# any long term klonopin users? whats the real story



## ron9916 (Jan 22, 2011)

What's the real story on long-term clonazepam use? Every doc and pharmacist tells me a completely different story about its risks and efficacy.

I've been on a pretty low dose (1mg usually) for 5 years, 3-5 times a week PRN. I have taken every SSRI/SNRI/whatever I can think of, no results. Klonopin is the only thing that has ever worked.

5 years ago I couldn't leave the house, answer the phone, etc. Now I have a successful career and a life.

Yet I get different advice about the med from every Dr. I see, I keep having to find new ones. My experience with each doc:

1. GP #1 (back east, moved so no longer see him) originally prescribed, just said be careful it is addicting, but it will work.

2. GP #2 - "Chronic use has risks, and the fact that you made it to my office tells me you don't need it daily... but I don't wanna change what works". 9 months later, during a crisis when my usage doubled (5-10mg per week), she panicked and yanked me off of it, replacing it with seroquel which made me feel like a 80 year old chemo patient

3. Psychiatrist #1 - "that's not a good drug to take often, maybe once a month or so is enough. stop taking it..." writes smaller and smaller tabs, hands out tabs for anti-depressents like candy, which i told him won't work for me, and they didn't. gladly prescribes me anti-psychotics, anti-convulstants, anything that isn't a controlled substance or reacts with alcohol, even if it screws up blood chemistry and requires lab work monthly, no problem apparently, as long as its not a benzo

4. GP #3 - "well it can be addicting and it's not good for long term, but if you need it, you need it." writes small tab with 0 refills

5. GP #4 - "1mg? that's hardly anything. I think it's a very effective drug, just be careful. I'd be glad to help you out." actually gives me refills

6. GP #6 (same office as last guy, different day) - tells me I am 100% guaranteed to develop dementia and tremors within 10 years and I need to get off. Mentions he has a "textbook" patient with those symptoms. I tell him how worthless I was 5 years ago and I only continue to take it because my life is now exponentially more challenging than before (in a good way). He goes on to tell me "we all have stress, trust me I know" and describes how hard his residency was. I immediately realize he knows absolutely nothing about anxiety disorders if he is comparing them to stress. he refills the klonopin, says take way less, and adds Buspar.

why does every doctor seem to have a completely different opinion about this stuff? Some say it's fine just be careful, others are benzophobes and wouldn't give you a tab if you were having a panic attack right in front of them. I also ask every pharmacist their opinion, and they all say different things as well. 

I don't want to defend chronic klonopin use, because I honestly don't know what it does long term myself given all the different opinions I've given, but at the same time, what do you do when nothing else works? I get the feeling the ones who won't prescribe it are more concerned with their own risk, have one patient who abused it, or just read the wikipedia page about benzo withdrawal syndrome.

I tell all the docs the same thing... I take it PRN, low doses, I am aware of the risks and have weighed them against the risk of being completely paralyzed by anxiety and having no life. I describe my symptoms very well, and they think I'm another idiot how can't handle stress and wants xanax (like the people I see getting it filled every time I go to the pharmacy). I'm thinking when I run out of refills I'm gonna skip 3 or 4 days and have couple red bulls before I go in and show them what anxiety disorders look like rather than trying to convince them with words...

sorry for the long post.. anyone have any thoughts on this or experienced similar frustrations?


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

ron9916 said:


> What's the real story on long-term clonazepam use? Every doc and pharmacist tells me a completely different story about its risks and efficacy.


I think opinions will vary greatly on this one....


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

You want the lowdown. I don't even have the patience to type it all now. either P.M. or msn on [email protected] and we can talk alot easier. I have 3 yrs experience!


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

it's one of the biggest scandals in medical history. thousands and thousands of people have been brain damaged by long term benzodiazepine use. see benzo.org.uk for information.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> it's one of the biggest scandals in medical history.


This is one of the most sensationalist over dramatic statements I've heard in a while....


