Social Anxiety Support

TDW · 03-13-2009, 04:25 PM

Hi Group,

I am new to the board, and nice to meet you all. My ENT doctor prescribed Klonopin for me about 3.5 weeks ago. At first I was on .25mg once per day, and then after the first week, I was on .50mg for a little over 2 weeks. I took it every morning as instructed ( a little over 3 weeks total). Monday I started having what my doc thinks may have been a little alergic reaction to it, so he had me quit cold turkey. The first few days were ok, but then Thursday I started getting a headache similar to the kind I got when I tappered and quit Lexapro a while back. I am actually back on Lexapro now and have been for 2 months. Thie headache is fairly intense, like a tight tension headache. The despensing pharmacist told me it was highly unlikely that I would have withdrawal symptoms after just a little over 3 weeks, which I sort of don't totally agree with since I took it every day (once per day). I then called another pharmacist who told me that it was totally possible to have withdrawal effects after that long, go figure. This one said it could take 2 weeks for my body to normalize. I would like to have your opinions. Moral of the story, I didn't taper, and I"m wondering if I should have even after such a short period and low dose.

I now think I'll try to ride out the withdrawals, as they have only been this nagging headache so far. Maybe in a few more days it will be gone.

Best!
TDW

Jrock · 03-13-2009, 04:32 PM

I have tried 4 different SSRI's and always quit cold turkey. Some had terrible withdraw effects, others did not. Even with tappering a med you can still have withdraw effects. I'd just wait it out.

But I am curious, why would an ENT prescribe a benzo?

TDW · 03-13-2009, 05:09 PM

Believe it or not, Benzo's are known to often reduce the volume of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which is why it was prescribed to me. I've had it for about 3 months. I deal with it pretty good now, but the Benzo didn't make any difference, but I didn't expect it to in just a little over 3 weeks at such a low dose. Typically it takes 3 months or so to help tinnitus volume.

I think I'll stick it out since I wasn't on it that long, and apparently headache is the least severe of the withdrawal symptoms. This headache could be something else, but I think its related. Maybe it will be gone in a few more days.

Jrock · 03-13-2009, 05:43 PM

I was on Lexapro for a couple months and stopped it cold turkey. I got brain zaps which were very unpleasant. Can you imagine being being on a 60' roof and you turn your head only to feel like your getting electrocuted in the brain....

I don't want to alarm you with my story, I think you're fine. Like you said, a headache can be caused by a number of things. Especially if your going to an ENT. Anybody who sees an ENT usually has that symptom anyhow.

And I didn't know that a benzo could be used for that. Thanks for the info

TDW · 03-13-2009, 06:26 PM

Wow, that would be super scary. I don't think I've had brain zaps, but maybe I have. One common thing about this headache, and the headaches I got when coming off Lexapro was when I turned my head real quick, its like it took a second for my equilibrium to normalize. I have that with this headache. The ENT actually thinks there is a connection between allergies that I have and the ear ringing, which from what I read seems very possible. I just recently started Singulair and Clarinex for the allergies. Isn't the body complicated!

TDW · 03-14-2009, 08:47 AM

Just wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with taking Klonopin for a short period of time, then getting off of the benzo.

Unfortunately there are a lot of horror stories on the internet, and few people that took it for as short a period as I have. Today the headaches doesn't seem too bad, I hope I"m going in the right direction!

Jrock · 03-14-2009, 01:31 PM

I'm not sure I understand your question. You should have no trouble with taking Klonopin short term. Alot of people on this site take it regularly and for years.

TDW · 03-14-2009, 03:21 PM

Sorry about that, what my actual question is: I took Klonopin 3.5 weeks, .25 once per day the first week, and .50 once per day for 2 weeks. My Dr. had me stop it cold turkey after the 3.5 weeks due to some potential allergic reactions. After 3 days of stopping it I have gotten headaches for the past 2 days that seem to be related to the sudden stop. I've spoken to 2 pharmacist that say 3.5 weeks of continuous use isn't enough to cause any withdrawal symptoms, and I spoke to 1 pharmacist that said, absolutely, anything over 2 weeks on a benzo can cause some withdrawal symptoms. My other doc told me today that indeed this was the case. I just wanted to see if anyone had taken it short term every day like I have (around a month or 2) and stopped cold turkey, and what their experience was.

