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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 19:18:32
Even though I'm taking Cymbalta and clonazepam, I still get these moments of can best be described as dread or doom. Today it was like a switch flipped in my brain when I went to start my van in the frigid temps and discovered that I had left my lights on when I arrived for work and my battery was dead. Yes, I had to find someone with jumper cables to give me a hand and then I had to pick up my children at daycare. I wasn't in real rush but I got this awful sense of doom and a knot in my stomach. It took just a few minutes to get on the road, but that feeling stayed with me and spoiled what I felt had been a very good day for me.
What is this? Is this a panic attack, or plain old anxiety or even benzo-induced depression? This happens to me several times a week and I can't stop it. I really don't think the situation was stressful enough to warrant my reaction. I happened to have some Xanax in the med cabinet too so when I got home I took .5mg Xanax and that didn't help at all. Then I took another .5mg about 20 minutes later and began to feel better. I'm fine now. I'm just trying to figure out what in the world is happening to me at these times and what the best thing to do is. Should the clonazepam be preventing these episodes if I'm taking 1mg per day divided into two doses?
Please help. I need to find a way to stop this!
Thanks,
Colleen
PPD, GAD and OCD
Posted by Phillipa on January 27, 2005, at 20:44:18
In reply to Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos, posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 19:18:32
How long have you been taking the clonazepam? It sounds like you may have built up a tolerance to it. Xanax usually works best for a panic attack. There are conversion charts under Dr. Bob that will tell you exactly how much of xanax is equal to clonazepam. Phillipa
Posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 20:53:13
In reply to Re: Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos » Colleen D., posted by Phillipa on January 27, 2005, at 20:44:18
I've been taking it for about 4 months, so I don't know about the tolerance issue. When I spoke with my therapist about it, his reaction was that we all have to react to stressful situations and that he considered my reactions to the example situations I gave him as normal. Maybe clonazepam is not the best med for me for anxiety. My dad who is in his late 60s just started having panic attacks and he has been prescribed Xanax. I'm 43 and have had problems with anxiety for as long as I can remember. Thanks for the response. I haven't found it yet but I will look for the equivalancy information on this site.
:-) Colleen
Posted by Phillipa on January 27, 2005, at 21:10:04
In reply to Re: Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos » Phillipa, posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 20:53:13
Colleen; Just click on this site and you should have Dr. Bob's charts. I hope this helps. There are others but I don't know how to get them unless you do a "search". Phillipa
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/bzd.html
Posted by Glydin on January 27, 2005, at 22:19:30
In reply to Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos, posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 19:18:32
Hi Colleen,
Even those of us who have our anxiety under control can still experience those moments. I understand you feel this had reached a problematic level.
How long have you been on the Cymbalta? It works on Norepi and may be a factor.
As far as Benzo's go, sometimes some fine tuning does need to be done. I know when I was taking Wellbutrin - another med that targets norepi - I required a larger dose of Klonopin.
Generally, a long acting benzo like Klonopin is good for maintainance in generalized anxiety states. A quick acting, burns out quick benzo like Xanax is good for panic attacks. Some folks use both. Some find their actions interchangable and is a situation of what one tolerates and finds effective.
There has been much discussion of Klonopin being more likely to worsen depression as compared to other benzo's. I know folks have posted that to be true. However, I have never gotten a good answer as to **why** Klonopin, over any other benzo, as they are all CNS depressants and have the potential to worsen depression in select individuals.
Talk with your doc and I think this is something, with some med tweaking, you will be able to find a solution.
All the Best,
Glydin
Posted by jasmineneroli on January 28, 2005, at 0:03:58
In reply to Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos, posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 19:18:32
> Even though I'm taking Cymbalta and clonazepam, I still get these moments of can best be described as dread or doom. Today it was like a switch flipped in my brain when I went to start my van in the frigid temps and discovered that I had left my lights on when I arrived for work and my battery was dead. Yes, I had to find someone with jumper cables to give me a hand and then I had to pick up my children at daycare. I wasn't in real rush but I got this awful sense of doom and a knot in my stomach. It took just a few minutes to get on the road, but that feeling stayed with me and spoiled what I felt had been a very good day for me.
>
**** This is a typical GAD anxiety attack. I get reactions like that all the time. When something unexpected happens, especially when it affects a responsibility (like picking up you kids), wham, the stomach churns or knots, your thinking gets scattered etc. etc. It seems to come from nowhere. This isn't depression IMO. The dread and doom you experience is part of GAD worry.Cymbalta may be too "activating" for you, since it effects Norepinephrine, and you feel more "primed" for problems all the time, more vigilant and ready to act. The Clonazepam dose may not be enough to counteract it.
