Question:
I had read an article recently talking about how Klonopin, as well as some other benzos, makes up for lack of GABA in the brain,
nope-not a lack of and if you go off the Klonopin, the GABA will not increase.
nope-you can increase it many ways-including looking at a pretty picture, engaging in a love relationship or having sex, learning to relax, excercising, even yawning— I asked my pd about this and he confirmed it.
nope "does this mean I basically will be on Klonopin the rest of my life?" "Probably", he responded.
not necessarily one action of benzos is to enhance the inhibitory effect of the gaba neurotransmitter-if the drug is removed this enhancement is obviously reduced-one can enhance the same activity using other means as well, like psychotherapy or excercise, nutritional supplements etc. Another way benzos work is by binding with specific benzo receptors that act as calming mechanisms to exitatory amines, reducing anxious responses to arousal. This does not mean you lack gaba or benzo receptors, it just means these drugs reduce anxiety through this process-anxiety is produced via many triggers and autonomic and non autonomic factors-it is a life saving and valuable emotional respone that is genetically programmed into us-in some people the system that creates and manufactures anxiety is hyperactive or too easily overloaded-this does not mean they lack gaba-they have variable multisystem hypersecretory and hyperelectromechanical activity. If benzo meds reduce this to a tolerable level, then one may surmise one could be on these meds forever-however, nothing is forever, except perhaps death and that is also debatable-so your doc may be right or he may be wrong about you taking meds for the rest of your life. Anxiety is not a chemical inbalance-it is a multisystem hyperactivity-drugs like benzos reduce this hyperactivity-they are paliative not cureative. You can reduce anxiety in a number of ways which may increase gaba enhancement without xanax or klonopin-some need the extra sedation and anxiolysis of these types of meds until they potentially learn management techniques to modify and regulate the degree and level of anxiety they feel and tolerate. LM
Response:
If you went off for pregnancy and had no withdrawal, then you should be able to discontinue at anytime without withdrawa
It wasn’t so much the withdrawal, it was more that the panic returned.
Response:
If you went off for pregnancy and had no withdrawal, then you should be able to discontinue at anytime without withdrawal. .5mg per day is a small amount. If you were taking 4-20mg per day, abrupt discontinuation would be medically unadvisable, as it could result in severe problems (even seizure.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OH, I forgot to add that it worked great for me til I went off for pregnancy and went back on afterwards. I tried upping the dosage, but my body can’t handle the side effects, so I’m only taking .5 daily, but it def. is not working as well.
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – this med, without it I would not feel safe, work, go out and live life anxiety and panic free. The only side effect I ever had was sleepiness during the day whenever I increased my dose. I have to say, given the rap benzos get sometimes, I’m appreciative that there are people with good experiences willing to share them. I’ve been on 1.5mg daily of Ativan for the last 3 months and my greatest fear since then has been the fear of being on them too long and not being able to get off them. The actual PA have ceased and I’m MUCH less anxious than I probably have been in my entire life. My quality of work is 100% better. My sleep is better. And I’m happier than I’ve probably ever been. So my hope, while I’d like to find some way to ultimately get cured (which isn’t easy when insurance only covers 20 mental health visits and then at only half of the cost), I don’t mind being on the Ativan as long as it’s safe.
Hi Preston, I have never taken Ativan but so glad it has made your quality of life so much better. A cure…..gave up on that idea long ago. My aim is to manage the condition and keep it under control. I managed to do this for a 6 year period, no PA’s, no anxiety and I now feel I am back into that period again. Posts like yours let me breathe easier. The two psychiatrists I’ve been to so far have been bigger fans of the SSRIs, which I don’t understand. A close relative of mine, who also has anxiety did terrible on the SSRIs. Made him/her too jittery. So I can’t imagine how they would help. Ativan has done wonders for me, even in that light dose. So it’s nice to read, I guess, that maybe it’s okay for me to take this route instead of being forced down SSRI road.
