Posted by chemist on August 21, 2004, at 17:29:24
In reply to Q for Larry, chemist on K and AED's, posted by zeugma on August 21, 2004, at 16:43:46
hi z, chemist here...i think larry or some of the other folks more enlightened than i will be of help...the comment that comes to my equally-caffeinated mind is that klonopin appears to be classified - for what that is worth - as an anti-convulsant, as opposed to an anti-epileptic or anti-seizure med. this might be a matter of semantics, but i think there is likely some science here, too: i know of some folks who have been shot-up with lorazepam or diazepam upon, shall we say, arriving at the facility in a very agitated state, and thorazine or haldol was not deemed appropriate (this is my way of trying to state that there is a fine line between being an agressive, angry non-compliant patient and a psychotic patient, as far as what will cool their heels the quickest). i am a long-time xanax user, and i would not call is sedating or activating, yet this is after years of being on it or the related benzos, so i am long past the point of noticing the good/bad/ugly and my rose-colored glasses are firmly in place. okay, enough. i will be interested to see what the rest of the gang contributes, as your points - and personal experience - are food for thought, and i do not want to hazard a guess.....thanks much for the mental stimulation, looking forward to some closure! best, chemist
> I am sure clonazepam's role in precipitating narcoleptic symptoms and even cataplexy has a lot to do with the fact that clonazepam is one of the most potent benzos in supressing convulsions as well as anxiety. My (primitive) understanding of epilepsy is that it is an intrusion of NREM sleep into waking, while narcolepsy presents the opposite symtomology: an intrusion of REM (including atonia) into waking. It strikes me as interesting that AED's are also potent anti-manics (at least some of them such as Depakote are), while conversely, drugs like Tofranil and Norpramin have long been mainstays of narcolepsy treatment for preventing the cataplectic attacks characteristic of that disorder. What is it about clonazepam that might make it a more powerful AED than other benzos? Does alprazolam, which appears to have antidepressant activity, also potently block seizures? I am curious because Lamictal is that only AED that I have heard that might have AD activity; any thoughts on these or related topics? Sorry for the incoherence of this post, I am drinking my half-caffeinatyed pot of coffee and trying desperately to stay awake long enough for me to get through this late-afternoon lull, without stimulating myself to the point of insomnia. I exist on a very delicate balance of stimulants and sedatives.
>
> Thanks,z
poster:chemist
thread:380051
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040821/msgs/380501.html