Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards

MT: you have a good sense of humor re: the caps typing. someone reminded someone else in another thread, so yes, it can be (and often is) taken that way...at forums. sometimes, i also see it as attention-seeking, but maybe that's just me. for ease, i just type in no caps. typing in caps FOR EMPHASIS is allowed. rofl.

Augie: if someone is C, klon likely DOES increase C (agree calming usually does translate to constipating for us Cs!; also docs never admit it, in my experience). BUT having recently weaned myself off klon, off for 1 month, & now back on it for 10 days - so far, i would MUCH rather be abit more C, than allover gut-ill (with nausea, more cramping, more bloating) as i was w/out the klon. NO contest! not even close!

MT: i could now care less also if i'm addicted to klon - some would call that medical dependence (as it's for a physical problem, too, in our cases) AND i DO have a substance abuse history, main drug of choice cocaine/ crack. after nearly 8 year clean off that stuff (clean off everthing for over 6 yrs) and, then, for the last 1 1/2+ yrs on klon & never coming close to upping and/ or abusing it (i spent most of this time taking much less than i was prescribed) - i now refuse to worry about it, either.

DanaNoel: just a word of caution re xanax: because of it's much shorter half-life than klon, it gives a rebound (anxiety) - that's when you KNOW it's time for another dose. that effect *may* not be apparent at the beginning, but xanax is VERY well-known for this, and many do easily become seriously addicted (not med. depend.) in 4 months or MUCH less (a couple weeks), develop quick tolerance, and have to eventually & continually attempt to get their dosages upped. xanax has made doctor shoppers out of some of the best of us (to maintain our ever- increasing supply.) i've been off xanax since 1992 and that is one detox i would NEVER go thru again - it took 42 days! getting off crack was a cakewalk in comparison! sorry if this ruins your day!!!, but i would hate to see anyone go thru what i did. i'm always stunned when i hear of any doc still prescribing it. most shrinks have gone to klonopin because of these well known concerns. regular detox centers often don't know what to do with xanax users - the only real option is going into long term - several months long - treatment centers. this is what i HAD to do. xanax is one of the more seductive drugs out there - it seems to help so much and seems so harmless. when i've run meetings at detox centers, the saddest thing i've EVER seen (more than hard-core meth users or dope-sick heroin users) is the little old ladies who are in complete denial & refuse to give up their xanax. they usually leave after 2 days.

many many psych drugs make one's hair fall out - i can't remember now when i wasn't on one that did. depakote is perhaps the worst known offender, but hair fall-out for me is about as big a concern as a dry mouth side-effect - i.e., not that big - in the larger scheme of things. (and i was once quite vain - still am abit, truth be told.) i really do wish you would re-evaluate taking klonopin over xanax (or for that matter, over ANY other drug in the diazepam family - like ativan, serax, librium, etc). sorry i've come down this hard on this subject, but it is so very critical! btw, it's relatively easy to get off xanax after a short time on; very easy if you just go back to klonopin. if i didn't feel so passionate about this, i would not be bothering you - or anyone - about it. take good care.

~ pulse

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