The doc today said it could take 2 more weeks for my body to normalize. What was interesting is that he prefaced his reponse like "ok, here's the truth about benzo's," "anything over 2 weeks can cause withdrawal symptoms." Kind of like it not something most medical docs want to tell you.

determinedtowin · 03-14-2009, 04:03 PM

Hey there,
I'm really sorry you're having a hard time. I believe that people can definitely have withdrawal symptoms after being on a benzo for such a short time. I haven't personally had problems coming off them, but i have read stories of many people that have. I think there are benzo withdrawal support groups online if you do need further advice. We are all individual and respond to meds in different ways - when starting them - and discontinuing them - and if you think you are suffering from withdrawal symptoms - don't let others tell you that you aren't! Good luck and hope that you feel much better soon x

TDW · 03-14-2009, 05:29 PM

Thanks for your reply Determinedtowin! I totally agree with you! I'm hanging in there, and seem to be getting better with time. Hopefully my withdrawal will be short since I wasn't on it very long and on a small dose. You are correct, different people react so differently to various drugs. I imagine being in the pharmacy business could be tough!

Best to all!

Redefine · 03-16-2009, 06:32 PM

Hey man I've been on klonopin for a little over a year now. It's helped greatly with anxiety. However, if I don't take for a little over a day I already start to get symptoms of withdrawal. I get intense anxiety, horrible insomnia, racing thoughts, irritability, inability to focus on anything, also I get really bad ringing in my ears. If I ever want to taper I'm gonna have to do it extremely slowly. I think it's horrible I'm dependent on it.

Zephyr · 03-16-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redefine

Hey man I've been on klonopin for a little over a year now. It's helped greatly with anxiety. However, if I don't take for a little over a day I already start to get symptoms of withdrawal. I get intense anxiety, horrible insomnia, racing thoughts, irritability, inability to focus on anything, also I get really bad ringing in my ears. If I ever want to taper I'm gonna have to do it extremely slowly. I think it's horrible I'm dependent on it.

That's always what I've heard about Klonopin. It's great for anxiety, but it's very addictive with nasty withdrawal symptoms.

I've also read about it being used to treat tinnitus. In fact, once I asked my doctor to prescribe it to me for that and the anxiety (kill two birds with one stone I guess) but she wouldn't. This was just a family doctor, not an ENT or any kind of specialist.

Medline · 03-16-2009, 10:43 PM

@Redefine: How much mg do you take daily? Are you still getting good anti-anxiety effects from that dose?

MissMay1977 · 03-17-2009, 08:51 AM

I took .5 mg of this stuff and it makes me sedated but angry at the same time.

Redefine · 03-17-2009, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medline

@Redefine: How much mg do you take daily? Are you still getting good anti-anxiety effects from that dose?

Usually anywhere from 1-2 mg, I try not to take anymore than that. It doesn't work as well as it used to, but yea it still takes most of the anxiety away. I feel like I definitely developed a tolerance to it. There were times when I first started taking it when I was going to be in a very stimulating situation I would take 2 mg and it would make me borderline high. Lol, I don't get any of that anymore.

It's not a magic pill. It slows my mind down and seems to take a lot of motivation out of me. It's not a pro-social drug and it's not a happy pill. It does calm me down. I wish I could get therapy but being in college and everything it just wouldn't work with the time constraints.

Now that I look back, I would definitely get into therapy first before starting to use a benzo long term. I just wanted a quick fix at the time and the klonopin was the closest to it.

Deer · 03-17-2009, 05:41 PM

I do .5mg whenever I get anxiety and need to calm down - it's not a daily medication. I've been advised to take half a pill and even that makes me very sleepy, yet calm. I've read that you build up a tolerance to it over the course of a few years so your dosage needs to go up.

Beffrey28 · 03-18-2009, 03:45 AM

Is it possible to take Klonopin 2 days a week and Phenibut 2 days a week without building tolerance? In the weekend the booze will do the work.

Medline · 03-18-2009, 04:49 AM

Shoudl be possible IMHO.

liss · 03-18-2009, 12:20 PM

If TDW is still reading this: I took klonopin for about a month. 0.5 mg twice a day. About the third day I was off of it cold turkey, I went through withdrawl symptoms myself. I was sick for a week.

TDW · 03-19-2009, 08:09 PM

Hi liss, yep, tomorrow makes a week that I've had symptoms. The doc gave me a muscle relaxer to help with the withdrawal tension headaches. So far, that has been my biggest symptom. I had daily tension headaches for 4 years straight, it was really a rough time, and nothing I took helped, but finally, I took Lexapro and after a while, it started helping a lot. I have been back on Lexapro for about 2 months to help me cope with the tinnitus, which has gotten louder during withdrawal from Klonopin, which I think is pretty normal. How long the volume will be increased, I don't know. I think since I had bouts with tension headaches in the past, I was probably a likely candidate to have them during withdrawal. They literally feel the exact same as the old ones.

