wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

[jubilee]

Hi,

I haven't been around in awhile. Went AF for a few days, went back to my old ways. Several months ago I went to see a psychiatrist that specializes in addiction; he said the klonopin I had been on for 10+ years would help with any alcohol withdrawal symptoms I might have and gave me camporal and lexapro ( i'm a bottle+ a day wine drinker.) I literally couldn't stomach the camporal...it made me so sick I couldn't work. The lexapro didn't help much, so i got off it on my own slowly.

I have been through some crap lately and started drinking heavily again. I've been going to counseling to deal with the underlying issues, but the drinking scared me enough that yesterday i went for an evaluation with a hospital's outpatient detox/rehab. The guy there ( who works alone, and had to go smoke before he could evaluate me) took my history and vitals and said that the klonopin I've been on is far worse than the alcohol and that i need instant in-patient detox to get off both. He called the doc who runs the actually in-house detox facility in front of me and told him my history...he agreed I should go straight to detox and then enroll in their outpatient year-long program. I was just in shock....My family doctor has ASSURED me every year I get a check up that the klonopin is not addictive and not dangerous...he's even on it. I have had severe anxiety since the age of 7, and klonopin is the only thing that has helped.

Once I got home, the hospital called and wanted $7800 of the min. $10,000 all of this will cost. I told them I need to re-evaluate all this...it just doesn't make sense to me to get so much different information. I want off of everything, but now I'm scared to death to do it myself. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!

J

[BecomingMeAtLast]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

jubilee,

I can't give any advice on the klonopin but I can on the wine and the lexapro, first hand. Well, let me start here. You're dealing with some serious issues. Medical issues. I can't offer medical advice but I can tell you my experience.

I, too, took myself off lexapro. I thought I did it gradually and also thought I no longer needed it. I was on it for depression. Several months, and many bottles of wine later, I began having severe anxiety. To the point of having panic attacks for the first time in my life. I'm 47. When I went to my doc, I did not tell her of my AL intake. But, I was told that Lexapro is also an anti-anxiety medication. I'm back on it at 20mg/day. I have also reduced my AL intake from 2 bottles of wine nightly to being AF most nights or modding (meaning a very limited amount of glasses - 5oz) a night. Then more AF days. I have also followed the MWO (My Way Out) program and am taking the suggested supplements, eating right, etc.
Have you read the book. Have you followed the program?

Your body is definitely going through some kind of shock, you're messing with medicine and a large amount of alcohol. I suggest you call your psychiatrist immediately. Can you do that?

Take care,
Becoming

[A Work in Progress]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

Clonazepam is a very potent benzodiazepine, like xanax. Very addictive. Very bad to mix it with alcohol. Usually requires inpatient detox to get off of it. Sometimes, "family doctors" prescribe stuff that is dangerous, and sometimes they take that stuff, themselves...

[momof3]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

Klonopin is very addictive and will result in withdrawal symptoms if you stop abruptly. Years ago, I was on a similary medication called ativan that my psych prescribed to help me with sleep. I started drinking again and continued to take the ativan. Let me tell you that it turned me into a shaking, blabbering nutcase. The combination of alcohol and a benzo like klonopin and alcohol is very dangerous and toxic. I did have to go through detox but did it on an outpatient basis and then immediately went into an outpatient rehab program for 8 weeks. I was also on Lexapro during that time. Take good care of yourself
M03

[momof3]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

anxiety

Just wanted to add that my brother also has severe anxiety and klonopin seems to be the drug that best works for him too. You just cannot drink alcohol with it for sure.
Mo3

[YoungAtHeart]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

Klonopin does not have the psychologically addictive component that Ativan, Xanax, and Valium does, because it has a much longer half life than these other anti-anxiety meds. Nevertheless, it is physically addictive, and your body does get dependent on it. I think it is one of the better anti-anxiety medications, but if you have a tendency toward addiction (as we all do), it should be used very judiciously, and you really shouldn't be mixing alcohol and Klonopin.

I would look into other programs though, as well as seriously considering AA. As far as the $7800, do you have insurance? That's a pretty hefty sum to be paying upfront. Is that just for the detox or the whole year-long program? Asking for an up-front payment for an outpatient program isn't the usual route as far as I know, unless the treatment is court-mandated and there is a reason to believe a person might not pay. Some people are also able to detox on an outpatient basis, depending on the level of their addiction and whether they have a friend or loved one who is able to help. This should be medically cleared and supervised.

MWO is also an excellent program if you follow it. There are several abstinence threads throughout the Boards that you can join and check in several times a day. If you follow the program, there is no reason why you can't get a handle on this.

I wish you good luck.

[jubilee]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

Thanks to all....I'm going to see a psych/drug specialist but can't get in for 2 weeks. In the meantime, just trying to moderate, don't want to go cold turkey and have a stroke. My anxiety is crazy, but worrying about this now is making it worse....

[BecomingMeAtLast]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

jubilee,

I'm so glad to hear you're getting help. I know it's going to be rough waiting it out. Have you read the My Way Out Book? It's downloadable from this site for only $12.95 and it's a great read. Might help keep your mind off things. Keep posting and stay with us. We're a gentle bunch and we're here for support.

Take care,
Be

[momof3]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

Jubilee, Are you still taking the klonopin? If yes, are you trying to titrate down on that too? Weaning off of alcohol and benzos is definintely going to increase the anxiety, i.e., rebound anxiety. It will get better though.

[jubilee]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

I'm still taking klonopin and drinking wine....not as much of wither. I want stop both, but I'm afraid of the side effects, the rebound. my blood pressure is borderline high. i own my own business and if I don't work I don't get paid, so can't take time off to go to a in-patient detox. I'm looking for an outpatient program....am just on a waiting list right now. I got the Klonopin from my OBgyn...many, many years ago. And every year that i got a new presecription, I would ask him about the effects of the drug and if I should stay on it. He always told me ( this is non-narcotic, non-addictive; you can't even sell it on the street." Of course, he takes it too. I am so mad...I trusted him. I'm actually going to him today to talk about this.

[momof3]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

Hi Jubilee,

Did your doctor know that you were drinking alot with the medication? If not, it will be interesting to hear what his/her response will be when you discuss this issue during your next visit.

If you think it is likely that you will have severe withdrawal symptoms by stopping the klonopin and Al cold turkey then cutting back until you get help is a good idea. You probably already know this, but you can go to just about any hospital for detox...they will put you on meds to help with the withdrawal symptoms and observe you.

Take good care of yourself

Mo3

[For Me]

wine, klonopin and advice all over the board...help!

I have been on Xanax and most recently Klonopin. I was hoping that taking Klonopin would reduce my need/want for alcohol. It hasn't. However I know that if I drink when on Klonopin that results in a very bad night. Wishing you the best.