![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Squiggles on September 20, 2001, at 15:44:18
Hi,
After more than a year of hard effort to withdraw
from two benzodiazepines alprazolam (Xanax), and
clonazepam (Klonopin), I can say that getting off the
Xanax was a great success, as all panic attacks which
had become chronic, ceased.On the other hand, Klonopin
was not an easy matter and very difficult to withdraw
from. Infact, nearing 0 dose, I had a "seizure" or something
like it and was reinstated to the cutting dose and then
again two weeks later, after another "seizure" reinstated to a
a higher dose. It took me a month of severe head illness to recover and I am
still feeling the protracted withdrawals.I never had panic attacks with Klonopin, but I did with
Xanax, and this can be attributed to the short half-life
of Xanax.My opinion now is that withdrawing from clonazepam
is very difficult because it is an anti-convulsant
and because it may actually change the brain's structure
or chemistry after long-term use. And who knows,
this may be the case with ADs - as discontinuation is
becoming tapered in current medical practice.I suppose there are some "anti-drug" camps who would
take a look at this situation and use it as an argument
against taking these drugs and definitely promoting
getting off. But I would like to say to those
contemplating this practice, that the advantages and
disadvantages should be weighed. The emphasis should
be on the quality of life if protracted w/d proves to
be a crippling state for a long time.The seizures in particular in the case of clonazepam,
worry me, maybe overly so,
because they may infact cause damage to the brain.
I do feel as if I escaped a nasty and dangerous event,
and I am curious to know what would have happened, had
my husband not given me the reinstating dose during
that episode (whatever it was exactly).I have also become very nervous about repeating this experience.
My doctor said I should not try again for 6 months at
least, but does not seem to think that being on this
small K dose to be the worst thing in the world.So, this has been my experience, and I suppose I would
like to hear your opinions about staying, or getting
off these or other types of drugs. I have not made
up my mind yet because I did get spooked. On the
other hand, if one does get off these successfully,
chances are they will feel much better.thanks for reading
Squiggles
Posted by Cam W. on September 20, 2001, at 17:50:22
In reply to Seizures and Klonopin, posted by Squiggles on September 20, 2001, at 15:44:18
Squiggles - Next time you may want to slowly switch to Valium™ (diazepam) from the Klonopin™ (clonazepam). The Valium (and it's active metabolites) have even a longer half-life than Klonopin (100h V vs. 18-36h K). The longer half-life may give you better protect from the seizures (which are quite common when withdrawing from long-term benzodiazepine use). You may have to use a much slower withdrawl schedule (eg. withdraw over the course of a year).
Valium is both an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant, like Klonopin. Ask your doctor what he/she thinks of this method. - Cam
Posted by Squiggles on September 21, 2001, at 0:11:01
In reply to Re: Seizures and Klonopin » Squiggles, posted by Cam W. on September 20, 2001, at 17:50:22
> Squiggles - Next time you may want to slowly switch to Valium? (diazepam) from the Klonopin? (clonazepam). The Valium (and it's active metabolites) have even a longer half-life than Klonopin (100h V vs. 18-36h K). The longer half-life may give you better protect from the seizures (which are quite common when withdrawing from long-term benzodiazepine use). You may have to use a much slower withdrawl schedule (eg. withdraw over the course of a year).
>
> Valium is both an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant, like Klonopin. Ask your doctor what he/she thinks of this method. - CamThanks Cam,
you're always "there". Next time, I might do
that - yup - this is recommended by Asthon.
BTW, I tapered the clonazepam from 0.750 to
0.075 over more than a year with a specialized
taper calculator. I still got "seizures" and
I believe that Ashton and other addiction psychopharmacologists,
do know that no matter how slow, and how gradual
the taper, you still get seizure when approaching
0, depending of course on how long you have taken
the stuff (in my case more than a decade).My main point though, is that the recuperation
from these ordeals, may be so long and so protracted
that the advantages must be weighted, particularly
when the dose one is taking is very low, such as mine 0.50 to 1.0mg.Both from Dr. Ashton's manual and from testimonials,
there are people who have taken 10-15 years to recover
from motor symptoms of w/d especially, and some never at
all, claiming irreversible brain damage.So, I am just reconsidering things and putting forth
what I have learned to a forum.Squiggles
Posted by Mitch on September 21, 2001, at 9:38:59
In reply to Re: Seizures and Klonopin » Squiggles, posted by Cam W. on September 20, 2001, at 17:50:22
> Squiggles - Next time you may want to slowly switch to Valium™ (diazepam) from the Klonopin™ (clonazepam). The Valium (and it's active metabolites) have even a longer half-life than Klonopin (100h V vs. 18-36h K). The longer half-life may give you better protect from the seizures (which are quite common when withdrawing from long-term benzodiazepine use). You may have to use a much slower withdrawl schedule (eg. withdraw over the course of a year).
>
> Valium is both an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant, like Klonopin. Ask your doctor what he/she thinks of this method. - CamCam,
Does Tranxene (clorazepate dipotassium), have an even longer half-life (including all active metabolites) than diazepam? Just wondering, since clorazepate is used for partial seizures, while clonazepam is most effective for absence seizures. Thanks in advance,
Mitch
Posted by Squiggles on September 21, 2001, at 14:40:15
In reply to Re: Seizures and Klonopin » Cam W., posted by Mitch on September 21, 2001, at 9:38:59
> > Squiggles - Next time you may want to slowly switch to Valium? (diazepam) from the Klonopin? (clonazepam). The Valium (and it's active metabolites) have even a longer half-life than Klonopin (100h V vs. 18-36h K). The longer half-life may give you better protect from the seizures (which are quite common when withdrawing from long-term benzodiazepine use). You may have to use a much slower withdrawl schedule (eg. withdraw over the course of a year).
> >
> > Valium is both an anxiolytic and anticonvulsant, like Klonopin. Ask your doctor what he/she thinks of this method. - Cam
>
> Cam,
>
> Does Tranxene (clorazepate dipotassium), have an even longer half-life (including all active metabolites) than diazepam? Just wondering, since clorazepate is used for partial seizures, while clonazepam is most effective for absence seizures. Thanks in advance,
> MitchI just looked up one of the many monographs,
and it may be noteworthy to see that it is
classified as an "anticonvulsant" *similar* -
and i think that is an operative word - to the
other benzos. I think it's different, but I have
not checked with sci.med.pharmacy.http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-r04.html#Head_8
Squiggles
Posted by Cam W. on September 21, 2001, at 18:58:49
In reply to Re: Seizures and Klonopin » Cam W., posted by Mitch on September 21, 2001, at 9:38:59
Mitch - Both Tranxene™ (chlorazepate) and Valium™ (diazepam) have half-lifes that at better than 100h. I suppose that Valium is used because of the wealth of experience there is with using it and mainly because it's cost is much lower than that of Tranxene. - Cam
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.