I am also taking Magnesium and BComplex(Time Release) to help with the withdrawal headaches.

TDW

03-13-2009, 04:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Klonopin Question Hi Group, I am new to the board, and nice to meet you all. My ENT doctor prescribed Klonopin for me about 3.5 weeks ago. At first I was on .25mg once per day, and then after the first week, I was on .50mg for a little over 2 weeks. I took it every morning as instructed ( a little over 3 weeks total). Monday I started having what my doc thinks may have been a little alergic reaction to it, so he had me quit cold turkey. The first few days were ok, but then Thursday I started getting a headache similar to the kind I got when I tappered and quit Lexapro a while back. I am actually back on Lexapro now and have been for 2 months. Thie headache is fairly intense, like a tight tension headache. The despensing pharmacist told me it was highly unlikely that I would have withdrawal symptoms after just a little over 3 weeks, which I sort of don't totally agree with since I took it every day (once per day). I then called another pharmacist who told me that it was totally possible to have withdrawal effects after that long, go figure. This one said it could take 2 weeks for my body to normalize. I would like to have your opinions. Moral of the story, I didn't taper, and I"m wondering if I should have even after such a short period and low dose. I now think I'll try to ride out the withdrawals, as they have only been this nagging headache so far. Maybe in a few more days it will be gone. Best! TDW

03-16-2009, 06:32 PM	#11 (permalink)
Redefine Status: Staying positive Join Date: Jan 2005 Gender: Male Age: 20 Posts: 767	Hey man I've been on klonopin for a little over a year now. It's helped greatly with anxiety. However, if I don't take for a little over a day I already start to get symptoms of withdrawal. I get intense anxiety, horrible insomnia, racing thoughts, irritability, inability to focus on anything, also I get really bad ringing in my ears. If I ever want to taper I'm gonna have to do it extremely slowly. I think it's horrible I'm dependent on it. __________________ "The world's a roller coaster And I am not strapped in Maybe I should hold with care But my hands are busy in the air" ~ Incubus

03-17-2009, 08:51 AM	#14 (permalink)
MissMay1977 Status: Freakin Beautiful Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Indiana Gender: Female Age: 32 Posts: 1,088	I took .5 mg of this stuff and it makes me sedated but angry at the same time. __________________ <@_@> la la laaaaaaa

03-13-2009, 04:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jrock Status: Inactive - User Requested Join Date: Dec 2008 Gender: Male Age: 29 Posts: 653	I have tried 4 different SSRI's and always quit cold turkey. Some had terrible withdraw effects, others did not. Even with tappering a med you can still have withdraw effects. I'd just wait it out. But I am curious, why would an ENT prescribe a benzo?

03-13-2009, 05:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Believe it or not, Benzo's are known to often reduce the volume of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which is why it was prescribed to me. I've had it for about 3 months. I deal with it pretty good now, but the Benzo didn't make any difference, but I didn't expect it to in just a little over 3 weeks at such a low dose. Typically it takes 3 months or so to help tinnitus volume. I think I'll stick it out since I wasn't on it that long, and apparently headache is the least severe of the withdrawal symptoms. This headache could be something else, but I think its related. Maybe it will be gone in a few more days.

03-13-2009, 05:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Jrock Status: Inactive - User Requested Join Date: Dec 2008 Gender: Male Age: 29 Posts: 653	I was on Lexapro for a couple months and stopped it cold turkey. I got brain zaps which were very unpleasant. Can you imagine being being on a 60' roof and you turn your head only to feel like your getting electrocuted in the brain.... I don't want to alarm you with my story, I think you're fine. Like you said, a headache can be caused by a number of things. Especially if your going to an ENT. Anybody who sees an ENT usually has that symptom anyhow. And I didn't know that a benzo could be used for that. Thanks for the info

03-13-2009, 06:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Wow, that would be super scary. I don't think I've had brain zaps, but maybe I have. One common thing about this headache, and the headaches I got when coming off Lexapro was when I turned my head real quick, its like it took a second for my equilibrium to normalize. I have that with this headache. The ENT actually thinks there is a connection between allergies that I have and the ear ringing, which from what I read seems very possible. I just recently started Singulair and Clarinex for the allergies. Isn't the body complicated!

