New medications makes me tired !

[mscat]

The Psych Doctor changes my meds around every so often. This time he added more of the CLONAZEPAM, it relaxes me however, makes me feel groggy. The dose is to take 2 1 mg at night with Clonidine, and 2.5 BROMOCRIPTIN. Thar is because i hace a very low Dopomine. That is in the eve.

Then I take a thyroid medication, Lexapro, and more clonazepa in the morning. I amsuppose to take one more CloNazepam agin in the afternoon.

Now I am tired. It was the first dosage just last night though, and today. So maybe it will get better.

i guess along with having Borderlines personality disorder, clinical depression, and extreme anxiety , the Psych doc. trying to stabise my moods and ager outburts . I can't handle going outside anymore and need it to be quiet and dark when inside. I am very sensitive to lights and noises too.

Just going out is too much to handle at times for me. I get very agitated and angry at the slightest things.

i hate myself for the way i am , I really do . Wish things could change and I'd be happy for once.

[Mark]

CLONAZEPAM is generic for Klonopin, which is a benzodiazepine medicine (in the same family as Valium and Atavan and Xanax). You can read about it here. These benzo medications are a lot like alcohol in a pill form (although chemically they are not the same thing at all). They make you less anxious and if you take enough of them, you will get disinhibited, your reaction time will fall off temporarily and you will ultimately get sleepy. These medications are habit forming, meaning that you will build up a tolerance to them over time and require more of them to get the same effect. The same mechanism that creates the tolerance also creates withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop taking them. Meaning, you can get addicted to these pills if you aren't careful. This is not to say at all that they are not appropriate for you. Only that you should respect their potential for harm and be judicious in their use. Ask the doctor about addiction potential and the proper dosing of this medication if you are concerned about it. Despite the potential for problems, this is a very effective and safe medication for helping take the edge off and when you have emotional control issues, this can be just the ticket. There are non-drug ways to do this sort of thing too that you may want to explore, for instance, exercise is a great and very healthy way to blow off steam.

Mark

[paula]

Mark, am I understanding correctly? Are you saying that Vallium is habit forming?

I have been on Vallium 4x daily, 10mg each dose, so 40mg a day for 14 months. So are you saying that If I was to come of them, that I would have difficulty in doing this?

My Doctor never informed me of these issues when he first put me on them. I don't think I like the idea of that? So what would happen when I want to come of them? Not that I wanted to go on them in the first place! I got no choice! I just got told to take these meds, along with my others.

If I'm honest, I wouldn't rate them anyway? They don't seem to do anything for me? Or is it that I think they don't do anything for me, when really they do?

To be honest, they push that many meds down my throat, I don't know what is doing me good and what isn't? When all I want is to be rid of them. the whole lot of them. But when I try and not take them, all's the doctor does is give me the third degree! When I take what I think that I should be taking again, I get the third degree like what happened to me over w/end. I just can't win?

Every time I see my Psychiatrist, I ask can he discharge me, but he's having none of it! I think I'm on the road to recovery now, so why waste time on me when he could be spending time with someone else who is more in need than me? But no! He said he will only discharge me when he knows I am settled on a suitable medication, and that he said is a long while of yet!

Can you tell me Mark, why he said that? I know i've got problem's but I also know that there's people out there who has worst problem's than me. I reckon if they all left me alone to get on with my life in peace, then I could pull through this on my own? Well at least they could give me a try couldn't they? I hate being classed as mental! Because that's what I am in their eyes, mental. And I'm not honest! Given the chance, I could do this alone. He's not much use anyway? He's only being nosey! I tell him nothing! He gives me the creeps anyway! Sitting there looking at you all the time. Not saying anything. That makes me paranoid! He just watches me, glares at me and I just play him at his own game by not talking to him. Can get a bit boring though, sat there for a full hour, observing!

[Mark]

Paula,

Valium is addicting, yes. But that depends on how much you are taking and how frequently. If you are only taking a little bit here and there when things are especially tense, its probably okay. If you are taking it every day in a large dose, you might expect to have some difficulty coming off it.

Mark

[paula]

Hi Mark, Thanks for your reply.

Regarding the dose of Vallium that I'm taking: I am taking 4x 10mg daily. So a total of 40mg daily.

So you think that I will have a struggle to come of these. I have been taking the same dose for 15 months now. But like I mentioned in my previous post, I cannot feel any affect of them. (doesn't make me as relaxed, like they did when I first went on them).

My G.P put me on them in the first place because I was always Anxious and nervious. Aggitated!

Before being prescribed Vallium, I couldn't sit still, always looking on the dark side of every situation that I came across. (Always thinking that something bad was going to happen, which sent me very nervious. Couldn't speak to anyone because I got that much in a state).

