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Social Phobia World :: View topic - Long term effects of benzos? Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin, etc.
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Long term effects of benzos? Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin, etc.
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ld323
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:43 am    Post subject: Long term effects of benzos? Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin, etc. Reply with quote

I always read that there are supposed to be long term consequences of benzodiazepine medications, such as physical dependence/addiction issues.

Has anyone here had any problems with taking these meds for years at a time? I'm talking like 5, 10, 15 years...

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tweakedreality
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been on Klonopin for probably 5 years now, the only problem I see is common with any drug and thats building a tolerance, my pych is against Benzo's so she's had me on .5 mg 3x daily forever and hates even rx'n that much, I end up suffering all day sometimes two to save up and taking 2-3MG at a time for it to help.

Chris

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ld323
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So you actually take it daily rather than on an as-needed basis?

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tweakedreality
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah It's prescribed .5 mg 3 times daily, which does nothing.


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SilentType
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've only been takin it two years and I'm up to 1.5 mg 3x daily. You guys need a new shrinky dink who knows a little more about the tolerance factor.


Peace

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ld323
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tweakedreality wrote:
Yeah It's prescribed .5 mg 3 times daily, which does nothing.


In my opinion, I think benzos are best utilized as a "PRN medication" (as-needed basis only). If you start taking it all day everyday, the effects become less noticeable over time- or at least I would assume so. Kind of like alcohol: if you drink everyday, you build up a tolerance; eventually it takes more and more alcohol to feel it's relaxing/euphoric effect.

For me, I take two .5 MGs of Xanax about 30 minutes to 1 hour before a social event, no more than 2 or 3 times per week. I never dose more than once per day, mainly because I'm usually not ever in a social situation for an ALL day period. And I never dose more than 3 times per week. Actually it's best to only dose 2 times per week from everything I've read. Often times that 3rd dose is not felt very much (especially if it was taken 3 days in a row). I could probably add another .5 for the 3rd time but right now access to the medication is a bit of a challenge so I'm trying to save it as much as possible. By the way, the drug's effect is more effective on an empty stomach VS. a full one, or so I've noticed.

Drugs that are meant to be used daily are the SSRIs (Lexapro, Zoloft, Paxil, etc.). Supposedly a tolerance does not build up with SSRIs, and they are not addictive. I still haven't tried them yet because I keep reading about all the side effects. But then again, my "side effects" of social isolation are pretty bad too. Probably worse!! I guess sooner or later I will try out an SSRI...

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ld323
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

SilentType wrote:
I've only been takin it two years and I'm up to 1.5 mg 3x daily. You guys need a new shrinky dink who knows a little more about the tolerance factor.


What kind do you take?

Have you noticed any issues with memory, concentration, coordination?

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SilentType
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I take Klonopin 1.5mg 3x daily. I don't recommend long term use of these drugs. After a 6 months or so on Klonopin, I started noticing the decline in my general interests of things that I usually enjoyed doing. I basically stopped caring about everything - friends, family, myself - as if NOTHING mattered anymore. I've realized that since the drug does help me that I have to just keep my wits and "reintroduce" myself to my old habits and things that I enjoy. It sounds weird, and it is, but since it helps my anxiety i've chosen to try to work around it instead of just quit taking it. Eventually I'm just gonna replace it with reefer prolly... Same effect...


Peace

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streetsk8er794
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 1:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeh I took 2 mg per day ( 1mg morning, 1mg night), and it was FANTASTIC for the 1st month or so. Then I started noticing a decline in effects. And yes SilentType is correct. You will lose interest in things after about 2 weeks of taking it on a regular basis, and have to get "reinterested." Worked for me. Anyways, Im thinking of raising the dose to 1 mg 3* a day, totalling 3 mg per day. Ive heard of people taking them for 10 years + without the need to raise dosage once the right dosage is reached. Yet im afraid to raise it, because the higher the dose, the harder and longer it is to come off. I just dont know what Ima do. I've heard an SSRI combined with klonopin works well too, so I might add lexapro. Any opinions?


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SilentType
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 3:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've tried prozac, paxil, and zoloft and never had any effects whatsoever. I wouldn't recommend them. There was actually a study done recently that showed they work no better than placebo haha. Just another wave of pharmaceuticals that people made millions off of and did who knows what to the brains of a gigantic population of people in the process. Congratulations pharmaceutical companies for another failure on monstrous proportions.


Peace

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