Feeling So Much Better On Klonopin!

[FarmerAmy]

I just started taking 0.5 mg Klonopin 3 nights ago and I feel SO MUCH BETTER! Here are the details in case you are interested...

About a year ago I had a bout of severe anxiety and depression. I took Klonopin as part of my treatment. I have struggled with fatigue for years, but I did not know I had POTS at the time. I noticed after a few weeks that my fatigue was much better than usual, but I figured that it was just because I wan't having such bad anxiety and depression. Once I got diagnosed with POTS it finally registered with me why I felt better on Klonopin. I took Klonopin for about 2 months and it was very difficult for me to get off of it.

My POTS symptoms have gotten much worse in the past four months. My cardiologist put me on Midodrine and Metoprolol, but I was having such bad chest pains from the Midodrine that I had to stop. But as soon as I stopped my heart would not stop pounding really hard and I also had a very hard time standing up.

A few nights ago I was feeling very desperate with my heart pounding hard and I couldn't fall asleep. I had been thinking about Klonopin for a while, but I was reluctant to get back on it. However, my desperation won out and I took 0.5 mg that I had leftover from last year. I felt so much better the next day! I don't have chest pains or the feeling of a pounding heart beat. I am also able to stand up longer than when I am unmedicated. I am still a long way from where I was before my POTS flared up 4 months ago, but I feel like I am at least somewhat functional now. I probably have 8-10 hours a day where I feel pretty ok.

I specifically wanted to mention this because I don't think my cardiologist would have recommended Klonopin for me as a treatment. She said it is ok for me to take it, but I don't think I would have come across this treatment without my previous experience a year ago.

Here is my (very un-scientific) explanation for why this is helping me. I feel like the Midodrine and Metoprolol were fighting the signals being sent out by my nervous system and the result was that I felt even worse. I feel like the Klonopin just calms my whole nervous system down and the signals aren't as crazy.

Some things to consider...Klonopin knocks me out for a solid 12 hours, which is somewhat inconvenient. But I have to say that it is nice to always sleep well at night! I also have what I call "cotton candy" in my head when I wake up for an hour or two. But this doesn't always happen--just about half the time. It is also difficult to stop taking Klonopin. I had insomnia and bad headaches the last time I stopped taking it. Actually, I was finally able to stop when I had a bad cold. I figured I was in bed feeling crummy anyway, so I might as well feel crummy from Klonopin withdrawl as well. It probably took 3 nights of withdrawl before I felt ok.

[puppylove]

That's great! It's awesome you found something that really helps you!

[comfortzone]

I hope that at least one of your docs then is willing to prescribe this for you..... & yes in my experience it is a bear to withdraw from - but with patience and a doctor monitored taper - - from what I understand, it can be done and is safe, although can take a month.

Maybe you should talk to your doctor about just half the amount of a .5 so you don't sleep so long ----- it might be a good way to start as eventually over time people end up increasing their dosage to get the same benefit... even up to a milligram three times a day, from what I understand!

The dangerous thing about Klonopin is that very thing - stopping it --from what I understand. Because the half-life is so long - you can stop it for a full 10 days before the withdrawl kicks in - so here you think you just lucked out and the tremors, sweating, pounding heartbeats and even siezures can occur ... long after you having stopped it --- again this is my understanding. Bottom line--talk to your doctor about tapering.

But I think it most certainly does have it's place in patients care regimens and your quality of life can be much improved through use of it if your doctor agrees.... I am tickled pink you feel better on it!

Edited February 21, 2012 by MomtoGiuliana
medical advice

[ramakentesh]

My understanding is that short term use is fine. Long term might be fun, but getting off it may be a nightmare. Often used by CFS patients. I have only ever used Xanax and found that while I felt better i had zero energy.

Edited February 21, 2012 by MomtoGiuliana
medical advice

[shoegal]

i take 1mg of valium sometimes and it sure does help my tingling and takes the edge off my fast pulse and PVC's

[Clairefmartin]

I had taken the same low dose (under 1mg/day) of Ativan for years, and was feeling terrible, but when I switched to Klonopin it changed my life. My terrible tremors and the constant internal shaking/adrenalin surges were controlled! It was wonderful. I took .5 in th AM and .25 in the PM. I never felt any side effects or high/drowsiness/oversleeping - if you are on the proper dose it should just calm your CNS, no other effects.

