Clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril)
- Thread starter erik
- Start date
SoulStation
Member
SoulStation
Member
Member- Jan 25, 2013
- 3,573
- Tinnitus Since
- 2008
- Cause of Tinnitus
- TMJ disorder, airplane barotrauma, noise exposure.
SoulStation
Member
Just took my first .5 mg tonight. Does any one know if its safe to just cross over from ativan to Klonopin?
My doc says yes but i dont know - I normally take .5 mg of ATIVAN 3x a day and today I did one dose of .5 of ATIVAN and .5 of Klonopin in the evening. I just don't want to trigger any shit but I've become too tolerant to ATIVAN and want to try Klonopin. So far I'm pretty happy as I took .5 mg Ativan at 2 pm (which only lasts 4 hrs) and .5 Klonopin at 7:30 pm.
I hate taking these benzos but they truly give me relief and I was barely hanging recently and they have helped me have some life. I also take 15 mg lexapro which helped me not have such dark thoughts.
Disclaimer: I've been on Ativan for 5 years BTW on various dosages.
My doc says yes but i dont know - I normally take .5 mg of ATIVAN 3x a day and today I did one dose of .5 of ATIVAN and .5 of Klonopin in the evening. I just don't want to trigger any shit but I've become too tolerant to ATIVAN and want to try Klonopin. So far I'm pretty happy as I took .5 mg Ativan at 2 pm (which only lasts 4 hrs) and .5 Klonopin at 7:30 pm.
I hate taking these benzos but they truly give me relief and I was barely hanging recently and they have helped me have some life. I also take 15 mg lexapro which helped me not have such dark thoughts.
Disclaimer: I've been on Ativan for 5 years BTW on various dosages.
Do not worry, 0.5 mg of Klonopin is little dose. Daily dose for Epil.people is 6-8 mg per day. And maximum dose per day is 20mg, so u are safe.
SoulStation
Member
Thx
What I'm more concerned about is substituting .5 Klonopin for 1 mg Ativan for one night to start. I know according to the Ashton manual that's the equivalent dosage but I know because of Klonopins longer half life it takes longer to metabolzie and build up in your system and I'm afraid I'll get withdrawal from ativan while waiting for the K to work.
Yes medical majawana does come in a pill form. I bought some very expensive (20 American dollars for 8 pills). I didn't get any effect from them so I might some day just get some regular weed and smoke it! It's legal in th state of Washington .
SoulStation
Member
Any opinions on this?
And BTW for what it's worth. K does dramatically lower the volume of my T.
undecided
Member
You should have no problem crossing from ativan to K.
Their half life is slightly different but they're not too far off.
Issues usually arise when one goes from valium to short half-life benzos.
Their half life is slightly different but they're not too far off.
Issues usually arise when one goes from valium to short half-life benzos.
@SoulStation k is the only thing that lowers my T also...I have tried other meds but K consistantly lowers my T.
I try to not to take the same dose all the time and I never take more then .5mg per day.
Hi Carlos.
How much K do you take at all?
So how many days you take and how long is the break - to not build up addiction and tolerance?
I have habituated to my tinnitus for the second time in 20 years. However, it ranges in intensity from: complete silence, mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe. For the last three days it has gradually got worse and up to 8 hrs ago it was at a very severe level. So loud and intrusive it makes it difficult to cope. Although I didn't want to, I took 2x 0.5mg of clonazapam and went to bed due to its sedative qualities. Fortunately, my tinnitus has now reduced to a very low level as I type. I try not to take this medication often because of it's addictive nature and the body will quickly habituate to it, and more of the drug needs to be taken to get the same relief.
Michael
shreddAr87
Member
- Nov 9, 2015
- 25
- Tinnitus Since
- 10/2015
- Cause of Tinnitus
- loud music...history of anxiety/depression...earplugs idk
Sup dude. I know you were asking Carlos but I thought id put my 2 cents in. If you take any given benzo everyday you will eventually become addicted. How addicted depends on how many times a day you take it. If you take it three times a day you are screwing yourself over in the long run. I'd say two times a day is asking for trouble as well. Taking it only at night like at 6-7:00 is debatable. I think it depends on the person.
