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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 11:37:25
I don't understand.
About a month ago I started tapering off of Klonopin. I was on 1mg/day. After about a week of starting the taper, I started having symptoms of depression. It has been getting worse. I have been completely off Klonopin for a week. I do have some I can take as needed, which I did a couple nights ago to help me fall asleep.
Why am I getting depressed? If anything I had expected a lift in mood after getting off of this medication. herpills
Posted by Phillipa on August 14, 2010, at 12:24:44
In reply to Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed?, posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 11:37:25
Just my personal opinion but I feel that benzos lift anxiety which in turn keeps depression from developing. I didn't do well on klonopin and right now after so many years my benzos are tolerant but how do you feel if you add some back in? Why did you taper off such a small dose of klonopin? Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk2010 on August 14, 2010, at 13:02:05
In reply to Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed?, posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 11:37:25
Had you been on clonazepam for a long time? Any signs of withdrawal symptoms since stopping? eg. anxiety, restlessness, insomnia etc.
Clonazepam treatment doesn't necessarily worsen depression. Apparently, Japanese psychiatrists use clonazepam as an 'augmenting agent' in severe depression.
I've heard of depression developing during/after benzo withdrawal before. I think it's fairly common.
> I don't understand.
>
> About a month ago I started tapering off of Klonopin. I was on 1mg/day. After bout a week of starting the taper, I started having symptoms of depression. It has been getting worse. I have been completely off Klonopin for a week. I do have some I can take as needed, which I did a couple nights ago to help me fall asleep.
>
> Why am I getting depressed? If anything I had expected a lift in mood after getting off of this medication. herpills
Posted by ed_uk2010 on August 14, 2010, at 13:04:27
In reply to Re: Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed? » herpills, posted by Phillipa on August 14, 2010, at 12:24:44
>Why did you taper off such a small dose of klonopin? Phillipa
Don't forget that clonazepam is a high potency benzodiazepine. 1mg is a therapeutic dose. Although it sounds low, it isn't - it's a fairly standard dose. Tapering would be needed after long term treatment with 1mg eg. for several weeks or more.
Posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 13:34:12
In reply to Re: Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed? » herpills, posted by Phillipa on August 14, 2010, at 12:24:44
> Just my personal opinion but I feel that benzos lift anxiety which in turn keeps depression from developing. I didn't do well on klonopin and right now after so many years my benzos are tolerant but how do you feel if you add some back in? Why did you taper off such a small dose of klonopin? Phillipa
Pdoc wanted me to get off klonopin and work on anxiety through therapy, which I have started. I had originally been prescribed it by a different pdoc who said it wasn't just for anxiety but mood stabilization as well, but that was before I was put on lamictal and geodon, I was just on lexapro. herpills
Posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 13:38:37
In reply to Re: Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed?, posted by ed_uk2010 on August 14, 2010, at 13:02:05
> Had you been on clonazepam for a long time? Any signs of withdrawal symptoms since stopping? eg. anxiety, restlessness, insomnia etc.
>
> Clonazepam treatment doesn't necessarily worsen depression. Apparently, Japanese psychiatrists use clonazepam as an 'augmenting agent' in severe depression.
>
> I've heard of depression developing during/after benzo withdrawal before. I think it's fairly common.
>
I had been on clonazepam for 3 and a half years. I've only had a little anxiety since stopping, I actually expected it to be worse. It's the depression that is awful right now. I have had trouble falling asleep, but once I do I don't wake up during the night. herpills
Posted by ed_uk2010 on August 14, 2010, at 14:06:41
In reply to Re: Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed?, posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 13:38:37
>I had been on clonazepam for 3 and a half years.
A one month taper was pretty fast considering that you had been on clonazepam for so long. Clonazepam is a potent medication. 1mg is not an insignificant dose by any means.
>I've only had a little anxiety since stopping, I actually expected it to be worse. It's the depression that is awful right now.
If I were you, I would be tempted to return to clonazepam at a low dose eg. 0.5mg per day initially. I would then adjust the dose in order to find the lowest dose which relieved the depressive symptoms. This could be 0.25mg, it could be 0.5mg, it could be 0.75mg. Whatever it turns out to be, you could stay on that dose for a few weeks (until you feel stable) and then, if you want to, initiate a very gradual tapering process.
If restarting clonazepam doesn't help your depression, you will have to consider other treatments instead.
Posted by floatingbridge on August 16, 2010, at 11:52:42
In reply to Tapered off Klonopin so why am I so depressed?, posted by herpills on August 14, 2010, at 11:37:25
Herpills, your symptoms really could all be due to a quick clonapin taper. Recently I tapered and quit low dose xanax after 5 years of daily use. I felt like I was falling apart (what I said to my shrink). Not restless or other obvious signs of anxiety. Depressed in thought-churned way, and deeply 'uncomfortable'. He said it was withdrawal.
I took a half dose of xanax. Viola! Gone. For some, benzo taper has to be very, very slow. My two cents. Good luck.
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