I know I might sound to you and everyone on this site like I've got bags of confidence, but I haven't! I get very nervious when I venture outside, even talking on the telephone. When I'm on this & other sites, I know that it's only a computer screen that I'm dealing with?

Put it this way. When I post a tag or something, or like for instance the other week when I was giving you shit! Again sorry for that. Because I was doing what I was doing, just typing to a comp screen, that when I was reading your reply's, I got myself in such a state that like I said, I made a mountain out of a mole hill. I just can't handle these situation's but, it's my only way of communication with the outside world. Am I making sense or just chatting shit! You know what I mean? Well I hope you do!

[Catmom]

Hi Paula-

All drugs like Valium (i.e. benzodiazepines) cause tolerance to occur. This is the reason that your original dosage does not work like it used to any more. This is also a major reason that all drugs of this class are addictive.

Many psychiatrists in the US are very reluctant to prescribe these drugs at all for that reason. The longer you take them, the greater the chance for tolerance and then possibly addiction to develop. A word of caution: tolerance is NOT the same thing as addiction. Tolerance is the body's natural reaction to many substances introduced into it. Addiction is the use of these substances to escape reality and will result in negative life consequences. If a person is addicted, he/she will ignore these consequences to the point where an outside observer would think them insane.

Only you and your doctor can determine whether Valium is okay for you but I would say taking it regularly, especially over a long period of time is playing with fire.

If you want to read a shocking account of Valium addiction, the book I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (also a movie by the same name) is an eye opener. I read the book in the late 1970's and it made an impression on me.

Catmom

P.S. If you do decide to go off it, DO NOT DO IT ABRUPTLY, but gradually, preferably under the guidance of a knowledgable physician. Withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be very dangerous and even life threatening. I don't want to frighten you unduly but you should know the implications of going off Valium, should you choose to do so.

CM

Edited October 1, 2008 by Catmom

[mscat]

Taking The Klonipin for me is not so bad anymore. I take more of it at night along with the Conidine and anther one.

All ot them are sopposed to help me stabilise my moods. Which if fine. however, ever time I go and see the Peysh. docor he changes the meds around or adds anther, so it seems. Such as me being low in Dopmaine, so he adds anther perscription for that.

And if I talk to the therapist about needing to purify my body of all that is evil and go on about that , i fear there will anther medication added . Gosh It is like if I say the truth then i'd just be put on more drugs. Of course I'd like to feel better and everything, however does it always have to be about taking medication?

I wounder if things will ever get to the point where I feel better , and not bad anymore. My whole life has been crap, and frankly I am just tired of it. Wishing there was something that could make life wonderful for me. < my therapist asked me that question, what can help you feel better? I said that if i were dead .

Or on a Island all to myself where there was nobody or wowhere. :eek:

[paula]

Cheers for that advice Catmom.

To be honest I don't know what to do now? I don't want to be branded a Junkie, yet you say not to come of them without medical advice. I hear what your saying there and I don't think that I will go cold turkey! Yet! There again, if I went cold turkey then maybe I can be off them In say a week or two. What do you reckon?

[Mark]

Paula,

If you are concerned about your benzos, please talk to your doctor about it before you act. It's not a good idea to come off them without supervision. There are protocols for tapering that work far better than cold turkey. Also, consider that the medication was prescribed for a reason (anxiety control probably), and that if you remove it, you may be out of sorts to handle some of the anxiety that maybe the medication was helping with. there are other ways to cope with anxiety for sure, but they may not be obvious to you. Basically, please ask your doctor about your concerns before you do anything.

Mark

[Catmom]

Hi Paula-

Are you saying that if you talk to your doctor about wanting to come off Valium, you might be labeled a junkie? Of course, the opposite is true.

A thing that frequently happens for long term benzodiazepine users is that they have to keep increasing the dose to get the desired effect because of tolerance and eventually their doc decides they are taking too much & won't prescribe it any more. :eek: This is not a good situation to put it mildly.

As Mark (I believe) has mentioned, there are good non-medication ways of "taking the edge off," like exercise, meditation and the like. For myself as an addictive-type person, if I had a handy prescription around to eliminate my anxiety, I wouldn't go to all the trouble of learning natural ways to calm down.

Good luck with this and let us know what you decide.

Catmom

P.S. Again, I would check with a knowledgable psychiatrist if I were you. I suspect you have some limitations with the British health system allowing you access to a specialist, but this is the only way to get the correct information, in my opinion.

[paula]

Hi Catmom

Are you saying that if you talk to your doctor about wanting to come off Valium, you might be labeled a junkie? Of course, the opposite is true.