This is what works best for me. I use it as a tool. I'll take a .5 ativan when I want to have a really good evening with friends or watching movies with my gf or if I want to have a really focused night of playing /recording music. I never take it at work or during the day on weekends. On days I have a lot if work to do like errands or family related obligations or chores I don't take it. I figure on days like that whether you have T or not its going be a generally shittier day anyways so I don't take one. So all in all I'd say I take it about 2-3 times a week, sometimes less never more. Do I feel addicted? Not at all. But like I said it depends on the person. Someone may feel too dependent on it which will make them feel shittier on days of not taking one then they would if they never started taking benzos at all. For me taking one is a reminder that life is still good. Is this an optimal lifestyle? Ask me if I care...
shreddAr87
Member
- Nov 9, 2015
- 25
- Tinnitus Since
- 10/2015
- Cause of Tinnitus
- loud music...history of anxiety/depression...earplugs idk
Hi ShreddAr87. I wasn't on my computer so didn't see your message. I do take benzos and my Tinnitu is variable and can be very severe. I had to take Clonazapam today.
Michael
Michael
@Martin69 hey Martin I only take K at nite and it's never more then .5mg unless I'm having a really bad day then I'll take 1.0mg at nite.....I'll usually take same dosage.5mg for 3 days then cut it in half for the next 3 days if T is low then I'll go couple days no K till my T gets bad then I'll repeat.
I just need a break once in a while and K gives me that. Happy Holidays Martin
Carlos
Thanks Carlos.
But isn't this already too much for addiction and tolerance?
I mean taking 3 days 0.5 mg, taking 3 days 0.25 mg, then no K, then again 0.5 mg or even sometimes 1.0 mg.
I don't know myself, but people here in Germany are very cautious and say only take it "once in a while".
I don't want to insecure you, just wanted to find out myself how to get best relief from T from time to time with Trobalt and/or Tavor (Ativan/Lorazepam) - until my brain has totally accepted T.
Happy Holidays.
- Aug 21, 2014
- 5,049
- Tinnitus Since
- 1999
- Cause of Tinnitus
- karma
what @carlos is describing ends up amounting to taking about 3-4mg of Klonopin per week. That's not a shocking amount, but it's definitely enough to create some degree of dependence (and withdrawal) in most people, given a long enough period of intake... the half life on Clonazepam is ~30 hours, and it's lipid soluble, so if you take a couple MG per week (even as a single dose), you end up having some amount of it in your bloodstream 24/7/365. Benzos are very potent with a strong affinity for their receptor subtypes, and so taking even conservative amounts leads to receptor down-regualation (which is what you experience as withdrawal symtpoms when you discontinue).
Genevieve
Member
Hi @Louise, if Rivotril has so much "rebond effects" and is highly addictive, maybe the solution is to take " a natural Rivotril" As I have understood Rivotril is a combination of 2 different molecules an anxiolytic and an anti-epileptic, I was just wondering if a natural product having the same effects as Rivotril exist now on the market? It seems that bioflavonoïd is close to the Rivotril for it's anti epileptic effects but I'm not sure. I had also a prescription of Rivotril that was given to me last december, but because of the side effects and the many withdrawal effects I'm still very afraid to take it. Before my T I always hated to take strong drugs
Genevieve
Member
Plucky,
Yes, you should look into the drug. It's good for anxiety, as Louise notes, and it's not addictive. That said, you need something to help you calm down. Everyone panics for a while--or longer! It's just normal. How else could anyone respond to a loud, annoying, unstoppable noise in their heads! But anxiety will make it worse. That's why--especially now--you need something to calm yourself down. Many people use anti-anxiety medications; others will use cognitive behavioral therapy or some other type of psychotherapy. Just know that you are not alone, and your response is normal. In time, you will adjust and get better.
I was a wreck for three months, then mine began to calm down, but it's still there. In the beginning, the most important thing I did was take time-released melatonin, 3 grams. It helped me sleep. Insomnia is common for most tinnitus sufferers, especially at the beginning. Not sleeping is another thing that makes tinnitus unbearable. You can't think straight when you're tired, and you focus more on negative thoughts. At least, I did. Just do a search on melatonin on the board. You'll find that other people benefitted, and there's been research studies on the drug. But if you take Pregabalin tell you doctor about any OTC drugs you're taking, including melatonin, if pertinent. Drugs will interact with each other, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
Be sure to enrich your environment with sound. Many people will play nature sounds on their iPods, computers, etc. You need something in the background that will help distract you from the noise. And most people I've spoken to sleep with background noise. I sleep with water sounds. Some people like crickets. Keeping yourself immersed in sound--especially at the beginning-- 24/7 is a big anxiety reducer. Just don't expose yourself to loud sounds, obviously! Keep the sound loud enough to distract, but not overwhelm.
