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Klonopin or xanax? An appointment with doctor on Monday (please take a look)

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Alexander	Klonopin or xanax? An appointment with doctor on Monday (please take a look)	Lead	[-]
Posts: 161 04/20/12 11:24 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None On monday I'm going to ask some antidepressants to be prescribed for me because my condition is close to total dysfunction at the moment. I took melatonin for the first time yesterday for sleep, one 3mg pill got me just 5 hours of undistrubed sleep so I took another half and got another 3 hours from it. Afterwards I turned on my notebook on white noise youtube video and managed to sleep for 4 hours. After each wake up I had a panic attack so it was very hard to relax again. I have no appetite, I have to force myself to eat as I start to feel weak. Spending all the time on the bed with no motivation to do anything. What bothers me most is not tinnitus.It interferences with my sleep as it totally invades my attention during moments of silence and I can hear at night with the refrigerator working too, but with white noise masking seems like it's bearable. Also fans of my laptop completly mute it as I'm typing. The aural fullness is getting me. It's totally awful. One of my ears is so constricted all the time so then I'm out of computer I can't think about anything else. Moreover, as this fullness tends to travel from one ear it seriously hampers any adoptation to it. I know it won't go away. I've searched this forum for klonopin, xanax, fullness keywords and while I haven't checked throu all the pages as there are too many of them, it looks like it xanax can be a relief with tinnitus and klonopin can help with fullness. They both have strong effects and I'm worried if I'll be able to carry on with my work. I have a very sparse schedule 1 working day/ 3-5 days off. But the working day goes for 20-28 hours without sleep. I could take it normally prior to aggravation of my conditon but how severe can be infulence from not taking these drugs for 2 days? Can I interrupt the course at all? Also as both of these drugs seems to be in the top grade of antidepressants in existance how would you rate my chances to get them prescribed? Or I should try some weaker before? I just don't think they will be enough. Please let me know your thoughts, I feel so lost... Last Edited By: Alexander 04/20/12 11:27 PM. Edited 1 time.
lucavb.dryrun28158		#1	[-]
Posts: 610 04/21/12 3:43 AM TSMB Supporter Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Hello Alexander! If the fan of the laptop can mask your tinnitus consider yourself lucky! Mine is louder! Either way the sleeping problems, the appetite problems, the overall mood - I have experienced all of it when I first got T 2 years ago. It's all quite normal for someone new to T. I got back on track by carrying on with life, seeing friends, and try not to focus on it. Accepting it and stop feeling sorry for myself. Also; working actually helps me to forget the tinnitus! Since you focus on the work! All of this is easier said than done, and everyone goes through the habituation process at his or her own pace, but most of us get much better. I would also advise not to wait around for a cure, or try hundreds of therapies. Here Clonazepam (Klonopin) is not considered to be an antidepressant, but used to treat epilepsy and anxiety disorders, xanax is also not considered to be an antidepressant but used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. Both substances are benzodiazepines which can cause both physical and psychological addiction & withdrawal symptoms. They may be used temporarily to improve sleep. Although I found Lorazepam to be better for sleep, as it is a dedicated sleep benzo. All benzos should only be used in ACUTE cases. Good sleep does make tinnitus easier to deal with. I took the antidepressant "Mirtazapine" (Remeron/Rivotril) which I found to provide better sleep, with a hangover the next morning, and a horrible craving for all the wrong foods. It also lowerd my T during the morning phase. Klonopin was prescribed by a well known Belgian tinnitus neuro, but it did nothing bu make me feel dizzy. Your experience may vary. But I believe that all of these medications don't fix you right up, healing comes from within, they are only a TEMPORARY measure to help you help yourself, I would avoid long term use. You will get better no dubt
mdcastle		#2	[-]
Posts: 40 04/21/12 4:33 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Just my esperience- I've tried over a dozen different medications. Klonopin and Verapamil were the only ones that made a difference and I had to stop Verapamil due to side effects. I see a nationally known neurotologist in Chicago. In his experience any amount of Xanax is additive. He's only seem people addicted (or even get tolerant) to Klonopin at high (2>mg, and he likes to limit his patients to 1 mg) doses over time. In my experience I slept a lot initially on Klonopin but that effect wore off. The drug Seroquel has potentially serious side effects but it is an option for sleep. I've taken it over a year and it hasn't lost it's effect yet, and it's completely non-adictive unlike benzos or even most benzo derived sleep aids.
