Re: Clonazepam. Klonipin...whatever....(w/response)

June 30, 2011

[Reformatted for readability -- please put spaces after every 2-3 sentences so

this can be read. It also helps to not use all caps. Just hit ENTER 2x when

you want to create a space. Thanks.--]

Dear ,

You said:

HELLO CATHERINE..... THANK YOU OR YOUR RESPONCE TO MY LETTER.

THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHY I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS A FEW TIMES OVER

THE YEARS WHEN I DID NOT REFILL ON TIME HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY ABUSING THE

MEDICATION. TWICE IT WAS A SIMPLE MATTER OF MONEY. (NOT HAVING THE CASH TO

REFILL FOR A FEW DAYS BETWEEN ) THE LONG TIME I REFERRED TO WAS DUE TO A NURSE

WHO SAID IT WAS AGAINST KAISERS POLICY TO LET ME REFILL THE SCRIPT WITHOUT MY

YEARLY CHECK UP WITH MY DOCTOR THAT I HAD MISSED. SHE DID NOT HAVE AN OPENING IN

MY DR.'S SCHEDUAL FOR 2 WEEKS. IT WAS TERRIBLE.

I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MY DOCTOR HAD HER TRANSFERED FROM HIS PRACTISE AS A

RESULT. IT REALLY COMPRIMISED MY HEALTH. I HAD DYSKONESIA

(sp?) AND SIEZURES AS A RESULT!>>

** I'm surprised that you didn't ask to talk to someone else. Despite their

numerous shortcomings, many doctors will not let someone go without a drug like

this. They will usually give enough until the next appointment. It's usually

someone fairly ignorant who tells you things like you were told. For the

future, you can go all the way up the ladder to the administrator of the

practice if need be. The last thing these people want is something that looks

like a potential lawsuit. Mention seizures to a person like this and you should

be as good as gold.

You said:

<<I HAVE NEVR ABUSED MY PERSCRIPRTION. IF ANYTHING I TAKE LESS THAN I AM

SUPPOSED TO FREQUENTLY. AND I HAVE ALWAYS DECLINED MY DOCTORS OFFERS TO INCREASE

THE DOSAGE AS HE SAYS I HAVE BEEN TAKING THE SAME AMMOUNT FOR SO LONG I PROBABLY

FEEL NO EFFECT FROM IT. BUT I AM NOT SEEKING A " FEELING " FROM IT.

I MUST SAY HOWEVER, AFTER ALL THIS TIME I CANNOT SLEEP WITHOUT IT. I'M SURE

THOUGH THAT ONCE I WAS COMPLETELY OFF CLONOPIN I WOULD EVENTUALLY RETURN TO

SOME SORT OF " NORMAL FOR ME " SLEEP SCHEDUAL. I WENT THROUGH REHAB FOR ALMOST 3

YEARS ~ IN PATIENT AND OUT ~ TO QUIT ALCOHOL. THE CLONAZAPM WAS PERSCRIBED FOR

MY HYPER MANIA..... I ALSO WAS LEFT WITH A SIEZURE CONDITION AFTER FINALY

LEAVING ALCOHOL BEHIND WHICH THE CLONIPIN IS SUPPOSEDLY " FOR " AS WELL. BUT I

DON'T THINK I NEED IT FOR SIEZURE CONTROL ANYMORE. I AM NOT A DOCTOR BUT I

BELIEVE THE SIEZURES WERE AS A RESULT OF MY SERIOUS ALCOHOL ABUSE AND

WITHDRAWAL...

I HAVE NEVER FELT AS THOUGH I REPLACED ONE WITH THE OTHER..... DO YOU REALLY

THINK I NEED A 12 STEP REHAB FOR CLONOPIN? I MEAN, I STILL ATTEND AA MEETINGS

PRETTY REGULARLY.... AM I IN DENIAL? I AM SCARED OF THE WITHDRAWALS FROM

CLONIPIN I HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED AS A RESULT OF THAT " COLD TURKEY " TIME. BUT

I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS CLONIPIN IS VERY BAD FOR MY HEALTH. NO ONE HAS

SUGGESTED I GET OFF IT BUT THOSE THAT I LOVE.... FOR THE SAME REASON I

MENTIONED. >>

** With the way you presented things it made sense to believe there could be

some abuse issues. You stated clearly that you were an active alcoholic until

you began taking Klonopin. You also reported the alcoholism as being severe and

life-threatening. You did not say that you received treatment for addiction. I

only know what I'm told and in order to truly be of any assistance to someone, I

have to understand the picture.