Many on the board will say that tinnitus gets better over time. Mine did. But I still had spikes and many bad days. Lately, I've had another big improvement from getting hearing aids. They help about 40% of people, but in the tinnitus world--that's a lot. When you feel better, get your hearing examined. If you do have a loss, even if its considered 'mild,' then choose a hearing aid that helps people with tinnitus. I use Starkey Xino; but many others like Widex Zen. (The former is less expensive, but it's also a preference difference.) Hearing aids are one of many things to do to help your tinnitus. Plus, you're still early in the disease. Your ear might heal, and the sound might go away. You need at least six--some say 12--months before the tinnitus is probably permanent, and even then you will eventually habituate. When you habituate, the tinnitus will no longer matter. That's what I'm trying to do.
One more thing: how did you get the tinnitus? Was it from a drug or noise or barotrauma? I wonder if HBOT works for some injuries rather than others. In addition, you might look at the clinical trail for AM-101. This drug is supposed to stop tinnitus in its tracks. But it should be taken within three months of the trauma. That said, one person on this board took it a little later and still got good results, though is not cured. Just search for AM-101 on the board. There's so much great information at Tinnitus Talk!!
I just want to tell you something @jazz You are an amazing and wonderful human being! Great post!
Plucky,
Yes, you should look into the drug. It's good for anxiety, as Louise notes, and it's not addictive. That said, you need something to help you calm down. Everyone panics for a while--or longer! It's just normal. How else could anyone respond to a loud, annoying, unstoppable noise in their heads! But anxiety will make it worse. That's why--especially now--you need something to calm yourself down. Many people use anti-anxiety medications; others will use cognitive behavioral therapy or some other type of psychotherapy. Just know that you are not alone, and your response is normal. In time, you will adjust and get better.
I was a wreck for three months, then mine began to calm down, but it's still there. In the beginning, the most important thing I did was take time-released melatonin, 3 grams. It helped me sleep. Insomnia is common for most tinnitus sufferers, especially at the beginning. Not sleeping is another thing that makes tinnitus unbearable. You can't think straight when you're tired, and you focus more on negative thoughts. At least, I did. Just do a search on melatonin on the board. You'll find that other people benefitted, and there's been research studies on the drug. But if you take Pregabalin tell you doctor about any OTC drugs you're taking, including melatonin, if pertinent. Drugs will interact with each other, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
Be sure to enrich your environment with sound. Many people will play nature sounds on their iPods, computers, etc. You need something in the background that will help distract you from the noise. And most people I've spoken to sleep with background noise. I sleep with water sounds. Some people like crickets. Keeping yourself immersed in sound--especially at the beginning-- 24/7 is a big anxiety reducer. Just don't expose yourself to loud sounds, obviously! Keep the sound loud enough to distract, but not overwhelm.
Many on the board will say that tinnitus gets better over time. Mine did. But I still had spikes and many bad days. Lately, I've had another big improvement from getting hearing aids. They help about 40% of people, but in the tinnitus world--that's a lot. When you feel better, get your hearing examined. If you do have a loss, even if its considered 'mild,' then choose a hearing aid that helps people with tinnitus. I use Starkey Xino; but many others like Widex Zen. (The former is less expensive, but it's also a preference difference.) Hearing aids are one of many things to do to help your tinnitus. Plus, you're still early in the disease. Your ear might heal, and the sound might go away. You need at least six--some say 12--months before the tinnitus is probably permanent, and even then you will eventually habituate. When you habituate, the tinnitus will no longer matter. That's what I'm trying to do.
One more thing: how did you get the tinnitus? Was it from a drug or noise or barotrauma? I wonder if HBOT works for some injuries rather than others. In addition, you might look at the clinical trail for AM-101. This drug is supposed to stop tinnitus in its tracks. But it should be taken within three months of the trauma. That said, one person on this board took it a little later and still got good results, though is not cured. Just search for AM-101 on the board. There's so much great information at Tinnitus Talk
Plucky,
Yes, you should look into the drug. It's good for anxiety, as Louise notes, and it's not addictive. That said, you need something to help you calm down. Everyone panics for a while--or longer! It's just normal. How else could anyone respond to a loud, annoying, unstoppable noise in their heads! But anxiety will make it worse. That's why--especially now--you need something to calm yourself down. Many people use anti-anxiety medications; others will use cognitive behavioral therapy or some other type of psychotherapy. Just know that you are not alone, and your response is normal. In time, you will adjust and get better.