Alexander		#3	[-]
Posts: 161 04/21/12 5:53 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thank you very much for answers. I want to ask is withdrawal syndrome temporary or i will have to deal with its effects for indefinite period? And if benzos are not considered as antidepressants, can I take AD along with benzos if neccessary? Also can you comment about interruption of a course? lucavb.dryrun28158 wrote: Either way the sleeping problems, the appetite problems, the overall mood - I have experienced all of it when I first got T 2 years ago. It's all quite normal for someone new to T. I got back on track by carrying on with life, seeing friends, and try not to focus on it. Accepting it and stop feeling sorry for myself. Also; working actually helps me to forget the tinnitus! Since you focus on the work! Trying not to focus is the toughest thing especially when I'm taking a toilet as it's very quiet there, sorry if it's bit offensive. To be absorbed in a work seems to be good idea. Didn't think about it this way . The hard thing will be not to think about what comes after it. I'm inclined to start with Klonopin, then I'll go on with others judging on its performance, I will try to seek drugs you both proposed. I agree that this is an option of last resort, but the probable reduction in ear fullness can be the best gain here. If it won't affect T or fullness I will quit it. I feel quite anixous these days so it should be a help anyway. mdcastle, I've searched your posts and you mentioned Klonopin in your post from 2 years ago, is it still working for you? Has the effect been immediat or it took a time to show? It's uplifting to speak with people who has something constructive to say in the contrary to the doctors I've adressed to with my problem. I'm expecting getting prescribed Clonazepam won't be easy.
playingpool		#4	[-]
Posts: 1909 04/21/12 6:22 AM TSMB Supporter Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	"... the working day goes for 20-28 hours without sleep." Well, that just sounds wrong. A better work schedule is in order. Xanax worked for me, both for sleep an tinnitus severity. Xanax is also used for panic attacks. I was able to taper off xanax in two weeks with no problem. Pool
muttanjeff		#5	[-]
Posts: 2724 04/21/12 7:52 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	my experience with remeron has been different than the above poster and i think it would be a very good medication for you since it will help you sleep and eat as well xanax was helpful to me using it only as needed and not on a regular basis where you can build up a tolerance the stuff you hear about addiction and withdrawal is flatly not true, most people use klonopin and xanax safely and without problems good luck
Alexander		#6	[-]
Posts: 161 04/21/12 8:30 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	playingpool wrote: "... the working day goes for 20-28 hours without sleep." Well, that just sounds wrong. A better work schedule is in order. Xanax worked for me, both for sleep an tinnitus severity. Xanax is also used for panic attacks. I was able to taper off xanax in two weeks with no problem. Pool Yes, that's not great for health certainly, but I think I have no better options. As I got T 6 years ago when I had been just 16 years old, my school performance went downhill as i lost motivation and couldn't mantain concetration. I enrolled to university though,but I was expulsed in the first year. So I have no skills, I know english a bit but that's it. What I'm occupied on job with is a counting of foodstuffs in supermarket on a portable bar code scanner within a team. As we have to count the whole supermarket at once it takes a while. There are 4-5 such counts per month but this january there were just 2 of them so it didn't feel like a burden.
