Posted by manowar on December 31, 2001, at 16:19:34
In reply to Re: Benzos » manowar, posted by Elizabeth on December 27, 2001, at 1:43:32
Happy New Year Elizabeth,
I want to thank you for all the support you've given others and me on this site. I certainly appreciate it. --Now, no need to blush:)
> Hi Tim. Glad to hear that you're back on the Klonipin. Apologies for not writing; I haven't checked my Yahoo! Account in a while because of the holidays.
>
> It sounds like Klonipin does some of the same things for you that Buprenorphine does for me, although benzos don't have that effect on me. (I'd be very pleased if they did: they don't seem to have any side effects for me.) I have trouble enjoying or feeling interested in things too, and Buprenorphine helps a lot. None of the "mood stabilizers" I've taken (lithium, Depakote, Lamictal, etc.) has had this effect on me. (I didn't get side effects from them like you did, but they didn't have any beneficial effect, either.)I guess the Klonipin works by generally calming my brain down by balancing the different sections out. I just don't know, but I do know this: It's my headliner, and it will be for the foreseeable future. They say that Klonipin can cause depression, but there has also been speculation that it has AD properties. I guess it’s different for different folks. I think part of my problem maybe GABA related –my pdoc agrees.
>
> Mood stabilizers are just drugs that treat and prevent mania or hypomania, BTW. It sounds like you are *not* using Klonipin as a mood stabilizer.But they also can calm the Temporal Lobes, right? Aren't most mood stabilizers- anti-convulsants? Don't mood stabilizers also have AD properties? Esp. when used as augmenting agents?
> > I presently take 1.5 mg a day of Klonipin. Would I get more of a benefit of the drug if I took a higher dose? What is the effective range of Klonipin to work as a mood stabilizer? I’ve heard that Klonipin can add to one’s depression, but I’ve also heard that it has AD properties—what gives?
> It's hard to say if you would benefit from a higher dose of Klonipin. The anergic depression syndrome that you described (and that we share) hasn't been classified or studied much at all. Anergia can be a symptom of depression; it's also one of the negative (deficit) symptoms of schizophrenia.
Ironic you mention that. I was wondering if I might have sub clinical schizophrenia since I seem to have many of the negative symptoms. I asked my pdoc and he told me that schizophrenics don't cycle.
> You might be helped by taking more Klonipin; the only real way to find out is to try it. The effective dose can differ tremendously from person to person. When I've taken it (for panic disorder and REM sleep behavior disorder) I've found 4 mg/day (1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, 2 at bedtime) to be the best dose for me, but some people get by on much less and some take quite a bit more.Thanks for the suggestion. I brought it up with my pdoc, and he suggested that I try augmenting the Klonipin with ?Clonzopine? (I forget the name-I haven’t gotten the script filled yet). He seems reluctant to add to the 1.5 mg a day dosage for the Klonipin. He thinks the Klonipin may be helping by improving my sleep and R.E.M. sleep, therefore working against my depression.—Interesting huh?
> > I’ve always taken my dose at one time in the evening (because it makes me a bit drowsy, and it increases my appetite), and it seems to work well for me. However, my pdoc tells me that the drug looses its effect after 12 hours. Would I do better if I divided my dose?
>
> You could try it. Like I said, there isn't much information out there about the problem that you have, so you're pretty much stuck experimenting on yourself. Be thankful you've found something that works.I am, I am!
And I'm glad my pdoc isn't a benzophobe!
> Best of luck to you!
>
> -elizabethThanks again,
--Tim
poster:manowar
thread:86777
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88373.html