No! What I'm saying is: because I'm on Valium and there addictive, does that label me a Junkie? If so, then I want to come of them!

I'm sooo confused with the amount of meds that I'm taking at the moment, I don't know if I'm coming or going? I've got all this introducing new meds and weaning me of old meds and when I think I'm doing it to the Doc's order's I go and ball's it up! Take for instance last w/end's episode! Because I forgot what the Doc told me to do regarding weaning myself of one med and trying to introduce a new med, I just took them both together? When I went to see him Monday morning, then there was panic station's. As he had put it, I was slowly overdosing myself on the meds and the amounts that I was taking?

He should of made his self more clear then maybe I would of understood what he meant? Like I mentioned previously, He should of told me to wean myself of the old meds and then made it clear that I should of paid him another visit to get the new meds of him. That way I wouldn't/couldn't be taking more than the required amount! Am I making sense! GOD! I hope I am? For a minute there I thought I was losing it? Well.... What bit I've got left that is!

With the memory that I've got, It's like putting a chocolate fireguard in front of the fire and expecting it not to melt! Do you get where I'm coming from?

I had to go back to my doc's today to have some more blood test done, and blood pressure, because of the fiasco that happened over w/end. Not to mention that I'm there again on Monday for the same thing! It takes all the energy that I have to get to the docs in the first place. I hate it! I phoned them today and told them that I was not to good, thinking that I could get out of going to the doc's. He said he would pay me an home visit so then That made me worst. I kept thinking no! He's not coming to my house. This is my private property! I wasn't having him come here! My house is mine! & mine only! Not for the likes of doctors to come snooping around! So I had to make a miraculous recovery didn't I.

Thanks again for your concern and when the time comes, I will inquire about coming off the Valium! :eek:

Take care!

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi Paula,

I really identify with your problem of remembering what the doctor told you. If it is anything like I go through at the doctor's office, I forget because I feel so anxious at the time of the visit. Now, what I do, and what I recommend for you, is to take a pen and pad and be prepared to write his instructions. If you forget something while writing, ask him for clarification. There is nothing wrong with doing that and it's helped me a lot.

As far as valium is concerned, you need to talk to him about that. Of course, being an MD, he resorts to medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help reduce anxiety, as can such things as Yoga, Meditation, etc. You can learn more about self help anxiety reduction by doing a search on this site.

I know this much about Valium, but I am not an MD: Do not stop taking it suddenly because that can cause bad side effects. Talk to him and if he thinks you should come off of it, he will have you do it very slowly.

I would say this, IN MY OPINION: The fact that you take Valium under your MD's instructions Does Not Make You a Junkie!!!

Allan

[paula]

Awe cheers for that Allan!

You mention about taking a pen a pad to the docs and writing everything down? Allan, it takes me all my time to get there in the first place! Something like that to remember, would be the last thing on my mind! Worth thinking about though!

I know this much about Valium, but I am not an MD: Do not stop taking it suddenly because that can cause bad side effects. Talk to him and if he thinks you should come off of it, he will have you do it very slowly.

I didn't know that it was addictive? If I knew that, then I wouldn't of agreed to go on them in the first place?

I am due to see my doc again on Monday morning. Do you think I should mention the Vallium situation and my thought about taking it, (or rather write this down for him to look at)?

When I do arrive to see him, (which I am always late anyway, with trying to get to grips with the situation in the first place). I am that much of a wreck, honest! If you was to see the state that I get myself into, You'd know what I mean. You'd have to see it to believe it?

Alls that's on my mind from taking the first step in there, is trying to get out of there as soon as I can. So basically, my minds not even my own, if you know what I mean?

If you don't mind, I would like to ask your advice. Do you think that I would have any problem's trying to get of Vallium? I have been on it for 15 months, and on the strongest dose of 10mg @ x4 daily. Whenever I have forgotten to take it, after a couple of hours say, my body starts to shiver & shake. It's as if I have no control over my muscles. This may sound weird, but the muscles in my cheeks on my face, just don't work. For instance, when I try to smile, I can't. Another problem that I have when I forget to take the vallium is, I feel like everytime I am talking to anyone, that my words are coming out of my mouth all slurred as if I am drunk. Which then gets me paranoid and makes me worst! As soon as I take my tablet, after about 15mins I am fine. Will this have anything to do with the vallium?

I have mentioned this to my doc and he has told me not to worry about it! He said that because I am so wired up (anxious, aggitated) that all my muscles are all tensed up, and by taking the vallium, that they relax my muscles so I can carry on living my day to day life. But I don't want to have to rely on this medication for the rest of my life! I realise that I have a problem but I need to learn how to cope with it! How to keep it under control if you like, and also how to deal with it? Not go on for the rest of my life knowing that I am having to take meds for this problem.