That said, when I found out I was pregnant, I freaked, and tapered off under Dr suprvision. I still think they took me off too fast, and it, along with my crazy POTS gone wild, ended me up with vertigo for a month straight. And non-stop, crazy, zero gravity vertigo. I guess they treat vertigo/Meniers with Klonopin, and the docs mentioned that it may have caused my ears to retain fluid in some way (while the rest of me was dehydrated) due to withdrawl. It only subsided one they had me on slow drip (100/hour) IV fluids.

So I came off it, and was ok once on fluids, but was in the hospital the whole time. Then I found out I had a massive clot in my heart from the PICC line they had placed (just waiting to break off and kill me at any time), and my anxiety levels skyrocketed. At 14 weeks along, they started me on Florinef, and I had to start the Klonopin again to counteract the steriodal crazy feelings I had from the florinef.

Long story short, the Klonopin was slowly tapered up -that was how they treated everything with me while I stayed hospitalized for almost 9 months (I came home late August). I have been on 1.75-2mg/day since then, and I'm annoyed the dose is so high, but it seems to be the right dose for me for now. It is the only thing that aleviates my symptoms, and since I cant stand right now for more than a minute or two, I'll take any relief I can get.

Some people are very anti-benzos, but klonopin is supposed to be the easiest to come off of (according to my multiple docs) and is way less addictive than the others. I plan to try and get back to my old dose once I am up and moving more, but until then, I'll take any help I can get!

Sorry so long - but Klonopin gets a bad rap, but it helps many, and just needs to be monitored closely.

Best of luck!

Claire

[shoegal]

claire you get the vibrating too? I had it bad a lot last week, was really awful for me

[corina]

hi guys,

we've had loads of editing to do lately as people forget that giving medical advice isn't allowed per the forum rules. please try to keep this in mind and just share your own experiences without being too pushy. i know that might sound easier than it is but it would save us loads of work!!!

corina

[bellgirl]

I've been on clonazepam, which is Klonopin for six months. It was prescribed by my autonomic dr. for my shakiness and insomnia. It helped immensely with my tremulousness and dizziness, too. My sleep apnea doctor told me I could take it for the rest of my life without adverse effects. I only take it at night. It has no side effects for me, other than making me functional, so I choose to continue to take it. I am a nurse who would rather not be on any medication, but sometimes, it is a good thing to be getting treatment. Just saying...

[shoegal]

I've been on clonazepam, which is Klonopin for six months. It was prescribed by my autonomic dr. for my shakiness and insomnia. It helped immensely with my tremulousness and dizziness, too. My sleep apnea doctor told me I could take it for the rest of my life without adverse effects. I only take it at night. It has no side effects for me, other than making me functional, so I choose to continue to take it. I am a nurse who would rather not be on any medication, but sometimes, it is a good thing to be getting treatment. Just saying...

I seriously think people don't understand the true meaning of addictive, I mean everything can be addictive. Any med that makes a huge difference in your life is addictive, if you have very high BP would a beta blocker be "addictive"? but hey it's a benzo, so it's got a bad label and treated like there are no real uses to the class of meds.

I find the doctors in my area very very against giving valium. I take 1mg, it's nothing. they are happy to give 10x's the dos in ativan, which makes me ill. Even if it was a street drug, if it helps and nothing else does, again where is the issue?

Addiction can be bad, tell comcast to turn off the cable and wifi for a few weeks, watch people in that withdrawal LOL

[ramakentesh]

LOL. yeah i guess reliance on anything is a kind of addiction. I guess the point with benzos is the concern that tolerance requires larger and large amounts? Im just guessing here.

[firewatcher]

No, dependance is NOT addiction. There is a huge difference. By several of these definitions, a type I diabetic is addicted to insulin.

I have taken Clonazepam/Klonopin daily for over three years and while I am dependant, I am not addicted. I have tapered off three times for testing, and while it was difficult, it was not impossible...I merely had a return of the symptoms that I was taking it for. As I have improved, I have been able to taper down to a sub-clinical dose, but have not been able to come completely off due to my symptoms. It is one of the very few drugs that has put any kind of dent in my daily migraines, and it assists my beta blocker with my tremors. I will search for the old post that details the difference between addiction and dependance and link to it if I can.

[ramakentesh]

yeah good point LOL.

Ever found any chinese herbs that act on gaba receptors in the same way? I had one written down somewhere...

