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Klonopin 'As Needed'

by scareddee, Dec 19, 2006 12:00AM
Hello,



I am a long-time sufferer of panic and anxiety.  I have periods where I am almost "normal," meaning the anxiety does not dominate every aspect of my life.  At this time, however, it does.  I have tried two antidepressants in the past, paxil and zoloft with terrible results.  I have had success, though, with klonopin.  I took it for about six months and weaned off it with few problems.  Quite honestly, it gave me my life back.  That was six years ago.  Yesterday, I was given a new prescription for klonopin.  I would like to start by taking it as needed, rather than daily.  My physician said that I could try that.  Anyone have any knowledge about using klonopin like this or is it something I should take daily, as I did before?  I prefer to take as few meds as possible, although I realize I need to get a handle on my current anxiety state.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance!
Member Comments (13)

by chcnme, Dec 19, 2006 12:00AM
To: Scared
Hi scared. I have issues with anxiety and panic attacks, too, and I take my Valium "as needed" vs the 5 mg twice daily as prescribed  (doc is OK with this in my case.)  I see no reason whatsoever that you couldn't take the Klonopin just as needed instead of daily and especially if your doc has said you can. If I took my Valium as prescribed, it would lose its effectiveness very quickly (within weeks, probably), and then next month I would need 10 mg for it to help panic attacks, and then 15 mg, so on and so forth.  Sometimes I don't take it but once a week.  Valium gave me my life back, too.  I've been on it for 3 years now and have had no problem whatsoever with tolerance or addiction (but I would have if I took it twice daily - no doubt about it.)  Just knowing I have it available helps me - gives me a sense of control back.



Best of luck.

by sue-aloo, Dec 19, 2006 12:00AM
I LOVE Klonopin!  Yes, you can take it as needed!  I do not take it everyday...I only take it when I have a bad panic attack...and it helps!  I would say that I take a pill maybe once every month or so depending on what is going on in my life (let me say, I am also on Paxil and Buspar..a walking pharmacy!)  So take as needed with Klonopin works well with me.  I do first try to get through the attack on my own, but if it is severe I take it!  Hope this helps!

by asymptomaddict, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
To: scareddee
I'll second what sue-aloo said... I'm really wary of taking any kind of medication regularly, much less daily, unless it's something obviously necessary like antibiotics.  I was given a prescription for Klonopin a while back for anxiety and resisted the idea of taking it as long as I could, but when things got too much to deal with I sucked it up and found that it really did help.  After that it was a week or two before I needed to take any again, and it worked just as well as it had the last time.  I strongly endorse the idea of taking the drug "as needed" as opposed to daily whether you need it or not.

by sparkeler, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
I agree with everyone.  Take it when needed b/c you can build up a tolerance to these kind of drugs.  I'm on xanax (take it 3 times a week) and it makes me feel normal and controls the obsessive thoughts.  I take 1.75 - 2 mg 3 times a week and have been able to mainiain that dosage for a few years now.

by scareddee, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
Thanks, everyone, for your helpful responses.  I have another question for you...Is it better to take the klonopin before a situation where you know you will have a panic attack because you always do in that situation, or is it better to take it only in response to an actual attack?  Just wondering.

by chcnme, Dec 20, 2006 12:00AM
Hi scared.  I would take it before. If you know you are going to be in a situation that makes you particularly anxious, take it before that situation arrives.  If you don't know, or if you have a feeling of overwhelming anxiety in any situation (panic attack coming on, try to talk yourself down.  If you can't talk yourself down, just endure the attack  (panic attacks sometimes come on quick without warning and only last a few minutes, and then they are over, at which point you feel better afterwards and even have a sense of relief that you made it through one, in which case you wouldn't need Klonopin - it's over.)   But in situations you know you are going to be more anxiety-ridden and feel panicy, take it.  I do.  If I'm going shopping in Walmart  (which I hate because of the high stacked aisle and because I start feeling closed in and get panicky feeling)  I take my valium before I go -lol, and I'm fine.  Best of luck!

by SWJavelina, Dec 22, 2006 12:00AM
I'm also a big fan of Klonopin because it stays in your system for so long.  Unfortunately, I can't take it as needed at this point because I've been on it for too long.  Plus, my anxiety can get really severe.  



