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I Am Experiencing Severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder And Anxiety .
Question: I am experiencing severe obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety. The doctor put me on clonazepam 0.5 x 2 with a 3rd as a prn. Prozac 40 mg. and abilify. I know that clonazepam can cause dependence but she seemed to think the severity of my disorder warranted it. Are there some people who stay on clonazepam for indefinite periods of time? What is your opinion on this?
Brief Answer:
Clonazepam is usually not advocated for long tern management of OCD /AN.
Detailed Answer:
Hi...
Welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service.
I am Dr Ajeet XXXXXXX
I have gone through your query and here is my opinion.
Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine group drug which is most commonly used as a sedative and anxiolytic drug and is drug of choice for Panic disorder.
But it's clinical use should always be done with great caution as patient develops tolerance (thus warranting dose increment) and has addiction liability.
As per standard procedures and policies,clonazepam should ideally be used for short period of time and as soon as the control of symptoms is achieved,dose is titrated,tapered and ultimately stopped.
It is never discontinued abruptly due to appearance of withdrawal effects and symptoms reappear,often with an augmented intensity.
It is a wonder drug,as far as treatment of OCD and anxiety is concerned and your doctor has rightly put you on it for effective control the symptoms.
But a long term management on Clonazepam is usually not advocated because of the risks involved and a clinician always takes risk : benefit ratio in account.
You can discuss with your clinician and he is the best judge to decide on the treatment regime of your's according to the history,symptoms,detailed clinical examination,investigation reports and response to the treatment administered.
As per my clinical sense,as soon as the blood levels are achieved and the symptoms improve,benzodiazepines should be gradually tapered down and drug from some other group SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are added which are also very effective.
Benzodiazepines should be completely withdrawn once the other drug takes over.
Hope that I have answered your query.
Stay healthy and stay blessed.
Regards..
Clonazepam is usually not advocated for long tern management of OCD /AN.
Detailed Answer:
Hi...
Welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service.
I am Dr Ajeet XXXXXXX
I have gone through your query and here is my opinion.
Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine group drug which is most commonly used as a sedative and anxiolytic drug and is drug of choice for Panic disorder.
But it's clinical use should always be done with great caution as patient develops tolerance (thus warranting dose increment) and has addiction liability.
As per standard procedures and policies,clonazepam should ideally be used for short period of time and as soon as the control of symptoms is achieved,dose is titrated,tapered and ultimately stopped.
It is never discontinued abruptly due to appearance of withdrawal effects and symptoms reappear,often with an augmented intensity.
It is a wonder drug,as far as treatment of OCD and anxiety is concerned and your doctor has rightly put you on it for effective control the symptoms.
But a long term management on Clonazepam is usually not advocated because of the risks involved and a clinician always takes risk : benefit ratio in account.
You can discuss with your clinician and he is the best judge to decide on the treatment regime of your's according to the history,symptoms,detailed clinical examination,investigation reports and response to the treatment administered.
As per my clinical sense,as soon as the blood levels are achieved and the symptoms improve,benzodiazepines should be gradually tapered down and drug from some other group SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are added which are also very effective.
Benzodiazepines should be completely withdrawn once the other drug takes over.
Hope that I have answered your query.
Stay healthy and stay blessed.
Regards..
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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