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

it is a conspiracy to take your money. the pharmaceutical companies are aware of the brain damage issue but they don't care. 

i don't know what alcohol withdrawal or anesthesia have to do with this discussion. he asked what the story was regarding long term use. as for seizures, pretty sure benzos have CAUSED more seizures than they've stopped.

i have nothing against benzos. i agree they are wonderful and effective drugs for short term sedation and should continue to be used as such. the scandal is in regard to long term use. 

everything i'm saying has been scientifically documented, it's not up for debate. the brain damage issue is undeniable and has been known about since the 80s.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> it is a conspiracy to take your money. the pharmaceutical companies are aware of the brain damage issue but they don't care.
> 
> i don't know what alcohol withdrawal or anesthesia have to do with this discussion. he asked what the story was regarding long term use. as for seizures, pretty sure benzos have CAUSED more seizures than they've stopped.
> 
> ...


Rather than your appeal to emotion ("BRAIN DAMAGE! OMG!"), why don't you try linking to these studies you allude to, or explain some of the neurochemistry of this "brain damage?" It's really hard to take seriously anyone who uses the words "scandal" and "brain damage" without any scientific evidence or explanation.


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

i linked to them in my first post in this thread.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> everything i'm saying has been scientifically documented, *it's not up for debate*. the brain damage issue is undeniable and has been known about since the 80s.


Anxiety disorders are associated with significant morbidity if left untreated so I guess there are risks regardless of which path of action you choose.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> i linked to them in my first post in this thread.


I want some links to actual studies, e.g. those in PubMed. I'm not going to sift through that site to read newspaper articles.

Also, does it even require pointing out that social phobia, and other anxiety (and often-consequent mood disorders), as 49erJT mentioned, are associated with other illness, both physical and mental? Depression effects neuroanatomical shrinkage in the brain. Anxiety is associated with modified cortisol response, epinephrine-related stress on the cardiovascular and gastric systems (among others), neurotransmitter depletion in the case of social phobia which predisposes one to Parkinson's, for example, etc. That does not even consider the abominable quality of life caused by anxiety and mood disorders.

Medicine, as with life, is a series of trade-offs. If a small number of patients--even a significant one--experiences brain shrinkage with chronic benzo use (although I don't believe this occurs with small PRN dosages; it's probably more likely with hypnotic and other high-dosage uses), fine. If it gives people the quality of life that they deserve, that's really what matters at the end of the day. The "brain damage" probably isn't measurable in any concrete, quantifiable terms anyhow.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> everything i'm saying has been scientifically documented, it's not up for debate. the brain damage issue is undeniable and has been known about since the 80s.


What's your alternative for the people that are non-functional without such drugs long-term? Brain damage is better than brain death from suicide, and if you follow a gradual taper (with protective measures if necessary) if/when coming off benzos, the brain damage you claim would be minimal. And I doubt (assuming the studies exist - didn't check) it's noticeable for most sensible benzo users.

I think benzophobia (there ARE times when their use, both short and long term, is justified) is mainly about doctors covering themselves, legally and such. Always trying to keep the number of patients on them to a minimum, as they have abuse potential, addiction potential, etc.. Does your doctor care mostly about themself, with you as a minor afterthought? Or are they genuinely willing to take some minor personal risks for their patients' wellbeing? Ask yourself that when picking a doctor. The ones in the former category should've picked a profession that wasn't so entirely about helping others.


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## ron9916 (Jan 22, 2011)

Thanks for the replies 

Excluding hypothetical extreme cases of long term damage caused by benzos, I'm concerned how the risk compares to what your body is going to do to itself anyway if acute anxiety is left unchecked. Constant elevated level of cortisol and (nor)epinephrine cause you to go catabolic... not to mention all the effects on the digestive system through which most of my [anxiety induced] stress is outputted. Micro-ulcers, which I developed twice before treatment and led to fainting from extreme stomach pain and up to 40lbs weight loss in one mont... I've had docs tell me benzos are bad because my body should produce the hormones it needs naturally, and I'm inhibiting its ability to do that now. Be that as it may, how is this worse than all the destructive things my body does "naturally" when I'm untreated?

I have no doubts there will be long term cognitive effects, and again I weighed that risk against having zero quality of life as well as poor health naturally. I'm still kind of hung up on what this last GP told me that I am "guaranteed" to develop dementia and DT even on 1mg PRN. I've never heard that before. That is a risk I'm Not willing to take if it's really true, but I'll take some minor memory and cognitive impairment over the alternative any day. The alternative, forgetting about quality of life for now... let my body destroy itself, how long before I'm chronically ill? age 45 maybe?


