Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Anxiety Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to generalized anxiety, anxiety and eating, anxiety and sleeping, mood swings, and phobias.
Klonopin: general questions
by debaser23, Mar 21, 2007 12:00AM
Hi. As you may or may not remember from an earlier post, I was prescribed Klonopin several weeks ago and was afraid to take it (I hate meds). Finally, on Sunday, I started with a half dose. Since then I've been taking the full .5 mg two times a day. I still have a few questions and concerns that I hope some of you can address:
1. My bottle says to take it twice a day. The nurse -- not the doctor -- told me I could take it as needed. However, it takes a while to work and I don't see how it's possible to take this medication as-needed. I do realize that it has a very long half-life...does that mean that I can take it as-needed now that it's in my system?
2. If I take it regularly, I'm concerned about addiction. If it really helps me, I guess I don't care much about that...I'll just keep taking it. But I still wonder how long it takes to get addicted to it.
3. It hasn't made me ill to my stomach, but I've been even more bloated than usual since taking it. I look like a pregnant man at times. Is this normal? I can't find that under the listed side-effects.
4. How many days does it take before it reaches its max effect? At times I still feel like I'm going to get a panic attack. They haven't materialized, but I'd rather them be gone completely.
I have other questions, too, but I'll wait and see if there are responses to these. Please do respond if you can...I'm not used to taking meds like this and have no idea what to expect from them.
1. My bottle says to take it twice a day. The nurse -- not the doctor -- told me I could take it as needed. However, it takes a while to work and I don't see how it's possible to take this medication as-needed. I do realize that it has a very long half-life...does that mean that I can take it as-needed now that it's in my system?
2. If I take it regularly, I'm concerned about addiction. If it really helps me, I guess I don't care much about that...I'll just keep taking it. But I still wonder how long it takes to get addicted to it.
3. It hasn't made me ill to my stomach, but I've been even more bloated than usual since taking it. I look like a pregnant man at times. Is this normal? I can't find that under the listed side-effects.
4. How many days does it take before it reaches its max effect? At times I still feel like I'm going to get a panic attack. They haven't materialized, but I'd rather them be gone completely.
I have other questions, too, but I'll wait and see if there are responses to these. Please do respond if you can...I'm not used to taking meds like this and have no idea what to expect from them.
I don't feel a strong sedation, but there is sedation nonetheless. The doctor said this may go away in time...but how much time?
Also, sometimes I just feel vaguely weird, but not in a pleasant way. Is this the type of thing that could subside?
Thanks!
1)this pill works like 10-30mins after taking it. if you chew it, it should work faster.
2)the only side effects i had from klonopin is dizzy a little bit and sometimes it makes me tired.
3)This drug is addicting but im not sure how long it takes. i think its more of a mental addition at first but i think it takes like 6-12 weeks if you take it everyday. you'll get more and more dependet on it. and if you take it for more then 5days in a row, and you want to stop, your best to LEAN off of it, take little peices at a time each day & then STOP. DONT JUST STOP cause you can get withdrawal.
4) Klonopin can make you feel werid or strange, sometimes i feel like the day was a blurr or like what i did the past day or watever was AGES ago.
5) Just look up on google or whatever and just read about it. im a worrysum person & i HATE pills but i feel 100% safe taking klonopin. so i wouldnt worry if i was you.
hope this helps & klonopin works out for you if not dont wry just go back to your doctor & you can get another med.
good luck : )
I'd never just stop taking it, that's for sure. I've researched this drug to an unhealthy degree and have read about the withdrawal problems.
I was super-worried before taking it, but that's because I thought it would make me sick to my stomach. Now that I know it doesn't, I'm no longer worried at all.
Basically, I'm just curious if the Klonopin will feel the same way a week from now as it does today. With other meds some side effects go away with time...some don't.
Thanks for your reply.
It tastes kind of bad. i mean not 2 bad but not good lol. just drink really quick afterwards. like i chew if im having a panic attack and want it fast acting. usually it help kick in like about 5-10mins. everyone is differnt i guess. but what side effects are feeling agaain??? cause usually they'll go away cause your body is probaly just getting use 2 it. ya know? so i wouldnt worry : ) and it seems like you like the drug & it helps you so thats real good.
Sometimes I feel almost stoned...which is kinda good, haha. It's not a real strong effect but enough to amuse me for a while.