I was a wreck for three months, then mine began to calm down, but it's still there. In the beginning, the most important thing I did was take time-released melatonin, 3 grams. It helped me sleep. Insomnia is common for most tinnitus sufferers, especially at the beginning. Not sleeping is another thing that makes tinnitus unbearable. You can't think straight when you're tired, and you focus more on negative thoughts. At least, I did. Just do a search on melatonin on the board. You'll find that other people benefitted, and there's been research studies on the drug. But if you take Pregabalin tell you doctor about any OTC drugs you're taking, including melatonin, if pertinent. Drugs will interact with each other, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
Be sure to enrich your environment with sound. Many people will play nature sounds on their iPods, computers, etc. You need something in the background that will help distract you from the noise. And most people I've spoken to sleep with background noise. I sleep with water sounds. Some people like crickets. Keeping yourself immersed in sound--especially at the beginning-- 24/7 is a big anxiety reducer. Just don't expose yourself to loud sounds, obviously! Keep the sound loud enough to distract, but not overwhelm.
Many on the board will say that tinnitus gets better over time. Mine did. But I still had spikes and many bad days. Lately, I've had another big improvement from getting hearing aids. They help about 40% of people, but in the tinnitus world--that's a lot. When you feel better, get your hearing examined. If you do have a loss, even if its considered 'mild,' then choose a hearing aid that helps people with tinnitus. I use Starkey Xino; but many others like Widex Zen. (The former is less expensive, but it's also a preference difference.) Hearing aids are one of many things to do to help your tinnitus. Plus, you're still early in the disease. Your ear might heal, and the sound might go away. You need at least six--some say 12--months before the tinnitus is probably permanent, and even then you will eventually habituate. When you habituate, the tinnitus will no longer matter. That's what I'm trying to do.
One more thing: how did you get the tinnitus? Was it from a drug or noise or barotrauma? I wonder if HBOT works for some injuries rather than others. In addition, you might look at the clinical trail for AM-101. This drug is supposed to stop tinnitus in its tracks. But it should be taken within three months of the trauma. That said, one person on this board took it a little later and still got good results, though is not cured. Just search for AM-101 on the board. There's so much great information at Tinnitus Talk
I have not been on for quite awhile. On Clonazapam (clonopan) i can tell a story.
Years ago I had a great deal of anxiety, not panic attacks but prominent anxiety. I
probably had it for years but an event triggered it, so clonazapam first at .5 mg 3x a day. After awhile
I went to 1mg. As time went on I had some physical issues, 2 back surgeries and after that a heart attack. T started
a couple of years after the heart attack, after getting a noisy (wind noise and road noise) car. I have greatly reduced how much clonazapam I take, been advise to not let stress get high from my cardiologist (mine was not a typical heart attack). Bottom line, I have stopped clonazapam without incident, started again if anxiety is an issue, never experienced withdrawal, cannot say it has helped or contributed to my T. I take only what ai feel I need for anxiety. I have never experienced withdrawal, i have with Tramadol so I do understand withdrawal.
Years ago I had a great deal of anxiety, not panic attacks but prominent anxiety. I
probably had it for years but an event triggered it, so clonazapam first at .5 mg 3x a day. After awhile
I went to 1mg. As time went on I had some physical issues, 2 back surgeries and after that a heart attack. T started
a couple of years after the heart attack, after getting a noisy (wind noise and road noise) car. I have greatly reduced how much clonazapam I take, been advise to not let stress get high from my cardiologist (mine was not a typical heart attack). Bottom line, I have stopped clonazapam without incident, started again if anxiety is an issue, never experienced withdrawal, cannot say it has helped or contributed to my T. I take only what ai feel I need for anxiety. I have never experienced withdrawal, i have with Tramadol so I do understand withdrawal.
Genevieve
Member
@Louise I don't know if you are still active on the forum, but if it's the case can you give me the link of the thread of @mock turtle?
I don't know. But benzo could cause T.
I know that 2mg of Clonazepam quiet my T. I do a sporadic use like today because i have a lot of anxiety associated to my recent T...
- Aug 21, 2014
- 5,049
- Tinnitus Since
- 1999
- Cause of Tinnitus
- karma
I'm thinking about just going back on benzos. 0.5mg of klonopin makes me feel almost normal for a day, but then the following days are rough.
Poyraz
Member
- Mar 23, 2016
- 234
- Tinnitus Since
- February 2016
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Benzos, Stress, Anxiety, Loud Music, Jaw Problems. Who knows
Clonazepam is why I got my T I think but I really consider to take them until someone finds any safer treatments.
Me too! For two days after i have a spike. Today i have take 2 mg for a great anxiety associated to my T.
And for the second time clonazepam work. Tinnitus is less noticiable and no anxiety. But tomorrow... eheh probably an hard day.
I think that i could use clonazepam just for some week end or during holiday. It's an hard life with T. But if something work...
