Posted by yxibow on February 8, 2006, at 1:04:29
In reply to Re: Brand name Klonopin » yxibow, posted by Gabbix2 on February 7, 2006, at 13:06:10
> > Brand name Klonopin is completely outdated and a waste of money as is most brand name benzodiazepines. It also is a subtle drug and you will not feel a "kick" like some other benzodiazepines. If a doctor really believes, or if a patient really believes that the generic is not performing the same, then prescribe a slightly higher amount of the generic.
>
> >>That doesn't work.
> I became literally, suicidally depressed when my dose was increased and was hospitalized.
> Somehow then the difference in cost didn't matter as I'm sure it wouldn't to many, depression and anxiety can be fatal too.Depression and anxiety are fatal when one is suicidal. I won't deny that. They're not fatal on their own, although they're a miserable experience and I've been there many times. Klonopin (or clonazepam) tends to be more depressive than other benzodiazepines, although they all can cause depression in some people. They both cause CNS depression and also affect neurotransmitters to a limited degree. Dosage needs to be adjusted for a particular patient and their needs. But I fail to see how on one hand one claims generic isnt as potent, and on the other hand, adjusting for that account (a very slight partial dose) and seeing what takes effect. If a drug truly is 80% as effective than prescribe 25% more of the generic medication. And you'll have money left over to buy a lot more things.
> It wasn't my imagination I wasn't expecting a difference, I'd never even thought about it actually.
> I don't know how you can say the generics perform just as well when you haven't taken them.
> Although I've heard that some of the generics are much better than othersI'm not saying that there couldn't be a difference between brand name Klonopin and some generics, I'm just saying its godawful expensive, and nearly no doctor or hospital prescribes brand name benzodiazepines because they've been expired for more than 20 years except for Xanax's attempt at patent extension with Xanax XR. Most anyone who is prescribed a benzodiazepine in my experience has never taken the original medication unless they're at least over 40 (no ageism meant). At Walgreens, Klonopin is like 3-4 times more expensive than generic clonazepam. At Costco its 5-8 times more expensive -- we're getting up into the new antidepressant costs like Cymbalta. And generic Valium is pocket change. In fact, scripts for benzodiazepine medication are not even written for the name of the drug any more -- they're written, clonazepam, diazepam, alprazolam (11-14x more expensive as Xanax).
> This reminds me of my P-doc telling me that certain reactions I've had to medications are "impossible" and then reading this board and finding out it's actually quite a well known reaction among people who actually *take* the medication.
Actually I agree with you there -- but a good doctor weighs what he or she has seen in evidence based psychiatry, over a large number of patients. There's also the placebo effect, believe it or not, 33% of the time that is the case. But I'm not trying to insult your judgment -- I also found out anecdotally that Trazodone causes the munchies from several people here. But that's the thing -- where do you define "well known." The board is a sounding off place where people can describe how they experience medications. But when an effect is 1% or less on a medication, its deemed fairly unlikely. People tend to post more here when they get side effects, so it doesnt mean that a particular medication is terrible, it just means that in their body, it is atrocious. Statistically, one has to examine things on a much larger scale -- where are the silent voices of people who dont have these side effects, but are still on the board. You could have 10 people with a particular side effect, but one has to realize that probably half a million people have taken that drug. That still doesn't mean your doctor shouldn't listen to what you have to say, and take that into account when prescribing medication. I don't think a good doctor should not listen to your experiences.
Cheers
- J
poster:yxibow
thread:607050
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060205/msgs/607415.html