Posted by SLS on February 26, 2005, at 6:39:00
In reply to Re: Klonopin probs., Xanax XR??, posted by Spriggy on February 25, 2005, at 17:02:18
>
> Scott,
> Well, I asked him if Klonopin would be habit forming for me.. I was concerned about becoming "dependent" on it (not abusing it since I don't really have substance abuse issues).
> He assured me that taking .25 mg's only 2 times a day for a few months would not be a cause for concern.
>
> Does that make sense?
No.First of all, if you have run out of alternatives, and Klonopin works, then I think Klonopin is indicated. If 0.50mg of Klonopin continues to work, then you take 0.50mg. If you need 4.0mg a day, then you take 4.0mg, or else suffer. The decisions you make will involve many considerations that are unique to you and your illness. I'm not telling you what to do.
I do not consider your doctor's decision to exclude higher dosages of Klonopin simply because it is "habit forming" to be valid. Physiological dependence on a drug is not exclusively the domain of the benzodiazepines. Just ask anyone who has tried to discontinue an SSRI or Effexor. There are also many, non-psychiatric drugs for which this is equally true. Taking any amount of Klonopin for more than two weeks will probably produce some degree of phsysiological dependence for which a withdrawal syndrome will appear should you discontinue it abruptly and without a taper schedule. Of course, the taper from 4.0mg would take much longer. It is difficult to predict the magnitude of withdrawal symptoms at any dosage.
I am not recommending that you take 4.0mg of Klonopin. I am recommending that you use Klonopin as a tool to your advantage. What your doctor wants for you to do might be exactly the right thing to do to accomplish this. It might be the best use of this drug. However, I don't think that increasing the dosage if necessary should be excluded from consideration. Plenty of people have discontinued Klonopin using a taper schedule. I have done it myself. The first time, I tried to get off of it without a well planned taper schedule. It was not fun. I experienced the same thing with Ativan. Since then, I have had no trouble discontinuing benzodiazepines.
What I WOULD do if I were in your position would be to ask as many people as you can how difficult a time they had discontinuing Klonopin. Start a new thread here on Psycho-Babble. It will most likely be redirected to the new Withdrawal board, but at least it will catch some attention. It is my concern that Klonopin is more difficult than other benzodiazepine to discontinue. That is my impression, but I don't know for sure. However, if you suffer from a condition for which chronic treatment is necessary, this issue is moot. Klonopin, used at dosages of 2.0mg and greater, has completely changed the lives of many people for the better.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:462986
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050222/msgs/463635.html