Perhaps you could talk to your doctor about an alternative to Cymbalta and stay on a low dose benzo??
Best wishes (I know what those sudden worry attacks are like!).
Jas
Posted by KaraS on January 28, 2005, at 1:32:29
In reply to Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos, posted by Colleen D. on January 27, 2005, at 19:18:32
> Even though I'm taking Cymbalta and clonazepam, I still get these moments of can best be described as dread or doom. Today it was like a switch flipped in my brain when I went to start my van in the frigid temps and discovered that I had left my lights on when I arrived for work and my battery was dead. Yes, I had to find someone with jumper cables to give me a hand and then I had to pick up my children at daycare. I wasn't in real rush but I got this awful sense of doom and a knot in my stomach. It took just a few minutes to get on the road, but that feeling stayed with me and spoiled what I felt had been a very good day for me.
>
> What is this? Is this a panic attack, or plain old anxiety or even benzo-induced depression? This happens to me several times a week and I can't stop it. I really don't think the situation was stressful enough to warrant my reaction. I happened to have some Xanax in the med cabinet too so when I got home I took .5mg Xanax and that didn't help at all. Then I took another .5mg about 20 minutes later and began to feel better. I'm fine now. I'm just trying to figure out what in the world is happening to me at these times and what the best thing to do is. Should the clonazepam be preventing these episodes if I'm taking 1mg per day divided into two doses?
>
> Please help. I need to find a way to stop this!
>
> Thanks,
> Colleen
> PPD, GAD and OCDBenzos can cause rebound anxiety as they're wearing off. Could that be what you're experiencing?
Posted by Phillipa on January 28, 2005, at 18:07:58
In reply to Re: Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos » Colleen D., posted by KaraS on January 28, 2005, at 1:32:29
How much klonopin are you currently taking? I just don't like this drug. But, everyone responds differently and if you feel it has helped you in the past then maybe uping the dose is your answer. Have you called your pdoc with your converns? Phillipa
Posted by Colleen D. on January 28, 2005, at 18:47:52
In reply to Re: Pls, I need help re: feelings of dread and benzos, posted by Phillipa on January 28, 2005, at 18:07:58
the service I was using because we have family health insurance that partially covers the cost of a regular pdoc who participates with the plan. It really s*cks because I can hardly afford the co-pays for my meds, let alone the co-pay for the office visits. I'm in a real bind right now that way. I'm taking .5mg in the morning, .5mg on the late afternoon and .25mg as needed in the evening. I can say that the stress in my life (and the contentedness in small ways) have increased in my life the last few weeks, but THAT's a topic for the Relationships board. Anyway, I see my GP in 2+ months again for a medication review. I'm not sure what to do!
Colleen
> How much klonopin are you currently taking? I just don't like this drug. But, everyone responds differently and if you feel it has helped you in the past then maybe uping the dose is your answer. Have you called your pdoc with your converns? Phillipa
Posted by Colleen D. on January 28, 2005, at 18:57:27
In reply to I no longer have a pdoc; I got kicked out of the, posted by Colleen D. on January 28, 2005, at 18:47:52
child was born. He's a wonderful little guy (age 5) but has special needs which doesn't help with my stress level. I also have two younger daughters (18mos and 2.5yrs old). The Zoloft made me a complete zombie at 50mg. That's why I tried the SNRIs this time around.
Thanks friends, for all your thoughts and suggestions.
Colleen
Posted by stresser on January 29, 2005, at 20:07:24
In reply to p.s. - I was on Zoloft for PPD after my first, posted by Colleen D. on January 28, 2005, at 18:57:27
Colleen,
I just happened to run across you post and in reading it, realized I was reading about myself! I have experienced that same thing after the birth of my last child 13 yrs ago. It hasn't ended, and I have been on several SSRI's and Wellbutrin. I now take Zoloft again after about five years of not taking it and trying other things. I also take Klonopin at night for restless leg syndrom. I started taking Topamax for mood stabilization three weeks ago, and I think it's helping quite a bit. My psychologist thinks the Zoloft my be making my anxiety worse, because that can happen with high anxiety. I'm waiting to see what happens within the next few weeks, I may need to add in another medication. I do know how you feel with the extreme dread and doom...I have that. I have taken an MMPI and am not bipolar, but have depression periods that hit me like a bomb. I have a 16 year old daughter that has problems also, and is bipolar II. I guess these things are running in our family somewhere. My thoughts are with you. -L
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