Posted by paulk on June 15, 2001, at 20:02:09
In reply to Linky-link, posted by grapebubblegum on June 15, 2001, at 10:18:17
> > Back to my point, my pdoc did renew a klonopin Rx for me recently but with some reservations. Typically I think she is the smartest pdoc in the world, and maybe she is, but I didn't appreciate her mini-lecture that klonopin is ok only for a very short-term therapy because it does not address the root of the panic disorder (like SSRIs DO address it? I think not) and that klonopin is only a "feel-good" pill.Seriously, your pdoc doesn’t seem to be up on the seritinergic effects of klonopin. Klonopin is THE benzo of choice for long-term treatment.
> >The "root cause" argument is a common error that people make when trying to justify undermedicating anxiety disorders (and pain, for that matter). I get that rap all the time when I mention that I take buprenorphine for depression. The fact is, nobody knows what the "root cause" of panic disorder (or any other psych disorder, for that matter) is. There's no reason whatsoever to suppose that antidepressants "address the root cause" and that benzos don't.
>I sometimes think that the "root cause" fallacy is a red herring, that what people really mean when they say this kind of thing is that suffering is good for the soul and that if you have spontaneous panic attacks (or whatever), you must deserve them in some way. Ahh, modern Puritanism.
> > I was disappointed in her basically pooh-poohing the only med that has made me feel normal for a long time.
>I know just how you feel.
> > Keep in mind I only take .125 mg three times per day, which is ridiculously miniscule but actually helps me.
>Like, a quarter of the smallest strength tablet? Weird. I wonder if maybe you don't metabolise it normally or something. That's a very low dose even for someone who's taking it around the clock (although, as you note, taking it that way has the advantage of preventing panic attacks).
Not that weird. I only need just a little - .25/day. Many others are in the same boat. My doc tells me he has many that take .25 at bedtime and .125 for the day.
See my rant at http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010605/msgs/65469.html> In my experience, a tiny steady dose of benzo keeps me feeling normal and raises my threshhold for P.A.s; if not prevented, P.A.s once underway require so much benzo it would kill me to derail the attack.
DITTO – BULLS EYE – EXCELLENT POINT! I hope some docs read what you just said. ( I think this phenomena is called ‘kindling’ in the litature.)
The worst problem with Benzos is the memory side effect. I think a good way to figure if you are taking too much benzos is if it starts to kill memory. Seems like it would be easy to run some tests for this. Tell your doc to test you if she thinks you are on a detrimental dosage (you aren’t) to test your memory.
I have seen folks deteriorate over time on very large dosages Benzos.
If the benzo is long acting, it sure seems it is easier to keep it at a low dose for me. I Really don’t think it is good practice to use benzos per attack (unless its for someone who is bi-polar.) If it is a short acting benzo “as per needed” is a good way to get someone with PA in even bigger trouble.
Klonopin, for me, even at a VERY low dose makes all the difference in what I do when I lose my temper. It also prevents the panic attacks (although I didn’t have that many).
Getting off higher dosages of Benzos can be nightmarish. I watched a fellow patient go through the “cold wet sheet pack treatment” getting off Valium. I think switching to klonopin and tapering would have been a much better way.
- Paulk
poster:paulk
thread:65795
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010612/msgs/66618.html