But, if I WAS taking it as needed, I would definitely take it before a potentially stressful situation.  When I was on Xanax (before Klonopin), I would take it before going to the dentist to make sure I was as relaxed as possible.



Congrats on being at a point where you don't have to take Klonopin regularly.



I hope to be there one day.  



Cheers,



SWJ

by Realperson56, Sep 06, 2007 10:41AM
To: Scared

     I take all my medications as directed on the bottle, .05 mg. three times a day of klonopin and 150 mg of Zoloft once at bedtime. I am my normal self. Sometimes I experience PTDS or Depression for about a half hour, but the feeling goes away. I do not get these feeling every day or every  month. Once in a while I will forget to take Klonopin in the afternoon, but I still feel good. I take blood test once every three months for other problems, but I never received from these two medication  liver or kidney trouble. So in my experience taking medication as directed won't hurt you. I been taking these two medications for 4 years and I am find. I never heard of only taking these meds when need?

                                                      Realperson

by heartfluttersflyawayplz, Sep 06, 2007 02:34PM
klonopin works beeter if yu take it twice a day it reachs a steady state thats what it is for, when am having a panic attack it takes the klonopin 30 mins to hour to work by that time its over . i dont take it now but when i was in anxiety mode i took it .25 in am .25 in pm it was great i am off of it now and take ativan when needed, which i might take one .05 once a month or every two months. search klonopin out on this web site you will see a lot about it .

by dave23443, Nov 27, 2007 07:23AM
To: crackles
I also have suffered from panic attacks and I feel sorry for you guys and gals that have had to use medication to relieve it, however im always getting stomach pain, even pain located in my lower abdomen.
I have recently been for a colonoscopy (yes I've had something put in my rear and not proud of it) I also have to go to Gastrologogitjd how ever that is spelt its midnight here in Australia so abit tired.
Anyway as I was TRYING to say Im going for my Endoscopy tomorrow, Gastroscopy??? the camera in the mouth to look in the stomach...Oh My goodness I know I need to go back to school!

Sorry about my rambling, but by the sounds of the valium I was also asked by my doctor and I refused, will this valium or I should call it "klonopin" relieve my stomach pain if this is anxiety related???
Also the blurred vision can be quite hard for me as I do ride a motorcycle and normally follows by a strange, how can I say this: Not quite a light headedness but a feeling im going to fall over, and I tell there is nothing worse than being at the front of the lights waiting for it to turn green thinking your going to fall over, have any idea how embarassing that would be.

I know I know, I ramble to much, just another quick question.
Im 23 years old, I was diagnosed with this aweful anxiety thing about 12 months ago, I am coping good I can leave the house no problem (when I can get off World of Warcraft) but somedays I feel not so much anxiety but just a general ill feeling and its been worse lately.

Did anyone in their early stages of anxiety problems have these symptoms???
Strange feeling your going to fall, Upper abdomen pain and lower abdomen pain, a change when going for a poop, a odd not so blurry vision but argh I cant explain it or even this!!! this is the 1 that drives me crackers, DIM VISION: please tell me is there anyway to relieve this bloody symptom also I get very tired.

Anyway I got to go to sleep, will be looking forward to some replies.
Got to go for a Gastromythingomajiggy tomorrow.

PS: stay possible, we can all make it together!!! what doesnt kill us will only make us stronger!! and in my books your all very strong cause anxiety disorders are hard to get over!!
Kick that fear the crutch!!!

by dave23443, Nov 27, 2007 07:28AM
To: crackles
im sorry to waste this forum for my typo's but i cant see anywhere i can edit

Spell Check: Kick that fear IN the crutch!!!

by dave23443, Nov 27, 2007 07:38AM
Oh I do want to add 1 thing, I do know how a panic attack feels, I just want to put it in my own term of words just so other forum readers will understand what its like.
in simple words it feels like your about to suffercate while someone is putting pressure on ur chest not just that you get a odd feeling in your head...like as if you were going die.
i suffer from quite bad nausea when i get panic attacks, my anxiety these days only now get bad when i read up about things that can be quite disturbing, like looking up upper abdomen pain and bowel changes it comes up with stomach cancer, now we know that can bring on unwanted thoughts aswell as alot of time spent at doctors and alot of medication taken that may be totally irrelevent to the problem.

Anyway thats my summary on panic attacks....night night world I shall reply after my stomach viewing tomorrow night or later in the week.