posted
Hi, i am sorry to hear about your crying spells. I can tell you that when I first got really sick out of the blue, very healthy prior...and the Dr's couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I was given ativan to take for 2 weeks...very low dose. This did help with sleep/anxiety and some of my pain, but I was still very sick.
I then was told I was having a nervous breakdown and depressed and my dr. switched me from ativan to klonopin to be taken for 3 weeks while zoloft kicked in. This, in retrospect, was a HUGE mistake.
I was very lyme sick, but I needed antibiotics - proper treatment. I just wanted to let you know that while I was on those drugs, I could not stop the sobbing spells. It was awful!!!!I cried and cried and cried...until I took ativan and then I was better. Hmmm...I didn't put the two together until 3 weeks into klonopin and quit cold turkey. Big mistake #2. And then I really started crying. Even called my priest crying!!! I have been off the benzos for almost a year and I don't cry at all anymore. I am pretty happy except I am in pain from lyme and not feeling well at all. I would like my life back.
This stuff is very habit forming. If you've been taking it for a while, it will mess with you big time. I am not trying to alarm you, but it is one dangerous drug. If I were you and haven't been taking it daily, I would try to wean down as best as possible adn let your brain do the healing from teh chemical change.
I see a lot of people on here on benzos and I know they think they help, but really, they are not. Check out another forum...benzowithdrawal.com and look around at the info. there. It is very similar to this forum.
Just thought I'd let you know that the drug could really being making you much worse and you might not realize it...causing major changes in the neurochemical balance in the brain that regulates EVERYTHING in teh body. Read up a bit on benzos and then decide for yourself.
I worry a lot when I read about people on benzos and don't want them to go through what I went through adn am still going through.
Posts: 618 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
Ativan and kloniopin have literally saved my life through this things. I have terrible anxiety and depersonlization, insomnia, etc. Things that I never had before lyme. I have wanted to end it many times.
Ativan and klonoopin (which I still take) have kept me from ending it all. It has let me sleep. I anticipate getting better and getting off of them, but for now they are necessary.
As I improve, I have needed them less and less, which is a sign that it is the lyme and the bart and not me.
I don't have an answer to your question as I take low doses, but it can be very helpful.
Kathy
-------------------- Severe neurological problems. Probably sick for years. Became chronically sick in Aug 2007. Undiagnosed for another 15 months. Started treatment for lyme and bart Sept. 2008. Improving, but very slowly. Posts: 515 | From washington dc | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
Well, I guess I should say that they did help short-term, very short-term, but in the end, they don't FIX anything and make problems worse. Just the way it works on the CNS...depressing it...and then when you don't have it, the CNS goes into hyper drive. it takes a while for the brain to achieve balance again when you come off benzos.
I don't want to cause controversy here. I am just stating what happened to me and how badly it affected me. I like to warn people because the benzos really did make me very ill...on top of lyme. It may be that I am extremely sensitive to chemicals in general.
but, if you notice that you are crying a lot and have to take the drug to stop crying and then start crying once the half-life of the drug is over, then that could be a clue that it is the drug causing it...and it may be worth looking into.
Afterall, benzos are depressants.
Posts: 618 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2009
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lymeHerx001
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6215
posted
quote:Originally posted by jwall: Hi, i am sorry to hear about your crying spells. I can tell you that when I first got really sick out of the blue, very healthy prior...and the Dr's couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I was given ativan to take for 2 weeks...very low dose. This did help with sleep/anxiety and some of my pain, but I was still very sick.
I then was told I was having a nervous breakdown and depressed and my dr. switched me from ativan to klonopin to be taken for 3 weeks while zoloft kicked in. This, in retrospect, was a HUGE mistake.
I was very lyme sick, but I needed antibiotics - proper treatment. I just wanted to let you know that while I was on those drugs, I could not stop the sobbing spells. It was awful!!!!I cried and cried and cried...until I took ativan and then I was better. Hmmm...I didn't put the two together until 3 weeks into klonopin and quit cold turkey. Big mistake #2. And then I really started crying. Even called my priest crying!!! I have been off the benzos for almost a year and I don't cry at all anymore. I am pretty happy except I am in pain from lyme and not feeling well at all. I would like my life back.
This stuff is very habit forming. If you've been taking it for a while, it will mess with you big time. I am not trying to alarm you, but it is one dangerous drug. If I were you and haven't been taking it daily, I would try to wean down as best as possible adn let your brain do the healing from teh chemical change.
I see a lot of people on here on benzos and I know they think they help, but really, they are not. Check out another forum...benzowithdrawal.com and look around at the info. there. It is very similar to this forum.
Just thought I'd let you know that the drug could really being making you much worse and you might not realize it...causing major changes in the neurochemical balance in the brain that regulates EVERYTHING in teh body. Read up a bit on benzos and then decide for yourself.
I worry a lot when I read about people on benzos and don't want them to go through what I went through adn am still going through.
BENZOS LIKE KLONOPIN ARE VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU HAVE PAIN. WHILE YOU SLEEP THE KLONOPIN HELPS RELEASE HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE WHICH IS WHY OUR MUSCLES HURT SO MUCH. THEY DONT REPAIR BECAUSE OF LACK OF DEEP SLEEP.
Posts: 2905 | From New England | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I'll have to admit, I have a love hate relationship with the drug and other benzos. Sometimes I say I hate them since I really can't forget a dose.
Do benzos work well? Yes. Are they a long term solution. No. I really wish they were.
I would say they definitely saved me for a while. They allowed me to stay home and made me feel like I was living instead dying. However, I am at a point where increasing dose = increased tolerance, and I don't want to go there. I am looking for alternatives that actually work. Things are better than they used to be, but I know I need something else.
And if your brain is like mine, antidepressants are not your friend. Anticonvulsants help me a little with overstimulation I think, but I haven't found a wonder drug yet.
Don't be afraid of the Klonopin, especially if you truly do need it right now. However, explore other possible longer term solutions while you are on it, because you don't know how long you'll need it.
I had to take .5 mg klonopin 3x a day and 6 mg of Ativan a day to get through the day. Many doctors consider this a large dose. Preferably, you would increase the Klonopin dosage, but I didn't like how it made me feel above .5 mg.
Posts: 967 | From A deserted island without internet access | Registered: Sep 2009
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posted
Not everyone will have bad reactions to klonopin or benzos. Everyone's chemistry is different.
Natural is always better-but klonopin has saved me from hell several times. I do not and have never taken it on a daily basis however, just as an as needed basis.
Posts: 594 | From NJ/NY | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
yes, we are all different and react well and badly to different things.
we have to live each day, which is really hard for most of us. we do what we can to survive.
stupid, stupid disease.
-------------------- Severe neurological problems. Probably sick for years. Became chronically sick in Aug 2007. Undiagnosed for another 15 months. Started treatment for lyme and bart Sept. 2008. Improving, but very slowly. Posts: 515 | From washington dc | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
While I tend towards anxiety and insomnia, lyme & babesia has made it so much worse. I toughed it out for awhile, relied on diet, meditation, prayer and supplements then finally could not, virtually stopped sleeping. Got onto benzos and after some trial and error seem to have a good combo. But and its a huge but, I view this as short term and hope to get off them soon. My body just can not handle the lack of sleep the way I used to so I continue.
Posts: 72 | From washington dc | Registered: Mar 2010
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