PoppyRoad,

Hi I am new to this forum. I saw your thread and decided to make an account to hopefully add some helpful input!

I am a 4th year pharmacy student so medications are my life at this point! Ha

In regards to your Klonopin use, your dose is technically not that high. For use in anxiety/panic attacks, the highest "normal" dose is 4mg/day. Personally, I also take 2mg per day for generalized anxiety disorder.

I would not recommend asking for Vistaril (hydroxyzine) as it would greatly increase CNS depression which would lead to more sedation and respiratory depression.

Inderal is a great medication for anxiety!! It's a blood pressure medication but it works by slowing the heart rate and bringing down your blood pressure which helps you feel more calm. Just watch out for dizziness and such with it as it may lower it too much.

Benzo tapers can be done. In your case, since you've been on clonazepam for so long your taper would be very slow. However, you're lucky in the fact that it is a long acting benzo and those are usually easier to come off of than short acting ones like Xanax (which is by far the worst). If you want more info on a safe taper you can ask me and then talk about it with your doctor. However, if klonopin works that well for you, I wouldn't try to get off just yet. If your dose is increased to 3mg/day, try and save the extra pill for when you need it and for a time when you may start tapering off the medication.

I fully support you and am very proud of you for sticking with finding the right mix of medications for you! I know it can be frustrating!

Gotta go! Have projects to work on...blah