Klonopin instead of alcohol

[Anonymous]

Long story short I've gotten into a bad habit with alcohol. I think I count as a high-functioning alcoholic. I have a very high stress job and drink to cope with the anxiety.

I have a flight two weeks from now so I saw my doctor Monday to refill my klonopin. He told me to take one this week to make sure I didn't need anything stronger (I haven't taken it in like two years.) So, I exercised, ate a healthy dinner, and took one.

I feel great. Relaxed with no urge to drink. I have taken klonopin in the past and have no dependency issues with it. And I never mix it with alcohol.

When I come back from my trip, would it be weird to ask him if I could take it to wean myself off alcohol? Drinking is getting to be so bad for me. I've gained weight, my skin is a wreck, and I don't even want to know my liver enzymes. Would it really be that bad to take a drug that relaxes me to fight the craving for a drink that also relaxes me, but is much rougher on my body?

Maybe this is stupid though so I don't want to ask him if he's just going to be like "Wtf"

[Anonymous]

No doctor would prescribe it for this unless you are actively withdrawing from alcohol. Most likely you could do gabapentin (we treat with high doses) and naltrexone. It’s great you want to quit and there are tons of resources and support of there. Good luck.

-MD

[Anonymous]

It doesn't hurt to ask your dr. also ask if you should go to detox/ 30 day program, call your insurance, they usually cover 30 days.

BTW I started Zepbound about 8 weeks ago, it has taken away my urge to eat and shockingly drink. I drank wine at dinner and cocktails throughout the week. Since taking Zepbound I have had 2 drinks in the last 8 weeks. Maybe ask your Dr about that as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't hurt to ask your dr. also ask if you should go to detox/ 30 day program, call your insurance, they usually cover 30 days.

BTW I started Zepbound about 8 weeks ago, it has taken away my urge to eat and shockingly drink. I drank wine at dinner and cocktails throughout the week. Since taking Zepbound I have had 2 drinks in the last 8 weeks. Maybe ask your Dr about that as well?

I was going to suggest asking about a GLP. It cuts out the “food noise” and is thought do the same for other addictions. And it would help with weight loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No doctor would prescribe it for this unless you are actively withdrawing from alcohol. Most likely you could do gabapentin (we treat with high doses) and naltrexone. It’s great you want to quit and there are tons of resources and support of there. Good luck.

-MD

Thank you! Can I see my GP for this or would I need to see another specialty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't hurt to ask your dr. also ask if you should go to detox/ 30 day program, call your insurance, they usually cover 30 days.

BTW I started Zepbound about 8 weeks ago, it has taken away my urge to eat and shockingly drink. I drank wine at dinner and cocktails throughout the week. Since taking Zepbound I have had 2 drinks in the last 8 weeks. Maybe ask your Dr about that as well?

Hmmm. I am not quite there yet. Would not want people at work to know and also, I did dry January perfectly this year! Went 30 days without so much as a drop. So, I am capable of stopping for 30 days without rehab. The problem is I have good periods and bad periods. A month without drinking, a month with moderate drinking, a month where I'm drinking a bottle of wine a night. You get the picture.

The zepbound is not a bad idea. I will definitely ask. Thank you so much!

[Anonymous]

Klonopin and other benzos are more addictive than alcohol and much harder to detox from. I know people who have been to rehab and talk about how many people were there from benzos and how long they had to stay in detox. If you have an alcohol problem, you need to stay away from Klonopin. There are other medications that can help you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't hurt to ask your dr. also ask if you should go to detox/ 30 day program, call your insurance, they usually cover 30 days.

BTW I started Zepbound about 8 weeks ago, it has taken away my urge to eat and shockingly drink. I drank wine at dinner and cocktails throughout the week. Since taking Zepbound I have had 2 drinks in the last 8 weeks. Maybe ask your Dr about that as well?

I was going to suggest asking about a GLP. It cuts out the “food noise” and is thought do the same for other addictions. And it would help with weight loss.

Thanks! I've gained about 20 pounds over the last two years. (Two years ago is when my drinking started to get bad.) So, any help with weight loss is good haha.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you might want to also consider an anti-anxiety med that is not a benzo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Klonopin and other benzos are more addictive than alcohol and much harder to detox from. I know people who have been to rehab and talk about how many people were there from benzos and how long they had to stay in detox. If you have an alcohol problem, you need to stay away from Klonopin. There are other medications that can help you.

+100

Coming off of klonopin might have been the worst time of my life. And it took me over 6 months to get off of it. I'd been taking it for almost a year for sleep. Horrific experience.

[Anonymous]

Klonopin leads to memory loss and aphasia, pretty quickly. And as others have said, it's addictive. I'd approach it VERY cautiously, and not as a substitute.

Upvoting the suggestions for a GLP drug. Works amazingly well for addiction. I don't know why it's not a first line treatment. Also varenicline, or Chantix (for smoking cessation.) It works on addictions other than nicotine. It has its own issues-- can be bad for people with heart issues, and can cause nausea-- but it is not addictive, and is very effective.

Best of luck OP.

[Anonymous]

Medical detox of alcohol. Don't trade one addiction for another. Check yourself into rehab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you might want to also consider an anti-anxiety med that is not a benzo.

this.

for me, the withdrawls from klonopin just dont justify it for me, even with occasional use.

my psych put me on trazodone instead. much better.

[Anonymous]

These meds are impossible to come off of OP. Don't switch one addiction for another.

[Anonymous]

Op, I’m in similar situation as you. Definitely drinking too much to deal with a bad marriage and stressful job but am still high functioning. I’ve been on zepbound for 2 years and while I have lost a lot of weight, unfortunately it has had zero impact on my desire to drink. Just wanted to share a diff perspective that it isn’t a magic bullet for everyone re alcohol use. I’m considering trying hypnotism as another option.