Was Patsy taking Klonopin?

From experience, taking Klonopin on a daily basis or on an "as needed" basis did not produce any side effects. I think this is one of the reasons why it is prescribed over Xanax and Valium. And, as heymom stated, stopping it does not cause any problems either.

 

I think myself people respond differently to medicaction. I have been on Klonopin (0.5mg twice a day) along with my Topomax (.25 3 tab morning and 3 tab at night) for seizures. I have epilepsy. I still fucntion fine. I have been on this dosage for 4 years. A whole lot better than before the meds.

 

It is true that Klonopin has less side effects than Xanax and Valium, but at higher, prolonged dosages, there are withdrawal symptoms ESPECIALLY if the medication is stopped abruptly. That's why doctors will taper a patient off of the drug slowly if they have been at a high, regular dose.

The brain gets used to receiving the drug dosage and will "rebel" when it doesn't arrive. At a small, or PRN (as needed) dose, there may be few or no withdrawal symptoms noticed. However, every person's brain chemistry is different, and those with an underlying mood disorder (such as depression) often experience withdrawal symptoms more severely than others.

 

No, it was as needed. For a short while, every day, but only when I felt the panic coming on. I don't know how many other people take it in that manner, but it worked for me.

Heymom

 

And that was my point, Heymom ... ... you were able to stop it with no side effects because you only took it PRN. You weren't on a regular, everyday dosage for over two months; therefore, your body wasn't addicted to it.

I only bring up this point in reference to Patsy's use of Klonopin and whether she took a regular daily dose (not low dose) for a fairly long period of time. We do know Patsy was prescribed the Klonopin to help with her chemo side effects, but it can also be prescribed as a daily dose (not just PRN) to control anxiety and panic attacks. If Patsy did take Klonopin every day for several months, and then tried to abruptly stop the drug, I guarantee that by the next day, she would have felt some very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

 

Agree completely. Taking Klonopin at higher dosages over longer periods of time causes dependency. No argument there. What would her dosage have been for the chemo side effects, do you think?

Heymom

 

I've looked for a source for info on that drug and can't find anything on it tonight, but will continue looking. Please kick me for thinking out loud - I do apologize if I'm mistaken on it. While looking I did find this from the 6/98 PR interview about a panic attack prior to the murder:

23 TOM HANEY: These panic attacks

24 that you mentioned, was that the first time that

25 you had suffered through one of those or had you

0135

1 had those prior?

2 PATSY RAMSEY: I had had one one

3 other time, when I was in Boulder Community

4 Hospital in the cancer clinic. And it was about

5 midway through my chemo session, my nine-month

6 session, and I guess all of sudden it just kind

7 of came crashing in as to what was really

8 happening. And I started trembling and shaking.

9 The numbness in my lips.

10 TOM HANEY: Those were your normal

11 symptoms?

12 PATSY RAMSEY: Yeah. It was gone

13 in a little bit, you know.

14 TOM HANEY: Outside of those two

15 episodes, have you had others?

16 PATSY RAMSEY: (Shaking head).

 

From what I could find on-line, the dosage for pain management in cancer patients would be .5 mg 3 times a day--a total of 1.5 mg. If used for panic attacks, it starts at .5 mg per day up to as much as 4 mg per day. Dosing for seizures can get to as much 20 mg per day.

Do we know for certain that Patsy was taking Klonopine in 1996? The 1998 depositions indicate usage after the murder, but I've found no reference to taking it for the chemo side effects. If she was taking it for pain, I would presume it was a long term treatment since she'd been out of chemo for a couple of years.

All this may just be another dead end, but if it's true it might explain a lot as to "motive".

 

All I know is, she appeared in several interviews like she didn't know which way was up. That rings a few bells.

 

I must have missed this topic during the Patsy Passing and Karr Krash time period last year.......excellant info, gang! Great to see that I am far from being alone in questioning just how well John really knew his wife or how well he really covered for her.

 

me too.
I had not seen it before. Very interesting discussion.

 

Klonopin, like other anti-seizure medications, in my line of work is also used as a "behavioral" drug. I have many people who take Tegretol, Klonopin, Depakote, etc. for behavior management, even though there is no seizure history.

For some psychiatrists, they prefer these medications to antipsychotics.

Klonopin is known in my field as the #1 cause of drooling and a second medication is usually prescribed to stop the drooling (cogentin)

 

Sometimes antipsychotic meds don't prevent the psychosis, especially when the patient wants it.

 

.

Klonopin as far as I know is used in lieu of xanax, as xanax is highly addictive. I have never heard of drooling with this drug. It is used as an antixiety drug and an antidpressant as is xanax, but less addictive.

 

sboyd,
Can either or both drugs be taken on an as needed basis?
I'm asking because a friend of mine is deathly afraid of flying. Her dr. prescribed Xanax for her and she only takes it when she flies.

 

Yes, they can be taken PRN (as needed). It is only the steady taking of either drug over several weeks that gets the brain used to having the drug and thus forms the basis for physical addiction.

 

Thank you Cherokee.

 

Tylin, when I was using Klonopin, I only took it when I felt a panic attack coming on. It shuts off the "rat-brain" as I call it - the thoughts that scramble around in your head looking for something to chew on. I got very calm and could think logically and clearly instead of just dissolving into a heap of fear and anxiety. I could make decisions and not freak out about everything. I never took Xanax but I have heard it has a similar effect.

My dear father suffered from anxiety attacks all his life, but we never knew it until he was so sick he couldn't work it off, which was his normal method of coping. So I come by the tendency through him. :abnormal: :help:

 

heymom,
Thanks so much for the information. I suffered from panic attacks when my thyroid went nuts. Luckily that was fairly easy to control. I took Ativan for a month and found the correct dosage of thyroid meds to take. But I will never, ever forget how scary the panic attacks were.
(Like your father, my husband suffered from them for years. His problem was finally diagnosed after visiting his 4th dr. )

 

Tylin, I got my worst panic attacks when I was hyper-thyroid too. In fact, I nearly ended my life, things were so awful. The endo I was seeing didn't want to treat me, said my "hot" thyroid nodule would burn itself up eventually. He didn't quite understand the depth of my despair...It was the birth of my 2nd child that sparked all this hormone disruption...I was depressed AND had panic attacks, insomnia, anorexia, I was a MESS.

I was put on anti-depressants and Klonopin to take when necessary, and gradually, I came back into life again.

Eventually, my thyroid stopped functioning and I now have to take supplemental thyroid. I've been up and down with that little gland and I wish I could have a regular, healthy one back! It truly can cause so much chaos in one's life...

But even before my 2nd child, I had panic attacks, so it's not his fault. Klonopin worked absolute wonders for me. I probably should have had a lot of therapy too...oh well, TMI isn't it??? :shutup: