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Possible tolerance to clonazepam

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tonia_2003
tonia_2003

How can I know if I have reached a tolerance to clonazepam? I was at .125 mg for about 9 years and I had a herbal supplement interaction with my clonazepam and Paxil in July. I had to go up to .25 mg because my anxiety was so bad and started having panic attacks, which I haven't ever had before. Stayed on .25mg which really wasn't helping and went up to .5mg and was better, but still jittery and heart palpitations in the morning. Stayed somewhat stable for about 2 weeks and now back to high anxiety and elevated heart rate and feeling crappy. Doc wants me to increase dosage again, but I don't want to. She thinks I need more clonazepam and dose it 3 times a day. I take it once a day and don't want to add anymore.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • evergreen
    evergreen tonia_2003

    Posted

    If taken for long enough, all benzos will turn around on you and produce the symptoms they were initially taken to treat. It is called tolerance withdrawal. I think that you are right to resist upping your dose more because where will it end? And the higher you go, the harder it will be to come off them in the end. I would be having a good chat with your doctor to ask if there are alternatives. Perhaps a more sedating anti-depressant such as mirtazapine. However, I am not a doctor, and I do not know you. There may be very good reasons why your doctor wants to increase the dose. Perhaps if you are unhappy with the treatment, you could ask for a second opinion? Good luck. It sounds as though you are in a very difficult place right now.
  • craig137
    craig137 tonia_2003

    Posted

    Hi Tonia

    ​I agree with Evergreen over enough time coming off benzo's is not a plesant expierence. I would be resitant to increasing the dose, ALL benzos lose their efficacy over time and increasing the dose of the same (clearly not working anymore) drug just does'nt make any sense, as it's just delaying the inevitable. I suffered (suffer) from severe panic attacks and was on Diazapam, Lorazapam and several different anti D's. Ask about Chlordizepoxide (benzo) and Mitazipine (TeCA) or Amitripline (TCA) both are sedating anti D's, I'm on these and Sertraline in the morning. I now suffer NO panic attacks, still have the odd "uh oh i can feel it coming" sensations, but they are getting few and far between these days. I found that a combination of SSRI and TeCA anti d's worked best for me. It's not a 1 size fits all i'm afraid smile  A side note. Since what we're talking about is a mental health issue, the placebo effect WILL come into play. Put simply if you think your pills have stopped working they have. Have you looked into NLP or even better CBT therapy, worked wonders for me. Hope this helps, good luck

    • tonia_2003
      tonia_2003 craig137

      Posted

      How long have you been on Mirtazapine? I've read it has a tendency to stop working after a short period of time. So you're on amitryptiline, ,Zoloft and and the benzo? I'm so scared of benzodiazepines because I've heard such horrific stories when people have to come off of them. Is that a long acting benzo?
    • tonia_2003
      tonia_2003 craig137

      Posted

      My doc has also suggested gabapentin, but I was in the hospital about 3 weeks ago and it made me really nauseous and dizzy. They say the side effects ware off, but sometimes they don't. Also if I didn't try that she suggested seroquel, which I don't like the idea of the possible high cholesterol , weight gain and diabetes side effects. She said it would be a low dose.
  • Chernobyl
    Chernobyl tonia_2003

    Posted

    im wondering if maybe you dont want to go up, possibly you can take your current dose in spiltting it half during the day half at night. I am at a much higher dose but have been at the same dose for about 11 years. I have been at my current dose for aprox 10 years. I take it for anxiety and I have seizures (havent had one in some time), i also take generic keppra as well. I personally noticed so long as i take my daily doses, im ok. Are there any issues that have made your life more stressful? It can also be internal issues you may be getting you anxious. Just a few thoughts.as i dont know your whole history and issues. If you are uncomfortable about going up deffinately talk to your dr about other options. Personally I find accupuncture (basic, just a couple of spots in the ear) helpful. Often there are acu detox clinics that offer this for free. Look around, its an option to help you attempt to deal with stress better. Best of luck.

