Shown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by edsangel on March 15, 2001, at 15:07:47
I am worried about my boyfriend, who just started taking Klonopin. He's been on Serzone for depression for 5 years, but recently changed to a more stressful job & started having more anxiety problems. Then someone broke into his car & the anxiety got worse, so his doctor is trying him on Klonopin in addition to Serzone. He takes .5 mg in the morning & (I think) .5 mg, or maybe 1 mg. at night.
The Konopin is reducing the anxiety, but making him extremely sleepy & tired during the day, so he's taking a caffeine pill at those times. But that seems counterproductive to me - I know from experience that caffeine raises anxiety levels. He says it doesn't make him feel stressed, just more awake. But he drives a fork-lift all day, plus with driving, the extreme sleepiness worries me. And even without the danger factor, what kind of a life is it if you feel groggy about 1/2 the time? He's just been on it almost 2 weeks. I am wondering if his doctor could reduce the daytime dose to .25 mg, or maybe split it: .25 when he gets up & another .25 later. His doctor also considered changing him from Serzone to Wellbutrin if the Klonopin didn't work, but the side-effects I've read about sound like that would make him more nervous.
I'm also very worried about him being on this stuff at all. I've heard so much about addiction or withdrawal, that he may need to take more over time. He's not in any kind of therapy to learn how to better react to stress, which I wish he would try.
Anyone have any advice?
Posted by tina on March 15, 2001, at 16:06:46
In reply to Worried about Klonopin, posted by edsangel on March 15, 2001, at 15:07:47
Anyone have any advice?
First of all, take care of YOU.
Second, I've been taking klonopin for 10 years on and off and I have never had a problem with it. No addiction or withdrawal. It affects people differently. If he needs to take caffeine pills to counteract the drowsiness I definitely think he should discuss alternatives with his doctor.
Best wishes to you
T
Posted by liz55 on March 16, 2001, at 10:56:14
In reply to Worried about Klonopin, posted by edsangel on March 15, 2001, at 15:07:47
The sleepies go away after a few weeks. Klono
is highly addictive though. Is there any way
he could take it for sleep and then take
it in the daytime only as needed?
Posted by edsangel on March 16, 2001, at 12:59:56
In reply to Re: Worried about Klonopin, posted by liz55 on March 16, 2001, at 10:56:14
> The sleepies go away after a few weeks. Klono
> is highly addictive though. Is there any way
> he could take it for sleep and then take
> it in the daytime only as needed?
I was wondering about that too. I'll ask him to check with his Dr. He didn't start on it strictly for sleep, though the anxiety was causing some problems there too. His problem was that he would get so upset about frustrations at work, which is during the day, then couldn't seem to let go of it when he left work. It would ruin his evening, thinking of what happened that day & dreading the next, & for the last couple of weeks he'd even wake up thinking about work even on Saturdays. He was feeling very angry & irritable all of the time.
Posted by liz55 on March 16, 2001, at 13:40:39
In reply to Re: Worried about Klonopin, posted by edsangel on March 16, 2001, at 12:59:56
Maybe he could ask the dr abt cutting the morning dose in half. Shoot,
I spend half my time w/ a razor blade cutting pills in half. :)Good luck, getting meds straight takes a while.
> > The sleepies go away after a few weeks. Klono
> > is highly addictive though. Is there any way
> > he could take it for sleep and then take
> > it in the daytime only as needed?
>
>
> I was wondering about that too. I'll ask him to check with his Dr. He didn't start on it strictly for sleep, though the anxiety was causing some problems there too. His problem was that he would get so upset about frustrations at work, which is during the day, then couldn't seem to let go of it when he left work. It would ruin his evening, thinking of what happened that day & dreading the next, & for the last couple of weeks he'd even wake up thinking about work even on Saturdays. He was feeling very angry & irritable all of the time.
Posted by Neal on March 17, 2001, at 1:53:52
In reply to Worried about Klonopin, posted by edsangel on March 15, 2001, at 15:07:47
.5mg/day Klono is a pretty low dose. I just read a post of someone taking 3mg/day, some people take more. If sleepiness is a problem, I would take the whole .5 about an hour or two before bedtime, no morning dose.
Posted by Mr. Scott on March 17, 2001, at 16:39:00
In reply to Worried about Klonopin, posted by edsangel on March 15, 2001, at 15:07:47
> I am worried about my boyfriend, who just started taking Klonopin. He's been on Serzone for depression for 5 years, but recently changed to a more stressful job & started having more anxiety problems. Then someone broke into his car & the anxiety got worse, so his doctor is trying him on Klonopin in addition to Serzone. He takes .5 mg in the morning & (I think) .5 mg, or maybe 1 mg. at night.
>
> The Konopin is reducing the anxiety, but making him extremely sleepy & tired during the day, so he's taking a caffeine pill at those times. But that seems counterproductive to me - I know from experience that caffeine raises anxiety levels. He says it doesn't make him feel stressed, just more awake. But he drives a fork-lift all day, plus with driving, the extreme sleepiness worries me. And even without the danger factor, what kind of a life is it if you feel groggy about 1/2 the time? He's just been on it almost 2 weeks. I am wondering if his doctor could reduce the daytime dose to .25 mg, or maybe split it: .25 when he gets up & another .25 later. His doctor also considered changing him from Serzone to Wellbutrin if the Klonopin didn't work, but the side-effects I've read about sound like that would make him more nervous.
>
> I'm also very worried about him being on this stuff at all. I've heard so much about addiction or withdrawal, that he may need to take more over time. He's not in any kind of therapy to learn how to better react to stress, which I wish he would try.
>
> Anyone have any advice?I think it's great that YOU are concerned about someone who is important in YOUR life. I speak from experience when I say Klonopin is a Last Resort option. Withdrawal IS a pain in the ass for most people, but not impossible to do either. The fact that he "Operates Heavy Machinery" is the most scarry part. If he needs Caffeine pills to keep him awake then I think it's time to change the treatment strategy. I'm surprised a doc would put someone on a double whammy of sedating drugs when they are in a job that requires alertness. Also Serzone inhibits the metabolism of Klonopin and other benzo's so if a short course of Benzo's are truly required, maybe a shorter acting one like Ativan is a better choice. Either way I would look for an alternative.
This is the end of the thread.
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