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

what alternative? better drugs. from my point of view the pro benzo argument sounds ridiculous. it's like saying vioxx should still be prescribed because how are people going to deal with pain now without it? the barbituates (which benzos replaced) worked a lot better and were a lot stronger than benzos but they were deemed "too dangerous" because of their greater abuse potential and overdose risk. but why should you be allowed to risk debilitating brain damage and never ending withdrawals and yet you cant risk an overdose? the fact of the matter is that far better CNS depressant drugs than benzos exist or could be invented but they arent because instead we are content to treat people with benzos even though theyve been shown to cause depression, sucidide, social deterioration and lose efficacy with long term use.


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

bmwfan07 said:


> I want some links to actual studies, e.g. those in PubMed. I'm not going to sift through that site to read newspaper articles.
> 
> Also, does it even require pointing out that social phobia, and other anxiety (and often-consequent mood disorders), as 49erJT mentioned, are associated with other illness, both physical and mental? Depression effects neuroanatomical shrinkage in the brain. Anxiety is associated with modified cortisol response, epinephrine-related stress on the cardiovascular and gastric systems (among others), neurotransmitter depletion in the case of social phobia which predisposes one to Parkinson's, for example, etc. That does not even consider the abominable quality of life caused by anxiety and mood disorders.
> 
> Medicine, as with life, is a series of trade-offs. If a small number of patients--even a significant one--experiences brain shrinkage with chronic benzo use (although I don't believe this occurs with small PRN dosages; it's probably more likely with hypnotic and other high-dosage uses), fine. If it gives people the quality of life that they deserve, that's really what matters at the end of the day. The "brain damage" probably isn't measurable in any concrete, quantifiable terms anyhow.


it is measurable, lol. search on pubmen for long term benzo users and cognitive impairment.

the reason i am against long term benzos is because for most people they LOWER quality of life, not improve it. long term use is associated with depression, social deterioration and suicide. i understand that medicine is about trade offs and that's why its important to use drugs wisely, in such a way that you maximize the benefits while minimizing the negatives. long term benzo use is not the way to accomplish that. i am not talking about PRN dosing, i am talking about benzos being used as a daily solution to an anxiety problem.

also, google ashton's work.


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## ron9916 (Jan 22, 2011)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> what alternative? better drugs.


Fair enough, would you mind recommending anything you think could work? I've tried Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, Effexor, Celexa, Ritalin, Concerta, Adderal, Seroquel, Trileptil, Buspar, Welbutrin, Inderal. You've heard the term "atypical" before, right?



> theyve been shown to cause depression, sucidide, social deterioration and lose efficacy with long term use.


None of which I have experienced in over 5 years of use. I'm still on my original low dose of 1mg. Not even significant withdrawal; as a result of running out of refills I've held onto a single pill for up to 6 weeks multiple times starting after over 2 years of use. Everyone is different.


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

i recommend kratom, opiates, kava, mulungu, barbituates, ghb, ketamine, cannabis, MDMA and psychedelics if you're up to it. obviously dont do anything without researching it first. learning the proper way to use a drug is just as important as taking the drug.


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## leon21 (Nov 8, 2009)

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f30/do-benzos-cause-brain-damage-63100/


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Go with GP #4, he's the winner.


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

Regardless of whether benzos cause brain damage or not, they are safer than then seroquel which a lot of the lamer type of doctor or psychiatrist will throw at u. seroquel also increases the risk of type two diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and respiratory depression if you overdose, not to mention the horrific mental side effects which include sleep paralysis and nightmares :no

GP number 4 is spot on IMO so yeah i would go with him
1MG is not much at all. Yeah its higher in potency than 1MG of Diazepam or Ativan (Lorazepam) but it lasts longer in the body than most benzos and is effective long term
I would still be on it if my doc had not decided to suddenly stop prescribing them to me and basically force me to withdraw slowly so i am at the point where i need to be on them or something similar again because he screwed ip

if you know of or have been to a doctor like the one you mentioned (GP 4) then stick with them


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

I was on it for 8 years. It was kinda like a miracle drug for me. I was mopping floors, and in debt for ~$100,000 due to student loans due to quitting so many university programs due to performance anxiety issues. I decided to go see a psychiatrist, he puts me on clonazepam and I finally was able to finish a 4 year health program and get a starting job at over $100,000/year. I ended up buying a house, getting a car and paying off all my student loans. I had zero assets before this and I huge debt. 

