benzodiazapenes

[Rob2008]

I have chronic derealization disorder, this is by far the most predominate symptom I have.    Occasionally,  I experience some resemblance of panic attacks, however usually not so much in the way of autonomic hyperactivity or physical signs...more like severe "attacks" of derealization.

I have been given 1 mg ativan for 3 times per day on a permanent basis.  But I don't take it yet.  Because I am afraid that as I've read this drug looses it effectiveness over time,  people end up having to take more and more and they can never get off.    

Do you suppose that with derealization and agoraphobia I should go with the ativan or could I be messing myself up for later on?    The doctor said it's ok for me to decide on my own if I want to try it, so I will keep gathering information first

[Rob2008]

lisa loves ,  in case the doctor doesn't answer you... I think you're asking how do you get off klonopin?    i have never been on it, but,   i would think that cutting down the dose week by week would be the best way...keep cutting the pill in half

[lisaloves1]

Please help me,
I have been taking Clonazepam 0.5mg twice a day for the past year because I had anxiety problems when I am alone (Sort of like stage fright when I am outside). My anxiety problems have lessoned when I went back with my sons father and I only started taking Clonazepam 0.5mg about once a day or even once a week as needed when I need to go out somewhere alone. I really stopped taking it because my sons father and I were trying to have another child and I do not want it to affect the fetus. I was on Seroquel because I had a hard time sleeping my psychologist prescribed me Seroquel 100mg 3x's a night but I would take them about twice a night until I started having serious side effects such as restlessness and irritibility to the point I cried asking myself Why have I taken a Seroquel. Now I haven't seen the doctor for about a month so I missed a month dosage on Seroquel and Clonazepam but I had some left over. I refused to take the seroquels because of the irribility and I forced myself to sleep at nights...Sometimes it would work. Now the doctor prescribed me with trazodome instead of Seroquel and said to me since I did not take Seroquel as prescribed he refuses to give it to me again. He also prescribed restless leg syndrome pills but I am not taking them as well because since I have been forcing myself to sleep I was able to manage to do that. Now I am going through something that feels like I am in Hell every day, I sometimes feel like I can't breath, I feel like crying because I don't know how to stop this withdrawal pain at night I had visual disturbances such as the bag on my door was moving in slight circles. I cried myself to sleep that night and had to take a clonazepam. Please Doc can you tell me what to do? I know I shouldn't have stopped taking the pill abructly. I was not told I would get any withdrawal symptoms. I really don't know if I am having withdrawels from Clonazepam or From the Seroquel. I am taking Clonazepam the way I was prescribed scared to death now for the fact that I might risk myself if I am pregnant. Please Please help me. I do not know what to do.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I think you are right to be careful re chronic doses of ativan, and yes, people do get hooked on this and have a hard time getting off of it. But not all people have that problem, there is a huge number who stay on this kind of medication, never going to higher doses, and never having to get off of it.  On the other hand, the safest course is a course of investigative psychotherapy, getting to the sources, and learning how to control the experience in an entirely new and safe way.