Question for those using Klonopin - Inner Ear Disorders Message Board

tazmindog · 02-17-2004, 12:53 PM

Hi--

I've read there are a few of you on the board using Klonopin. Do you find that it is helping? What type of side effects, if any, are you experiencing?

Thanks.

Dawn.

dizzyinmissouri · 02-17-2004, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tazmindog

Hi--

I've read there are a few of you on the board using Klonopin. Do you find that it is helping? What type of side effects, if any, are you experiencing?

Thanks.

Dawn.

Hi, Dawn!

After 7 months of imbalance and dizziness, I finally went to the Balance Center in Chicago and the founder of the clinic put me on Klonopin along with doing visual exercises for my dizziness. I have been on it for a week. It makes me feel a little draggy, but I felt like that alot anyway with this whole thing. Maybe a touch of nausea, but otherwise nothing major. I read on a web site about Klonopin that it is a basically harmless drug. I haven't read a whole lot about it but plan on it since I am going to be on it for awhile. The PT told me that it will help get rid of the struggle I have when I go shopping and am in restaurants, that sort of thing. The last time I went to the grocery store a few days ago I felt totally normal!

That was a blessing!

Anyway, that is my story! Hope it helps!

Vicki

jtiegs · 02-17-2004, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tazmindog

Hi--

I've read there are a few of you on the board using Klonopin. Do you find that it is helping? What type of side effects, if any, are you experiencing?

Thanks.

Dawn.

HI Dawn, I was prescibed Klonopin in Oct 03, but I wasn't using as directed which was 2xs a day. Instead, I took it on occasion when I really needed a break. The effects for me were primarily sleepiness, and some sense of calm over the symptoms. It's also indicated for panic attacks, but I haven't had one of those in a while.

After much deliberation and frustration, my neuro otologist finally convinced me to try it as prescribed which is a fairly low dose. .5 mg tab split in half and taken twice a day. I have been on this medication now for about a week. Here is what I can report.

My initial reaction was somewhat unpleasant, spacey still, with moments of clarity that I feel certain were from the drug, headachey. This continued for a few days, and then I have had two fairly good days, yesterday and the day before, and now I am back to spacey and weird again today. The doctor made a big point about how it's necessary to get it into your system, so I am going to give it a good long try. Over the previous two days I thought, "WOW, look at this, I am feeling somewhat better, it IS worth taking this drug!" But this morning I woke up spaced out all over again, the usual. I haven't had any vertigo since being on the drug, but that's very intermittent, so it's hard to say if that's being controlled or not at this stage. So, the verdict is still out on this for me. The thing I am struggling with is that my symptoms fluctuate all the time, so how do I know if the drug is helping or if I am just having a good day??? It's going to have to be something I decide over time I guess.

I have been warned by more than one person that this is a controlled substance (valium related), and that it should be used with caution. One person, a physician, told me there can be some nasty physical withdrawl issues when you come off of it such as insomnia, and another told me of someone who just got out of detox, and Klonopin was one of the drugs she was having to withdraw from. But, the dosages the doctors are giving for our condition are pretty low, and unless you have a chemically addictive personality, I don't know if that's something to be all that worried about.

I will post more about how I feel about this drug once I use it a little longer. I feel now that a final verdict is premature. Have you been prescribed this?
Julianne

tazmindog · 02-18-2004, 07:40 AM

Hi:

Thank you both for your posts. Yes, I was prescribed this for what my doctor thinks is anxiety. I have been loathe to take it because I heard it was hihgly addictive. I see an ENT on March 1st after a normal MRI from a neurologist--for ringing in my ears and the off-balance, not centered feeling. The weird thing is, other than the ringing in my ears, my symptoms could be either anxiety or an inner ear disorder. While I am feeling more centered and the panic attacks have virtually gone away, I say that if my ENT suggests using the Klonopin I will give it a go. I was worried about the side effects; I have a 2.5 year old at home and truly don't want to be spacey. It's interesting to see that others have trouble in public places--there were a few times when I thought I was going to pass out. Things got so disorienting--so much noise input, so much movement. I have always been a calm, together person, so those feeling really and truly freaked me out. Public is getting better and I am starting to drive again without fear that I will have an attack at the wheel.

Thanks again--keep us all updated on your progress.

Dawn.

jtiegs · 02-18-2004, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tazmindog

Hi:

Thank you both for your posts. Yes, I was prescribed this for what my doctor thinks is anxiety. I have been loathe to take it because I heard it was hihgly addictive. I see an ENT on March 1st after a normal MRI from a neurologist--for ringing in my ears and the off-balance, not centered feeling. The weird thing is, other than the ringing in my ears, my symptoms could be either anxiety or an inner ear disorder. While I am feeling more centered and the panic attacks have virtually gone away, I say that if my ENT suggests using the Klonopin I will give it a go. I was worried about the side effects; I have a 2.5 year old at home and truly don't want to be spacey. It's interesting to see that others have trouble in public places--there were a few times when I thought I was going to pass out. Things got so disorienting--so much noise input, so much movement. I have always been a calm, together person, so those feeling really and truly freaked me out. Public is getting better and I am starting to drive again without fear that I will have an attack at the wheel.

Thanks again--keep us all updated on your progress.

Dawn.

Dawn,
You are singing my tune. I have a 3 and 6 year old at home, and I home school, so I completely know where you are coming from. It's crazy trying to do everything and have this garbage going on in your head. I won't tell you to take the Klonopin, that's up to you. I will continue to report on my personal results. For today which is day 7, I am feeling not too bad. I just can't tell if the fluctuation is just the usual thing, or if it's the meds helping sometimes. That makes me feel a longer trial is worthwhile.

If I were still having panic, I would have taken these a lot sooner. I know it helps with that, the debate is how much it helps the disequillibrium. I struggled with the decision to take this stuff for 4 months, and finally after seeing NO improvement on nothing, I decided it's time to give it a go. My doc says it's to get us through the hard times while we wait for recovery. There has been some debate on the boards about taking vestibular surpressants because it may interfere with compensation. However, my doctor told me in my case it's not relevant because I didn't have a sudden onset of unbalance, it was a subtle thing that came on slowly and is chronic. I am sure that some here would still question, and I do too in a way, but at this point I've got to do something different. It's worth a try.

If you fear being sleepy on Klonopin, that may be an effect at first, but it goes away, I am no longer sleepy during the day, and it only took a couple days for that adjustment. Again, these are small doses. However, if you take a full tab, it'll knock you out, I know that from experience. I have heard that Klonopin, although having addictive qualities, is far less addicting than actual Valium. My husband joked that I should take the drugs, and if I become a junkie, we'll deal with that later.

Good luck with all of this.
Julianne