Klonopin

Has anyone ever tried this for MAV I think it is also called Clonazepam, is it just for anxiety or used for MAV? What were your experiences with it?

Klonopin is used as a vestibular suppressant. Iā€™ve been taking a very low dose and it is effective, although temporarily. Read some of Kiraā€™s recent posts - she gives a very good description of her experience with Klonopin.

It is a benzo, so you need to keep issues of tolerance in mind.

Julie

So it is not used for MAV and preventing migraines?? I am on diazepam for anxiety just hoping to go to MAV drug that is as similar as possible

It is on the list that Jenny provided of 100+ drugs being trialed for MAV. Iā€™m not sure why itā€™s on the list and why itā€™s the only benzo on the list - it does have the highest anti-seizure properties of any of the benzos, besides Tranxene. But as far as I know, my doc is giving it to me to use as a suppressant, not a preventative.

Yes, itā€™s also used for panic, and then it would be an anxiolytic. And itā€™s used for seizures, then it would be an anticonvulsant. What itā€™s called depends on what itā€™s being used for.

Iā€™ve been on diazepam also. clonazepam feels really different. For me, it calms down the dizziness without making me feel dopey.

As Julie said, Iā€™ve been on klonopinā€“reluctantlyā€“for about 5 years. Since I personally think MAV and mal de disembarkment are relatedā€“and I definitely have both (mal de disembarkment is when you get dizzy after motionā€“cars, boats, elevators, eliptical machinesā€¦), klonopin is the primary treatment for mal de disembarkment. It is a vestibular suppressant and not considered as a migraine preventive. I found the Johns Hopkins Vestibular site listed it as a drug they commonly use. There is often concern that if you suppress, you wonā€™t compensate. Well, all of my doctors believe Iā€™ve given compensation a good effortā€“lots of attempts at rehab, and that at this point the goal is function. Klonopin allows me to work, go to concerts. I donā€™t like it, because of the dependency issues, and while I donā€™t find it sedating, I think itā€™s mildly depressing. Iā€™m currently at 1 mg twice a day. A common dose, proposed by Dr. Hain at Northwestern, for mal de disembarkment, and for Meniereā€™s is .5 mg twice a dayā€“itā€™s a dose Iā€™m trying to slowly wean down to. Every one of my doctors: otologist, ENT, primaryā€“all tell me to get over my dislike for the drug and focus on the fact that I can actually go to workā€“although I have my limitsā€“and live a fairly normal life, which was not the case when I had a terrible bout of BPPV in 2003 that brought my vestibular function in my damaged ear to new low. The real irony here is that my own, head banging attempts to reposition that pesky otolith did a lot of the final damage. I was convinced that one more Epley, one more Semont maneuverā€“and Iā€™d feel better. I literally banged my head into a state of horrible vertigo. So, no more vigourous attempts at rehab and repositioning for me.
As Iā€™ve said before: I have a bunch of ear issuesā€“viral nerve damage, repeated BPPPV, MAV, mal de disembarkment. I should be glad thereā€™s no Meniereā€™s, although Iā€™ve had tinnitus since the virus that caused the sudden nerve damage in 1975.
Hereā€™s the link to Hopkins, note that they use klonopin to treat vestibular migraine.
hopkinsneuro.org/vestibular/ ā€¦ r_Migraine
Anxiety and vertigo are linked.
Judy

Kira,

thanks for that link. Unless Iā€™m not understanding something correctly, which could be, because Iā€™m really tired, I see that the Hopkins link also lists Klonopin as a preventative. This is the second time Iā€™ve seen it listed as one. Thatā€™s got to be wrong, yea?

Happy Easter to you,

Julie

It can be used as a migraine preventative (with dizziness or otherwise) but its just not particularly effective. There are a few trials on pubmed from memory.

