Anxiety Forum

cred · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 12

Dr took me off Ativan due to the addictivness of the drug, and put me on Clonazepam. Anyone else tried this. It seems to have really helped me, after only 3 days!

bio · apprentice poster Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 30

Only recently that I know clonazepam is anti convulsion drug. Psychiatrist told me that it is non addictive and rather safe. Safe in the sense that it will not harm you if taken(mistaken) higher dosage than prescribed. I was taking it 0.25mg on daily basis for only 9 months(many years ago). Unfortunately, it didn't help much so I quit it till today.

BobaFett49 · Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Posts: 18

I've been taking Clonazepam for over 4 years now and it is fantastic; as for Ativan I've never used that, although I've heard that it is milder and has a much shorter duration than Clonazepam. I started taking 0.25 mg 3x a day, then upped it to 0.5 mg 3x a day, but that dosage turned me into a zombie; now I just take it twice a day. Yea yea I'll admit there are times when I take 2 at a time or more than 2 a day, but I mean hell everyone has "those kinda days" or just in instances when I can feel at attack coming on.
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Job_314 · Joined: 16 Jul 2007 Posts: 24 Location: Portland, OR

I was using Clonazepam in the early stages of my treatment. It really helped deal with the side-effects of my anxiety... while we waited for the Lexapro to really start kicking in anyway. It worked pretty well, it really helped relax me and help get my mind off things. Especially for those late nights when your anxiety is keeping you up.
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isis2383 · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 18

I just got off clonazepam and switched to alprazolam. I was on .5mg of clonazepam to be taken as needed. However I noticed that if I didnt take it on a regular basis I had headaches and other withdrawl symptoms. So my pdoc switched me to less mg's and to the alprazolam because I can take it more often (clonazepam lasts 8 hours where alprazolam lasts about 4-6). I started to build a tolerance to the stuff so I needed to make the switch. I will say when I first started it, it worked great for me.

thxnisawtheblood · Joined: 21 Jan 2008 Posts: 3

im on klotopin which is the same as Clonazepam, clonazepam is just the generic, but it works amazing for me im on 1mg 3 a day.

setler · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject:

I
Love
Klonopin

tuttt · Joined: 28 Jan 2008 Posts: 6

It can really help.

I don't like to take more than .5mg 2x day though. It makes me a zombie. Especially if I am without sleep the night before.

Durand · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

Hi:
Clonazepam saved my life during Cymbalta withdrawal . It makes me calm and confident. Even I am 2 years off antidepressants I still use 0.5mg of clonazepam on special occasions when I think anxiety can ruin the event.
I love clonazepam but noy for daily use.

teary_eyed 82 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 8

Dr. just prescribed this for me today - haven't taken it yet, a little scared. I have had some bad headaches the past few days and feel very lightheaded ... which I don't know if it is from my anxiety or if it's something else. (long story short - had a CT scan about 1 month ago, negative) So she prescribed me this because I've been freaking out all week and I start a new job next week and dont want to have to have anything happen to me (ie: Sick, faint, etc.) while there. Had a massive headache/dizziness last night and took .25 of Xanax and it made me feel ALOT better so that's why she prescribed this instead of the Xanax. This is supposedly supposed to be "a long-acting form of Xanax" according to the Dr. I'm afraid though cuz one of the side effects is dizziness. Any ideas before I take it in a couple hours? Thanks!
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Durand · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

Hi Melissa:
In my case xanax makes me feel a little drowsy. This doesn't happen with clonazepam. clonazepam makes his effect for 8-12 hours in adults. Xanax only works for 4 or so.
Personally Clonazepam works better for me than xanax. But unfortunately every person is different. You can take a low dose of clonazepam (don't know how much your dr prescribes) and see how you feel.
You can try with 0.25mg in the morning and see. I suggest not to take if you don't feel anxious because you can develop dependence, like with other benzos
Hope this helps

teary_eyed 82 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks Durand!

Yeah she prescribed me .5mg in the AM and then .5mg in the PM ... but I started with a 1/2 of that tablet twice a day just for my own peace of mind. I do notice that if I'm sleepy when I take it at night I'm so groggy, off balance, zombie-ish ... last night was scary but I was exhausted when I took the pill. I took it thismorning after breakfast and I feel ok. A little sleepy, a little dizzy ... but usually those side effects go away after a few hours or so. Will the side effects (for taking the pill when I'm not tired) eventually go away? I also notice that when I take the pill in the AM and I have something to do (like work, or having to be somewhere at a certain time, going out with a friend) I'm usually alot more alert than when I take it and am just sitting around at home doing nothing.

I've only been prescribed it for about a month before they want to put me on an antidepressant. I have an appointment with the GI on the 26th of August to check my stomach (been having a lot of nausea, constipation, not eating good - might be related to anxiety of getting fired, not having $, etc.) but she didnt want to give me anything else until I get cleared from the Doc.

Any other ideas/stories about this drug would be great.
1 thing I will say is since I started taking it my tension headaches have tremedously declined - sometimes I can feel them but they are not nearly as bad as they were. I've been on this for 3 days and the headaches have pretty much stopped.
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*Melissa

teary_eyed 82 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 8

Thanks Durand!

Yeah she prescribed me .5mg in the AM and then .5mg in the PM ... but I started with a 1/2 of that tablet twice a day just for my own peace of mind. I do notice that if I'm sleepy when I take it at night I'm so groggy, off balance, zombie-ish ... last night was scary but I was exhausted when I took the pill. I took it thismorning after breakfast and I feel ok. A little sleepy, a little dizzy ... but usually those side effects go away after a few hours or so. Will the side effects (for taking the pill when I'm not tired) eventually go away? I also notice that when I take the pill in the AM and I have something to do (like work, or having to be somewhere at a certain time, going out with a friend) I'm usually alot more alert than when I take it and am just sitting around at home doing nothing.

I've only been prescribed it for about a month before they want to put me on an antidepressant. I have an appointment with the GI on the 26th of August to check my stomach (been having a lot of nausea, constipation, not eating good - might be related to anxiety of getting fired, not having $, etc.) but she didnt want to give me anything else until I get cleared from the Doc.

Any other ideas/stories about this drug would be great.
1 thing I will say is since I started taking it my tension headaches have tremedously declined - sometimes I can feel them but they are not nearly as bad as they were. I've been on this for 3 days and the headaches have pretty much stopped.
_________________
*Melissa

teary_eyed 82 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 8

I have another IMPORTANT question regarding this medicine!

I have taken it like so:
.25mg Thurs night, .25mg Fri morn,.25mg Fri night, .25mg Sat morn, .25mg Sat night, .25mg Sun morn (today) ... but I'm so sleepy right now I don't know if I should take it again, or wait til morning when I'm awake and alert? If I miss a dose, is it really gonna mess me up?
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*Melissa

ento23 · Joined: 07 Aug 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Syracuse, NY