Multiple Benzodiazepines

[hedgey]

I've been on klonopin and ativan both for a couple few years.

Funny story about the klonopin. I was taking two 1mg pills a night for help sleeping. Then the VA changed manufacturers and the meds came in 2mg pills. I didn't notice or read the label, so I was happily taking 4mg every night. Plus up to two 1mg of ativan every day (sometimes more).

Found out the 4mg error when I was panicking about running out of pills. Doc backed me down to 2mg a night for a year or so, and has upped my available ativan to four 1mg per day.

She's weaning me off the klonopin because she's worried that the too much benzo is causing my memory & concentration problems. I'm kinda scared, because I kinda like being able to fall asleep.

Not that I can stay asleep. Or that it stops the nightmares. But being able to fall asleep at all was a nice, new thing for me.

Since the citalopram that I've been on since 2009 hasn't made a dent in the depression, I'm being put on Cymbalta. The doc thinks it might help my neurologic pain as well....

[john999]

I bet the first few days you are on Cymbalta you will find yourself falling asleep at odd times during the day. I like Cymbalta because it helps me stop worrying and relieves my obsessions. I think it helps with depression and that helps with chronic pain. It is not a wonder drug.

[chinavet]

Hedgey

The Klonopin clobbered my memory....

I had the opposite happen: The Hong Kong company that made mine changed from 1 mgs to .5....I went through brutal withdrawal....

Take it slow.

[john999]

Getting off Klonopin is really hard. I did it by accident being in unable to get the drug where I was at and I did not sleep for days. Plus I was as nervous as a cat. I have kicked other drugs and getting off any benzodiazepines is one of the hardest and most dangerous.