect. And my pdocs have been confused as to why I am still depressed...grrrrr
Great idea about the buffer for withdrawal.
> It is not exactly the world's best-kept secret that Klonopin can produce depression. I don't know why doctors aren't more aware of this side effect. Klonopin is more liable to do this than any of the other benzodiazepines. You might want to try using Tripleptal, an anti-epilepsy drug, as a buffer to make the withdrawal from Klonopin much easier.
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on June 20, 2009, at 19:26:26
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
Zana, I am taking 2 mg Ativan, and want so badly to withdraw b/c of depression from it, but my anxiety is still an issue. I do know that 10% every couple of weeks is the recommended withdrawal schedule, and that it is said that withdrawal should take about as long as a person has been on the benzo...
> I now take 3mgs of klonopin a day along with:
> 45mg remeron
> 150mg seroquel
> 600mg gabapentin
> 100mg pristiq
> 200mg provigil.
> 1mg resperadol
>
> What I'm wondering is if anyone has had the experience of discontinuing klonopin- a long and difficult process I know- and feeling less depressed? I know theoretically it is a depressant but none of the pdocs I seen seem concerned about it. In fact they all say I'm not on a very high dose. I know valium depresses me but I'm not sure about the klonopin. I do know I still feel pretty depressed and anxious and want to feel better!
>
> Zana
>
>
Posted by zzzz7 on June 25, 2009, at 1:14:14
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
I get depressed from Klonopin. It's sort of a "bad buzz." Valium gives me a good buzz (and not much else, so I don't take it).
I notice the ill effects of Klonopin mostly when I'm on low does of it.
Posted by zzzz7 on June 25, 2009, at 1:16:34
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
To add something else:
Before I went screwy in my reactions to medications, Xanax depressed me only when mixed with Luvox, and I was on fairly high doses (4mg or so a day). For me, Klonopin pretty clearly was worse than the others in causing depression.
Posted by zzzz7 on June 25, 2009, at 1:18:16
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me? » Zana, posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on June 20, 2009, at 19:26:26
Amelia,
Why don't you add another benzo as you come off the lorazepam? Maybe then you can keep the anxiolytic effects of a benzo and come off the lorazepam more quickly.
Posted by sukarno on June 26, 2009, at 11:44:39
In reply to Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Zana on June 20, 2009, at 10:09:38
When I ran out of diazepam (Valium), I had some old Klonopin left over (not expired though) and took that as a temporary replacement until I could see the doctor again. I felt a definite spike in my level of depression. I would never take that medication without being on an antidepressant at the same time, but that's just me.
Valium also made me depressed, but only in the long-term.
Xanax doesn't seem to aggravate my depression and even lifted it in the beginning. ;-)
Posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on June 26, 2009, at 20:30:08
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me? » Amelia_in_StPaul, posted by zzzz7 on June 25, 2009, at 1:18:16
I would love to! Do you know any good psychiatrists? Because so far I am having s^itty experiences, and I have tried half a dozen psychiatrists. I have asked them to do this; I have asked lots of things and I get the same responses (I'm not a psychiatrist blah blah blah). The good ones are either all full or in private (don't take insurance); I had a private one once, and he was great, but couldn't afford him after awhile.
> Amelia,
>
> Why don't you add another benzo as you come off the lorazepam? Maybe then you can keep the anxiolytic effects of a benzo and come off the lorazepam more quickly.
Posted by zzzz7 on June 27, 2009, at 3:00:22
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me?, posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on June 26, 2009, at 20:30:08
It can be difficult to find good pdocs that take insurance. Keep trying. Alternately, you might find a GP who would be willing to supervise your regimen. Or, you might be able to see your former pdoc a few times a year and do quick phone consultations more regularly.
Posted by sukarno on June 27, 2009, at 4:31:53
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me?, posted by zzzz7 on June 27, 2009, at 3:00:22
I thought the psychiatrist that diagnosed me over 20 years ago was the best. She had a very good reputation in town and was very expensive (and private practice of course).
I saw her again years later, but when I tried to see her after that she said she wasn't taking any new patients.
I paid cash and it was steep.. (>$140 for a session), but well worth it!
It really is sad that the good and friendly psychiatrists are mostly private practice and aren't taking new patients. I guess the fact they aren't taking new patients is a testimony to how popular and good they are.
I rarely found a public clinic with a good psychiatrist. They tended to be in the pay of the drug companies and always tried to throw new medications and free samples at me even though I was doing fine on older medication (read: generic! hehe).
I think drug companies fund the public clinics. Private practice pdocs are much more open-minded and willing to prescribe a wider range of medications, including older ones which have gone generic.
Has that been your experience too?
Posted by sukarno on June 27, 2009, at 4:46:19
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me?, posted by zzzz7 on June 27, 2009, at 3:00:22
I feel that a GP can be better as they are more aggressive from a medical angle and will order blood tests and EKGs, etc to help reassure you. Sometimes hormonal imbalances and other medical problems can present as anxiety, depression and other mental disorders.
The hypochondriac in me has me preferring a GP to handle meds instead of a pdoc. Pdocs try to psychoanalyze too much and when you mention side effects, they are too quick to dismiss them.
A GP (in my experience) takes side effects more seriously and will do a more thorough investigation.
Problem is sometimes GPs don't want to handle "mental patients", even if it is "simple" like panic attacks or depression.
Posted by jrbecker76 on July 1, 2009, at 14:27:40
In reply to Re: Klonopin depressing me?, posted by zzzz7 on June 25, 2009, at 1:14:14
> I get depressed from Klonopin. It's sort of a "bad buzz." Valium gives me a good buzz (and not much else, so I don't take it).
>
> I notice the ill effects of Klonopin mostly when I'm on low does of it.
I avoid benzo usage when at all possible. When I have done stints with it, I always find that although Valium (diazepam) is less effective for my anxiety it is much less depressiogenic. I also found that diazepam has less cognitive dysfunction. In terms of dosing though, you can get away with taking klonopin 1 - 2 x daily, but I found that diazepam, although having a longer half-life, has a shorter duration of action.JB
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.