Klonopin and prozac

[49ermike]

I have recently (2 months) been put on Prozac and klonopin for anxiety. At first it was Xanax but that made me feel horrible so they put me on klonopin. .50mg Prozac in morning with .25 klonopin, .25 klonopin in afternoon and .50 at bedtime. I had been doing ok and went back to work half days. I started trying to ween myself off the klonopin as I read it was a tough one to get off. The past few days I have just been taking the half .25 pill in the morning only. Last night I had a horrible night, couldn't sleep, woke up nauseous and dry heaving, shaking and just feeling down right horrible. I've done some reading and it seems it could be withdrawal symptoms from going from 1 full mg a day to just .25. I thought I was smarter than my doc. Over the past 2 months I have gone from 185-160 lbs. I just feel like a shell of my former self. Anyone else tried to ween off klonopin with similiar issues? Thanks in advance.

[alankay]

I'd slow the taper but in general the lower the dose(1 mg/day is pretty average) the easier it is to taper down to an "as needed" use pattern(if that's what you trying to do, which is good).
It depends of what makes you anxious. If it's work go with .5 mg in the AM then .25 in the PM. If it's sleep/night stay at .5 mg at night and .25 mgs in the AM for a few weeks then .25 mgs AM and PM. Hold there for a week or two then .5 mg before work or bed whichever time has the most anxiety for you then .25mg after you adjust. Klonopin has a nice long half life of approx 30 hours. You you can hold for a while at a given lower dose too. It's a slow process and you have to customize your taper down slowly. Stay on the fluoxetine(I think you mean 50 mg of fluoxetine, right? I have been through it too and the key is a slow, steady taper down with a pause if needed at a given dose. As lonmg as your moving in the right direction. Give yourself the time needed and you'll be fine. Your system will adjust. PM me any time. Alankay

[Perses]

Agree with alankay, but also want to give my story...

I cut myself off from Xanax and klonopin 3 months ago (it was cold-turkey) and this after 18 years. I really did not have too much trouble going off of it. I knew that I might experience anxiety, and I did. It was as I expected. I didn't suffer any withdrawal symptoms other than, as I said, a heightened sense of anxiety, which I would have assumed would happen.

On the other hand, I also never felt the need to go off the drug, and I went off it knowing that I could always go back on. I wasn't crossing the Rubicon; it was just an experiment. At the time that I went off, I knew I was going into a low stress situation. I had finished my doctorate and was moving close to my family. Thus, the external circumstances were completely changed. I had no reason to feel stress.

I think it's important to distinguish between the effects a drug might have on someone, and the anxiety itself. Is it the anxiety causing the symptoms? Or is it the drug (or its lack)? If someone said to you, klonopin is non-addicitive and effective, would you feel the need to go off of it? I'm not trying to push the drug on you. If you want to take it on an as-needed basis, then go for it. However, you could also continue to take clonazepam... If you take it regularly, as prescribed, and you feel some relief, then I don't think you are addicted to it. From what I understand, it is people who feel they need to increase the dosage, or who take it to get high, that doctors worry more about. It's not soooo magical that you will feel instantly better. I still felt anxious on it.

I'm planning to go back on it because I'm now looking for a job and my anxiety has kicked in to high gear. Am I addicted? Maybe, but better on a controlled substance than on alcohol or nicotine.

[HealthAnxNut]

I'm glad you asked this question, because it gave me some more information about klonopin. I am taking Wellbutrin right now, and I'm clenching my jaw like crazy, and quite anxious at night time, so I was thinking about talking to my dr about something that would help me relax in the evening. I don't want anything super strong, because I have a 3-year old. I saw that klonopin is an anticonvulsant, and one of the possible side effects of Wellbutrin is seizures (of course, I am worried!) and thought maybe that would be a good combination. Mike - did you have any stomach upset from the klonopin (not withdrawl related)?

[49ermike]

I'm glad you asked this question, because it gave me some more information about klonopin. I am taking Wellbutrin right now, and I'm clenching my jaw like crazy, and quite anxious at night time, so I was thinking about talking to my dr about something that would help me relax in the evening. I don't want anything super strong, because I have a 3-year old. I saw that klonopin is an anticonvulsant, and one of the possible side effects of Wellbutrin is seizures (of course, I am worried!) and thought maybe that would be a good combination. Mike - did you have any stomach upset from the klonopin (not withdrawl related)?

No I had no stomach issues at all. I am doing much better now. I am taking .25 (half pill) in the morning and another .25 in the evening. That is working fine for me.

[Perses]

FYI: I just went back on clonazepam last week. .5 mgs twice a day, just as I have taken for 18 years. I feel better; not without anxiety, but it does lessen the intrusive-impending doom-worst case-what if scenario thinking.

I will say that New York has really strict regulations regarding the drug, quite different from Chicago. The default assumption when you ask for clonazepam is that you want it either to get high or to sell it on the street. Ah, the joys of living in Sin City!!! You can only get a one month's prescription, and it can't be phoned or emailed in to the pharmacy. I have to go back each month to get it refilled. Fine by me.

The psychiatrists explained that the drug had been given out with too much frequency and to persons who really did not have severe anxiety. They felt that too many drugs for mental conditions were being handed out by general practitioners rather than by psychiatrists. Professional rivalry there.

Good Mike, I'm glad you are taking .50mg a day. A small dose should do you just fine.