clonazepam help please

[aclockworkrystn]

I have been .25 mg of clonazepam every morning for about 5 months. I was taking lorazepam almost daily for a month or two prior to clonazepam and then my psychiatrist switched me because clonazepam has a longer half life and is more ideal for daily use, according to him.
I don't know what's going on but I feel like it's turning on me. It worked great at first but the last few weeks I haven't felt right. Really depressed a lot of the time, paranoid, having a lot of negative thoughts that I can't escape, all of which leaves me feeling very insecure and it's like a vicious cycle. I also had a very late period this month and pms that was more horrible than usual..I have tried taking an extra pill twice within the last week or so but it seemed to only make me feel worse or more anxious. I took an extra one last night around 6 pm and still felt quite anxious all night. I woke up this morning quite anxious as well and took my pill, I then found myself crying hysterically about half hour later and I feel like I can't snap out of my negative thoughts. I feel like I can't even see my life how it truly is because I am so clouded by this haze of depression and paranoia. I so easily forget any time that I feel happy so when I do feel depressed like this, it seems like it's all I know regardless of what's actually going on in life. I know, logically, that I have nothing to be depressed about. I'm very scared. Is it possible that the clonazepam has anything to do with these feelings? I feel like I should stop taking it and the sooner the better. If anyone could share their experiences or offer me any advice or peace of mind I would appreciate it greatly.
I am really a mess right now.

[Dahila]

Hey where u are very anxious, depressed , even the best meds will not work. I can take 3 zoplicone before sleep and not to sleep . I am on clonazepam for over 2 years on 0.5 mg daily. My anxiety starts to act on evenings, so I take it on evening which helps me to sleep. When I am upset nothing helps.......
U need to ask your GP to do check up, hormones levels, it looks like you have mood swings, Clonazepam is not enough for you. You need to talk to your psychiatrist about medication. Something to keep you balanced. I am sorry you are going through it.

[gypsylee]

I have been .25 mg of clonazepam every morning for about 5 months. I was taking lorazepam almost daily for a month or two prior to clonazepam and then my psychiatrist switched me because clonazepam has a longer half life and is more ideal for daily use, according to him.
I don't know what's going on but I feel like it's turning on me. It worked great at first but the last few weeks I haven't felt right. Really depressed a lot of the time, paranoid, having a lot of negative thoughts that I can't escape, all of which leaves me feeling very insecure and it's like a vicious cycle. I also had a very late period this month and pms that was more horrible than usual..I have tried taking an extra pill twice within the last week or so but it seemed to only make me feel worse or more anxious. I took an extra one last night around 6 pm and still felt quite anxious all night. I woke up this morning quite anxious as well and took my pill, I then found myself crying hysterically about half hour later and I feel like I can't snap out of my negative thoughts. I feel like I can't even see my life how it truly is because I am so clouded by this haze of depression and paranoia. I so easily forget any time that I feel happy so when I do feel depressed like this, it seems like it's all I know regardless of what's actually going on in life. I know, logically, that I have nothing to be depressed about. I'm very scared. Is it possible that the clonazepam has anything to do with these feelings? I feel like I should stop taking it and the sooner the better. If anyone could share their experiences or offer me any advice or peace of mind I would appreciate it greatly.
I am really a mess right now.

Hey :)

Well 0.25mg Clonozepam isn't much I don't think. But when I was taking benzos regularly it got to the point where I'm sure it made the anxiety worse. It's hard to tell with me because I added alcohol to the mix.

There's a big recent discussion on the General board about Klonopin by the way.

Are you on any other meds for your anxiety/depression? SSRIs? Because those are a better long-term strategy.

Cheers,
Gypsy x

[aclockworkrystn]

Hey :)

Well 0.25mg Clonozepam isn't much I don't think. But when I was taking benzos regularly it got to the point where I'm sure it made the anxiety worse. It's hard to tell with me because I added alcohol to the mix.

There's a big recent discussion on the General board about Klonopin by the way.

Are you on any other meds for your anxiety/depression? SSRIs? Because those are a better long-term strategy.

Cheers,
Gypsy x

Thank you for your response. No I don't currently take anything else. I have tried a handful of antidepressants but they all make me feel the same; numbed out, apathetic, etc. Which is actually sort of how clonazepam has been making me feel lately especially if I take that extra dose. I will definitely check out that discussion, thank you!

[gypsylee]

Thank you for your response. No I don't currently take anything else. I have tried a handful of antidepressants but they all make me feel the same; numbed out, apathetic, etc. Which is actually sort of how clonazepam has been making me feel lately especially if I take that extra dose. I will definitely check out that discussion, thank you!

Hmm you might be better off not taking anything then. There are some people here who have overcome their anxiety without any meds.

That discussion is all over the place lol, but Clonazepam seems to be a hot topic atm :)

[aclockworkrystn]

Yes I agree. I loved lorazepam but I don't want to take anything long term. I think I am going to look into some natural supplements and have my hormone levels checked as I feel they have been messed up since I had my daughter 2 years ago.

[jessed03]

You look young in your picture. I can only assume you're not a granny using a pic of her granddaughter or something.

At your age, psychotherapy is more important than anything else. The drugs are just a means to hold you together until you've sorted out your brain.

I don't think the Clonazepam is the reason for your recent problems. That being said, benzos can delay the release of anxious feelings, and can cloud them, making them harder to process. Personally, I think you'd still be facing something similar if you were off of it. So whether you want to continue or not is your choice.

[aclockworkrystn]

Thank you for your input. . Yes I'm 24, have had anxiety since I was about 4. I don't feel like it's helping me any more and taking a higher dose seems to make me feel worse, which is strange (maybe? ) so either way I want to stop. I do feel like it's definitely effecting my serotonin, especially considering how depressed I feel the following morning after I take an extra dose at night. I really do think a lot of my problems are due to a hormone imbalance. Everything from my anxiety to pms has gotten so much worse after pregnancy.