Klonopin – success? story
Question:
For those interested here is my story. Started with panic attacks about 9 months ago and they slowly became more severe, and numerous. I ended up in the ER about 4 times in a 4 month time frame for various reasons. (tingling, dizziness, blurred vision in one eye, chest pains) I would wake up *every night* at 3 or 4 am soaked with sweat and arms tingling due to panic attacks in my sleep. Life was really looking bad. My doc prescribed me Xanax .5 three times a day as needed and it worked good for about a month, but the ups and downs were kind of bad. I then saw a psych who prescribed me Klonopin .5 in the morning and 1.0 mg at bedtime. I have been on this dosage for about 5 months and can’t remember the last panic attack. I also very rarely have any GAD symptoms, and sleep like a baby. I shouldn’t call it success yet I suppose, because I’m still on the medication, but in my opinion, Id rather take the medication for life, if thats what it takes. IMHO it is healthier to take the meds, then the toll the GAD/PD takes on your body, and quality of life. I life a relatively happy life now, and am thankful for all the help and information provided from this ng Rich
Response:
For those interested here is my story.
<story snipped to save space I shouldn’t call it success yet I suppose, because I’m still on the medication, but in my opinion, Id rather take the medication for life, if thats what it takes. IMHO it is healthier to take the meds, then the toll the GAD/PD takes on your body, and quality of life. I life a relatively happy life now, and am thankful for all the help and information provided from this ng
Hi, Rich – thanks for sharing your experience 
I’m in the same camp as you. Benzos are the *only* meds I’ve tried that have had any reliable effect and I wasted years being shunted from one antidepressant to another, before I was able to find a doctor who was willing to prescribe them. The only difference is that I find Xanax works best for me – but that may be because I only take it PRN (as needed). Like you, though, I *would* consider it a fair trade to take the stuff for the rest of my life if I had to. Over twenty years of PD tuaght me that relief is *definitely* worth the small hassle of taking medications. It’s interesting to hear someone else who feels the same way and isn’t brainwashed by the ‘meds are evil’ brigade. — Gary Cooper
Response:
For those interested here is my story.
Very interested. <reading on but reluctantly snipping just to save space I then saw a psych who prescribed me Klonopin .5 in the morning and 1.0 mg at bedtime. I have been on this dosage for about 5 months and can’t remember the last panic attack. I also very rarely have any GAD symptoms, and sleep like a baby.
So glad you found what worked for you. That’s really good news. :) I shouldn’t call it success yet I suppose, because I’m still on the medication, but in my opinion, Id rather take the medication for life, if thats what it takes. IMHO it is healthier to take the meds, then the toll the GAD/PD takes on your body, and quality of life.
If you can spend your days free from fear then I’d call that success. As for how long you have to take Klonopin, as you say, whatever it takes – including time. I life a relatively happy life now, and am thankful for all the help and information provided from this ng
Many thanks for sharing this. Success stories are wonderfully helpful. Thank you for providing help and information here too. Mally :)