Adam

Julie,
While Iā€™ve never seen klonopin listed as a first line migraine preventive, a lot of neuroleptics are preventives and klonopin is an anti-seizure drug. All sorts of drugs have been found to decrease migraineā€“ACE inhibitorsā€“like lisinopril, there was one promising study of singulair and then one that didnā€™t show benefit.
I just appreciated that the Hopkins site actually admitted that they used klonopin for MAV, because Iā€™m always being told that if you suppress the vestibular system, you delay compensation. Recently I got the speech from the audiologist who was doing my hearing test before I saw the ENT.
Itā€™s hard enough to take a drug that I feel has a stigma attached to it (the pharmacy gave me grief that they always double count controlled substances) and then be told itā€™s delaying your recovery. My otologist writes the script as ā€œone twice a day for vertigoā€.
I resisted starting it, and then resisted increasing the dose for months. The original neuro-otologistā€™s notes express his frustration in my delay.
I canā€™t argue with the fact that it helps me function.
Recently, with all the weather and hormonal changes, I had a more unsteady week, so it reinforces the need for treatment.
Happy Easter to you.ā€™
Hereā€™s a link to an older article on About.com, likely written by Teri Robert, who left the site, that lists klonopin under anti-seizure meds for migraine prevention
headaches.about.com/od/medsartic ā€¦ e_meds.htm
Judy

Yep,

that looks like the list of 100 that Jenny provided in one of her posts, although I didnā€™t actually count them.

Thanks for that link.

Julie

Hi Julie (& all), just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear of your loss, life can be so cruel at times. Remember, time, friends and fond memories are the best salve for the soul, having lost my mum and dad in a car accident nearly three years now, I can certainly vouch for that. I wish you well throughout your grieving process. :cry: I replied to your post just the other evening but was just about to send it and accidently pressed the delete button! Oh well, this is now the very shortened version of that post.

Iā€™ve been taking Klonopin (clonazepam; Rivotril) 1/2 tab in morning and 1/2 evening for the past 2 years. I also take Sandomigran 500mcg (pizotifen) 7 tabs per day. Iā€™ve improved and am at 60% still, but canā€™t seem to push past that barrier. Just visited my neuro in Feb and he prescribed a beta-blocker, metaprolol 50mg and have just reached full strength after 4 weeks 1 tab morn & 1 tab evening. Canā€™t tell yet if itā€™s worked, my son dislocated his shoulder in a soccer accident last week and the stress set me back, dizzy, nauseous, headaches for the past week, but certainly not bedridden. Feel better today so weā€™ll see if thereā€™s any results soon. Heā€™s also given me a prescription to have filled if the metaprolol doesnā€™t do it for meā€¦verapamil!! Iā€™ve read so much about it on this board, so that experience will be very interesting, Iā€™m hoping though that the med Iā€™m on just might bring more improvement. Iā€™m so confused with all these meds added to the Vitamin B, Magnesium, Feverfew & Gingerroot, that I donā€™t really know whatā€™s doinā€™ it for me and whatā€™s not!! One thingā€™s for sure, the Sandomigran is really bad for increasing appetite and Iā€™ve now gained 10 kilos, so Iā€™m going to get off them and slim down to the old self!

kind regards, Judy

Klonipin has anti-seizure properties as well as anti-anxiety. From what I have read about it, the anti-seizure properties are stronger than the anti-anxiety, and neuro-relaxant. Because of the anti-siezure properties, it can be used as a migraine preventative for some people.

For me, the Klonipin has done wonders for my headaches as the med I take for my balance and dizzies dose nothing for my headaches.

what med are you on for balance and dizzies??

Depakote

what have you felt on depakote?? any side effects at all?

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œDesperatlyDizzyā€

what have you felt on depakote?? any side effects at all?

ā€” End quote

Mostly gastro-intestrical (sp?) cramps, gas, etc. I also experienced one solid headache (sunrise to sunset everyday) until I started taking Klonipin.

Hi Kira! Why did you have to go up on your klonopin dose? I also have MAV. I hate being on it too. Also have you ever tried birth control?

Hi Sonu. Kira hasnā€™t been seen on here since 2009 so I doubt you will get a reply. However you should be able to find more information generally probably if you use the siteā€™s Search facility. Or have a look through the ā€˜Womenā€™s Bizā€™. The keyword ā€˜Mirena coilā€™ might bear fruit too. Give it a go,

Oh wow thank you so much for the info! Appreciate it

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