The only mistake I made was adding the narcotics. They made the clonazepam work much better in the short-term but in the end the combined side-effects were too great and I ended up losing my job and my license. I will be re-starting back soon after a year of suspension and now they will be monitoring me. I wish I could go back to clonazepam but that ain't happening because the doctor thinks I was addicted to it. I know I'm not although I was dependent on it. The narcotics are another story, for me. They are very addictive drugs for me and I don't necessarily care except for the fact that the side-effects were worse than the benefits, eventually. And the tolerance occurs very rapidly. Tolerance and addictive potential of benzos were far less of a problem, for me. That's been my experience and is the reason why for me, I'd prefer GP#4. But nobody around me would let me go on those ever again so I'm kinda stuck with Lexapro.


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

GABA is a good mood stabilizer too. Kon, why you don`t go for gapentin or pregabalin, instead of that sucky lexapro? They are really effective meds, and you can stack them with benzos to prevent tolerance.


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

ops, double post :E


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

JohnG said:


> GABA is a good mood stabilizer too. Kon, why you don`t go for gapentin or pregabalin, instead of that sucky lexapro? They are really effective meds, and you can stack them with benzos to prevent tolerance.


What are you taking pregabalin for? Do you have bipolar 2, or is it for anxiety?


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

It keeps mood stable, so it`s more simple to work on it. (same story about clonazepam or diazepam) If the mood swing are not so bad, Gapabentin or pregabalin can work really good.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

been on klonopin daily for five years and no addiction/dependence yet.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

JohnG said:


> It keeps mood stable, so it`s more simple to work on it. (same story about clonazepam or diazepam) If the mood swing are not so bad, Gapabentin or pregabalin can work really good.


"Mood instability" is not a diagnosis. Do you experience hypomanic as well as depressive symptoms? That would be considered cyclothymia or bipolar 2, depending on severity.

Benzos are not really mood stabilizers; they're actually CNS depressants and psychiatric depressants over time.


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## Under17 (May 4, 2010)

I only take klonopin 1 or 2 times a week now to avoid dependence. It's better than nothing. Would be nice to have a barbiturate to use 2 other times a week or some other sort of cycle.


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

JohnG said:


> Kon, why you don`t go for gapentin or pregabalin, instead of that sucky lexapro? They are really effective meds, and you can stack them with benzos to prevent tolerance.


I can't touch benzos again as my psychiatrist is unwilling as he thinks I abused it. He has said he will consider gabapentin as adjunctive combo with lexapro.


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## Drew (Jan 23, 2006)

leon21 said:


> http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f30/do-benzos-cause-brain-damage-63100/


Also: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f30/the-effects-of-benzodiazepines-on-cognition-53688/


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

bmwfan07 said:


> "Mood instability" is not a diagnosis. Do you experience hypomanic as well as depressive symptoms? That would be considered cyclothymia or bipolar 2, depending on severity.
> 
> Benzos are not really mood stabilizers; they're actually CNS depressants and psychiatric depressants over time.


Mood instability, is not a diagnosis you right, but a clue for bipolar, if I or II or cyclothymia doesn`t matter in this topic, it`s about clonazepam.

Clonazepam is very close to a mood stabilizer in my hopinion, a lot of anticonvulsant medications used as stabilizers acts on gaba ( pregabalin, gabapentin, valproic acid, carbamazepine, ecc.ecc.) preventing hypomania.


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## bben (Oct 24, 2009)

not worth it at all. withdrawl is protracted.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

bben said:


> not worth it at all. withdrawl is protracted.


What was your experience?


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## jonnynobody (Dec 3, 2010)

MavenMI6Agent009 said:


> been on klonopin daily for five years and no addiction/dependence yet.


Very good to hear it's working for you. I think the problems arise when a particular patient decides they no longer want to take it...from what I've read (which is a lot) there are plenty of folks out there that have no problem taking it daily for long periods of time so long as they don't plan on quitting for the rest of their life.


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

JohnG said:


> Mood instability, is not a diagnosis you right, but a clue for bipolar, if I or II or cyclothymia doesn`t matter in this topic, it`s about clonazepam.


I was simply curious as to what your actual diagnosis or suspected diagnosis was that led you to take pregabalin.



