jtiegs
04-16-2004, 12:08 AM
I have been on .25 mg of Klonopin 2xs a day now for two months. I deliberated about this for months before I finally caved to my doctor's insistence, and my own desperation for normalcy. It takes a while to determine if this medication is useful, and I feel that after being on it two months, I can safely make a decision on this.
As many of you know, I have been diagnosed with a vestibular disturbance/damage caused by a Labyrintitis attack and Vestibular Neuronitis. I have also been diagnosed with MAV as the contibuting factor which explains why I am not improving and compensating ( I have heavy family history of migraine on both sides, plus a few suspicious headaches, but that's not my main symptom). I had a small recovery after two months of absolute hell, and then it just stopped. My recovery has been at a stand-still since September of 2003. My labyrinthitis attack was in December of 2002. I have constant but fluctuation symptoms. There are days when I am feeling very functional, and days when all I want to do is lie on the couch. My symptoms are disequillibrium, occasional vertigo, tinnitus, general feeling of having one too many alcoholic drinks all the time.
Now to the results! After taking the Klonopin (which btw the doctor doesn't feel will interfere with compensation at this stage of the game) and getting a good dose of it in my system, I've decided my doctor was right. It has been useful for me.
Here are the notable differences. I very rarely have the nausea, motionsickness sensation I was getting quiet frequently before I went on this medication. I have to say..that's the prize right there. That was my biggest complaint, a feeling of maliase and sick to my stomach, where I had to eat more in order to aleviate those symptoms a little. I felt terrible, for those who have been pregnant, equate it to raging morning sickness plus dizzies.
My better days have become even more manageable. There are moments in the day when I don't even think about or notice symptoms (tinnitus is always there however).
I still have bad days. That may be the MAV talking. The worst seem to be mostly around my period. I am trying a medication for MAV, but it's too soon to have a verdict on that. It's called Atacard, and it's a blood pressure medication, although my blood pressure is normal. It's supposed to block a certain hormone that may trigger MAV. If it doesn't help, there are others to try.
Now, understand, I continue to have symptoms every day, but all in all, the Klonopin has taken the edge off, and made my life more manageable.
I hope this helps anyone else who's thinking about this stuff. I know in the past someone posted and gave me similar feedback on their useage, and it helped me to decide to give it a try.
What happens when I try to go off? That's another story, but one day at a time right now. It's obvious I still have a problem, this is not compensation, it's drug masking, but I am in no rush to stop taking it.
Julianne
As many of you know, I have been diagnosed with a vestibular disturbance/damage caused by a Labyrintitis attack and Vestibular Neuronitis. I have also been diagnosed with MAV as the contibuting factor which explains why I am not improving and compensating ( I have heavy family history of migraine on both sides, plus a few suspicious headaches, but that's not my main symptom). I had a small recovery after two months of absolute hell, and then it just stopped. My recovery has been at a stand-still since September of 2003. My labyrinthitis attack was in December of 2002. I have constant but fluctuation symptoms. There are days when I am feeling very functional, and days when all I want to do is lie on the couch. My symptoms are disequillibrium, occasional vertigo, tinnitus, general feeling of having one too many alcoholic drinks all the time.
Now to the results! After taking the Klonopin (which btw the doctor doesn't feel will interfere with compensation at this stage of the game) and getting a good dose of it in my system, I've decided my doctor was right. It has been useful for me.
Here are the notable differences. I very rarely have the nausea, motionsickness sensation I was getting quiet frequently before I went on this medication. I have to say..that's the prize right there. That was my biggest complaint, a feeling of maliase and sick to my stomach, where I had to eat more in order to aleviate those symptoms a little. I felt terrible, for those who have been pregnant, equate it to raging morning sickness plus dizzies.
My better days have become even more manageable. There are moments in the day when I don't even think about or notice symptoms (tinnitus is always there however).
I still have bad days. That may be the MAV talking. The worst seem to be mostly around my period. I am trying a medication for MAV, but it's too soon to have a verdict on that. It's called Atacard, and it's a blood pressure medication, although my blood pressure is normal. It's supposed to block a certain hormone that may trigger MAV. If it doesn't help, there are others to try.
Now, understand, I continue to have symptoms every day, but all in all, the Klonopin has taken the edge off, and made my life more manageable.
I hope this helps anyone else who's thinking about this stuff. I know in the past someone posted and gave me similar feedback on their useage, and it helped me to decide to give it a try.
What happens when I try to go off? That's another story, but one day at a time right now. It's obvious I still have a problem, this is not compensation, it's drug masking, but I am in no rush to stop taking it.
Julianne