Posted by chloe on June 13, 2003, at 19:18:01
In reply to Re: valium vs klonopin? » chloe, posted by Janelle on June 13, 2003, at 18:38:45
> Hi Chole, I like your name "Super Cycling Chole" -- that happens to be me lately "Super Cycling Janelle"
Hey, fellow cycler!
>
> I also have bp2 and I have been taking KLONOPIN for many, many years - like EONS. In fact, I'm going to taper OFF it because it doesn't work for me anymore. My body has become habituated to it. But do NOT let that discourage you - I had GREAT results with it for a long time.I had great results with valiums for eons. I wonder if it has pooped out after all this time. We are talking decades, though.
>
> I can't answer if Klonopin is better for balancing out the mood than Valium, especially because NEITHER of these meds are designed to do that. They are anti-anxiety, (well Klonopin started off as anti-seizure for epilepsy)
>
> You said you can't take ANY of the mood stabilizers - have you tried more than just the one you mentioned? There are quite a few. Just wondering. They can also be combined in LOW doses which might avoid the rashes and burning (that's what the pdoc is trying with me because I can't tolerate high doses - I get other type side effects, so for now I'm on two mood stabilizers at low doses)I think I have been on all and combos of all mood stabilizers. I was on depakote, tegretol, trileptal, neurontin, topamax...to name a few. I generally feel blah and anxious at the same time AND have the awful skin rashes and scalp burn. Lithium has been the best for me. But now it seems to be doing nothing. But I am sure if I went off it, I would see that it is infact helping. Just not as much as I need to function!
>
> Anyway, to answer your question, and this is JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION, I would say that it is worth giving Klonopin a try because it is slow acting, smooth, subtle, has a long half-life (lasts all day or should) and I personally had NO side effects from it!
>
> The *average* person might report that it can be SEDATING, real sedating, but you could start off low and slow, and take it at night. Heck, it might help you sleep. I was given a hefty dose once to see if it would put me to sleep and nope! I remained wide awake; very frustrating. I have to use Seroquel for sleep, not as an A-P!I am sure Klonopin would put me to sleep. I think I was given it by accident once, and I was knocked out! But I am sure that was a large dose-more than I would take at least to start.
BTW, do you know anything about switching Benzos? Do I have to taper off one and start the other? Or can I just switch by taking the equivalent dosage? Thanks so much
>
> Good luck 2 U!Good luck to you, I hope you cycling settles down soon :)
Chloe
poster:chloe
thread:233756
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030609/msgs/233780.html