I agree with you that everything points to seizures as a result of the

alcohol abuse/withdrawal. Unfortunately, doctors are trained to view symptoms

discreetly and drug for each one. It's automatic for them -- like the dolls that

speak when you pull a string from their backs. There's no thought behind it,

just reaction.

I just listened to a PA rationalize giving a 76 yo chronically ill woman

(coming to the end of her stay here on Earth) Risperdal because she was barely

eating. Worse yet, the woman had diabetes and was already on 23 other drugs

daily (from this type of knee jerk prescribing). I couldn't make this up if I

tried. When confronted with all the reasons this was a ridiculous

recommendation, she fell silent and could not be drawn out again to speak. What

happened was she had been forced to come face to face with her ignorance.

There's no reason to be scared of a properly done withdrawal. If you're in

hell with it, you've dropped too much or too quickly.

You said:

<<SO, IF I UNDERSTAND YOU CORRECTLY, IF I WANT TO TRY LIFE WITHOUT CLONIPIN I

SHOULD GET A NEW DOCTOR AND BE CLOSELY MONITORED. AND IN ADDITION I SHOULD KEEP

WORKING MY AA PROGRAM (WHICH IS STRONG) PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO ANY " RELAPSE

BEHAVIORS " . >>

** I'm not sure where you got the 1st part of this. Most people I've com

across in 22 years have found MDs almost useless in guiding withdrawal. They

often don't even acknowledge it exists. Actually, let me ask some people here to

speak up on this. Those who have been down this road find the assistance they

receive in groups like this most helpful. Speak up please, folks? Thanks.

I do think you definitely need to keep working your recovery because quitting

alcohol was made very easy by taking Klonopin. They really have remarkably the

same effects on one's chemistry.

You said:

<<I GET THE FEELING THAT YOUR OPINION IS THAT I MAY NOT BE " READY " . HOW MUCH

MORE " READY " DO I NEED TO BE? >>

** My sense of your ability to do this now was based upon the information

provided. Your added information makes the picture brighter.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, AGAIN, FOR YOUR TIME, ATTENTION, AND OPINION.

FONDLY,

SHELLY >>

** You're welcome. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding.

Regards,

July 2, 2011

I've been benzo free since 3/19/11. I don't feel great but I feel

better than I did while I was taking Klonopin or Valium.

None of the psychiatrists I saw were helpful for withdrawing from

any psych drugs. They wrote the prescriptions. That's it. I told

them how I wanted to wean off the meds and what stength pill and/or

liquid I required. At least they were willing to cooperate and let

me do it my way.

Doctors always tried to convince me that withdrawal symptoms were

nothing more than my "disease" coming back. They had nothing to say

when I said "But I never had these symptoms before". Unbelievable!

Several years ago a doctor prescribed Geodon. After using it for a

few months, he reduced the dose too much at one time and I had a

panic attack from hell which was completely foreign to me. Didn't

realize it was a panic attack at the time and called 911. I never

called 911 before. When I saw that doctor again he said "Geodon has

no withdrawal". I was so terrified I landed up in the psych ward

where I explained the Geodon withdrawal and was told I have panic

disorder. LOL. After a week of being completely off the Geodon,

the panic attacks disappeared as fast as they arrived. Must have

been a miracle. I was cured of panic disorder just like that. [big

sarcastic grin]

Best wishes to all.

Nance

** I'm not sure where you got the 1st part of this. Most

people I've com across in 22 years have found MDs almost

useless in guiding withdrawal. They often don't even

acknowledge it exists. Actually, let me ask some people

here to speak up on this. Those who have been down this

road find the assistance they receive in groups like this

most helpful. Speak up please, folks? Thanks.

Regards,

July 2, 2011