Posted by anxiety_free on June 27, 2004, at 21:51:51
In reply to Nardil vs. Klonopin, posted by maddog on June 27, 2004, at 19:05:07
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I am looking for some advice on drug therapy for general anxiety and social anxiety.
>
> I have been on and off Paxil for 3 years and I take Klonopin on a as needed basis (essentially, before important meetings and presentations). Klonopin works very well. Paxil is OK but the disadvantages (lethargy, sexual, etc.) outweigh the advantages.
>
> I have a prescription for Nardil and I have discontinued Paxil for 4 weeks now. So I am set to go. I have the following questions which I hope some of you have experience dealing with.
>
> 1) Does Nardil offer therapeutic advantages over Klonopin? Which of these two drugs is more effective for anxiety and/or social anxiety?
>
> 2) How do these two drugs compare in terms of tolerance, dependency, withdrawal?
>
> 3) Does the effective dosage of Klonopin lower when using Nardil? Is Klonopin even needed?
>
> Although Klonopin works well for me, it does not offer around the clock relief from anxiety, unless I take Klonopin around the clock -- which I would prefer not to do. It seems that Nardil would provide this but I am concerned that it will be less effective and have more severe side effects.
>
> Any advice is appreciated!
>
> Thanks,
> maddogHey! Personally, I'd go with a new anti-depressant besides Nardil (SSRI, Tricyclic, whatever) and Klonopin. Unlike Xanax or other short-acting benzos, Klonopin doesn't require constant pill-popping; for continuous control of anxiety you should only have to take 2 or 3 doses (usually 2). Given the dietary restrictions involved with MAOIs, I'd give something else a whirl first. As far as I know, anti-depressants can help anxiety a lot, but nothing beats a straight up sedative/tranquilizer like Klonopin. One common way to address anxiety is to use a new anti-depressant with Klonopin, then discontinue the Klonopin and see how the anti-depressant does on its own. A lot of docs keep patients on Klonopin long-term because there's less of a risk of dose escalation, tolerance, and other problems than with some other benzos. If that's not your style, you could try a different anti-depressant (Tofranil, for instance, is good for anxiety) with an as-needed benzo and perhaps a beta-blocker, also for as-needed use. Another option would be BuSpar, which is good for anxiety, but not as good as a benzo. Augmenting your anti-depressant of choice with a mood-stabilizer (Depakote is good for anxiety) or anti-psychotic (low-doses of some seem to help with anxiety) might work well, too. Good luck!
poster:anxiety_free
thread:361075
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040627/msgs/361134.html