Posted by Ritch on June 16, 2003, at 9:43:12
In reply to Re: valium vs klonopin? » Ritch, posted by Chloe on June 15, 2003, at 22:05:19
> > Hi Chloe, when you had your "paradoxical reaction" to Ativan-what exactly happened? Did you get hypo on it? Just wondering because I might ask my pdoc at some point about switching from Klon to Ativan. I was just given a few tabs of Ativan as samples for panic related to flying. It worked really well, but I took my baggage to an obviously wrong place (to MOST people) at the airport and the baggage dudes all laughed at me-it WAS pretty funny.
>
> Hi Mitch,
> That airport story is funny! Maybe your next trial could be in a less stressful environment.
> My Ativan trial (I looked it up) was in 1990. I wrote that I had severe anxiety and activation. I couldn't be still, pacing, etc. It does have a shorter half life than klonopin. So you might notice when it's wearing off if you don't take it regularly.
>
> > I think you are right about Klonopin "putting the brakes on a mixed-state episode". If I get like that usually 1.0mg/day (up from .5mg/day) for a couple of days will take care of it-just feel a little tired. You might just ask your pdoc for a trial script of clonazepam (and try to get the dose equivalence to your valium right) and swap it out for a while and see how it goes-if it gets worse-switch back. Let us know what happens---take care--- Mitch
>
> Thanks-I have an appointment this thursday. So we will see how it goes. I am impressed though, that upping my Valium by 5mgs/day has had little effect on anxiety and mixed states. I am not sedated at all, like I have feared if I am at work, and I still feel so keyed up, like my heart is racing a bit. I wonder if that is related to the thyroid stuff that I can't seem to get an endo appt for! Hopefully thursday I can get a slip to get labs drawn too.
> Chloe
>
>Chloe, the short half-life (12 hrs?) of Ativan (lorazepam) might be a problem for sure. The only other benzos I've taken chronically previously were chlordiazepoxide (Librium) and Valium and they both last much longer. OTOH, if I just take it at bedtime for sleep, and don't find the rebound anxiety (or rebound hypomania) annoying during the day that would suit me find. Too bad you had that paradoxical reaction-interesting that you didn't have that trouble with *others*. I am wondering about your thyroid situation as well. You may need to get an endocrinologist involved with your pdoc to straighten those out. Let us know how your appt. goes with the pdoc about the Klonopin----good luck---Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:233756
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030614/msgs/234289.html