Question:
I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal. Any advice? Thanks to all who reply. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal. Any advice? Thanks to all who reply. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php
Stevo, hey, welcome! I’m not a doctor, but I was married to a drug addict, and I have fair knowledge about things like this. I don’t believe you are going to go through "withdrawals" from any medication after just taking it for two days. I know of NO drug that does that, not even heroine. No, is the answer to that AFAIK. That’s my "professional" opinion, LOL. The docs can and will answer.. but that’s not even possible, to my knowledge, and I do have knowledge of addiction/ withdrawals. And.. I get the same effect with Xanax on panic. I see it as "taking the edge" off of my panic.. I don’t completely stop having panic attacks, but they are more manageable on the medication. I don’t even expect complete deliverance from panic, I’m just grateful that there is medication that can help me deal with it, because roughing it without meds .. is not too fun, easy, and it is nothing I would recommend to anyone. Take care, welcome again. Sally — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm
Response:
I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal. Any advice? Thanks to all who reply.
Hi Stevo, I agree with Sally that you shouldn’t get any side effects after only such a short time on this medication. But if you’re unsure best to check with your doctor and if you can’t get to see one in the meantime there’s no harm in taking half of .25mg (if that’s even possible to cut it that small). I’ve taken klonopin for the past 20 years and it never prevented panic attacks for me. Others will tell you otherwise which shows we are all different. However what it did for me was take the edge of the anxiety which then helped me use the strategies I learnt from Cognitive behavioural therapy. If you want a completely drug free approach and you’ve nipped the panic attacks early, then you may be able to learn to manage panic attacks through CBT therapy. It won’t happen immediately which is why a benzo is usually prescribed to help people through the rough spots. I understand that you don’t wish to become dependant but if you use it as a maintenance med it doesn’t mean you need to take it long term. Tapering off slowly has worked for many people. all the best, Vanessa 
— The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm
Response:
I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects?
typically no-you will still have some of the drug in your system-but you could have an increased level of anxiety as serum levels fall, this may be misconstrued to "discontinuation syndrome". Klonopin is not typically used prn or as needed, but does its job with a steady state level of drug in your body over time-this is not to say it cannot be used as needed-just that it works better for most who use it chronically-it was primarily designed to replace xanax as a high potency benzo with a long half life so the rollercoaster effects seen with xanax are not present. I’m takng the benzo to buy me some time until I can start working on non-drug approaches. Don’t want to become dependent or suffer from withdrawal.
some people have no discontinuation difficulties with benzos and others need to stay with them for life-there is no telling which catagory you may fall in. I can only say that I have seen many less of the later and more of the former Any advice? Thanks to all who reply. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php
– The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve just started taking Klonopin for panic disorder. So far I’ve taken .25mg (yesterday) and .25mg today. So far it’s doing a good job of keeping anxiety at bay. Had two small panic attacks yesterday, and the Klonopin didn’t prevent them (how could it, at such a low dose?) but it did seem to blunt them and make them shorter. If I didn’t take the medication tomorrow, would I suffer withdrawal effects? typically no-you will still have some of the drug in your system-but you could have an increased level of anxiety as serum levels fall, this may be misconstrued to "discontinuation syndrome". Klonopin is not typically used prn or as needed, but does its job with a steady state level of drug in your body over time
<snip Thanks, Margrove. Your post has been most helpful. Thanks too to hianxiety and V~anessa. Stevo Inviato da X-Privat.Org – Registrazione gratuita http://www.x-privat.org/join.php — The charter is available at: http://readystump.algebra.com/~asapm
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