Klonapin ?

[JimiMiddleFinger63]

Hi all. I am now 17 free of Oxycodone.....and feeling basically fine. However my anxiety has gone up a notch. And this exacerbates a condition I already have called "chronic psychogenic hyperventilation". So my dr has had me on Klonapin. To tell the truth I didn't even start taking it on a daily basis till 2 days into ct....so 2 weeks ago or so. I and currently taking .5 mg 4 times a day.....sometimes only 3. So 1 and a 1/2 -2 mg a day.

Question is....at what point do I begin to worry about this? It's not something I am going to abuse for recreation....but I don't want to become dependent on this drug....or am I already? I know benzos are a wicked ***** to get off sometimes.

Anyone want to opine on this?

Thanks and peace

Jimi

[nursegirl6572]

That just goes to show you how different everyone is.  I've been on prn Ativan for YEARS, only take it every once in a while.  Well, the one time, my doc went away on a long trip overseas and had another doc covering for him.  I don't know why, but for some reason, the replacement doc wanted to make all kinds of changes.  He finally talked me into taking a Klonopin script...luckily, I had plenty of extra Ativan, so I wasn't worried about ever taking it.

Well, one day my anxiety was bad, so I decided to take an Ativan.  Like a dummy, I took a Klonopin by accident, only a 0.5mg.  OMG!  My husband had called me at some point...I have no memory of it...he actually came home early...he thought something was wrong, or that I was drunk or something (in the middle of a week day, and not being a drinker...he was very confused...lol).  I figured out after I woke up a little what I did, and those got pitched.  They knocked me on my butt...and I've been on a prn benzo since age 18.  Crazy!

It IS actually "stronger" than the other benzos if you consider the equivalencies.  0.25 mg of Klonopin is equal to approx 1mg of Ativan or 0.5 mg of Xanax.   Just amazing how different people can have such totally different experiences!!

[hope4good]

Just be very careful with it.  The first time I tried to quit pain pills my anxiety was so bad my dr. gave me klonopin.  Before I knew I was taking more than prescribed.  When I tried to quit I ended up going back to pain pills because the anxiety was 10X worse.  If you take it correctly and wean off of it you should be ok, just watch yourself because it is very addictive.  I  have noticed on here that is has worked for a lot of people for anxiety but it seems they only used it for a short period of time to get through the worst of withdrawals.  Good luck to you.

[Enuffisenough]

Yeah , mine is actually 1 , 3 times day. But I only take when I have anxiety and it helps so much !!! . Have had the bottle for 6 months. It's not as strong as Xanax or Ativan . In my opinion . It's weaker., that's just me tho.

[nursegirl6572]

Klonopin, in order to be most effective, is dosed regularly, twice or three times daily. That's again because it's allowed to build up in the system.  To take it irregularly, or PRN, it's usually never given the opportunity to build up, so it would be be as effective.  There ARE docs who will Rx it PRN, but most are aware of it's mechanism of action and if a PRN benzo is needed, stick with the shorter acting benzo.  The onset of action is much quicker in a shorter acting benzo, which also makes more sense for a PRN benzo to be one ot the faster acting meds.

Like I said, to take it four times daily is just stacking the doses, meaning you wouldn't get much more out of it that way....other than to be possibly overmedicated at certain times of the day.  Usually, most frequently, in my experience, Klonopin is Rx'ed twice a day, 12 hours apart.  

I think talking to your doc about coming off with a taper soon is the best idea, to be on the safe side.  That's a shame you don't have access to therapy that's closer by!  Have you ever tried online?  There are a few really great CBT sites.  

Enuff...yes, generic is clonazepam.

[JimiMiddleFinger63]

Ok I'm lost here lol. But then I am lost most of the time. Did I mention I am only taking halves? So....if I was to continue this therapy...which I am not....it would be safer (wiser? better?) to take the 1 mg twice daily? or 2 mg once? My PCP allowed for 2 mg a day as needed. That all that was said. Just trying to get a handle.

And yes I have considered CBT but trust me.....the closest licensed therapist for that is....well not even in this state. I would guess Billings or Boise Idaho. Maybe Denver.



Thanks and peace

[Enuffisenough]

Generic is Clonazapam right?

[Enuffisenough]

I take it. Well I have it prescribed. Take it as needed. It helps. Just don't over indulge. Benzo not my thing , so not worried. But if u are, don't start .

[nursegirl6572]

I'm really surprised at the four times a day!  The way that Klonopin works that 3rd and 4th dose woudl be considered overkill by most docs.  I'll elaborate on that in a minute.

Klonopin has a long half life and it works to help curb anxiety by building in the blood plasma, allowing for a more steady state of calm, versus the more ups and downs you may have with a shorter acting benzo, like Ativan, or Xanax.  

Just as an example, for Xanax..time for the med to reach peak plasma levels would be 1-2 hours.  For Klonopin, it is 1-4.  Half life of Xanax can be up to 20 hours (the range is large, allowing for many variables, the estimations for Xanax are usually around 10-20)...whereas with Klonopin, higher half life figures can be 60 hours, or even a little longer.

I too agree that the sooner you can get on a taper plan, the better.  Ask your doc for a nice slow weaning plan, there's no hurry.  You MAY experience some rebound anxiety.  IMO, the length of time (2 weeks) into the regimen would be less of a concern than how many times a day you are dosing.  With the long half life, you are basically "stacking" doses...meaning, at some points in the day, you would have a much higher plasma level than you need to maintain the desired effectiveness.

You are wise to be on top of that.  Have you ever sought any help for the anxiety?  How about therapy?  I would personally recommend CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy.  Not only would you greatly benefit from it for the anxiety, but you could also address the addiction issues concurrently.

Very best to you.

[meegWpaw]

hey Jimi, you should get off of those soon!!!  asap!!!! i took a lot of clonopin on a daily basis, plus a bunch of other benzos.  getting off off that spit was the absolute worst withdrawal and recovery i've ever been through and i'm still going through it.  quitting vicodin was a walk in the park comparatively.  i still have a lot of anxiety but i try to deal with it differently (exercise, like you said, breathing, music, getting out in nature).  it's not easy but it's soooo much better than being on that junk.

Meeg

p.s. i read some of your other threads so i know you have the breathing condition, but i can't recall if you said there were other ways of treating that than Klono?

[JimiMiddleFinger63]

Thanks for the input guys. Yeah  my breathing has been better the last few days. Been getting some heavy exercise (half running/half walking on my tread...about a mile &1/2 now) and it's really beat down the anxiety. Think I'll slowly begin to cut down on the clonazepam and see where it goes....

Asaalam Alaikum

[VICourageous]

Jimmi you know my strory with the methedone,adderral and the clonazepam. I agree soooooo much with selfinduced. You have floated around the post and I am sure you read good info onit all. I am learning that my withdraw was so induced because of the benzo c/t  so I hope you do talk to dr and go slow to get off of them  just like all the others. Remember those pills do the brain addiction and they are very much in the chart.....
God Bless you keep going foward..
vvic

[selfinduced]

One more thing. Eat 6 small meals a day and drink lots of fluids. This helps keep anxiety down. xx

[selfinduced]

Hey Jimi, Take it from me and start weaning now. I also don't like the feeling of benzo's but low and behold I got dependent while opiate detoxing.I never took more than the prescribed amount. I tried to stop it after a 6 weeks of use and the original anxiety was still there and then some. Now's the time to wean down and implement all the other natural anxiety tricks you've read about on here, calming teas, exercise,music distraction, rescue remedy lozenges from the health store hot baths, sex (did I just say that) ha. Seriously, your smart to address this now. Perfect timing.