Scott Kuz		#7	[-]
Posts: 574 04/21/12 10:20 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I would say nothing compares to quitting nicotine....these other drugs are cake in comparison
mdcastle		#8	[-]
Posts: 40 04/21/12 10:23 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've not been on it constantly. I was seeing an ENT who only let me stay on it a short time while he tried snake oil treatments, when those didn't work he discharged me. I was on 1.5 a day and got tolerant but not addicted. Now the neurotologist is letting me take a couple a week, his opinion is I will not get tolerant or addicted to it on that level ever, I haven't been taking it long enough at that level to have an opinion. Benzos scare doctors in general because they do see the bad side of them a lot, The cynic in me thinks they figure it's better to have a tinnitus patients commit suicide do to the ringing than to potentially get them addicted and get themselves in trouble. I have to travel to see my neurotologist as I have exhausted all local resources. My experience is it's easier to get Klonopin than Xanax, none of the four doctors I've seen for an extended period would even consider Xanax. We decided against Topomax because of it's cognitive problems but my doctor is having me try other anticonvulsants in the hope on might work, and to continue his neuromonic-esque program. They did have one patient try official neuromonics, but they're not impressed with the benfit vs the cost so they have low budget (you get it for the cost of an office visit) set of music to try. The had me demo WNGs, but I was not impressed, my tinnitus is around 10,000 hz, which is above the range at which they can mask, I could still hear the shrillness and it just made everything else harder to hear. He's skeptical of notched music therapy until there's more data on it, and it would not work for me since I can't hear above the tinnitus frequency. The only thing that really "masks" it is the shower or waterfall. Last Edited By: mdcastle 04/21/12 10:27 AM. Edited 1 times.
Alexander		#9	[-]
Posts: 161 04/21/12 10:52 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	mdcastle wrote: The cynic in me thinks they figure it's better to have a tinnitus patients commit suicide do to the ringing than to potentially get them addicted and get themselves in trouble. Exactly. Why can't spend my life the way I want? I'm ready to sign a withdrawal of any claims, but if i'll mention this they would probably hospitalse me on the scene. If I'll want euthanasia one day - let me have it, not your frecking business why and what do you think about it.
Pessia		#10	[-]
Posts: 1466 04/21/12 2:09 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Klonopin and Xanax are both benzodiazepines. Klonopin is longer acting and because of this, supposedly the tapering off is easier. I never took Xanax for long periods so I don't know how hard it is to discontinue. I did, however, take Klonopin for about 3 years. It took a couple of months to taper. It was unpleasant but not unbearable. If it makes you feel better, take it and don't worry about the withdrawal.
danik		#11	[-]
Posts: 2413 04/21/12 2:21 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Why would you think that your aural fullness won't go away??? Most mechanical ear symptoms tend to resolve over time. Once that does, and T isn't a problem because its a fairly mild case, you'll be out of the woods.
Alexander		#12	[-]
Posts: 161 04/21/12 9:08 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	danik wrote: Why would you think that your aural fullness won't go away??? Most mechanical ear symptoms tend to resolve over time. Once that does, and T isn't a problem because its a fairly mild case, you'll be out of the woods. I think it's not mechanical symptom, but brain related malfunction. It wouldn't travel from one ear to another if the problem was within ear itself. I have been having it for 6 years since I got T. Though it got better in the last years or I just got used to it, it never dissapeared. Since my new exposure to loud noise 17 april it got much stronger. On a good news: one melatonin pill got me throu 8 hours this night.
painterdude		#13	[-]
Posts: 1420 04/22/12 8:18 AM TSMB Supporter Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I took a very small dose of xanax xr(slow time release) my first several months with T. It just mellowed my anxiety out a bit without making me tired, sleepy or zombie like. Being slow release it stayed in my system all day. I don't remember if I took it once a day or twice. Before that I tried Klon, but didn't like the effects of it. As for the xanax, perhaps because it was low dose etc. I had no problem tapering in a couple of weeks. Never had to go the anti depressive route, but pretty sure you can use both as long as you keep checking with the proper docs.
MOXIE	klonopin	#14	[-]
Posts: 146 04/22/12 6:00 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I've been taking (2) klonopin (.05mg) and 1 remeron for years. Does not stop the ringing but helps with sleep and at times getting thru the day. Not worried about withdrawal should I ever stop. Doc said to small a doze.
