[Sam_I_Am]

Hi All. My pdoc decided she wanted to me to go from taking Klonopin PRN and at night only (I used 1mg for sleep for awhile, used 1/4 of a pill PRN maybe 3 times ever) to taking it consistently every day regardless of need. I am supposed to take 0.25mg in the AM, again in the afternoon, and then the 1mg at night. This is not necessarily a permanent thing but to help me with a.) situational stressors, and b.) the effects of tapering other meds.

The 0.25mg in the AM is fine....I don't feel groggy or sedated, feel somewhat relaxed. The 1mg at night is of course okay because I've been used to it and need something for sleep anyway, it's that extra 0.25 mg in the PM that's screwing me up. I try to take it like 8 hours after the first (so maybe around 3pm if I took the first at 7)...then I'm useless for the rest of the day (had great plans to clean yesterday afternoon...ended up falling asleep.) I'm wondering why it should be divided into 3 doses if it has such a long half life...and if it's okay to skip out on the 0.25 in the PM unless I "need" it. I know everyone says to take meds as prescribed, but sometimes benzos seem to fall into an exception here. I'll take the 0.25mg this PM becuase it's the weekend so it's okay if i'm useless (not ideal but ok), but is it okay if I don't take that dose during the week until I can reach my pdoc for official approval? (I'll call Monday, but she isn't in the office until Wed.)

[beetle]

Sam_I_Am, on 01 November 2009 - 09:59 AM, said:

Hi All. My pdoc decided she wanted to me to go from taking Klonopin PRN and at night only (I used 1mg for sleep for awhile, used 1/4 of a pill PRN maybe 3 times ever) to taking it consistently every day regardless of need. I am supposed to take 0.25mg in the AM, again in the afternoon, and then the 1mg at night. This is not necessarily a permanent thing but to help me with a.) situational stressors, and b.) the effects of tapering other meds.

The 0.25mg in the AM is fine....I don't feel groggy or sedated, feel somewhat relaxed. The 1mg at night is of course okay because I've been used to it and need something for sleep anyway, it's that extra 0.25 mg in the PM that's screwing me up. I try to take it like 8 hours after the first (so maybe around 3pm if I took the first at 7)...then I'm useless for the rest of the day (had great plans to clean yesterday afternoon...ended up falling asleep.) I'm wondering why it should be divided into 3 doses if it has such a long half life...and if it's okay to skip out on the 0.25 in the PM unless I "need" it. I know everyone says to take meds as prescribed, but sometimes benzos seem to fall into an exception here. I'll take the 0.25mg this PM becuase it's the weekend so it's okay if i'm useless (not ideal but ok), but is it okay if I don't take that dose during the week until I can reach my pdoc for official approval? (I'll call Monday, but she isn't in the office until Wed.)

If you don't feel like you need that evening dose then I don't see the harm in not taking it. But I'd run it passed your pdoc first. Dosing of Klono can be pretty flexible. I take .5mg in the morning and it does not make me drowsy ...I've been on it awhile. I don't know how long you've been taking the klono but you might get used to it and not get so drowsy anymore.

I've started taking 1mg in the evening as opposed to the .5 I usually take and it helps me sleep. I have permission from my pdoc to take up to 1mg three times a day if I feel like I need to. But I wouldn't want to be too sedated during the day...same as you. So I just take .5 AM and .5 or 1mg PM.

.25mg is a small dose but some folks are more sensitive than others. And like I said, if you take it long enough the sedation part might get better. Just talk to your pdoc about how the sedation is effecting you.

[Tom]

I take it 3 times a day because I start to feel funny when I take it less often. I'm on a huge dose, but it doesn't make me sleepy. In the long run it's probably not a good med for sleep, because the sedation wears off with time. (maybe not for everyone)

-Tom

[Mckey]

I am on K 3 times a day. I take .5mg at 830am, .5mg at 230pm and 1.mg at 830pm (and .5mg PRN). I take it 3 times a day because by the time afternoon hits my anxiety is back, and by the time nighfall hits im a mess with anxiety. After a while you will get used to this regiment, like most meds. I am even no longer tired at the 1mg at night.

[Her Tommy]

I take K 4 times a day, but just .5 at a time. It really helps with my anxiety.

Tommy

[Mckey]

Her Tommy, on 05 November 2009 - 08:14 AM, said:

I take K 4 times a day, but just .5 at a time. It really helps with my anxiety.

Tommy

Considering my brain right now I take special K 5 times a day with 2 extra .5 prns on average. Mostly on occasions where I know I will be anxious. .5mg an few hours before I leave and .5mg when I leave to a social ocassion. It helps a lot. Although I upped it without doctors knowledge (tisk! tisk!), but hey... isnt that what prn if for? (my excuse).

[The Emperor]

I'm on .5mg 3x a day right now. At first I didn't think it was necessary and was afraid of the sedation, but that wore off really quickly and now if I get too tired, I just have an extra bit of coffee to help.

I asked p-doc if I could only take 2 per day or take my first dose a least a couple of hours after I've been awake to avoid the tired shit, and he flat out said no.

I take my first dose two or three hours after I get up anyway. He's right though, I do need it first thing in the morning, but I also need to function, and have continuous coverage throughout the day. If I took it right when I woke up, there's be hours here and there between doses that I'd be totally fucked.

If you reallydon't think you need it, talk to p-doc about it, maybe he'll cut out a dose for you, but, like others have said ,the sedation side effect wears off in a week or so.

[The Emperor]

I take the first one at noon, the second one at 5PM and the third between ten and 11PM.

[Alpam]

My doc has told me to take 2mg three times a day, and I have found that I get the best results when I do. I don't get any sedating effects from it all.