ADA,
Over time your body builds a tolerance to these meds, and the dose has to be increased. Unfortunately, these meds also have a lot of side effects. Your taking seraquel (an antipsychotic which is also used for insomnia). And your also taking a long acting benzo (klonopin). 4mg is not that big of a dose. Of course they throw SSNR (Effexor) in the mix.
Hydrocodone for good measure.
My doctors put me on a cocktail of meds which left me dead three times from overdoses. I have an Anxiety Disorder and have been treated with benzos for 20 yrs. However, when I became a heavy user of prescribed opiates ten years ago my intake of benzos got out of control. It's funny that you mention Kidney stones. That was one of the reasons I started taking opiates, along with injuries from professional sports and later auto accidents. They put me on
Paxil (SSRI) and it made me crazy. My doctor recently wanted to give me seraquel for my insomnia because I had gone through detox and my insomnia was out of control (literally would not sleep for 5 to 6 days at a time). There were many other SSRI's, SSNR's, Antidepressants, hypnotics (Ambien) that the doctors threw at me.
Long story short, I have been off the opiates for 7 months and I feel great. The only medication is a medicinal dose of
Valium which controls my anxiety and insomnia. I was off the benzos for 4 and half months and suffered severe seizures, bedridden for over a month, panic attacks, constant diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramping, "electric shock syndrome" and other withdrawal symptoms. As time went on these symptoms just got worse. When I was placed on the Valium all my symptoms were resolved in a week. I had blood work done and shows that I am in perfect health. Just a little over seven months ago I was given two weeks to live. As for the Kidney stones I was passing 2 to 3 a month since I started these meds 10 years ago. Hospitalized 6 times. 3 surgeries. After I stopped the meds I have not had one episode. Not one stone. Sometimes I can't believe it.
These meds are poison...literally. I can live with taking the Valium. Ideally, I would love to get off them someday, but my docs say that my CNS cannot function without at least a small dose of long acting benzo. It is a quality of life issue for me. I take as little as possible and do not crave them. If I could I would crush them underfoot. But if I don't take them I have seizures and all the other symptoms return. It's a long way from the 40 to 50 mg of
Xanax a day habit I had for ten years. Take a close look at all the side effects of these meds. Like I said Valium works great for insomnia and anxiety.
Klonopin make me slur and I don't get the same relief from them compared to Valium. I sleep like a baby now and no hangover in the morning. And I have battled Insomnia my whole life. That's what worked for me. Hope this helps. God Bless