![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 14:12:58
You all and my Pdoc convinced me that Klonopin could be causing my chronic depression problem. I have reduced the dose very slowly (.25mgs) a week, and i'm not feeling any withdrawal symptoms..i'm down to 2mgs. a day, was on 3mgs. a day. Thanks for your help and support. By the way, i am less depressed at this reduced amount. :)
Dan
Posted by Phoenix1 on February 12, 2008, at 15:25:59
In reply to Klonopin, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 14:12:58
> You all and my Pdoc convinced me that Klonopin could be causing my chronic depression problem. I have reduced the dose very slowly (.25mgs) a week, and i'm not feeling any withdrawal symptoms..i'm down to 2mgs. a day, was on 3mgs. a day. Thanks for your help and support. By the way, i am less depressed at this reduced amount. :)
>
> DanGreat news Dan! Congrats, it's a scary thing to do. Klonopin becomes a "safety net" from anxiety after a while, so it's hard both psychologically and physically to stop. And I'm glad you're noticing a difference in your depression. I really found that it was worsening my depression quite a bit, a sentiment shared by many others on this board.
Keep up the good work and ask for support if you need it!
Phoenix1
Posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 15:32:48
In reply to Re: Klonopin » SteelyDan, posted by Phoenix1 on February 12, 2008, at 15:25:59
> > You all and my Pdoc convinced me that Klonopin could be causing my chronic depression problem. I have reduced the dose very slowly (.25mgs) a week, and i'm not feeling any withdrawal symptoms..i'm down to 2mgs. a day, was on 3mgs. a day. Thanks for your help and support. By the way, i am less depressed at this reduced amount. :)
> >
> > Dan
>
> Great news Dan! Congrats, it's a scary thing to do. Klonopin becomes a "safety net" from anxiety after a while, so it's hard both psychologically and physically to stop. And I'm glad you're noticing a difference in your depression. I really found that it was worsening my depression quite a bit, a sentiment shared by many others on this board.
>
> Keep up the good work and ask for support if you need it!
>
> Phoenix1Thank you so much for your awesome encouragement! God knows i need it. :)
Dan
Posted by garyengelm on February 12, 2008, at 17:01:43
In reply to Klonopin, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 14:12:58
Just wondering how your MD came to the conclusion that Klonopin is making you depressed. It is a known fact that anxiety can make you depressed when it persists over time and a drug like Klonopin helps with anxiety.
If your feeling better, than more power to you. This is just my curiosity lingering.
Gary
Posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 17:28:22
In reply to Re: Klonopin, posted by garyengelm on February 12, 2008, at 17:01:43
> Just wondering how your MD came to the conclusion that Klonopin is making you depressed. It is a known fact that anxiety can make you depressed when it persists over time and a drug like Klonopin helps with anxiety.
>
> If your feeling better, than more power to you. This is just my curiosity lingering.
>
> GaryHe believes that prolonged use of high dose benzos may cause depression for some people...it's true that it can. I've been on a benzo for 27 years, and the last 10 years i've been chronically depressed. I've tried everything including MAOI's and even ECT, so it's his 'guess' that it just might be the Klonopin that's making me depressed as it is a CNS depressent. I agree with him and am willing to try life without benzos and see how i feel. It's basically an experiment that i am willing to try, and so far just reducing it by 1 mg. i am feeling better..so i think we're on the right track. If you research klonopin on "Google" you'll find that it definitly can cause depression for some people. Now, i'm not bashing benzos..i think they are a very much needed medication for some people, but some people like me can become depressed on them with a high dose and long term usage. Just my opinion, you may disagree..that's okay.:) Take care.
