The Benzodiazipine Gang

Clonazapam (Klonopin), Xanax, Ativan, etc.

Go for it....

I'm prescribed klonopin, and have been for a long time. I only take it maybe a handful of times throughout a given year depending on how difficult things are so I've had no issues with it, it helps but I avoid taking it unless it's like an emergency because I know this group of meds can cause dependency issues if taken too frequently.

I found that benzos exacerbated my mood shifts. Don't like them. Was prescribed them a lot because I do have a lot of anxiety but found propranolol worked better and targets the physical symptoms.

List of all ever taken: Librium, Klonopin, and Ativan

Librium was only given to me briefly during my first hospitalization, and primarily for detox from alcohol. It's a common benzo for that purpose.

Klonopin - I resent it! I have been on it for about 9 years now. It never did me any good. I was put on it during a depression. It made me very sleepy at 2 mg per day. I complained a lot about that. It was eventually lowered fairly early on to 0.5 mg, taken at night. I've been taking that low dose for almost all of the 9 years mentioned. My psychiatrist won't take me off the sucker! It does nothing. The only reason I'm still on it is because he thinks taking me off would be dangerous, that I would have a seizure. That's the evil aspect of being on a benzo for so long. I suggest avoiding them, or at least not taking them long or often, and to keep the dose down, too.

Ativan - I currently have this as a PRN, which is what it should always remain, and one I should only use very occasionally, and at as low of a dose as possible. Maybe 7 years ago, I was having severe issues with anxiety. I started to briefly abuse this medication, going up to 6 mg in a day, at my highest. I soon after told my psychiatrist and he yelled at me. At the time, I was able to easily slowly wean myself back to 0 mg. However, years later, I was suffering from akathisia and the normal akathisia relief medications had issues or didn't work. I took between 1 and 2 mg of Ativan per day for about 2 1/2 years. When the source for the akathisia was stopped (a long process in itself) I had to be weaned off of Ativan. That process was a bit bumpy, but I finally managed. I rarely take this PRN nowadays. Maybe one or two every three to six months, and only 0.5 mg, if I can help it. One milligram, at most. I do NOT want to become dependent on it again. Very often, if I have anxiety, I actually take 25 mg of Seroquel IR instead. Low dose Seroquel is helpful for my anxiety. I'm so used to Seroquel (Seroquel XR) that a piddly dose of 25 or 50 mg of the IR doesn't make me sleepy in the daytime. It just calms me a bit or puts me into what I call "Cool Jazz" state. Think Miles Davis.

Took Ativan in the past. Made me feel "drunk"/loopy. I don't think it helped much with my anxiety.

Also took Klonopin before, at 1mg. Seems to help quite a bit, but it sedates me and I am afraid of long-term use because of dependency, risk of depression, etc..

I'm sorry for starting this thread without posting my own benzo experience (had a therapy appointment to get to).

My experience with Klonopin is...hmmm...kind-of historical in the sense that I was initially prescribed K-pin in 1987. At that time it was believed to be a psychiatric wonder drug. Nipped anxiety in the bud within a few minutes, had no side effects, and a patient could stop taking it any time without issue. Pdocs were prescribing it like people hand out candy on Halloween.

Initially, i found Klonopin to be very helpful. It calmed my mind almost instantly. The pills weren't bitter, and they were easy to cut if need be. A miracle med!

To condense the story...I've been taking Klonopin intermittently since 1987, then daily for 20 years. I take 1mg. two times per day. My pdoc believes that Klonopin is helpful for me, so she prescribes enough for me to take 3mg./day if I want to. I very seldom do that, though.

Over the past 2 decades I have tried to come off K-pin two times. Both done extremely slowly and carefully - and both were ultimately complete failures. I am so extremely physically addicted to Klonopin that when I had completely stopped taking it (after months of titrating it down, tiny by tiny bit) I am out-of-control anxious and horribly sick. It feels like having the flu, non-stop. Or like heroin withdrawal - except that K-pin w/d is even harder and more dangerous.

So. Here I am, taking a med that probably no longer helps me - but it keeps me from being in a state of acute drug withdrawal.

I do believe that benzos have a place in the treatment of mental illness, but that they need to be demystified and used very carefully.

I have read up on the Ashton method, which sounds excellent, but finding a pdoc who agrees with it - good luck.

By the way, if anyone needs a large amount of info on benzos, especially benzo withdrawal, try this site: benzobuddies.org

My first benzo was Xanax, prescribed in college. I took one and slept for 3 days so that was the end of that.

I went on Ativan in 2002 and it worked well until I was IP in 2009 transitioning from a tricylic to an MAOI and it just didn't do it anymore. So I switched to Klonopin which was much better and very helpful. I was on 2 mg at night, 1 mg PRN twice daily.

When I'm manic or mixed my meds aren't enough to put me to sleep but I'm very sensitive to valium and so I take both valium and the klonopin together if I'm not doing well.

I'm trying to get off Klonopin. I went down .25 mg a year ago and then wasn't able to reduce again because it wasn't the right time when my father was sick and dying and by the time it was psychologically ok it was the time of year I get manic so I waited. I went down another .25 mg a month ago and expect I will go down again in a month. Maybe next week but I think she'll give me a little more time to adjust and not need PRN gabapentin so much.

I have been on and off Xanax for 10-11ish years, on Valium a few times too alone or along with Xanax.

Xanax has been a good medication for me overall. It does also help me manage chronic pain too.

“ usually “ I just take at night to help My insomniac self to sleep.

But lately I have needed sometimes during the day to deal with anxiety and panic.

I have heard , read and seen all the “ studies” linking it to possible early Alzheimer’s etc.

Here is what my Pdoc and T think about it..... “ if my life is full of anxiety and panic despite using all my coping skills then it’s unlikely I’ll live long enough to have to worry about it”
^ I agree fully with this.

I have never “ run out” I have never “ lost them” I don’t drink, I don’t have any addiction issues or habits so my Pdoc is fine prescribing them to me.

Benzodiazepines arent for everyone, but for me they are a huge help.

Ativan had no impact on me so I was taken off it.
Valium has been prescribed when weaning off meds onto other meds. I currently use it as a PRN for severe anxiety.
Main side effects:
None

My first pdoc prescribed Ativan for me and so did my second. My third and current pdoc prescribed alprazolam (generic for Xanax) . It works for me . I haven`t had any problems with them and they do work for me.