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For those on Klonopin

Messages
6
How did you get a doctor to prescribe it long term?

I have a psychiatrist and he wants to pull it after about 8 months on it. It seems to be the only drug or even supplement that helps anymore. My brain otherwise feels like it is on fire with electrical signaling and my mind races without it. It also helps depression/anxiety just as much as physical exercise tolerance, so there is some crossover in psychological and physical for me.

What kind of doctor do you go to? I only take 1.25mg per day, i feel like i need a bit more, I mean it works, but my brain still feels overstimulated quite a bit. And just fwiw, my energy went from not being able to do anything AT ALL except lay around to being able to drive around/ walk slowly a mile per day every day as well as be social a few times a week.
 
Messages
6
Oh yeah, my doctors reasoning is 1) the drug has withdrawal and tolerance and 2) I don't have a job yet, so the drug doesn't work, which for me is ridiculous reasoning because obviously he doesn't know what cfs is and he explicitly told me he isn't treating me for that.
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I will agree with the doctor about tolerance and withdrawal. I had a lot of problems when I decided to stop taking it even though I used titration to get off of it. It helped me a lot in the beginning and I was lucky to stay at 1 mg.

I had one doctor who yelled through the office that I was a drug addict when I asked for a 3 months RX. Another wanted me to go to rehab (which you can't do for benzos IMO). You just have to find a doctor who understands ME/CFS and go from there. You may have to call around and see.

Mink

I'm curious. Did this doctor tell you how he was going to get you off the K once you had been on this dose for 8 months? I took 4 months using water titration to get off 1 mg. I didn't sleep more than 2 hours a night for a year starting the 2nd month of my taper.

I"m not saying don't take it, it worked great for me for a few years. Just be aware and going up is going to be a bitch to get off if you ever want to.
 

JT1024

Senior Member
Messages
582
Location
Massachusetts
I have two physicians... neither are well versed in ME/CFS/FM who both want me off of Klonopin/Clonazepam. The functional medicine physician that I've seen for several years has many patients on it and is not as concerned about it.

According to my Primary Care Physician, they are most worried about dementia due to extended use. Whether cognitive decline is due to Klonopin/clonazepam or due to ME/CFS/FM is still to be determined IMHO.

Overall, it seems many physicians are afraid of prescribing much these days. The medication that have helped the most are the ones conventional docs avoid at all costs.
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
Definitely what mink says.

I have been on Klonepin for 18 years. Fortunately, in my case, I have never had to up the dose and though I started out at 2 mg. per day, I have been on 1.5 mg. per day for about five years. I think I requested the lower dosage, but don't remember why. Darn fog.:rolleyes: I was put on it for my RLS. It definitely helps calm my nervous system when similar medications did not do this.It was prescribed by my sleep neurologist.

If you are in the states, the FDA has once again said they will come down even harder on doctors who are prescribing pain meds as well as Klonepin type of medications. Some doctors who work with patients with chronic pain issues don't want this.

Good luck!

PS I am typing this on my tablet so hope the above makes sense.
Edit. to correct dosage amount.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
Definitely what mink says.

I have been on Klonepin for 18 years. Fortunately, in my case, I have never had to up the dose and though I started out at 200 mg. per day, I have been on 150 per day for about five years. I think I requested the lower dosage, but don't remember why. Darn fog.:rolleyes: I was put on it for my RLS. It definitely helps calm my nervous system when similar medications did not do this.It was prescribed by my sleep neurologist.

If you are in the states, the FDA has once again said they will come down even harder on doctors who are prescribing pain meds as well as Klonepin type of medications. Some doctors who work with patients with chronic pain issues don't want this.

Good luck!

PS I am typing this on my tablet so hope the above makes sense.

I think you tablet screwed up your dose! You'd be dead on 150 mgs of klonopin! :eek: Maybe you mean 1.5 mg?

Sushi
 

barbc56

Senior Member
Messages
3,657
OMG! I wish I could blame it on the Klonipin. You are right, I am on 1.5! :D
Thanks Sushi!
 

vamah

Senior Member
Messages
593
Location
Washington , DC area
I am not on klonopin (tried it, did nothing for me), but I found that my regular physician is better about proscribing than my psychiatrst was. She would only give me 10 days of xanax at a time.