Also, I don't want to rock the boat at the moment. I am going through a lot of trouble trying to swap and change the meds that I am on for my Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder). I have a lot of trouble, which really cause BIG issues, at trying to remember things in the first place! Which I put down to being Dyslexic. I personally think this would be bad timing at the moment! What would you say?

Thanks for your concern though and I look forward to your reply. Take care!

[Kay_J]

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Edited March 19, 2009 by Kay_J
minor correction

[paula]

Thanks Kay for replying.

As u can see i suffer with insomnia aswell as the time now is 02.32am. I will probably be up for another hr or so yet! But I don't know, I've just took mi meds and they knock me out in about half an hr. but I'll b up again about 7am.

there's no rest for the wicked! and the good don't want none!

It would be very interesting to see what allan has to say about this. I am looking forward to his reply! You watch, I bet he doesn't reply now? Nah! he's not bad Allan. I like him because he always sticks up for me, and that means sooooooo much to me when I'm like i am, honest!

When u suffer Bipolar like i do its so unpredictable. one minute your fine and the next your like a bull in a china shop. You don't even get any warning? But you tend to take it out on them that r trying to help you. I hate it.

[Guest existindeath]

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Edited November 7, 2009 by existindeath

[mscat]

I just wanted you ALL to know , thanks so much for replying to someone elese' questions regarding her issues on Anziety medication on A thread that was started by sombody else.....SO noce of ALL of you :mad:

I certainly hope you all helped Paula out.

As for the orginal question , The Klonipin has made me feel more sad, and cry easier... Yes, it has calmed me down, but, the sadness hurts, and the tears flow easier then ever. Is that suppose to happen on anxiety medication? Calmer, now sadder?

[Guest existindeath]

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Edited November 7, 2009 by existindeath

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi Paula,

Yes, I agree that you should speak to your Doc about both the Valium and your worries about becoming addicted but I would also speak to him about your sleep problems. Of course, with Bipolar Disorder sleep problems are part of the whole thing. Yet, sleep is so basic and important in terms of relieving symptoms and for overall health. See what he has to say about that.

Yes, write what you want to ask and read your questions to him. Write the answers. In other words, use him, think of your Doc as a tool, like a screw driver or saw, pick his brain and use lists that you read from.

After that I am not sure what you are asking. It is true that, if a lot is happening right now for you then it might not be the right time to go off of valium. In any case, remember, if you and he decide to not use it any longer, you must come off very, very slowly. Again, I am not a Medical Doc and you need to use him for that purpose. However, discussing these things with him will not make him think you are a "junkie." After all, he prescribed the valium and it is a good medication but you just need to be aware about it.

Does this help? Let me know.

And let us know how the visit goes.

Allan:)

[Catmom]

Yes, it has calmed me down, but, the sadness hurts, and the tears flow easier then ever. Is that suppose to happen on anxiety medication? Calmer, now sadder?

Years ago, I took meds similar to Klonopin and I had the same thing happen to me. It made me cry much more easily than normal. In my case, the meds were not a good choice and deepened my depression.

Also, the meds interfered with my memory a lot. :eek:

Hopefully, you can bring up any concerns with your prescribing doc and he/she will listen and help you do what you need to to get better.

Catmom

[paula]

Hi Mscat

I'm so sorry if I have took over your post, really I am! I didn't mean too honestly!

I got that frustrated and worried with me taking Vallium for the past 16 month's and didn't know that I would be addicted to them?

I still haven't dealt with the situation head on? That would mean yet another visit to my Doc's and I think I've spent enough time there lately to last a life time? I know your probably thinking why didn't I confront him on one of my visit's? Like I've mentioned previously, No sooner I get in there to see him and the state that I get myself into, I just want to get out of there and get home! By me quiering him about my meds and the dose would only prolong my stay even further? Do you see where I'm coming from?

Once again, please accept my apologies. It wasn't meant to upset you!

[mscat]

It's okay Paula,

More people had answers for you then they did me, and that really is not your fault .

All i know about Valuim is that it is an older medication. Some newer medications might be more benificial for you. Even less addicting? I am unsure.

Since the medication is known to cause addiction , i would think that it would be perscribed for short periods of time. Not for years . ]

I am taking Klonipin, and it helps me calm down, however makes me want to cry easier. Like i am sadder.

Medication is a balacing act we do with doctors, and it is hard to always try differnt ones and then they do not work the way their suppose to.

Best of luck to you , Paula. I understand how hard this is, and am right there with you.

Cathy