> Clonazepam is very close to a mood stabilizer in my hopinion, a lot of anticonvulsant medications used as stabilizers acts on gaba ( pregabalin, gabapentin, valproic acid, carbamazepine, ecc.ecc.) preventing hypomania.


Benzos are not mood stabilizers, sorry; they have some acute anti-epileptic efficacy, but are not typically used in long-term prophylaxis of seizures. These properties are a result of GABA potentiation but actual mood stabilizers (anti-convulsants) act on far more than GABA; this includes gabapentin and pregabalin, which both act on voltage-dependent calcium channels to inhibit the release of several monoamines and indirectly increase the production of GABA.


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

That`s true.. but "studies suggest that alterations in GABA receptor subunits and decreased GABA neuron density are involved in bipolar disorder. Increased glutamate activity may be associated with bipolar disorder, and antidepressants that increase glutamate receptor density can trigger a manic episode. Many of the anticonvulsants used to treat mania act to increase GABA and decrease glutamate functions." GABA as an important to role to prevent mania, and stabilize mood.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

JohnG said:


> That`s true.. but "studies suggest that alterations in GABA receptor subunits and decreased GABA neuron density are involved in bipolar disorder. Increased glutamate activity may be associated with bipolar disorder, and antidepressants that increase glutamate receptor density can trigger a manic episode. Many of the anticonvulsants used to treat mania act to increase GABA and decrease glutamate functions." GABA as an important to role to prevent mania, and stabilize mood.


You and BMW sound like a couple of doctors having a debate using that kind of language


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

JohnG said:


> That`s true.. but "studies suggest that alterations in GABA receptor subunits and decreased GABA neuron density are involved in bipolar disorder. Increased glutamate activity may be associated with bipolar disorder, and antidepressants that increase glutamate receptor density can trigger a manic episode. Many of the anticonvulsants used to treat mania act to increase GABA and decrease glutamate functions." GABA as an important to role to prevent mania, and stabilize mood.


Benzos have no effect on glutamate activity... so I have no idea what your point is.

Also, it's worth noting that some experience mania or hypomania directly as a result of benzodiazepines.


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

bmwfan07 said:


> Benzos have no effect on glutamate activity... so I have no idea what your point is.
> 
> Also, it's worth noting that some experience or hypomania directly as a result of benzodiazepines.


My point is that the Gabaergic system looks dysregulated in BP, (that has no affinity with glutamate) low levels of GABA, or low receptor functions means state very similar to hypomania, due to innappropriate ratio GABA/Glutamate. Doesn`t seems so hard :no


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## bmwfan07 (Jun 3, 2007)

JohnG said:


> My point is that the Gabaergic system looks dysregulated in BP, (that has no affinity with glutamate) low levels of GABA, or low receptor functions means state very similar to hypomania, due to innappropriate ratio GABA/Glutamate. Doesn`t seems so hard :no


That seems extremely simplistic and may very well be the effect, but not the cause. I don't believe hypomania is caused simply by low levels of GABA.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Either way if mood swings are reactive to social situations or anything else benzo's help with a mood stabilizing effect can be expected, even if they arent mood stabilizers themself.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

ron9916 said:


> I get the feeling the ones who won't prescribe it *are more concerned with their own risk*, have one patient who abused it, or just read the wikipedia page about benzo withdrawal syndrome.


Bingo. I don't even know why they bother with guys who have M.D. following their name anymore. It's obvious that lawyers really run the show. Might as well just have lawyers write scripts for whatever pill carries the least potential legal liability, perhaps a nice safe placebo.

And, yes, 4 mg a WEEK is a very low dose.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> it's one of the biggest scandals in medical history. thousands and thousands of people have been brain damaged by long term benzodiazepine use. see benzo.org.uk for information.


Years ago when I looked at that biased BS they even managed to link benzos to blindness. How you might wonder: by some jackass crushing a benzo pill, making it into a solution, injecting it into the corner of his eye with a dirty needle, which resulted in an infection that led to blindness.

Yeah, I'll try to remember to shove Xanax in my mouth and not stick needles in my eye.


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

it's not biased BS and you will likely understand that when you reach complete tolerance and/or try to come off.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Recipe For Disaster said:


> it's not biased BS and you will likely understand that when you reach complete tolerance and/or try to come off.