There are some pdocs who are benzo-phobic. I have never taken SSRI’s but believe that all avenues should be explored that will help the individual patient. Preston
Vanessa 
Response:
Klonopin or clonazepam as we call it up here in Canada is supposed to be used short term for 10 days only maximum or it will become addictive. I have taken it for 6 years now 2 mg per day and I do not find the need to take more and although it doesn’t take away all my anxiety it does take away for the most part my panic attacks. I had one psychiatrist tell me when I asked about it’s long term use " It’s like insulin. If your body needs it I don’t consider it addictive" This is from a psychiatrist who is now a prestigious teacher at one of the top Universities in Canada. But if you read the info about it on the internet it does say 10 days only. Go figure. I cannot imagine my life with out it. I have been a bit of a basket case lately but I can imagine what I would be like without it.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group.
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group.
I’ve been on K since the 80’s and I haven’t developed any tolerance. I was originally prescribed 0.5mg, twice a day. Never actually took that much, except when working. Now I take even less, because I work 3 days a week (3 * 12 hr shifts). So I’ve been on it now for around 15 years. I think I would prefer to take valium, because it’s a tad less heavy…but benzophobia prevents that. I took valium for 10 yrs or so prior to klonopin, an equivalent dose, 10 mg /day when I worked – less when I didn’t. Never developed a problem. Sadly, shrinks think that if you get anxious without the med, terror strikes at the thought of going to work without it for example, that is evidence of the dread *dependence*. They forget, it was the terror that brought me to them in the first place. And, because of benzophoibia, I had to endure a plethora of dangerous and irrelevant meds before getting to the benzos (stelezene, and thorazine, etc., none of which worked). Go figure. backbeat
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – this med, without it I would not feel safe, work, go out and live life anxiety and panic free. The only side effect I ever had was sleepiness during the day whenever I increased my dose. I have to say, given the rap benzos get sometimes, I’m appreciative that there are people with good experiences willing to share them. I’ve been on 1.5mg daily of Ativan for the last 3 months and my greatest fear since then has been the fear of being on them too long and not being able to get off them. The actual PA have ceased and I’m MUCH less anxious than I probably have been in my entire life. My quality of work is 100% better. My sleep is better. And I’m happier than I’ve probably ever been. So my hope, while I’d like to find some way to ultimately get cured (which isn’t easy when insurance only covers 20 mental health visits and then at only half of the cost), I don’t mind being on the Ativan as long as it’s safe. Posts like yours let me breathe easier. The two psychiatrists I’ve been to so far have been bigger fans of the SSRIs, which I don’t understand. A close relative of mine, who also has anxiety did terrible on the SSRIs. Made him/her too jittery. So I can’t imagine how they would help. Ativan has done wonders for me, even in that light dose. So it’s nice to read, I guess, that maybe it’s okay for me to take this route instead of being forced down SSRI road. Preston
I have had horrible experiences with SSRI’s, and believe me I have tried at least 7 or 8 of them. Terrible sleep problems, craving for alcohol and, at higher dosages, physical seizures (scared the holy hell out of my wife) on Wellbutrin and substantial anxiety-related catatonia on Prozac (I did manage to drive myself to my pdoc’s office). I mean, really serious side-effects. The seizures have developed into "restless leg syndrome" which is a nuisance. About 10% of the time you could convince me that the problem was actually caused by SSRI’s, but mostly I just think it is something that occurred naturally as I got older and is aggravated if I take an SSRI. My f—ing pdoc keeps up this monotonous chant of "this one is supposed to be good for anxiety" but the only thing I have ever taken that really helped at all is Kloponin. Of course, just the normal side effects are not that great anyway, but I would put up with them if the drugs were effective. — "If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. If this is tea, please bring me some coffee." - Abraham Lincoln
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years?
I’ve been taking Klonopin since ‘93, with the exception of when I was pregnant. I had read an article recently talking about how Klonopin, as well as some other benzos, makes up for lack of GABA in the brain, and if you go off the Klonopin, the GABA will not increase. I asked my pd about this and he confirmed it. So I asked him, "does this mean I basically will be on Klonopin the rest of my life?" "Probably", he responded. Nice to know AFTER I’ve been on it for years, huh??
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group. I’ve been on Klonopin for the last 16 years. I’ve found no decrease in effectiveness. When I tapered off Klonopin about 4 years ago I had a return of panic attacks while driving on the freeway. So I restarted the Klonopin. Chip
Thanks Chip. How much do you now take? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years?