Dan
Posted by Phillipa on February 12, 2008, at 20:21:56
In reply to Re: Klonopin » garyengelm, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 17:28:22
Klonopin definitely depressed me. Congrats Dan on your success in cutting down and may that continue for you and wouldn't that be horrible if your depression all these years was caused by it? Did you start on only klonopin? Without any antidepressant? Love Phillipa
Posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 21:44:23
In reply to Re: Klonopin » SteelyDan, posted by Phillipa on February 12, 2008, at 20:21:56
> Klonopin definitely depressed me. Congrats Dan on your success in cutting down and may that continue for you and wouldn't that be horrible if your depression all these years was caused by it? Did you start on only klonopin? Without any antidepressant? Love Phillipa
Thank you so much for your encouragement! I actually started with Tofrinal and Ativan back in 1982, I took 6mgs. of ativan daily for over 20 years, then i switched to Klonopin about 2 years ago, i really didn't notice a difference between ativan and klonopin. My goal is to be completely off all benzos, it might take a long time, but i'm determined to do it! Thank you for being so kind. :)
Dan
Posted by Phillipa on February 13, 2008, at 0:21:30
In reply to Re: Klonopin » Phillipa, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 21:44:23
Dan you're welcome. Keep up the good work. Love Phillipa
Posted by Jedi on February 14, 2008, at 2:56:40
In reply to Klonopin, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 14:12:58
> You all and my Pdoc convinced me that Klonopin could be causing my chronic depression problem. I have reduced the dose very slowly (.25mgs) a week, and i'm not feeling any withdrawal symptoms..i'm down to 2mgs. a day, was on 3mgs. a day. Thanks for your help and support. By the way, i am less depressed at this reduced amount. :)
>
> DanHi Dan,
I'm sure for many people clonazepam can make their depression worse. However there are many studies where clonazepam, as an augmentor of antidepressants, improves the symptoms of depression, anxiety, social anxiety and panic disorder. Generally, if the depression has a large anxiety component, clonazepam may help.
Take care,
JediReferences:
Clonazepam as a therapeutic adjunct to improve the management of depression.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15164614?ordinalpos=9&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSumTherapeutic response to benzodiazepine in panic disorder subtypes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12870055?ordinalpos=13&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSumShort-term cotherapy with clonazepam and fluoxetine: anxiety, sleep disturbance and core symptoms of depression.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11099743?ordinalpos=20&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum[Effectiveness of clonazepam in depressive disorders]
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8653596?ordinalpos=30&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSumThe use of benzodiazepines in the treatment of manic-depressive illness.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2903143?ordinalpos=46&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
Posted by Phillipa on February 14, 2008, at 22:42:31
In reply to Re: Klonopin » SteelyDan, posted by Jedi on February 14, 2008, at 2:56:40
Jedi thanks for the info but why do you feel that a few doses of klonopin and cutting down on xanax created the suicidal feelings I got and pdoc dc'd it and left me on xanax alone? He was trying to switch from xanax to klonopin and seriously was not suicidl til took the klonopin but said to husband how I felt but really wasn't???? Never have been suicidal? Love Phillipa
Posted by ultra on February 16, 2008, at 18:45:25
In reply to Re: Klonopin » garyengelm, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 17:28:22
I am also trying to stop klonopin as an experiment. I'm not sure if it's making me depressed, but I want to see how I do off it. It is a useful drug for lots of people. I personally feel that the drug has lost its effects and is merely an addiction. The sore eyes sleeping problems are quite a bother. I'm glad you are feeling better. I wish you well. To those who are happy with klonopin: the drug is quite useful. It got me through a divorce, miscarriage, etc. The list goes on. I no not condemn benzos. I merely desire to experiment with my mental health and try a drug free method. THANK YOU. Good day =)
Posted by Jedi on February 17, 2008, at 23:55:22
In reply to Re: Klonopin » Jedi, posted by Phillipa on February 14, 2008, at 22:42:31
> Jedi thanks for the info but why do you feel that a few doses of klonopin and cutting down on xanax created the suicidal feelings I got and pdoc dc'd it and left me on xanax alone? He was trying to switch from xanax to klonopin and seriously was not suicidl til took the klonopin but said to husband how I felt but really wasn't???? Never have been suicidal? Love Phillipa
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Phillipa,
I'm sorry for the slow response, but I've been out of the country for a few days. Your response in this thread really confused me. As I said, people can react to clonazepam in different ways. Clonazepam can make some people more depressed but it does not have this effect on everybody. I said nothing about your suicidal feelings, in fact my response was specifically to Dan to emphasize that there are some people that are really helped by clonazepam(see below).If your response was a question to me, your reaction was a case study of one. This proves nothing. I'm sure there are many studies which show that depression can be increased by clonazepam. Everybody is different.
Take care,
Jedi
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: Klonopin » SteelyDan
Posted by Jedi on February 14, 2008, at 2:56:40Hi Dan,
I'm sure for many people clonazepam can make their depression worse. However there are many studies where clonazepam, as an augmentor of antidepressants, improves the symptoms of depression, anxiety, social anxiety and panic disorder. Generally, if the depression has a large anxiety component, clonazepam may help.
Take care,
Jedi
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.