Not necessarily, for example someone very close to me has taken the same benzo dose for 15 years (2 mg of Klonopin per day) with no significant signs of tolerance, it's still the 'miracle drug that saved his life', before this he was put through the slew of other meds for years, including most of the classes of antidepressants from the tricyclics to prozac, which did very little to solve his problems.


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

i didn't say _necessarily_, i said _likely_. sure, we all know some great uncle who smoked two packs of cigarrettes and drank a bottle of whiskey every day and lived to be 110 but that is not the norm.


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

The problem is always the same. If a medication can give you a better quality of life, why not to use it ? If not abused, benzo are fast acting and working medications, the only price is an addiction. But what is a *controlled* addiction compared to a better life ?


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

they often lose efficacy over time, so you end up experiencing all the negative effects and none of the positive. then it is impossible to come off. no one should ever be put in that situation. better drugs need to be utlized/developed that don't cause such a protracted withdrawals. there are other GABAergics. however, the DEA wants to keep them from you because they are more "abuseable" than benzos.


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## JohnG (Sep 3, 2010)

Tolerance doesn`t occur fast, as opiods. If you use them with caution, in low doses, cycling them with gapabentin or pregabalin, tolerance is near to zero.

Of course, if you use 50 mg of diazepam daily you are in big trouble. But if, 5 mg 3 days a week and the other 4 something else, I don`t see any particular risk.

DEA? Come on don`t be paranoid dude :b


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## Recipe For Disaster (Jun 8, 2010)

yeah i have nothing against your recommendation. cycling benzos with other drugs could be a good option. what i am against is doctors writing scripts for benzos to be taken EVERY DAY FOR YEARS. 

i am a big proponent of cycling drugs to avoid tolerance and dependence and i cannot understand why the medical profression doesn't typically do this. part of the reason is the DEA though. it's not paranoia. there are drugs out there which could be helpful to someone with social anxiety (like GHB, barbituates, MDMA, even opioids) but are very difficult or impossible to get prescribed because of drug laws.

another part seems to be just laziness/stupidity though. it's quite obvious that tolerance is a big problem with drug treatments and its well known that drugs rarely have complete tolerance to each other. therefore, it should be obvious that cycling drugs would be the way to go.


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## sastevens (Oct 9, 2012)

Benzodiapines are the biggest crime committed by pharmaceuticals they are NOT for long term use they are highly addictive. you need professional help to get off these drugs because YOU CAN DIE if you stop taking them. 
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Benzodiazepines


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## RelinquishedHell (Apr 10, 2012)

I've been using Klonopin for about 4 years now. I used to take 2mg a day with two doses of 1mg for 2 years. I discontinued it and about 2 days later I became extremely anxious, paranoid and restless. I wen't about 5 days without sleep and I had to use a bunch of sleep aids to get through it. It took about 4 months for the withdrawals to get to a point to where they weren't much of a problem.
I now take it as needed, maybe about 1-2 times a week for the past 2 years and I havn't had any problems with tolerance or dependence.


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## Breanna (Jul 25, 2013)

