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Is Clonazepam Available Without A Doctor Prescription?
Question: My physician will no longer prescribe clonazepam. I am diagnosed with C-PTSD, panic disorder, generalized anxiety, mitral valve prolapse, fibromyalgia, ulcer, IBS, esophageal spasms, cataracts (20%) and I am 70 years old taking clonazepam for 30 years (first ten years was xanax). I cannot find a psychiatrist to provide a prescription in central NC. I tried gabapentin and did not have a good reaction especially since I was withdrawing from the clonazepam. Please help me to explain to a doctor I need the clonazepam and was doing good until now. Maybe there is a way to back off the med while starting a new med? Can you help PLEASE. My life has been hell and I like the peace that clonazapam gives me.
Brief Answer:
Please see details below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I went through your query in detail and can understand your concern.
As you rightly pointed out that clonazepam and alprazolam (xanax) is addictive, it becomes a professional dilemma for the psychiatrists to prescribe clonazepam continuously to a person and that too for such a long duration as in your case.
Considering that you have anxiety, and you need it to be treated, clonazepam for long duration is not the right way out. You should discuss with a psychiatrist in your area that you need treatment for your anxiety and not ask for clonazepam as a treatment. You can mention that you are dependent on clonazepam and that you need to get off the medication with his help.
I would recommend starting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor like escitalopram for your anxiety. For stopping clonazepam, you can discuss shifting to some other long acting benzodiazepine like chlordiazepoxide so as to control the withdrawal symptoms, if you are still taking clonazepam. It can be then gradually tapered.
If you are already off clonazepam, simple adding the medication for treating your anxiety will suffice. I am sure, when you actually ask for treatment for anxiety and detoxification from clonazepam and not ask for clonazepam as such, the psychiatrist would listen and help you out.
I do hope that I was able to answer your query. Please let me know if you have any further queries.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
Please see details below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I went through your query in detail and can understand your concern.
As you rightly pointed out that clonazepam and alprazolam (xanax) is addictive, it becomes a professional dilemma for the psychiatrists to prescribe clonazepam continuously to a person and that too for such a long duration as in your case.
Considering that you have anxiety, and you need it to be treated, clonazepam for long duration is not the right way out. You should discuss with a psychiatrist in your area that you need treatment for your anxiety and not ask for clonazepam as a treatment. You can mention that you are dependent on clonazepam and that you need to get off the medication with his help.
I would recommend starting selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor like escitalopram for your anxiety. For stopping clonazepam, you can discuss shifting to some other long acting benzodiazepine like chlordiazepoxide so as to control the withdrawal symptoms, if you are still taking clonazepam. It can be then gradually tapered.
If you are already off clonazepam, simple adding the medication for treating your anxiety will suffice. I am sure, when you actually ask for treatment for anxiety and detoxification from clonazepam and not ask for clonazepam as such, the psychiatrist would listen and help you out.
I do hope that I was able to answer your query. Please let me know if you have any further queries.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you very much. Your response is what I had thought about discussing with my new psychiatrist. I have not met him yet. It will not happen until 9/10/14.
I have met with another psychiatrist who did not take into consideration my wanting to understand what the details of his plan was for me. He just told me to take gabapenten and stop the clonazepam. It was frustrating not understanding his reasoning. I went into full blown withdrawal and after 10 days which I barely remember, I took a clonazepam and within a very short time the horror ended. I failed according to the psychiatrist so I have not gone back. Now I am really anxious and fearful about seeing the new psychiatrist.
Going into the hospital to detox (another recommedation made by the former psychiatrist) is also not acceptable at my age. My dad had a stroke when in the hospital for another matter and was not given his xanax. The next step was a nursing home where he died in less than a year. Several friends my age got MRSA and never came out alive. Their problems were not life threatening when they went in. So I think you can appreciate my fears.
I did not mention the other meds I take: Cymbalta, Nadolol, Omeprazole, and Prazosin. Should I ask about changing any of these meds?
How much of my problem could be due to MVP Syndrome and should it play into the plan my psychiatrist works up?
Thank you so much for your patience and your respected advice~
XXXX
I have met with another psychiatrist who did not take into consideration my wanting to understand what the details of his plan was for me. He just told me to take gabapenten and stop the clonazepam. It was frustrating not understanding his reasoning. I went into full blown withdrawal and after 10 days which I barely remember, I took a clonazepam and within a very short time the horror ended. I failed according to the psychiatrist so I have not gone back. Now I am really anxious and fearful about seeing the new psychiatrist.