03-14-2009, 08:47 AM	#6 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Just wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with taking Klonopin for a short period of time, then getting off of the benzo. Unfortunately there are a lot of horror stories on the internet, and few people that took it for as short a period as I have. Today the headaches doesn't seem too bad, I hope I"m going in the right direction!

03-14-2009, 01:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jrock Status: Inactive - User Requested Join Date: Dec 2008 Gender: Male Age: 29 Posts: 653	I'm not sure I understand your question. You should have no trouble with taking Klonopin short term. Alot of people on this site take it regularly and for years.

03-14-2009, 03:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Sorry about that, what my actual question is: I took Klonopin 3.5 weeks, .25 once per day the first week, and .50 once per day for 2 weeks. My Dr. had me stop it cold turkey after the 3.5 weeks due to some potential allergic reactions. After 3 days of stopping it I have gotten headaches for the past 2 days that seem to be related to the sudden stop. I've spoken to 2 pharmacist that say 3.5 weeks of continuous use isn't enough to cause any withdrawal symptoms, and I spoke to 1 pharmacist that said, absolutely, anything over 2 weeks on a benzo can cause some withdrawal symptoms. My other doc told me today that indeed this was the case. I just wanted to see if anyone had taken it short term every day like I have (around a month or 2) and stopped cold turkey, and what their experience was. The doc today said it could take 2 more weeks for my body to normalize. What was interesting is that he prefaced his reponse like "ok, here's the truth about benzo's," "anything over 2 weeks can cause withdrawal symptoms." Kind of like it not something most medical docs want to tell you.

03-14-2009, 04:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
determinedtowin Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 88	Hey there, I'm really sorry you're having a hard time. I believe that people can definitely have withdrawal symptoms after being on a benzo for such a short time. I haven't personally had problems coming off them, but i have read stories of many people that have. I think there are benzo withdrawal support groups online if you do need further advice. We are all individual and respond to meds in different ways - when starting them - and discontinuing them - and if you think you are suffering from withdrawal symptoms - don't let others tell you that you aren't! Good luck and hope that you feel much better soon x

03-14-2009, 05:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Thanks for your reply Determinedtowin! I totally agree with you! I'm hanging in there, and seem to be getting better with time. Hopefully my withdrawal will be short since I wasn't on it very long and on a small dose. You are correct, different people react so differently to various drugs. I imagine being in the pharmacy business could be tough! Best to all!

03-16-2009, 10:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
Medline Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,865	@Redefine: How much mg do you take daily? Are you still getting good anti-anxiety effects from that dose?

03-17-2009, 05:41 PM	#16 (permalink)
Deer Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Florida Gender: Female Age: 21 Posts: 2	I do .5mg whenever I get anxiety and need to calm down - it's not a daily medication. I've been advised to take half a pill and even that makes me very sleepy, yet calm. I've read that you build up a tolerance to it over the course of a few years so your dosage needs to go up.

03-18-2009, 03:45 AM	#17 (permalink)
Beffrey28 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Netherlands Gender: Male Posts: 88	Is it possible to take Klonopin 2 days a week and Phenibut 2 days a week without building tolerance? In the weekend the booze will do the work.

03-18-2009, 04:49 AM	#18 (permalink)
Medline Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Gender: Male Posts: 1,865	Shoudl be possible IMHO.

03-18-2009, 12:20 PM	#19 (permalink)
liss Status: SAS Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 7	If TDW is still reading this: I took klonopin for about a month. 0.5 mg twice a day. About the third day I was off of it cold turkey, I went through withdrawl symptoms myself. I was sick for a week.

03-19-2009, 08:09 PM	#20 (permalink)
TDW Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 7	Hi liss, yep, tomorrow makes a week that I've had symptoms. The doc gave me a muscle relaxer to help with the withdrawal tension headaches. So far, that has been my biggest symptom. I had daily tension headaches for 4 years straight, it was really a rough time, and nothing I took helped, but finally, I took Lexapro and after a while, it started helping a lot. I have been back on Lexapro for about 2 months to help me cope with the tinnitus, which has gotten louder during withdrawal from Klonopin, which I think is pretty normal. How long the volume will be increased, I don't know. I think since I had bouts with tension headaches in the past, I was probably a likely candidate to have them during withdrawal. They literally feel the exact same as the old ones. I am also taking Magnesium and BComplex(Time Release) to help with the withdrawal headaches. TDW