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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 12:14:01
I've been taking a high dose of Xanax XR for quite some time now and it only BARELY helps my social anxiety...I get the most anxious around meeting new people, groups of people I don't know, and the most in times of unpredictability...specifically "casual and happy" times with laughter...my facial muscles tighten up and I can't smile, feel awkward looking people in the eye. I pretty much feel like I'm on stage performing and doing a bad job at it! So as the situation goes on, I keep thinking about it, and I get worse and worse...
I tried Klonipin before Xanax, for only about 2 or 3 days, but did not like it at all. It made me drowsy, did not help the anxiety at all, etc...However I was on a low dose, and does it take longer to kick in?Based on my symptoms and what I said about my brief unsuccessful experience with Klonopin, might I consider asking about it again? (Next appt. in 2 days!)
Posted by libbyann on December 8, 2004, at 12:23:35
In reply to Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 12:14:01
Hi -
I haven't used Xanax, but have used klonopin for a few years and it works for me. Look at the thread above: Xanax vs. Klonopin. There's some useful info in the responses people gave.Hope that helps!
Posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 14:01:23
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by libbyann on December 8, 2004, at 12:23:35
Hi, yep, I read those posts....got some answers, but not ALL....still curious about my symptoms and how they relate to the particular med. (haven't even considered ativan and my pdoc wouldn;t prescribe valium)...
what were/are you specific symptoms when it comes to anxiety that you are treating, and in which particular situations do you get them?
Thanks
Posted by woolav on December 8, 2004, at 14:23:16
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 14:01:23
You have prob. read some of my posts about this subject before. But I have social anxiety and panic disorder and was on xanax for years. Apparently i built up a tolerance and my pdoc switched me to klonopin. After a few days, I was feeling bad, depressed and just generally yucky. So, I called my pdoc and said it wasnt working with the klon. so she switched me to ativan. Tried that for a week, (did absolutely nothing for me) So, anyway, knowing my pdoc wasnt going to put me on xanax again. I decided to try the klonopin once again. This time it worked great. . I am more outgoing in social events and havent had a panic attack. So, at this point it works alot better for me than xanax did for SP. I think for me the reason I didnt like the klon. at first was because i was going thru withdrawl symptoms from the xanax.
You may want to give it another try. Give it a week or so and see what happens
Good luck,
S
Posted by Glydin on December 8, 2004, at 14:56:38
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by woolav on December 8, 2004, at 14:23:16
I have read your posts before and responded in the past.
While I do think if you gave Klonopin another try, you may find it effective after some startup stuff, I think you have eluded that you thought maybe your other meds, such as a stim., could be adding to the anxiety issues you are experiencing.
Personally, I have not taken RX stims but OTC stim like medications do not fare well with my anxiety issues and tends to ramp all my symptoms way up.
Unfortunately, like so many times, meds that are quite useful for some disorders or aspects of disorders may worsen some of the other parts to problems. It's a Catch 22 and it's quite unfair.
Talk with your doc. Maybe you can lower your stim dosing and maybe the right benzo, or keeping your stim dosing as is and the right benzo....?
I do find Klonopin has a startup and time is needed to find a good maintance dose and good effectiveness.
Posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 14:57:09
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by woolav on December 8, 2004, at 14:23:16
Yeah, I really would like to try the klonopin again. As I said, I was only on it for a few days, and at a very small dose. I gave up right away...
knock on wood, hopefullly i won't have to be on a high dose of a benzo (if any dose at all) in the end, as I've been slowly increasing my lamictal for BP2, and a BIG "knock on wood", I feel like it's helping my mood, which in turn helps my anxiety a bit...so if this works my pdoc wants to taper my very high dose of xanax. Can I suggest to him tapering that as I slowly try starting up klonopin, or can they not be taken at the same time (klon. and xan.)thanks !
Posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 15:00:37
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by Glydin on December 8, 2004, at 14:56:38
About the klonopin, In regards to my initial question for delving into this post, was mainly to find out if one or the other is more suited for a specific type of anxiety. Mine is 99% social interaction type anxiety. I freak out and like I said, get really tense, can't smile, feel/look very awkward....I have slight GAD, like when im in a chill environment, driving, at home by myself, etc...I feel the odd anxiety about something upcoming, but a lot of times I tack that up to the adderall. (im OCD anyway)
thanks !
Posted by zeugma on December 8, 2004, at 16:01:22
In reply to Previous post for woolav, this post for Glydin!, posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 15:00:37
Stims definitely escalate anxiety. On 60 mg Ritalin LA I feel terribly anxious sometimes. Unfortunately I can't get by without a stim.
Even without stimulant anxiety, I do not find klonopin to be a 'cure' for my lifelong anxiety. It is an enormously helpful med that helps me cope with the anxiety, and sometimes (in lower-intensity situations) helps me feel relatively non-anxious. This does not make me the equivalent of 'euthymic' when it comes to anxiety. It helps with the anxiety, that's all. that is something I am grateful for. But the stimulants reduce its effectiveness. Have you tried provigil? That stim worked well, was possibly even anxiolytic. I couldn't tolerate its s/e, but wish I could have.
Posted by Glydin on December 8, 2004, at 16:02:34
In reply to Previous post for woolav, this post for Glydin!, posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 15:00:37
I didn't intend offend or become intrusive.
Just trying to help but perhaps, I didn't, sorry.
Posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 22:43:13
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by Glydin on December 8, 2004, at 14:56:38
didnt mean for it to sound like that. sorry for the miscommunication. i appreciate your help.
Posted by Glydin on December 8, 2004, at 23:12:01
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety?, posted by becksA on December 8, 2004, at 22:43:13
> didnt mean for it to sound like that. sorry for the miscommunication. i appreciate your help.
Thanks for your kind post. I broke my own rule by making commentary on subjects I really have no personal experience with and I don't like doing that.
As for Klonopin use, I'm a self proclaimed expert (smile). It's my only RX. K had really been a great med for me. I found it helped with all aspects of my anxiety disorder. I am primarily GAD, panic, and agoraphobia (thankfully not for a while). I do find those cluster of symptoms, when raging badly, do make me very socially inept and quite uncomfortable. Klonopin has helped me a great deal.
I did take a brief trial with Xanax extended release and found it was not as effective for me, but we are all different.
Hope you can find a good treatment for you.
Posted by woolav on December 9, 2004, at 11:32:34
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL anxiety? » becksA, posted by Glydin on December 8, 2004, at 23:12:01
Hi, i was just wondering what dose of klonopin are you taking. Because I have similar symptoms as you and I take 1 1/2 to 2 mg daily depending. Are you taking a higher dose??
Thanks
sandy
Posted by Glydin on December 9, 2004, at 12:23:20
In reply to Re: Xanax or Klon. for strictly SOCIAL Glydin!!!, posted by woolav on December 9, 2004, at 11:32:34
> Hi, i was just wondering what dose of klonopin are you taking. Because I have similar symptoms as you and I take 1 1/2 to 2 mg daily depending. Are you taking a higher dose??
~~~I titrate my dose varying with situational circumstances and sometimes, just my "state" that has no appreciated reason but a flaming amygdala. I'm actually on a lower dose, for the majority of the time, than you. But, I think your dose is very reasonable. During my initial first year of use, I required a higher dose, usually around 1 mg per day, divided. As time went on, I was able to lower. There are still are times I require a higher dose, but I'm able to return to my normal dosing without problem -- which is .25mgs per day divided. It's very low, but I do well on that and not as well when I'm not taking the K "dust".I am ubersensitive with just about all meds, so I'm not surprised that a subtherapeudic dose works for me. I also don't like when individuals are "pigeonholed" into a mindset of an "everyone" dose --- barring tolerance or problematic matters or a dose amount being dangerous in some way, I'm for individuality and "wiggle room" - lowish to highish.
I'm sure that's more than you wanted to know. (smile)
This is the end of the thread.
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