[firewatcher]

From a post entitled "Klonopin??" from about a year ago:

Opioids: Addiction vs. Dependence

by Karen Lee Richards, ChronicPainConnection Expert

One of the greatest obstacles chronic pain patients face in their quest for adequate pain relief is the widespread misunderstanding of the difference between physical dependence on a drug and addiction. Many patients, the general public, and sadly even some physicians fear that anyone taking opioid medications on a long-term basis will become addicted. As a result, pain patients are often labeled as “drug seekers” and stigmatized for their use of opioid medications. Worst of all, their pain frequently remains under-treated.

Understanding the Terminology

Before we can adequately discuss this topic, it is important to clearly define the terms we will be using.

Addiction is a neurobiological disease that has genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. It is characterized by one or more of the following behaviors:

* Poor control over drug use

* Compulsive drug use

* Continued use of a drug despite physical, mental and/or social harm

* A craving for the drug

Physical dependence is the body's adaptation to a particular drug. In other words, the individual's body gets used to receiving regular doses of a certain medication. When the medication is abruptly stopped or the dosage is reduced too quickly, the person will experience withdrawal symptoms. Although we tend to think of opioids when we talk about physical dependence and withdrawal, a number of other drugs not associated with addiction can also result in physical dependence (i.e., antidepressants, beta blockers, corticosteroids, etc.) and can trigger unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly.

Tolerance is a condition that occurs when the body adapts or gets used to a particular medication, lessening its effectiveness. When that happens, it is necessary to either increase the dosage or switch to another type of medication in order to maintain pain relief.

Pseudoaddiction is a term used to describe patient behaviors that may occur when their pain is not being treated adequately. Patients who are desperate for pain relief may watch the clock until time for their next medication dose and do other things that would normally be considered “drug seeking” behaviors, such as taking medications not prescribed to them, taking illegal drugs, or using deception to obtain medications. The difference between pseudoaddiction and true addiction is that the behaviors stop when the patient's pain is effectively treated.

[ramakentesh]

Ank Spond patients have so much trouble getting adequate pain relief because docs are scared that they might get addicted to the medications. At one stage I was lookign at getting botox in a particular area just to numb the pain. I have fairly mild AS - ive had it for 8 years now and the doc said that after 8 years you can tell how bad its going to be.

[shoegal]

LOL. yeah i guess reliance on anything is a kind of addiction. I guess the point with benzos is the concern that tolerance requires larger and large amounts? Im just guessing here.

I'm on the same dose for a year, what I found in the past when I used klonopin for a few years is I would have to dose up, then every 5/6 months I'd have a week of yuck and dose down, then go back to a lower dose.

I use to take it for my tingling (which was less) and to help me sleep. I got pregnant and had to stop and since then people think benzo's are the devil and don't want to write a script

[ramakentesh]

true - very hard to get them in Australia - almost impossible infact.

[bellgirl]

Thanks for clarifying Firewatcher;

I don't feel like I'm addicted to anything. I've always been very careful with medication, knowing, as a nurse, what drug addicts are like, and how sad that can be. I was resistant at first to take any medication, but I was, also, literally, dying, NOT being medicated after 13 years of being undiagnosed. I have a better quality of life. I tried a lot of herbal remedies over the years. If I had only relied on those for my hypertension, I would have literally died of a stroke before I was 50. My grandfather died at 46. My father was on antihypertensives including beta blockers, and he lived until he was 71, and he had a cerebral aneurysm at 59, (miracle man), so some medication can give you 25 more years of life. I am my father's daughter, and I plan to make the most of my life!! If it includes drug dependency, than that's is alright for me. I would like to spend some quality time with grandchildren some day, and I wouldn't have that opportunity otherwise, so I am happy with my treatment.

Rama,

Have you ever looked into TENS treatment for your pain? That actually blocks the nerve...

Shoegal,

I'm addicted to cinnamon...Just kidding ...Are you addicted to shoes...lol

[brethor9]

I have been on lorazepam for 3 years due to this illness....initially because I was misdiagnosed with anxiety in all of those years I have never gone over my prescribed dose of 1mg and usually only take half of that.....I also recently found in doing research through Dr Afrin that often benzos are used as a mast cell stabalizer treatment for MCAD.....this for me may explain why this drug has treated so many of my physical symptoms it has no indication for treating. Sometimes we are prescribed the right drugs for the wrong diagnosis either way I dont plan on stopping it anytime soon and my Dr's are ok with that.

Bren