OH, I forgot to add that it worked great for me til I went off for pregnancy and went back on afterwards. I tried upping the dosage, but my body can’t handle the side effects, so I’m only taking .5 daily, but it def. is not working as well.
Response:
I am now down to 2.75mg and may slowly wean even lower. Do you take the 2.75 mg all at once or split the dosages up throughout the day?
Hi Carl, very similar to how Chip takes it. I used to take 1 mg in the morning and 2 mg in the early evening. It is the evening dose I have reduced to 1.75mg. I have no pill cutter so it depends on how the cookie crumbles 
Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? How can one define safe? If I could have managed my disorder without medication I would prefer it. So whilst I wish I did not have to depend on this med, without it I would not feel safe, work, go out and live life anxiety and panic free. The only side effect I ever had was sleepiness during the day whenever I increased my dose. I concur with what you have just said. I have tried to detox from the benzos two times only to have my PD and anxiety resurface with a horrible vengeance.
Don’t remind me Carl. I once tried to go off K cold turkey as I was worried about taking it whilst pregnant. The anxiety did surface very quickly a few weeks later and sadly I also miscarried. I now know that if I ever wish to wean off it must be done extremely slow and under medical supervision. Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? Combined with Cognitive behavioral therapy I have managed to get back in control of my panic disorder and then weaned back down on the klonopin. I see. I practice a form of TM (transcendental meditation) as an adjunct and it helps.
I have used meditation myself and do find it help me relax. Glad it works for you. I did find it hard to begin with as it meant letting myself not be in control. Something that in itself can trigger panic for me, as I have depersonalisation type of panic attacks. As much as I would love to be off K completely I don’t mind staying on it forever, if my life continues to be as enjoyable and carefree as it is right now. I agree 100%. This is a great group. I have found much support here. How long have you been posting here Vanessa? I am a newbie to Usenet. I read a lot of the posts but don’t post often. This group is really great.
Good question, I just did a search on google to check the archives and my first post looks like it was August 8, last year in response to Mac, who was having trouble deciding between jobs. I feel like I have been here much longer. I was a newbie to usenet about that time having only spent a few weeks at another newsgroup. If you need any help with abbreviations, just let me know. It took me months to figure out what YMMV meant. This group has been around for many years, i think it was the first ever on anxiety-panic. It has had many ups and downs in the past year but it looks like it is back on track again. Welcome Carl. Vanesa
Response:
Thanks Chip. How much do you now take?
Hi Carl, I take Klonopin 3 mg/day. 1 mg every morning and 2 mg in the evening. Chip
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group. They are safe to take long-term. Your short-term memory may suffer some but that *is* reversible when stopping the drug. If you have been on Klonopin for several years you alreadsy found out that as a rule we don’t develop *tolerance* and don’t need to raise the dose all the time (except maybe temporarily in times of great stress). I have been on benzos for more than 35 years, my short term memory is indeed impaired (but that may also be old age but the stuff still works fine. Philip Thanks Phillip. What benzo are you on btw and have you been on it for the entire 35 years?
I am on 2.5 mg of Xanax XR. 35 years ago I started withj Valium and took that for about 18 years, then could wean off without serious problems. Later I was on oxazepam which I didn’t like much and then Ativan which didn’t do much for me. I don’t remember the dosage I was prescribed, I may have been undermedicated on it as I didn’t know much about that at the time. I had no trouble stopping Ativan. Some time after that (but not because of it)I had a setback and was prescribed Anafranil (clomipramine, a TCA) and Tranxene (a very long acting benzo). When Anafranil stopped working for me after nine very good years I tried some ADs which made me worse or didn’t do anything at all and now I have been on a combo of imipramine and Xanax XR for more than five years. If necessary I take an extra mg of *regular* Xanax. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Hi Carl, I have taken klonopin for over 15 years. The dosage has varied from 2mg per day up to about 5mg per day. I am now down to 2.75mg and may slowly wean even lower.
Do you take the 2.75 mg all at once or split the dosages up throughout the day? Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? How can one define safe? If I could have managed my disorder without medication I would prefer it. So whilst I wish I did not have to depend on this med, without it I would not feel safe, work, go out and live life anxiety and panic free. The only side effect I ever had was sleepiness during the day whenever I increased my dose.
