# Clonazepam + Lamictal



## loophole (Apr 15, 2012)

*Intro...*

I'm nearly 30, have recently been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Social Anxiety, and General Anxiety. I have had severe insomnia for quite a while now. The Dr. has put me on .5mg Clonazepam (been on this for about 2 months) as well as Lamotrigine 25mg(for about 2 weeks). I understand the Lamotrigine(generic of Lamictal) takes 4-6 weeks to start working well and they usually start you out on a low dose. What I don't understand is all this hype and discussion about Clonazepam. I take a full .5mg at nite before bed. I don't feel drugged or sleepy what so ever HOWEVER my sleeping has improved very much so it's obviously doing something. I've been told to take 1/2 a pill in the morning before work and this does absolutely nothing as far as I can tell. My social anxiety and general anxiety still kicks into full gear.. and can cause triggers for my bipolar issues. When my anxiety gets high (and it doesn't take much) it literally feels like spiders crawling on my back. I'd like to know what others experiences are as well as how I should address this to my therapist as well as dr. (who specializes in mental disorders). Thank you all. Hope I can find some help here and eventually help others as well..

I posted this in the intros but its really more of a question... There is a guy I work with that has been on xanax for about 15 years.. he has bad panic attacks.. (sometimes extremely severe).. From what I've read xanax is better to take if you feel the onset of an anxiety attack coming on. I'm not really sure what an attack is or isn't... to me It feels like spiders crawling on my back.. and I get really odd and can't cope in social situations.. get dizzy and my decisions are less thoughtful and rushed. I do take 1/2 a clonazapam in the morning and feel no effects from it at all... i'm kind of repeating myself. I'm curious what I should tell my dr/therapist... I'd like to get anxiety taken care of but I don't want the drugged feeling that people often take this medication to abuse it.. I was put on prozac and it had the complete opposite effect on me... serious mania attacks/paranoia/anxiety through the roof.. thats when i was referred to a specialist and diagnost with bi polar disorder... the anxiety really bothers and seriously cripples me in social situations.. Hoping someone has felt similar .. I know we are all different and different meds effect people differently.. just hoping for some ground work to be layed possibly so I can help the dr reach a better + healthy solution for me that doesn't cause me to just feel numb to the world.


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## loophole (Apr 15, 2012)

bump cuz I need help


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## roberr (Apr 6, 2012)

I'm kinda in the same boat. Diagnosed with MDD and GAD. I've been prescribed 1mg of clonazepam per day. It has been working pretty well. However, I've been wrestling with the idea of taking it daily due to tolerance and withdrawal issues that I've read about. My general anxiety is just so overwhelming that I really have no choice. 

I'm also trying to implement Zoloft (75mg for 2 weeks now...three weeks total) and Lamotrigine. I've been taking 25mg Lamotrigine for about a week. Haven't really noticed anything, but I guess that's typical.

Good luck to you!


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## loophole (Apr 15, 2012)

same to you and thanks for the support!.. i've heard about the withdrawl issues and such from clonazepam but at this point i really think i'm going to have to be on something long term anyway.. so i'll come across that bridge when i get there.. i've lived like this since being somewhere around 13-14.. and i'm so tired/weird/odd/shaky and exhausted i just want to feel better at least for a little while..


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## roberr (Apr 6, 2012)

I feel the same way. I've been struggling for about 7 straight months and I just want to feel better. Sounds like you've been going through it a lot longer. When get the anxiety, which is almost all the time, my skin burns and the right side of my head feels pressurized, so I can identify a bit with the spider feeling you referred to.

If things don't improve on the Zoloft and Lamotrigine I may ask about an MAOI like Nardil. It seems that a lot of peopl on these boards have had success with them.


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## Gelato (Jan 3, 2013)

Hi.
I've been on a lot of different psych drugs.
I do remember though being first introduce to Lamictal & seroquel combination, as it saved my life or should I say gave me a life.
It is a slow process due to a possible serious skin reaction.It took about 8 weeks for me to reach therapeutic dose of Lamictal 
As for seroquel, I started low, I mean low.
Du to a manic , to the roof episode,my medication levels have been increasing and I'm now on benzoz for severe panic, anxiety, paranoia of crowds, of new people, agoraphobia.
It seems to ne That the lamotrigine is given to you for depression and Clonazepam for anxiety and sleep.
I've never heard of such a low level of Lamotrigine maybe your doctor is slowly introducing your body to the meds?
I tell you though, I wish I wasn't on so much medication.I'm up to 600 lamotrigine a day for depression and 400-500 seroquel for mania per day... The rest is in my profile but Ativan and Clonazepam are helping me cope.
I still am not good with groups of crowds.I feel extreme anxiety and acute discomfort.
I spend most of my life at home, video store, groceries as I do need eat, though I don't eat well.
In a mess but a part of me is happy with the isolation but I know deep down, the more I isolate, the more I feed anxiety.
I'm probably not helping you at all... I apologize fir that.
I just tear up at the thought of my first 5 years on lamotrigine and seroquel. How good my quality of life was.


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## bazinga (Jun 9, 2010)

loophole said:


> *Intro...*
> 
> I'm nearly 30, have recently been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, Social Anxiety, and General Anxiety. I have had severe insomnia for quite a while now. The Dr. has put me on .5mg Clonazepam (been on this for about 2 months) as well as Lamotrigine 25mg(for about 2 weeks). I understand the Lamotrigine(generic of Lamictal) takes 4-6 weeks to start working well and they usually start you out on a low dose. What I don't understand is all this hype and discussion about Clonazepam. I take a full .5mg at nite before bed. I don't feel drugged or sleepy what so ever HOWEVER my sleeping has improved very much so it's obviously doing something. I've been told to take 1/2 a pill in the morning before work and this does absolutely nothing as far as I can tell. My social anxiety and general anxiety still kicks into full gear.. and can cause triggers for my bipolar issues. When my anxiety gets high (and it doesn't take much) it literally feels like spiders crawling on my back. I'd like to know what others experiences are as well as how I should address this to my therapist as well as dr. (who specializes in mental disorders). Thank you all. Hope I can find some help here and eventually help others as well..
> 
> I posted this in the intros but its really more of a question... There is a guy I work with that has been on xanax for about 15 years.. he has bad panic attacks.. (sometimes extremely severe).. From what I've read xanax is better to take if you feel the onset of an anxiety attack coming on. I'm not really sure what an attack is or isn't... to me It feels like spiders crawling on my back.. and I get really odd and can't cope in social situations.. get dizzy and my decisions are less thoughtful and rushed. I do take 1/2 a clonazapam in the morning and feel no effects from it at all... i'm kind of repeating myself. I'm curious what I should tell my dr/therapist... I'd like to get anxiety taken care of but I don't want the drugged feeling that people often take this medication to abuse it.. I was put on prozac and it had the complete opposite effect on me... serious mania attacks/paranoia/anxiety through the roof.. thats when i was referred to a specialist and diagnost with bi polar disorder... the anxiety really bothers and seriously cripples me in social situations.. Hoping someone has felt similar .. I know we are all different and different meds effect people differently.. just hoping for some ground work to be layed possibly so I can help the dr reach a better + healthy solution for me that doesn't cause me to just feel numb to the world.


Your doctor hasn't tried you on an antipsychotic? You may find it to be therapeutic for mania, depression, and/or some anxiety like depression-related anxiety and paranoia.


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