Posted by rick_number1001@yahoo.com on August 18, 2001, at 21:53:34
In reply to Re-Andre #4:SOC PHOBIA COCKTAIL--WOW!!: Survey..., posted by Rick on June 12, 2000, at 0:30:55
I just wanted to add to this that I have
found Klonopin to be the single most effective
medication I have taken for my 'very severe'
(if untreated) case of SP.I have taken Klonopin regularly for over 4 years.
The first 3 years I tried with a number of
different antidepressants but it worked best
with Nardil (45-60mg) and K at 4.5mg, and also
with Zoloft 50mg + Serzone 300mg + K 4.5mg.The Nardil Klonopin combo is one I stayed on at
the above doses for 2 years. However I noticed
that my technical learning skills seemed lesser
than they were. Had I had a different kind of
jt would not have mattered but I needed very good
mental sharpness. Motivation also slipped for me
some over time.After 3 years at 4.5mg Klonopin, I had little
trouble reducing it down to 0mg (for 2 days). I
tapered at a rate of 1.0mg per week until I was
at 2mg/day. This was easy, only part of the time
I added 100-200mg Serzone during taper. 2mg to
1mg caused some anxiety (still a very fast taper
at 1mg/week). I added gabapentin and serzone and
got by fine, continuing to work as my professional
job and so on.
The last week I tried 1.0 to 0.0. As I suspected
this was harder and I really needed more than a
week to do it right. After 2 days I went back up
to 1.0. I then decided that 2.0 was working pretty
well and my congination and energy were up.
Eventually I went to 2.5 plus 100-200 Serzone
with Nardil, sometimes 100mg Wellbutrin (caused
hair loss so I stopped but worked nice).
I tried Provigil and loved it.
For 4 months I took Nardil 60 + Klonopin 2.5
+ Provigil 100 + Serzone 100-200.
It worked pretty well with little side effects.Looking over drug diary I noted that my initial
weeks WITHOUT Serzone I was more upbeat. I dropped
Serzone and for 2-3 months have been with:Nardil 60mg + Klonopin 2.5-2.75 + Prov 75-100.
I like it! On this combo I get good treatment of
symtoms with good cognitive function, good energy,
and little side effects; primarily I notice I average
only 5 to 5.5 hours sleep a night. A little low,
but in the last 8 years I probably averaged 6 - 6.5
so it is not far off.BTW, I decided to put up a website and it is at
www.socialfear.com
I would welcome any feedback or comments on
the website or this post.Thanks much - great posts here on some novel
agents that few have tried.Now if the doctors can only get some things
traight!... :) (just kidding docs).Craig
Then
> (part 4 of ??)
>
> BTW, How much WERE you taking during those presentations?
>
> Sorry if I'm over-reacting, but when I hear all those myths and stern warning about the dangers of benzos, it really hits my hot button. A recent large-scale survey in Medscape showed that even doctors -- especially General Practitioners -- tended to harbor multiple misconceptions and unsupported fears about this very safe and effective class of medications. Believe me, I'd prefer to need no meds at all, but if I continue to need them I am perfectly happy to stay on Klonopin indefinitely, and my psychiatrist (practicing since 1979) has no problem with it either. He says that as long as I don't exceed 3.0 mg in one day, any withrawal difficulties would be highly unlikely (and my previously-mentioned unintential 2-week cold turkey withdrawal would seem to support that). He admittedly feels AD's are preferable in cases where they provide the patient an equal level of relief. I may someday gradually cut back on the Klonopin just to see what happens, but as I said I have no problem sticking with it as long as it provides consistent, high-level Social Phobia relief.
>
> O.K., I'll get off my soapbox now. In fact, I will have to *force myself* not to respond to further posts specifically regarding benzo safety (even if the poster is agreeing with me), because the notorious benzo debates can go on forever and become way too time-consuming. I've already spent way too much time posting today, especially when I have to post repeatedly to get it all in (what IS this cyber-malady, anyways??) I'll make an exception to my no-more-posts-about-benzo-safety vow if it's something I can respond to in a few sentences.
>
> Sorry for over-babbling on this one Andre, and thanks again for your response.
>
> Rick
>
> --------
> The reasone why clonazepam (klonopin) has worked for you is probably
> because you get "buzzed" off of it. I take clonazepam when I have to do a speech. Some times it dulls my mental capacity so much that I b
poster:rick_number1001@yahoo.com
thread:36883
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75543.html