*Also a long-term user of clonazepam*

I have been taking clonazepam on a regular basis (around 3 times/week) at 1 mg for around six years. I wish I could take it every day of the week of course but unfortunately, I only seem to be able to take it 2 or 3 days in a row at 1 mg or often 1/2 a 1 mg tablet before I feel like it starts to lose it effectiveness and I also begin to feel a little depressed from it. In the last few years I have been in school and working only 3 days a week, mostly because I know I can only take it a few times a week without problems and so I do it on the days I need it most, the work days. On the other days I mostly just suffer through through my anxiety. I take herbal supplements that help lessen my anxiety and make me feel generally more optimistic on the days I'm not able to take clonazepam. Holy basil, passionflower and kava kava root all are herbs that help to make you feel a little better overall and alleviate some anxiety. 
I rotate my usage of these supplements because they also can stop working over time and also because they each have a somewhat different effect and sometimes I need one over the other. 
*Holy basil helps improve my mood and overall health and reduce some overall anxiety. Herbalists have said it is nourishing for the nervous system of those who have been in chronic "fight or flight" mode for long periods of time. I also took it for several months before needing to switch. This herb is subtle but I have found it to really help my long-term stress levels. *Passionflower I take often for sleep or when about to enter a stressful situation, it is pretty sedating. It's my go-to chill pill. I haven't personally had any real side effects from it. I use it to supplement Holy basil usually, to create a more sedating effect. I love taking them both together, first thing in the morning. 
*Kava Kava root is quite sedating in high doses, at least for a while. I found it stopped working after about a month, (about how long it would take you to get thru one bottle of Gaia brand) and then I started feeling a little depressed from it-almost like taking a benzo. I don't take Kava often, I save it for the most stressful times when I really need it. I get all three herbal supplements from Gaia herbs or New Chapter brand because they come in really potent doses but there are obviously many other options available. Make sure the kava is "kava kava ROOT" tho. Of course, read up these herbs before you take any of them to make sure they don't interact with any other meds you may be on. Just research it for yourself, thats what I did. I looked up everything for mood and anxiety and I've tried a ton of them to see how they work for me.. These are just the ones that work the best for my social and general anxiety and stress. 
So far the negative long-term effects of clonazepam are that it makes me sometimes a bit forgetful of things I said/did while taking it. I think it does impair memory a little bit. You absolutely cannot drink on it, because it amplifies the effects of alcohol and sometimes you cant control how drunk you get. Oh yeah, it also makes me sometimes quicker to get angry if someone upsets me. 
Im about to enter the professional workforce at 5 days a week so I am pretty nervous about how I will manage my anxiety without taking anti-depressants. Hoping I can juggle the clonazepam at 3 days a week still and supplements the rest of the time and somehow get by.



ron9916 said:


> What's the real story on long-term clonazepam use? Every doc and pharmacist tells me a completely different story about its risks and efficacy.
> 
> I've been on a pretty low dose (1mg usually) for 5 years, 3-5 times a week PRN. I have taken every SSRI/SNRI/whatever I can think of, no results. Klonopin is the only thing that has ever worked.
> 
> ...


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## wizard62 (Feb 21, 2014)

*20 yrs. on=great....1yr. off=dtsaster*

I was prescribed klonopin 21yrs ago for anxiety disorder.Dose 1mg. 4 times daily.it was a life saver...never any major side effect i could discern.Now due to "tightening up on benzo use" my Dr. decided to take me off of it for fear of repercussions such as suspended and revoked licenses.I realize she can't afford to lose her license,however those repercussions are for prescribing benzos when not needed,or abuse by the patient.Now after 1 year of being off the klonopin my life has been utter hell.She however refuses to re-prescribe them.Stating that its the right thing to do and does not want to put her license on the line,which is absurd knowing that i need them,knowing i haven't abused them and knowing the long term withdrawal side effects.

For twenty years my anxiety disorder has been in check.Not only that but has helped with my other issues....clinical depression,Agoraphobia,suicidal thoughts and actions.

Now after a year off klonopin.....i have high anxiety,severe insomnia,worsened Agoraphobia,confusion,paranoia,return of suicidal thoughts and other not so severe withdrawal symptoms.

I thought my well being was the number one reason there are psychiatrists and other medical professions.I also wonder what her responsibility would be if I commited suicide due to these symptoms on top of my other afflictions that she is well aware of.

 I thought she was there to help me not hurt me.....oh well i finally fired her lol and hope to find a Dr. to put me back on something i know truly works

sorry this is so long.....its i just don't understand


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## Bubble B (Feb 3, 2014)

OK 4 REAL: all these medications work different for everyone and doctors can't read all the articles out there. One might just skim an article saying klonopin is evil and addicting, another might read that it really helps people. ALL MEDICATIONS WORK FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE. If you don't like it then you have Xanax, Ativan, and valium to still choose from- and anti-depressants should not be handed out like candy because if you have bipolar (I or II) no matter how mild they can cause permanent harm to you.


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## wizard62 (Feb 21, 2014)

bottom line,if it helps keep me alive.....


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## RelinquishedHell (Apr 10, 2012)

I've been taking it for 5 years. I'm taking this entire year to taper off of it and stop using it completely though. It helps tremendously with anxiety and no other medication has ever worked for me, but it makes me slow and lazy. I also don't want to live under the constant threat of having my supply suddenly cut off. The withdrawal symptoms literally make me go insane. It is the worst hell I have ever experienced. I couldn't sleep at all, was in a constant state of severe derealization, heart racing so fast that it was painful, unable to catch my breath, convulsions, etc.. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the withdrawals were capable of killing me.


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