Clonazepam

[Lakeshiker]

looking for advice. I’ve been taking 1mg Clonazepam to help sleep but I e read quite a few horror stories about it so it’s making me nervous about taking it. I’ve not slept for six months and my tinnitus has become rea tube to virtually every sound you can think of. I believe it become my nervous system is in super heightened state. I’ve tried breathing and yoga but I’m just much of a nervous wreck it’s not helping. I start CBT 2nd June so hoping that help. The doctor prescribed Trazodone but i read it increase norepinephrine, which can ramp up tinnitus. I was doing ok until the reactiveness started to get ridiculous and now im so bad it’s real. Just wondering if im reading into these things to much and has anyone had any experience with these drugs.

to make matters worse i have been in HRT for 4 years 75mg gel & my stupid doctor did t give me any for 4 weeks and again it seems to have messed to my T. I’ve started back on it and not sure if its also making it worse. The sound sensitivity started with just running water, then it was driving, then music, now empty it’s pretty much everything. I really don’t know what to do for the best. Hearing ok and no ETD but I think I have a few allergies. Sorry for long post but it’s good to ask people on here for advice.

king Regards Tara

[Happyrosie]

breathing and yoga do take a lot of practice. Do try to persist. Some medications might make tinnitus worse, but it depends on the individual.

CBT should help you view tinnitus not as an enemy, though.

Are you familiar with the charity Tinnitus UK? There may be something on their website that resonates with you.

This forum often has post from people in a similar situation to you who have eventually found relief and living normal lives. They may not be seeing your post because they are happy and relaxed and don’t want to be reminded of a time when they were unhappy with tinnitus

[Candleinthewind]

Hello lakeshore, sorry to hear about your struggles. I have had some success with 5mg clonazepam, night and day which has taken my t from an 8 to a 3 or 2 on a scale of 1-10. After reading many posts on this forum, I would say different meds work for different people, also that we all worry so much and try to find answers so hard it becomes impossible to tell. You probably know there are very few experts in the field, and GP's rarely hear of it. I was told by local audiology dept that it's not to do with hearing, but more to do with what our brains make of sound, thereby our best bet is mental health medications. Keep trying. Best wishes, Jay.

[Lakeshiker in reply to Candleinthewind]

how long have you been taking it for? And do you take it every night and day?

[Lakeshiker in reply to Lakeshiker]

Also is 5mg a lot. I though the tables were 2mg

[boodv in reply to Candleinthewind]

yes.. def.. anxiety is a huge player and I know I need some daily meds for my anxiety..

[1966366]

Hiya L, I was on Clonazepam approx 18 months but I made the mistake of taking the whole 0.5mg tablets and, in hindsight and experience, I should have cut the tablet into a smaller sized piece. The reason for this is that the body doesn't so quickly build up tolerance with the medication, and hence it will work at the lowest dosage for a greater length of time. Let me state this clearly, Clonazepam is the only medication to help me recover some sort of recognised lifestyle to the one that I had before the onset of the dreaded condition T. However, the eventual cessation of the drug brought horrific insomnia which lasted about 6 weeks at worst and then a bit longer. But I have to point out that I went 'cold turkey', which is definitely not recommended but ENT/ Audiology were frankly useless for advice. There is an actual term which is called 'Rebound effects' and I was not made aware of this. I hope some of this helps and I apologise for the vagueness but I am having real trouble with my T at the moment. All da best x

[boodv in reply to 1966366]

why did you come off it? I will try again to stop this and use as long as possible.. a lifetime if necessary.. my T has been mokd for 3 months but became incredibly loud 2 days ago.. I believe anxiety ramped up.. though have been reluctant to go kn sny depressants in case it ramps up the T.. my doctor prescribed quetiapine 25mg but scared to take it in case it ramps up my T..

[Higgsy45]

Hi Tara,

How long have you been on Clonazepam? I am your age and have highly reactive tinnitus. Most noise sends it through the roof. Clonazepam is effective in tinnitus treatment for 50-70% of patients. I use 3-6mg a month, say once a week or so. If take n regularly dependence can form. Don't take gaslighting from medical professionals. You reactivity is likely little to do with anxiety. It's time we had treatments and objective tests to prevent nonsense that comes from medical professionals.

[Lakeshiker in reply to Higgsy45]

lots of people keep saying reactive T is anxiety of sounds 🤷🏻‍♀️ I think it’s meds but then again I know people who have react T who don’t take meds so know who’s. I d been taking to much Xanax really but I can’t sleep.

If I don’t take it no sleep and crazy reactive T

I take beta blockers as well and Prochlorperazine and funny enough all 3 seem to make my T virtual disappear till I go bed. It comes back when they wear off. Definitely something to do with brain chemistry. I’ve had chronic anxiety and insomnia for 6 months now. Got the crisis team visiting me tomorrow because I told my doctor she use useless and I was going to jump off a bridge. Maybe seeing a psychiatrist will get me somewhere 🙏🏻

[Higgsy45 in reply to Lakeshiker]

Are you in the UK? They don't prescribe Xanax here.

[Lakeshiker in reply to Higgsy45]

I got it off a friend. Not good but I was desperate

[Doxiemom1]

I take hydroxyzine to sleep. It’s an antihistimine

[boodv]

how does it effect your T?

[boodv]

bless.. I stopped taking hrt as i read it can spike T.. made no difference other than made it harder to sleep.. might start it again.. its impossible to get clonazepam in the UK..