I concur with what you have just said. I have tried to detox from the benzos two times only to have my PD and anxiety resurface with a horrible vengeance. Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? For some people klonopin may stop working as effectively and so an increase in dose may be required. But not so in my case. The increases have usually been because of major setbacks and major episodes of agoraphobia. Combined with Cognitive behavioral therapy I have managed to get back in control of my panic disorder and then weaned back down on the klonopin.
I see. I practice a form of TM (transcendental meditation) as an adjunct and it helps. As much as I would love to be off K completely I don’t mind staying on it forever, if my life continues to be as enjoyable and carefree as it is right now.
I agree 100%. This is a great group. I have found much support here. Vanessa
How long have you been posting here Vanessa? I am a newbie to Usenet. I read a lot of the posts but don’t post often. This group is really great. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group.
I’ve been on Klonopin for the last 16 years. I’ve found no decrease in effectiveness. When I tapered off Klonopin about 4 years ago I had a return of panic attacks while driving on the freeway. So I restarted the Klonopin. Chip
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – this med, without it I would not feel safe, work, go out and live life anxiety and panic free. The only side effect I ever had was sleepiness during the day whenever I increased my dose. I have to say, given the rap benzos get sometimes, I’m appreciative that there are people with good experiences willing to share them. I’ve been on 1.5mg daily of Ativan for the last 3 months and my greatest fear since then has been the fear of being on them too long and not being able to get off them. The actual PA have ceased and I’m MUCH less anxious than I probably have been in my entire life. My quality of work is 100% better. My sleep is better. And I’m happier than I’ve probably ever been. So my hope, while I’d like to find some way to ultimately get cured (which isn’t easy when insurance only covers 20 mental health visits and then at only half of the cost), I don’t mind being on the Ativan as long as it’s safe. Posts like yours let me breathe easier. The two psychiatrists I’ve been to so far have been bigger fans of the SSRIs, which I don’t understand.
The two psychiatrists have an irrational fear that benzos are more harmful than SSRIs. They aren’t. Both cause physical dependence, meaning if you discontinue the meds you will experience a withdrawal or discontinuation syndrome. A slow taper off the meds minimizes or eliminates this syndrome. Preston
Chip
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group.
They are safe to take long-term. Your short-term memory may suffer some but that *is* reversible when stopping the drug. If you have been on Klonopin for several years you alreadsy found out that as a rule we don’t develop *tolerance* and don’t need to raise the dose all the time (except maybe temporarily in times of great stress). I have been on benzos for more than 35 years, my short term memory is indeed impaired (but that may also be old age but the stuff still works fine. Philip – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group. They are safe to take long-term. Your short-term memory may suffer some but that *is* reversible when stopping the drug. If you have been on Klonopin for several years you alreadsy found out that as a rule we don’t develop *tolerance* and don’t need to raise the dose all the time (except maybe temporarily in times of great stress). I have been on benzos for more than 35 years, my short term memory is indeed impaired (but that may also be old age but the stuff still works fine. Philip
Thanks Phillip. What benzo are you on btw and have you been on it for the entire 35 years? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime? Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years? This is a great group.
Response:
I take 1mg of klonopin daily. I have been on this dosage for several years for PD.
Hi Carl, I have taken klonopin for over 15 years. The dosage has varied from 2mg per day up to about 5mg per day. I am now down to 2.75mg and may slowly wean even lower. Are these drugs safe to take for a lifetime?
How can one define safe? If I could have managed my disorder without medication I would prefer it. So whilst I wish I did not have to depend on this med, without it I would not feel safe, work, go out and live life anxiety and panic free. The only side effect I ever had was sleepiness during the day whenever I increased my dose. Do they eventually stop working after you have been on them for many years?
For some people klonopin may stop working as effectively and so an increase in dose may be required. But not so in my case. The increases have usually been because of major setbacks and major episodes of agoraphobia. Combined with Cognitive behavioral therapy I have managed to get back in control of my panic disorder and then weaned back down on the klonopin. As much as I would love to be off K completely I don’t mind staying on it forever, if my life continues to be as enjoyable and carefree as it is right now. This is a great group.
I have found much support here. Vanessa
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