Klonopin

[scatty]

Pdoc just prescribed klonopin due to some anxiety I'm having lately. I was on it before, but it was prn. He wants me to take 1 mg in the daytime and 1 mg at night. He said you have to take it every day to see the full effect. Has anyone had better anxiety control when they take it daily?

[tryp]

Yes - I've used it both PRN and daily, and daily is better because you're just calmer overall and the anxiety doesn't get started, and it's smoother, especially since Klono has such a large half-life.

Of course, taking it regularly makes me crazier, but that's unusual and you shouldn't worry.

2 mg is kind of a lot, though - my pdoc started me off on 0.25 mg once a day. Have you built up tolerance previously or something? I'm just curious, because that much would snow me.

[kst7488]

benzos are the devil. they help, but they are so addictive good luck if you ever want to get off of them ive been working on that for 2 years now.

[tryp]

It depends how long you're on them, really. I have had three trials on benzos, and all three times, I have discontinued them cold-turkey without any withdrawal symptoms.

The problem is when you start increasing your dose a lot, or when you're on them for years and years.

[Deepster]

Pdoc just prescribed klonopin due to some anxiety I'm having lately. I was on it before, but it was prn. He wants me to take 1 mg in the daytime and 1 mg at night. He said you have to take it every day to see the full effect. Has anyone had better anxiety control when they take it daily?

I agree mostly with the advice Tryp has already given, so I'll just tweek it a bit with my own personal experience.

First, I have been taking klonopin as a maintenence med for about 8 years. My original scrip was for 1mg/day OR PRN. I knew immediately that anything more than .25mg in the morning, with and additional .125-.25mg sometime during the day was about all I could handle. And, even with that, I'd sometimes get spacey......vision problems, detachment from the "real world", etc. At that time even a whole mg/day would have basically wiped me out.

When I re-entered the hectic work world about a year ago, I did up my dosing to .5mg/day, taken in the morning and that was quite enough. It remains so now. Yes, I do hit and occasional bump and will take another .125mg-.25mg sometime during the day. But, that's the exception, not the rule. There has even been a day or two that I'd go up to a full mg(NEVER at once).

If I took an entire mg in the a.m., and another at night, I'd be a zombie most of the time....at least I think. Over 8 years, I have become habituated to the small dosage, and find that I maintain a balance throughout the day(long half-life). I've never felt a need to go above 1mg/day, and have even advised my pdoc that should there come a time I need as much as 2mg, that'd be acceptable. Anything over 2mg, then we'd be seeking other non-benzo options. That's just me and the way I feel. Even the thought of going above 1mg spooks me.

Although you've taken benzos before, starting at 2mg/day seems way on the high end of things. Coming down even a tiny bit is going to be much harder than going up a bit if absolutely necessary. Going with the lowest dosage possible to achieve the desired result just seems the most sensible way to go with a benzo. Today, I have taken only .5mg, and that's all I'll need, and it's almost 9pm here now.

Additionally, using a benzo for sleep aid lost it's punch a long, long time ago. I'll use ambien or trazodone when necessary, but I just don't find klonopin to be an effective sleep aid anymore(just a word to the wise).

That's just my opinion, and I hope it's helpful to you.

Deepster

[Phoenix_Rising]

benzos are the devil. they help, but they are so addictive good luck if you ever want to get off of them ive been working on that for 2 years now.

I'm really sorry that you've had such a bad experience with benzos.

But, for the most part, I think benzos serve as a valuable tool for anxiety and panic. I've taken benzos off and on (mostly on) for about 12 years. I have gone through cold turkey withdrawal as well as a very mild cross-taper. Withdrawal is awful. But its not a certainty. And it shouldn't be a reason to keep you from treating your anxiety.

I agree with tryp about the difference between prn and rxed daily. Taking it daily will help ensure a steady amount of meds in your bloodstream. Hopefully leading to better coverage of your anxiety.

Hope this helps.

[scatty]

Before I was on 2 mg prn. My pdoc thinks my anxiety problems are severe enough for the dose he's prescribed to me. I respond well to meds and often don't need to tirate up, I just start at prescribed dose. I'm lucky that way.

I'm sorry for anyone who has had a hell of a time with benzos, but they have helped me in the past.

Thanks for the replies!

[chimpmaster]

Pdoc just prescribed klonopin due to some anxiety I'm having lately. I was on it before, but it was prn. He wants me to take 1 mg in the daytime and 1 mg at night. He said you have to take it every day to see the full effect. Has anyone had better anxiety control when they take it daily?

I used to take 20mg Diazepam twice per day.

I was in a really bad place then.

Now i take around 10mg/daily once --> three times per week.

Diazepam and clonozepam are very similar drugs.

[recoverymouse]

I've been in recovery for over a year now. Some of the worst cases I've seen are people hooked on benzos. By "worse" I mean most difficult to walk away from. They are also one of the more dangerous meds to quit-- they always need to be tapered off under doctor supervision. And if they are mixed with opiates, man, that can be brutal.

Having said all that, if you don't have addictive tendencies I wouldn't freak out about it. That's my two cents.