Alexander		#15	[-]
Posts: 161 04/23/12 10:00 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	So my fears about getting prescribed didn't come true. I went to my local psychoneurologic clinic today and met with psychiatrist. There I described my situation and I was told that in order to get prescribed properly I have to be registered as a patient which is very undesirable because it creates considerable difficulties getting driving license and denies many professional branches. However, doctor was so kind and/or my appearence was poor, she signed me a prescription for 60x2mg Klonopin, despite it being in the list of most restricted drugs in my country. Along with Klonopin I was prescribed Alimemazine as sedative. I was asking for Remeron instead, but it was decided it can be too tough for me. Also, she left me her mobile phone number and asked to inform her in the first week of May about how helpful the course will happen to be. This Alimemazine can to be problematic though. In side effects tinnittus is listed, but in interaction with other drugs there is ability to mask ototoxicity symptoms mentioned. And there are no search results on forum for it at all. I will try to refrain from it, until I'll be able to apperciate the effect of Klonopin. Klonopin I was originally prescribed to take 2mg once before sleeping, but I raised the question of withdrawl and it was agreeded that I will take 1mg. Dunno if is it optimal? First half of pill taken, work tommorow.
hisshead		#16	[-]
Posts: 86 04/23/12 10:28 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I think 2mg may be too much. 1mg should do it. Cut down to one half mg after a while if you can. But we are all different and you do what is best for you.
Pessia		#17	[-]
Posts: 1466 04/23/12 2:41 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Agree with hisshead. 2mg is a lot of Klonopin.
Alexander		#18	[-]
Posts: 161 04/30/12 12:52 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	So one week into 1mg Klonopin, 13 days since accident: Appetite - 100% back Sleep - 100% back Tinnittus - now fans of my netbook can mask it, still it's the first that I hear when I'm waking up and I can hear it clearly in my room when there are no other sounds and I'm not moving. Simple walking to a kitchen or taking a meal makes it unnoticeable. Peraphs even chewing a gum is capable to hide it , haven't tried yet. Aural fullness - better but still pretty bad, feeling itself has changed. If it felt like a press earlier, now it's more like engulfing feeling. Distracting but manageable overall. Good thing when I'm listening to music using headphones I don't feel it all. I'm puzzled why it's like that. The headphones are monitor type covering the whole ear. So with headphones on I'm neither distracted by tinnitus nor by fullness. Along with Klonopin I've been taking only vitamins, I have not started that sedative I was prescribed. Klonopin help with sleep is immense, within 30 mins after taking half of pill body feels more relaxed than after laying in warm bath for an hour, so falling asleep goes in natural way in the contrary to Melatonin which just knocked me off while I was still feeling agitated. Hard to judge at which extent Klonopin helped with tinnittus or it was just natural recovery, but looks like I'm gonna get throu this.
danik		#19	[-]
Posts: 2413 04/30/12 10:31 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	looks like I'm gonna get throu this. Of course you will. A tinnitus that is laptop fan maskable is not a loud T. The aural fullness goes away when you listen to music is because the inner ear is getting stimulation.
noodles		#20	[-]
Posts: 80 04/30/12 10:52 AM TSMB Supporter Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	You are the first person that I have come across describing aural fullness like I experience it. Mine started in October 2011 and like you mention it travels from one ear to another sometimes within seconds. Does your fullness affect your hearing? Does it sound distorted or muffled? Mine doesn't seem to but creates a funny tugging feeling. Don't even know if it is fullness. Mine has gotten much better in the last few months but I realize it is always worse when I am stressed and during panic attacks it feels horrible. I think mine is psychosomatic because of my fears about sshl (which I had 1.5 years ago and it started with ear fullness, my hearing was very muffled at that time).

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Klonopin or xanax? An appointment with doctor on Monday (please take a look)

Klonopin or xanax? An appointment with doctor on Monday (please take a look)