10 replies to this topic

[ensignoftheunit]

Recently started seeing the VA psychiatrist and physcologist about my anxiety- textbook GAD according to them. I think I registered about 75% of the symptoms. The pyschiatrist has me on zoloft and 4mg klonopin a day, so she has been very generous with the medications. Both help enormously with my day to day anxiety issues and regular panic attacks. However neither touch my acute panic attacks. I've told her about this and we've tried ativan and valium with similar results. Because of their fairly lengthly onset time by the time my acute panic attacks in full swing the klonopin does nothing to ease it. She has already made it clear she very rarely perscribes Xanax because of its potential abusive nature. This I can agree with. However are there other options in the same class of drugs that I could supplement my other medications with, something with a much shorter onset time than klonopin than Xanax, but without the addictive qualities? Or is it the quick onset that makes it addictive? :(

She's been a great doctor thus far, but I gotta have something on hand for these severe panic attacks :(

Appointment is today, so any suggestions would be a great help!

[carlie]

Clonazeapam is my very helpful - do not kill, pill . . .
but Seroquel is my truest savior.
This is what works best for ME, personally.

Often, patients must go thru several different RX trials to include
slowly increasing and possibly decreasing dosage of an RX -
and trying a different RX, to get to the right RX, mixture and levels of RX's
to receive the optimum benefit available.
Then sometimes the patient might decide not to take any RX's for their own
personal reasons such as side effects - aversion to taking chemicals, natural
ingredients only, therapy is sufficient, etc . . .

[ensignoftheunit]

Clonazeapam is my very helpful - do not kill, pill . . .

I've been on clonazeapam for about a month and a half now, and I've had great suscess with my general anxiety. But I'm already upto 4mg a day. From what I have heard, for anxiety thats about as high as you can go with that particular drug...

[ensignoftheunit]

Got the call afew minutes ago that the appt was pushed back to the end of the month. Secure Messaging on Myhealthevet is nice, but not nearly the same thing as talking to the Doctor.... :(

[john999]

Don't stop taking xanax or clonazepam suddenly! You risk convulsions.

[ensignoftheunit]

Don't stop taking xanax or clonazepam suddenly! You risk convulsions.

No,no. I've got no intentions of stopping my clonazepam. My question was the clonazepam is sufficent at 4mg to control my general anxeity, but nearly worthless for a severe panic attack. My Doctor doesn't want to perscribe Xanax, and I can understand that, I was just asking if there are any other benzos that have quick onset times that do not have such a bad rap as Xanax?

[Pete53]

Fact is your Doc may be a crack pot. Xanax is extremely beneficial for patients with anxiety disorder. Clonepin is a slow release xanax by the way.

It is prescribed by VA lots to Veterans like me who have anxiety disorder. Every now and than someone comes and wants to try something else. The studies that are misread are usually addicts who are just out for the buzz abusing their prescription.

I would ask for another Doc if it was me.

[SP4RVN1971]

My primary doctor wrote a presciption for Xanax about 4 months ago. I took it to VA primary doctor and she filled

the presciption. It was for my anxiety, 90 per month 3 per day. I do not take that amount, maybe one a day or Just

for the special day's that I'm losing it.

[RonP]

You might want to try Passion Flower Extract.....In addition, Clonezapam has been taken for 5 years, it is addictive, but my DR said at my age who cares. I found taking Apraozam XR to be better than plain Alpazolam, in addition Esttalopram 1 x daily and 1 more if extreme mood swing or attack., and another Clonezapam.
RP

Good Luck

[ensignoftheunit]

Fact is your Doc may be a crack pot. Xanax is extremely beneficial for patients with anxiety disorder. Clonepin is a slow release xanax by the way.
\

Unfortunately that really isn’t an option in Augusta. The clinic here only has one physiatrist; we’re tremendously understaffed down there. It seems like every other appointment is postponed because of an emergency in the ER. She’s been very good in all other aspects, after my first week she didn’t have a problem bumping me up to what she considers the max daily dose of klonopin (4mg), and then tried 5 & 10mg valium with no complaints. I’m back to the 120 1mg of klonopin a month, but it helps with general anxiety but zip for acute panic attacks.

It was originally prescribed for the panic attacks, but now I’m just taking 2mg in the morning and 2mg at noon just as a potential preventative for the panic attacks. Sometimes it works, many times it doesn’t….

[Pete53]

Any MD can write for xanax. I would look into having a heart to heart with the shrink and if you can't get help she works for somebody. Appeal her decision not to treat you or find a Doc to write prescription for xanax.

A number of years ago I got a young Doc who decided I did not need xanax for the same reason yours did. Probably sleeping when they explained the difference between addicts and people who have anxiety disorders.

Good Luck