Klonopin 'As Needed'

[scareddee]

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!

[jasminejassy]

Thank you so much for this insight. I have an anxiety and panic attack for almost a year now. My anxiety caused me chronic insomia and klonopin helps me to sleep. I did not take it regularly but only as needed. At first I'm hesitant to continue using it because of the scare that i might get addicted. But it really relieves me of anxiousness and able to sleep well when i had klonopin. I only take .5mg every 5 days or sometimes when i really need a good sleep, i take it every three days. The fear of getting addicted to it and not be able to return to my normal sleep patterns are adding to my being anxious. But now having read all your comments and assurance that it's okay to take it as needed really help a lot.  

[LovelyJeanneMarie]

I agree Klonopin is a God-send. I suffered from panic attacks for 20 years before finding it. It wouldn't have been possible for me to become a leader in my field and successful business owner without it. Don't feel guilty about taking it, but, like most things, try to take as little as you need to feel good. Medications like Klonopin are one of the great blessings of living in the modern world!

[Frusciante]

I take klonopin for tourette's syndrom.  .5mg Every 4 hours as needed.  I felt like I had control over it because I took it only as needed, which was sometimes a couple of times a week.
Now, my doctor wants me to take it at least once a day.  Wouldn't this be worse for me?  She claims I can have withdrawal symptoms if I take it as I have been doing.

[afierros]

I have been taken Lorazpam .5mg for 2 weeks and it would help me for a little bit and then wear off.  He told me to take it as needed but I misunderstood him and started taking it everyday even if I did not need it.  I am scared that I built up a tolerance to it.  I would find myself having to take another one and another.  I tried tapering off a little by cutting it in half.  I have done that for 3 days and it has made my anxiety worse than before.  I just can't see how I would have a withdrawl like this without being on it very long and it being a low dosage. I went back to the doctor (Lord knows I have been too much) and he told me I could quit that cold turkey and start Klonopin as needed.  I have also in the last two days experience really bad nausea.  He told me I could take Zofrain.  I took some earlier and so far I feel better.  I haven't taken the Klonopin yet I want to wait.  I am scared that I don't want to find myself dependent on the Klonopin.  Do you think I should wait a little bit before going on it and just deal with the next few days of withdrawl from Lorezapam?  What do you think?  Could you really buid up a tolerance to this being only short term or is it all in my head?  Any advise would ease my nerves.

[thehappyman50]

Take clonopin it is the only thing that works for many people. Why suffer? why be scared? stop questioning everything and enjoy ther relife it brings. I treid every thing from exersize to holisic treatments. And for once a doctore had the common sence to treat me symptomatically. Well I now have my life back! and when the day should come that I get the emotional support I need and my life continues to improve I will continue taking clonopin. Clonopin is a god send. And it is now a part of me. Take your clonopin! be happy! have your life back! and dont let doctors or any one push you around and tell you to take worthless stuff instead. Find a doctor who cares and is willing to listen,

[dave23443]

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.

[nuyorkie]

I take Clonazepam on need basis for the past 3 months. Anyway from 3-7 times a month as theclast resort. I have a sort of reverse problem. Have on and off debilitatin digestive/stomach problems that manifest as intense stomach pressure,nausea, swollen tight throat/ esophagus that can last from 30 min to several hours. All I can do is to lie down and the suffering will be short. These attacks bring on anxiety/panic attack especially if this happens in public places and anxiety when I have to eat constantly worrying if I get problems or not. I have gone sometimes months with relatively minor problems or months suffering terribly. Tried all sorts of meds with little relief. Occasionally I took Lexomil in the past under the tongue which could work great or give me even more nausea. 3 months ago after a 3 year period or managable problems I got hit with virtually daily stomach issue after meals. I was at the end of the rope, virtually starving and often homebound while on nice vacation. Then I tried Clonazepam 0.5 mg and it was a miracle. It relaxed my stomach muscles relieving all the nasty symptoms and calming me down sometimes to the point of falling asleep. I took only 0.50 mg. I never tried it before for this reason. The first time I experienced Clonazepam was when I flew to Europe last year. After a rather mixed results with Ambien my friend suggested Clonazepam and indeed it allowed me to have a nice restful sleep during the flights. Since I used only 1 mg piece so I still had some left and I'm so glad I decided to try it. So far no side effects but of course I don't want to get addicted to it psychologically or physically so I take it if everything else fails.

[dave23443]

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!!!

[dave23443]

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!!!

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

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 .

[Realperson56]

     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

[SWJavelina]

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

[chcnme]

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!

[scareddee]

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.

[asymptomaddict]

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.

[sparkeler]

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.

[sue-aloo]

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!

[chcnme]

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.