I would GREATLY appreciate informed (maybe even half-informed) thoughts. I take 1.5 mg of Klonipin per day. But this isn’t just for anxiety. I take it for both anxiety and seizures. Not easily replaced for me. I’m also on Lamictal for seizures (and effexor rx for anxiety). I’m 54. I’m going to need to make some difficult decisions. That’s just my initial reaction.
Have you considered switching to something like CBD for anxiety? If that raises your hackles, it’s perfectly legal if it comes from the hemp plant — CBD from hemp’s cousin, cannabis, is not.
If it is,it is, seizures too, I wouldn’t come off it unless,the dose,is so low,it,wouldnt really matter. Have you talked to,the doc about it? Imdunno,I dunno, 1.5 mg is a small amount of klonipan or not?
Some say cbd oil helps witn anxiety, although docs can’t prescribe it apparently, they can give advice about the cbd as they have a lot,of patients on it evidently. They might be an a,terns4ive for,the klonipan if it isn’t vital for the anxiety? But do,speak,about it,to,the doc and state your concern for neural issues being on it. They knight have soemthing else they can use, though I think most anti anxiety drugs are of,that typ,e of med
Talk to your doctor.
Anxiety could be a hormonal imbalance or a dietary insuffiency, like potassium deficient (me)...........
I have .5 mgs but only take on an “as needed” basis.
Was on Effexor some years ago. Noticed if I missed a dose...would go into withdrawal. Caused weight gain as well. Doc weaned me off using another SSRI. Won’t be taking that again.
Talk to your doc about your concerns and options.
Same with me. I take lamotrigine and klonipin. Seizures come back when i stop the klonipin, other wise they are completely controlled.
I do wonder if they are contributing to my Parkinson’s though.
You should seek medical advice from a physician who knows you as it pertains to you personally.
However, on the last decade we have learned a lot about benzos. They are not great drugs. We used to use a lot of versed preoperatively (Midaazolam is an amnestic) and we used to use it as a drip on critical care for ventilated patients. Some really great work came out demonstrating how benzos promote delirium which can be fatal on critically ill adults. As it turns out about 5% of patients wake up off the chain from anesthesia and we figured it out that it was emergence delirium because of benzo.
They are also quite addictive. And in combination with opioids are quite deadly. Once in a while you can use them IV to stop seizures, but generally we have other meds for prophylaxis and for treatment of seizures
In general, I rarely I’d ever use benzos in my practice anymore. They have an awful lot of bad effects and this study is not surprising given what we have known about this class of drugs.