Taking anti anxiety medication? Klonopin
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,614
Old thread.
I think I am surviving the tangle of alcohol and benzos.
Last benzo one week ago, last drink near 3 months ago in July.
I am familiar with panic attacks and anxiety attacks and the spectrum.
Nobody ever literally died from a panic attack. Ever.
I know it feels that way. I know how bad they can get, but panic attacks are not lethal.
Even when they go on for hours like the one I had today.
I think I am surviving the tangle of alcohol and benzos.
Last benzo one week ago, last drink near 3 months ago in July.
I am familiar with panic attacks and anxiety attacks and the spectrum.
Nobody ever literally died from a panic attack. Ever.
I know it feels that way. I know how bad they can get, but panic attacks are not lethal.
Even when they go on for hours like the one I had today.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: US East Coast
Posts: 14,286
Follow your doctor's advice.
The following is my experience taking Klonopin (clonazepam) for over 20 years continuously. Klonopin is about the longest-acting benzodiazepine. It is not necessarily the "strongest" as dosage depends on the specific drug. There can be cross-dependency between alcohol and benzos but this is not always the case. I have never exceeded the dosage my doctor and I discussed.
About 1 1/2 years ago I started very, very gradually tapering off this medication. The maximum dose I ever took was 2 mg/day. On my doctor's advice, I dropped to 1.5 mg for several months, then 1 mg, then 0.5 mg, followed by 0.25 mg (1/2 tablet). At that point, my doctor wrote me a script for a different version of Klonopin that dissolves on the tongue and the dosage is only 0.125 mg. I stayed on that dose for a couple of months. Finally I completely stopped. I did not suffer from adverse effects while doing this very gradual taper.
If done properly, it's my understanding from my pdoc that having bad effects from tapering/stopping is not necessary if done carefully. Some people can taper faster, others can't.
For me, the benzos were critical while I was being treated for severe PTSD.
The following is my experience taking Klonopin (clonazepam) for over 20 years continuously. Klonopin is about the longest-acting benzodiazepine. It is not necessarily the "strongest" as dosage depends on the specific drug. There can be cross-dependency between alcohol and benzos but this is not always the case. I have never exceeded the dosage my doctor and I discussed.
About 1 1/2 years ago I started very, very gradually tapering off this medication. The maximum dose I ever took was 2 mg/day. On my doctor's advice, I dropped to 1.5 mg for several months, then 1 mg, then 0.5 mg, followed by 0.25 mg (1/2 tablet). At that point, my doctor wrote me a script for a different version of Klonopin that dissolves on the tongue and the dosage is only 0.125 mg. I stayed on that dose for a couple of months. Finally I completely stopped. I did not suffer from adverse effects while doing this very gradual taper.
If done properly, it's my understanding from my pdoc that having bad effects from tapering/stopping is not necessary if done carefully. Some people can taper faster, others can't.
For me, the benzos were critical while I was being treated for severe PTSD.
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ireland
Posts: 25,826
The OP was concerned with whether Sobriety had been broken.
In my view the line is where someone is prescribed a medicine or their not, people take medicine all the time for various reasons, but under medical supervision and in accordance with medical advice, I can't see that as breaking someone's Sobriety, at the end of the day medicines if used properly and within prescribed dosages can in many ways be life saving.
It's the misuse of medicines that I would draw the line on, deliberately talking a higher dosage, taking medicine not prescribed for the individual concerned, or using not under medical supervision or advice.
Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water as the saying goes, long term conditions require longterm prescribed medicines in some cases, insulin for diabetics, antidepressants, painkillers for ongoing joint/muscle/back pain etc etc
In my view the line is where someone is prescribed a medicine or their not, people take medicine all the time for various reasons, but under medical supervision and in accordance with medical advice, I can't see that as breaking someone's Sobriety, at the end of the day medicines if used properly and within prescribed dosages can in many ways be life saving.
It's the misuse of medicines that I would draw the line on, deliberately talking a higher dosage, taking medicine not prescribed for the individual concerned, or using not under medical supervision or advice.
Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water as the saying goes, long term conditions require longterm prescribed medicines in some cases, insulin for diabetics, antidepressants, painkillers for ongoing joint/muscle/back pain etc etc
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 172
Originally Posted by fenster67 
i have 2 years sobriety and i was prescribed Klonopin by a doctor. I have OCD and he was concerned about my anxiety.
I take it as needed. I usually take 1/2 a pill. I took a full pill last week and it really felt the effects. Now i am concerned that i lost my sobriety.
I did feel pretty loopy, so i am now concerned that i unintentionally lost my sobriety.
I take it as needed. I usually take 1/2 a pill. I took a full pill last week and it really felt the effects. Now i am concerned that i lost my sobriety.
I did feel pretty loopy, so i am now concerned that i unintentionally lost my sobriety.
Was this a GP or a psychatrist? There may be better first line meds for OCD that are not liquid alcohol in a pill.
I have tried the not drinking, but taking Benzo route. Very little time until I was not taking it as prescribed and back to drinking. Also, K-pins, xanax, Ativan et all. create very nasty physical depencces are can be very difficult to get off of.
I would be blown away if a doc that knew what they were doing would knowingly prescribe K-pins to an alcoholic for OCD unless it was a well meaning GP not totally getting it.
That said, never stop a prescribed medication without consulting with your doctor, but you are stung with fire if your doctor does not know your an alcoholic. If does know, be careful and take only as prescribed.
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 172
Did not realize this was such an old thread.
Appears that was the OP's last post so perhaps the K-pin oath did not go so well.
I can say without a doubt that many years of efforts to control my drinking or cure my a alcoholism with mood altering pills failed miserably every time.
No doubt some people may need them, but that is only when the doctor prescribing knows and understands they are being prescribed to an alcoholic or drug addict. That doctor should also be someone specialized and not a GP.
Appears that was the OP's last post so perhaps the K-pin oath did not go so well.
I can say without a doubt that many years of efforts to control my drinking or cure my a alcoholism with mood altering pills failed miserably every time.
No doubt some people may need them, but that is only when the doctor prescribing knows and understands they are being prescribed to an alcoholic or drug addict. That doctor should also be someone specialized and not a GP.
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