Going into the hospital to detox (another recommedation made by the former psychiatrist) is also not acceptable at my age. My dad had a stroke when in the hospital for another matter and was not given his xanax. The next step was a nursing home where he died in less than a year. Several friends my age got MRSA and never came out alive. Their problems were not life threatening when they went in. So I think you can appreciate my fears.
I did not mention the other meds I take: Cymbalta, Nadolol, Omeprazole, and Prazosin. Should I ask about changing any of these meds?
How much of my problem could be due to MVP Syndrome and should it play into the plan my psychiatrist works up?
Thank you so much for your patience and your respected advice~
XXXX
Brief Answer:
review the need of cymbalta
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thanks for following up and proving me further details regarding your problems. I am happy to know that you have planned the same thing as I suggested to be discussed with your psychiatrist. I am sure that your psychiatrist will be amenable and open to the plan of action.
Clonazepam is a drug which should be withdrawn slowly or some other drug should be added to manage the withdrawal symptoms. I can understand your fear regarding getting admitted. When I talked about detoxification, I did not necessarily mean admission. The whole process of tapering off can be done On out-patient basis as well. It will just need frequent follow up visits. You can discuss this too with your psychiatrist.
Regarding other medications, I would like to review the need of cymbalta as it is not helping with your anxiety anyway. As mentioned in my last response, some other drug like escitalopram would be a better option.
Regarding, MVP, it does present as symptoms of anxiety. But you are already on Nadolol and definitely have anxiety as well. The medications I suggested for anxiety are safe in cardiac conditions too and I am sure that your psychiatrist will review all your medications before prescribing anything.
I do hope that I was able to help you in some way. Please let me know if I can be of any further help. I will be glad to do so. In case, you don't have nay further query, please close the discussion and rate the answer.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
review the need of cymbalta
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thanks for following up and proving me further details regarding your problems. I am happy to know that you have planned the same thing as I suggested to be discussed with your psychiatrist. I am sure that your psychiatrist will be amenable and open to the plan of action.
Clonazepam is a drug which should be withdrawn slowly or some other drug should be added to manage the withdrawal symptoms. I can understand your fear regarding getting admitted. When I talked about detoxification, I did not necessarily mean admission. The whole process of tapering off can be done On out-patient basis as well. It will just need frequent follow up visits. You can discuss this too with your psychiatrist.
Regarding other medications, I would like to review the need of cymbalta as it is not helping with your anxiety anyway. As mentioned in my last response, some other drug like escitalopram would be a better option.
Regarding, MVP, it does present as symptoms of anxiety. But you are already on Nadolol and definitely have anxiety as well. The medications I suggested for anxiety are safe in cardiac conditions too and I am sure that your psychiatrist will review all your medications before prescribing anything.
I do hope that I was able to help you in some way. Please let me know if I can be of any further help. I will be glad to do so. In case, you don't have nay further query, please close the discussion and rate the answer.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
To answer your thoughts about Cymbalta, I take it for the fibromyalgia pain since I could not tolerate Lyrica.
Thank you so very much! You have truly helped me~
XXXX
Thank you so very much! You have truly helped me~
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Can continue Cymbalta with other anti-anxiety drug
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thanks for following up and your kind words of appreciation. I am glad you found my answers helpful.
If you feel that Cymbalta is helping with your fibromyalgia pain, you can very well continue it together with other ant-anxiety medications that you will need.
I really wish to see you recover from all your symptoms and lead a healthy life. Please don’t hesitate in asking any query/doubt that you may have ahead. It will be my privilege to help you.
Please do rate the answer if you decide to close the discussion.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
Can continue Cymbalta with other anti-anxiety drug
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thanks for following up and your kind words of appreciation. I am glad you found my answers helpful.
If you feel that Cymbalta is helping with your fibromyalgia pain, you can very well continue it together with other ant-anxiety medications that you will need.
I really wish to see you recover from all your symptoms and lead a healthy life. Please don’t hesitate in asking any query/doubt that you may have ahead. It will be my privilege to help you.
Please do rate the answer if you decide to close the discussion.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sunil Gupta
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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