Klonopin: general questions

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.

[debaser23]

oh, and other side effect questions:

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!

[holliexox]

hey i take klonopin whenever i need it .5MG

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 : )

[debaser23]

Yeah, for me, it takes much longer than 10-30 minutes to work.  It's a little more than an hour as far as I can tell.  I've always been slow like that.  I didn't think about chewing it.  What does it taste like?

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.

[holliexox]

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.

[debaser23]

Well, it's been different every time I've taken it, honestly.  Sometimes my stomach bloats like crazy.  Today it didn't really.  Just a little.  Maybe that's not the Klonopin but I think it has something to do with it (my stomach always bloats but it usually comes and goes...with Klonopin it just stays that way).

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.  

[debaser23]

Well, as long as I'm better than I was, it's working.  The only thing that's really worse is the bloating, but before the bloating was accompanied by nausea and it's not anymore.  That is a HUGE improvement, obviously.  And even though I get a little nervous at times, that's not nearly as bad as it used to be, either.

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.

[holliexox]

SAME SAME SAME SAME FOR ME!!

i get differnt syptoms (symptoms) 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 (symptoms) arnt kloniopn. i wouldnt worry AT ALL! maybe try Not taken it for a while & seee if you still get these syptoms (symptoms) 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.

[debaser23]

Thanks a lot!

[debaser23]

Wow, thank you very much.  You sound like a doctor or possibly a pharmacist, or possibly someone who just knows how to research.  Either way, thanks.

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.

[holliexox]

GOOD LUCK 2 YOU!!!

[Pa1965]

I've been taking 1.5 mgs BID Clonazepam (generic) for the past 11 years for severe panic disorder.  It's been the best drug for me with no side effects while keeping the attacks at bay for all this time.  My original doctor reassured me I would not develop a tolerance to it.  He said that once my dosage was established, no further increases would be needed in the case of treatment for panic disorder.  He did state that I would be physically dependent on it, which is different than tolerance, but since I have to be on it the rest of my life anyway, that doesn't matter, he stated.

A couple of weeks ago, I had some attacks break through for the first time, although, not full out attacks thanks to the medication.  I was concerned, however, as to why this happened all of a sudden when I've been doing so well for so long on the same dosage.  My new doctor wanted to increase my dosage up to 3 mgs per day (1.5 mgs BID).  He didn't mention anything about going up slow, but I knew to do so with all of the research I have done over the years along with my past history of starting the medication years ago.  I made it to 2.5 mgs and haven't gone up any further as sedation is quite heavy and the attacks are now gone; however, some anxiety is still there which is quite odd since they seem to go hand-in-hand.

I would like to come back down to my usual 2 mgs per day to see if I'll be okay now and maybe just hit some little blip in the road.  I have only been on this increased dosage of .5 mgs extra per day for two weeks now.  Being that it hasn't been that long for the extra dosage, would it be possible to just drop it back to my original 2 mgs, or should I still wean that .5 mgs down until I get to my regular 2 mgs daily dosage?  I've started to wean by taking .125 mgs BID extra rather than .25 mgs BID, but if I don't need to, I won't.  I know if I was going to go off of it completely, I would have to definitely wean, but this is a bit of a different circumstance.

Thanks in advance.

[Lee1719]

Help me please///
I am so full of anxioty and panic attacks I don't know what to do. I have been on Sarafem for about 14 days now, and my doctor (not a shrink- just a doctor) gave me Clonazepam 0.5 mg to use as needed???
I am scared to take both, but I am a wreck. I am so embarrassed that this is happening to me. I have never had these problems, and need help. I tried the clonazepam once last week but it made me so tired. Anyone have any advice?

[hughpuppies]

I been taking .5 of clonazepam 3 times a day since October, every time I take it it makes me real tired and I sleep for hours upon hours, I was just wondering if this is normal?