    Cher

    • tonia_2003
      tonia_2003 Chernobyl

      Posted

      My doctor wanted to half my dose up during the day, but my body is so addicted to clonazepam I just know I'll have withdrawals from doing it. She also suggested .5 mg morning, .25 mid day and .25 at night. I'm just so scared of this medications addicting qualities that I'll never be able to come off of it. I've tried in the past to come down years ago when I hadn't been on it very long and didn't get any further than .125mg. My doc wants me to go on gabapentin, but even at 100mg it makes me nauseous. She's also suggested seroquel, Remeron and Latuda. She wants to get me stable so she can wean me off Paxil and put me on another antidepressant. I think Paxil has quit on me since I took the supplement. I've also been to a functional medicine doc and he did some labs and saliva testing. It came back I have low zinc, high night cortisol and high glutamate. He wants me to take 2 supplements, but some of the ingredients I am scared to take with my meds. I have looked up the conditions that the results say I have and I have them. This doctor is also an MD. Got an appointment with an osteopathic doc Wednesday and she's really good and also an MD. She has an Med /supplement interaction checker and plus I would feel a little safer and I had an internal medicine doc recommend her.
  • craig137
    craig137 tonia_2003

    Posted

    Hi again

    ​I'm on Mitazapine for about 7 months 30mg at night 50mg Sertraline in the morning and the Chlor 5mg x3 daily. 4 weeks ago I dropped the Mitaz to 15mg and increased the Sert to 100. This was because I was having terrific nightmares, I talking true nightmares. That was the only negative side effect of the Mitaz. I dropped down instantly and bang bad dreams gone smile. Amitripline just did'nt do anything for me at all. Venlafaxine (effexor) is a really good anti d, Citalopram is another good Anti d with very little side effects.

    Gabapentin/ Pregabilin  are often used as a nerve pain killer, and as they both act on the GABA receptors they have an overall calming effect on your CNS. I'm not a DR but I would enquire about Pregablin 1st as it is far more tolerated by the body than Gabapentin. Also at much lower comparitive doses as its a much closer analouge to the receptors and therefore absorbed easier 90% versus around 40% with the Gabapentin.

    Now the Benzo; Which I gather from what you wrote to be your biggest concern. Chlor is like a starter benzo lol, it's most often used with alcoholic withdrawal and anxiety. It is a long acting benzo up too around 30 hours per 25mg. Not as long as a .5mg of clon (50 hours) but MUCH gentiler on the system which in turn (and time) will lessen the nasty withdrawal that you expierence. At my most anxious I was on 80mg of diazapam 20mgx4 per day(the daddy of benzo's) which is a high dose. I was able to come off the Diaz and switched to Chlor, initial dose was 100mg per day decreasing by 5mg  every week or so. I'm now at a point where I just take it when I have (that feeling) which I'm sure you know all about. Increasing a drug that YOU (not the Dr) have lost faith in just won't work because it's already set in your mind that it is doing nothing benifical for you (placebo effect). Given the amount of time you have been on clon your body simply does'nt recognize it anymore (in my humble opinion) No drug is more effective than talking, in cases like ours. Highly recommend CBT/NLP in combination with medication it did me wonders having a support network around you. Hang in there smile the journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step, a fav saying of mine. smile

    ​

  • craig137
    craig137 tonia_2003

    Posted

    Hi Tonia. I;m not sure about Kava but Valerian WILL potentiate (make stronger) the effects of valium. In fact it IS nature's version of Valium lol. . It does this the same way any GABA effective drug I,E benzo, Barbit and the Z drugs. It's like a jigsaw piece and ANY benzo will temporarily fit that piece. Diaz is the grand daddy of benzo's. It's an anxiolytic, hypnotoc, ameniasic and a muscle relaxant too boot. The reason to switch to Chlor is because it's the anxiety that casueses the most unplesant symptoms( ie sweats, palpitations incresed salivia heart burn) ect ect. I would enquire about switching your mid day dose with 25mg chlor stablize for (as long as needed) a week or so then reduce by half again but increase your dose of chlor by 5mg so weekly

    ​mon.125mgclon am 25mgChlor 11am 25mgChlor 6pm .125 clon in evening repeat this till your comfortable then drop the Chlor down by 5mg a week (again when your ready) now the tough bit smile

    ​start missing your evening dose of .125 and replace it with Chlor 25mg do that until necessary. Then you switch out your morning dose adjusting the chlor as required. Once your exclusely on the chlor you can then reduce as slow as you like as it comes in 2,5,10mg capsules. I would stay clear of the Gabapentin/ Pregalin sounds like they will cause you more stress than you need at the moment (placebo effect) lol see what your DR has to say smile good luck

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