KLONOPIN clonazepam Stories and Experiences

I've been on Klonopin for over 20 years now, for PTSD, panic attacks and svere4 panic disorder. A few months ago I was switched to a different generic, when Osco was bought out by CVS. My panic attacks became ubearable, other meds were added to no avail. Had a toxicoligy screen and found NO evidence of benzos in my urine over a 3 week period. At the time I was taking 2mgs twice a day.

I tried to get brand name, Dr. wrote brand name meedically necessary but insurance refused.

I then found a different phrmacy with another generic brand. Symptoms still did not abate so my dose was increased to 2mgs 3 times a day. Just tested again and tox screens still negative for the presence of any benzos..not even a trace.

Has anyone had any sucess with a particular brand of gneric. I have tried teva and caraco brands thus far .

Has anyone had the same thing happen to them in so far as the toxicoligy screens.

The pharmacists tell me it is impossible to have negative screens that I must not be taking my meds. Fortunately my Psychiatrist knows better than that..but I am concerned. the clonazepam is no longer working, my dose has gone up, I am now on Clonidine and Abilify to try to help manage the PTSD symptoms and anxiety/panic as well as the addition of Effexor to my regime.

Previously I was on one anti-depressant and 1-2 mg of Klonopin a day for over 20 years ( with an occasional temporary dose adjustmnent) and functioning fine. Often times I only needed to take 1 mg a day) I am now a wreck and don't know what step to take next.

Plenty of us have heard that certain generics don't work as well..but for there to be NO trace of them in a toxoicology screen?? Sugar pills?

Bizzare.

There are 3 major chain pharmacies here, CVS ( carry Teva), Wallgreens ( carries the Caraco), I will chek Wallmart and the 2 smaller pharmacies here in town to see what brnads of generic they cover.

I want to return these generics to the pharamcy and pay for brand name to see if my toxicology tests then trun positive, but more imp[ortantly if my symptoms abate. I don't need a tox screen to tell me the meds are not working. ( but it is nice to have proof) the pharmacy cannot take them back.

Will ask for brand name next visit, phrmacy said I cannot pay out of pocket for brand I have to go with generic because I have insurance.. so I will take the next RX to a new pharmacy and say I have no insurance topget the brand if I have too,

I apologize for the length and hope you cpould follow this,

I guess the long and short is generics are not always effective and in my case I have the toxicoligy screens to prove it.

Any suggestions would be welcome and most appreciated.

On another note, I have had my liver tested and it is working just fine so there is no medical explanation that covers the fact that there are no metabolites in my urine. Do you think I should pursue a blood test? My doctor keeps telling me to just keep trying different generics until I find find that works. I know that's not very professional but it is what it is., I should also mention that I have paid out of pocket for and had these tox screens done at 2 different labs here in town.

Is there somewhere I can go report the lack of klonopin in my tox screens? Should I start with the manufactures? There must be a government agency that oversees this kind of stuff.

Frustrated and panicky, thanks for taking the time to read all of this.

I can be contacted at jverderami @ new .rr.com (remove spaces from email address when writing) if anyone has any input/advice. Thanks.

I just wanted to say that I have been taking the CVS Teva generic for almost 8 years, and it has always been effective reliable. However, I never did like the Wallgreens generic. I switched pharmacies because of it, but I'm pretty sure I didn't like the Wallgreens generic because the pills were hard to break in half. They would crumble up in little pieces and not split evenly. (Not sure if it was Caraco all those years ago or not)

But it is still interesting it's not showing up in the tox tests. I would understand if you were no longer feeling the benefits of the medication. With Klonopin, tolerance can happen all of a sudden. It has with me before. I was doing OK, and then all of a sudden, it seemed like it stopped working or actually caused the anxiety/panic to get worse after I took it. What I did in that case was wean down to a very low dose over a period of a month or so, and then work my way back up to an effective dose of Klonopin after the tolerance was gone.

Very few other things have worked for me including other benzos. Xanax makes me feel like I have to keep popping them all day to get any decent and stable effect. Valium makes me depressed. Ativan is totally unpredictable in my system. So, Klonopin has proved to be the most stable of them all for me.

In an effort to avoid tolerance this time, I just dropped my dose from 1.5 mg per day down to 1.0 mg per day. I am hoping to stop my system from getting a tolerance before it stops working this time. Not sure how it will work out, but it seems to be bearable so far. If I encounter high stress or panic, I will be able to work my way back up to 1.5 mg per day when I need to do so.

My insurance carrier recently insisted that I take generic form of klonopin manufactured by TEVA. However, the clonazepam did not work as well. I am wondering if there is a better generic manufacturer....or has anyone even reserched that. The klonopin is quit expensive and if I could find a better substitute, I would. My insurance carrier has said that if I submit a request for another generic manufacturer they will try to get it but I have no idea what is the best or even if there is a better substitue.

clonazepam makes me feel psychotic and I am so afraid. I've been taking it for past 6 years and I don't know if I am psychotic or its from the Clonazepam. I started taking them after my Dad died and I was 40. I never have felt this way in my life before taking these. I also have a horrid fear of mental illness that runs in my family. I just don't know. I can BARELY FUNCTION! I have no will at all. I am totally opposite of my old self and I never talk anymore.

KLONOPIN ( clonazepam ) Stories, Experiences, and Advice

KLONOPIN ( clonazepam )
Stories, Experiences, and Advice