Today I just got incredibly sleepy. That was the first time that had happened.
Yesterday I had what I think is "coated tongue". My tongue turned kind of tan and looked, well, coated.
The only really bad side effect I've experienced has been runny nose, but I didn't get that today. I had monster allergies over the weekend and into the week so that may have been the cause, but I'm not sure. Pollen counts are much lower today but I'm still a little runny. Who knows...
But it doesn't really calm me down as much as I thought it would. I still have some panic attacks that try to come on (they never do), and sometimes I'm really restless and can't sit down. I'm wondering if these things will get better as I get more Klonopin in my system.
i get differnt syptoms each day. some days im tired, some days i feel REALLY GOOD and like in the best mood & like i can do ANYTHING. idk its werid how it works. but yeah i get the SAME thing it will help me like 2 a certian degree but i still can panic threw it. i wont get a FULL blow panic attack but i still get werid panic sensations. but im sure most of your symtoms arnt kloniopn. i wouldnt worry AT ALL! maybe try Not taken it for a while & seee if you still get these syptoms or something. i dont think its the klonpion tho. but if you feel like its not working at anytime dont worry theres other drugs. hope ive helped you. good luck & best wishes.
So I'm pretty happy with it so far.
The only part of my question that I can't seem to find an answer to is whether it will start working better after I've been taking for, say, a week. I've heard anecdotal reports that it will.
(2) You will become physically and pyschologically dependent on Klonopin within a relatively short period of time. This is not the same as "addiction". The same could be said for an antihypertensive (ie: Inderal). Sudden withdrawal would cause rebound hypertension and tachycardia. Dependency and addiction are two separate subjects. You can always remove the Klonopin gradually if it becomes a problem. Remember, you are taking Klonopin for a medical reason.
(3) There are no known reports of Klonopin and "bloating". I wouldn't attribute the two together.
(4) Maximal effect varies, but is usually within two weeks (once a steady-state plasma level is developed). It is important that you take the Klonopin as prescribed (BID), and that you take it around the same time everyday. This will assure even plasma levels.
The sedation and "stoned" feeling is short lived, so enjoy it while you can! This will dissipate within two weeks. After a month or so, it will merely act as an anxiolytic. If you took the drug PRN, you'd get the stoned feeling every time. Klonopin is a poor choice for PRN for the reasons stated (plus, the onset is in excess of 30 minutes). Also, increasing the dose above 1 mg daily does not increase sedation (but it may wreak havoc with your memory). 1 mg is the target dose for panic disorder. At THIS dose, there are little side effects.
-Ryan
I do have two follow-up questions, however.
Let's say this June I go on a business trip and forget to bring my clonazepam/run out/whatever. Would I start experiencing problems after missing a couple doses? In the event that I am without it, should I make it a big priority to get some?
Also, I'm on the generic clonazepam. I've read some anecdotal things on the internet saying the the generic form of this drug isn't quite as good as real Klonopin. However, I thought generics were supposed to be chemically identical. Can I trust the FDA or should I insist that my insurance company pay for real Klonopin?
Thanks again for your help, and everyone else's comments as well. I'm not much of a pill taker and I've certainly never been on anything like this one. Prevacid's the only drug I've ever taken for any extended period of time, and it's nothing like this.
By June, you will be highly dependent on the drug. For this reason, you must never allow your prescription to run out. One missed dose will not be subjectively noticable. Two missed doses will be uncomfortable. Miss three doses and you *may* be in trouble. Any severe alteration of the plasma level will cause subjective symptoms of anxiety. If the plasma level is grossly altered abruptly, seizure can result. The drug must never be stopped abruptly, ever!
Generally speaking, full blown withdrawal symptoms from Klonopin is not seen until after one week if the drug is removed completely. During this period, the risk of seizure is greatest. The drug must never be stopped abruptly, and should be removed in 0.125 mg incriments @ two weeks per incriment minimum.
There is a 30 % variation (20% allowable) between generic Clonazepam, as compared to Klonopin/Roche (the model drug). It is of my opinion that Klonopin/Roche is vastly superior to the generic, and is the most *consistent* form of Clonazepam available. Klonopin/Roche is the most potent form at all available dosages (0.5,1, 2 mg)
-Ryan