Bipolar Type II Support Group

my pdoc recently started me on 0.5 mg of klonopin tid as needed and upped my geodon from 40 to 60. I am a little worried about the klonopin. my pdoc told me that if I run out of the medicine she wouldn't see me anymore (she told me it can be highly addictive and I should only use as needed), but what if I need to every day three times a day. I typically always anxious, i don't sleep well unless im under the influence of a sleep aid (which I do not like to take, and don't sleep very well with anyways). I am just afraid what if I take the klonopin and works great for my anxiety.....will she take me off of it and then i go back to be anxious all the time? I have no idea how the progression of a medicine like klonopin works and am just scared because of my pdocs warning. she just doesn't want me to abuse the medicine and I dont want to abuse it either. but now i think im making myself so paranoid. Anyone else take klonopin? if so, how did it make you feel? did it help? did you stay on it? what happened? Any help or experiences with this it greatly appreciated cause I am freakin myself out here.......

I take Klonopin to help control my rapid cycling. I started taking only one tablet every 48 hours, but then increased to 2 after I was starting to cycle.

I had an appointment with my tdoc this morning and he told me I'm manic. He would like me to increase my Klonopin to 2 tablets 3x/day which is what I agreed to do.

If you decide to take 3 tablets/day, I don't think you should run into any problems.

As for how Klonopin makes me feel, it calms me to the point where I'm not cycling into agitation or mania.

However, it doesn't calm me to the point where I feel sleepy.

Sorry I can't help because I'm not on the medication. I know how frustrating it is to try to find the right kind of medication that will work for you. I'm still going through that. Good luck.

Tracey

I took Klonopin at one time. In my experience, it worked great for anxiety. However, later on depression crept in. The depression side effect is a possibility, but only a very small percentage of folks get that side effect according to bdr.

One thing that's ironic about your post is I started taking Geodon as well. I'm taking 40mg @ night and soon will be taking 40mg 2x per day. Good luck and let us know how that is going if you don't mind.

Post edited by: SpazyJess, at: 03/20/2009 16:38

so far, i have been feeling ok with my new dosage of geodon and the klonopin. I feel more tired than usual after I take the medicine so I am taking it right before I go to bed now. I still get anxious though....if I drink any caffeine, even just a cup or two, I'm wired. but it almost feels like thats what I have to do to wake up from my meds. I had a little alcohol this weekend, fortunately it started to make me feel sick right away so I quit drinking rather quickly. I have been depressed a lot lately, not sure why just am. I got in an argument with my spouse yesterday. all he does is sit around and play video games it seems and not spend any time with me. i got so frustrated I already felt like my mind was on fire, i was dizzy, angry. i slammed my food down on the floor and made a huge mess and started punching the cabinets (good thing they are made of hard wood and only cracked a little). I hate having these episodes.....i just want to stay in one stable place. it's been over the month since I started on my current cocktail and I find myself having a hard time being able to tell if it makes a difference or not.

I have some experience taking a benzodiazepene (Ativan rather than Klonopin). It seems as if your pdoc should have put you on a schedule rather than PRN as that seems a better way to control how much you take? The benzos can be physically addictive, but usually only after you have taken them daily for more than a month or so. Some people have the philosophy of, if it helps, who cares if it is addictive? My husband is dependent on narcotic pain killers to control his pain...doesn't want to be dependent, but doesn't want to be in pain. It is definitely a double-edged sword.

It is good your pdoc wants to make sure you do not abuse or become addicted to the Klonopin. I hope it helps. The Ativan has helped me, but can cause grogginess/lack of concentration.

I stopped my meds for four months but I was on Klonopin. One pDoc was very controlling with the Klonopin. I was so anxious I took more than is prescribed three a day and when I ran out he would not give me more or take my calls. I would go into withdrawals.

I changed doctors. The new pDoc prescribed me 120 Klonopin a month. It helped alot since I am a manic freak: always anxiety ridden.

Go back to pDoc today. Hope he gives me more Klonopin so I can calm down, sleep and stop violent outbursts.

I did not care that Klonopin was addictive as it relaxed me enough to stop the violence within me. I used to claw the back of my neck from anxiety until it scabbed and dripped blood down my back. With Klonopin I stopped that bad habit, too.

crazyblonde,

The old pdoc that was "very controlling" with the klonopin was just doing his/her job since klonopin is addictive. If you take more medication than you are supposed to, that's being non-compliant. When I was prescribed klonopin, my pdoc at the time was very careful in how much he prescribed.

It's very concerning the new pdoc prescribed 120 klons for the month. It seems rather excessive. If your pdoc prescribes you an unlimited supply, not only is that a bad pdoc; you're going to build more of a tolerance to the medication so it's not going to work in your favor. My advice would be to look into other options.

Post edited by: SpazyJess, at: 08/17/2009 09:37 AM

I also take Klonopin but that sounds like alot to take and to expect more. It does sound like you are building up a tolerance to them and you should discuss this with your pdoc not to get more but to decide how to either take less or the same amount with the same results. I am prescribed 60 a month and only take 1 each night for bed I never end up really needing them for anxiety I think just knowing I have the extras I feel better. You could try to start cutting the dose in half to wean the levels down. Then you hopefully eventually wont need so many a month but will have them for emergency situations. Watch out for the side effects of Geodon I took it and it zombified me so much all I could do was sleep. Every single person reacts differently to meds I am just sharing my experience. My pdoc took me right off of it she said thats the opposite reaction and meant it would never work for me. I am so sensitive to meds. I had the same effect with Invega and Abilify. I wish you the best of luck! Stacey

Thanks for the advice regarding Klonopin. I went back to my pDoc today. Since I quit my meds for four months he is starting me at 2 mg. twice a day or as needed. He is going to increase it accordingly when he sees how my anxiety goes with the Geodone.

I have extreme manai and awful anxiety attacks. I had a doctor once that prescribed me those Xanax bars to take four times a day or as needed but I don't see that guy anymore.

I think they made anti anxiety drugs for me with the god awful anxiety disorder added to my bipolar.

Thanks. I will talk to pDoc about it anyway.