I hope this isn't a completely stupid question but I'm wondering if it's possible for a benzo to be stimulating?

The reason I ask is that I currently take 0.5mg Klonopin mid-day and it usually does well for controlling my anxiety and sometimes I even find myself getting sleepy...but then I take 1.25mg before bed and I almost feel like it makes me more awake (and definately doesn't help my anxiety).  Now, this might be totally unrelated to the Klonopin because I have found out that my cortisol levels are spiking at night and night-time has always been the worst for me in terms of anxiety, but I figured I should ask and see.

Thanks

Well there are two aspects worth examining here.

1) Some people get an adverse reaction from a given medication.  Hence some people will actually experience a manic or intense reaction from a benzo.  This is pretty damned rare though - with benzos that is.

2) Benzos dont always help you sleep.  They can put you in a relaxed state where you are not tired at all - especially once you have tolerance.  Tolerance to the solomnence effects (eg sleepy) builds up much more quickly than tolerance to the anti-anxiety effects.

This is one of the major reasons why benzos arent normally prescribed for sleep.

The short answer is yes. The PI sheet lists it as one of the observed paradoxical reactions.



I couldn't copy the text from the actual PI sheet, which is here:
http://www.rocheusa.com/products/klonopin/pi.pdf

As Chimpmaster said, with most drugs you can find somebody somewhere that had nearly anykind of adverse reaction.  Usually they are pretty rare, but hey.

You should discuss this with your pdoc.  A couple possibilities are:  Take the med earlier so it doesn't disturb your sleep; possibililty that you may not need a benzo while you are sleeping;  substituting a sleep aid for the benzo- probably a safer bet long term considering benzo addictability.

good luck.

a.m.

I wouldn't call it stimulating, but Xanax definitely does not make me sleepy. I take a small XR dose daily for mild anxiety and to counter-act side effects of other meds. I supplement this dose with small doses of immediate release the week or so before my period. One of the biggest problems I have then is horrible fatigue, which improves upon taking the Xanax.

Heya GreenGal,

Yes.

--ncc--

different situation, but: when I use benzos to lull me to sleep, I'm usually more agitated and aggressive (maybe dysphoric?) the morning after. I'm talking 4 mg rohypnol (= about 40mg valium) and 30 mg  Flurazepam (somewhre around 10 to 20 mg valium, according to equivalence table online). It's not bad enough I lose control though.