# To those that take or have taken klonopin. Did you build tolerance to the drug?



## LEO123 (Jul 24, 2009)

Hi, I was prescribe klonopin for everyday use. It's working but I'm a bit worried about it building tolerance. I have read mix review regarding this topic. I have read about people building tolerance after using the drug for some time. I also read about people taking it for many years and never build tolerance. I read a doctor opinion regarding this and he said some people confuse the diminish of the sedating effect klonopin gives at first with building tolerance to the drug. Did you build tolerance or not to the drug? What are your thoughts regarding this?Thanks!


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

You may experience tolerance to it's sedating effects, and after a few weeks of continuous use the initial "buzz" may also fade, however klonopin should still work subtley in the background as an effective anxiolytic even with continous use.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Personally I did develop tolerance to the anxiolytic effects of clonazepam (constant 8mg dose [4mg bid] taken daily over several months) and I was also physically dependent on the benzodiazepine. 'Resetting' tolerance and and eliminating physcial dependence is IMHO easy when using an equivalent dose of the cross-tolerant Phenobarbital or Desoxyphenobarbital (Primidone) for 10-14 days. After this period I had the full benefits of clonazepam again. Problem is that few doctors still prescribe Pheno altough with it's extremely long half-life and slow onset of action it's much less toxic and dangerous than the shorting-acting barbiturates (Secobarbital, Pentobarbital) [ab]used in the 1960s and 1970s. It has also pretty low abuse potential and in general patients consider it a medication and not something to party with.


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## Redefine (Jan 11, 2005)

Yes I developed tolerance. Withdrawal is no fun either. I wouldn't recommend taking it long term unless you want to keep increasing the dose.


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## gillettecavalcad3 (Jul 9, 2009)

6 years prn, ......no tolerance. Works like a charm.


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## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

I haven't developed any tolerance when using it 2-3 days per week for the past six months. If you take benzos daily, the anxiolysis will weaken pretty rapidly for most people that initially benefit from the medication, but it should still provide at least some relief even if used longterm. I guess the people who find it helps them when used daily and for several months straight (or longer) have in fact built a tolerance, but still find the subtle effect of the benzo to be enough for them. If the first few doses help but only mildly then chances are it would only be effective for short-term or PRN/intermittent use.


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## LEO123 (Jul 24, 2009)

Thanks for all your opinion. I really don't know what to do. My doctor prescribe it for everday use but the last thing I want is to build tolerance and add more fuel to the fire with my situation. Iasked him for valium because I heard it last long and people build less tolerance on it but He prescribed klonopin instead because it wasn't as addicting and safer. For those that use it a few times a week. Do You guys experience any withdrawal side effect or feel more anxious the days you don't take it?Thanks again.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

gillettecavalcad3 said:


> 6 years prn, ......no tolerance. Works like a charm.


How often/what dosage do you usually use? I think youve already mentioned this but I forgot, sorry.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

I'm in a similiar situation, At the moment I'm taking a low maintenance dose daily (.5 mg), then I'll take another .5-1 mg PRN about twice a week. 

My advice is don't use them for insomnia, for example if your thinking of taking .5 before bed then .5 in the morning, take say mirtazapine or trazadone for sleep at night instead, then .5 mg of klonopin in the morning. Since if it's just for SA then you probly wont need it before bed, since your alone.


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## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

LEO123 said:


> For those that use it a few times a week. Do You guys experience any withdrawal side effect or feel more anxious the days you don't take it?Thanks again.


Nope, no anxiety or withdrawal whatsoever. Although I only took it ~3 times a week for a month or two max, so I'm not sure if it would have became an issue later on down the road. At 2 days per week tolerance and withdrawal/dependence symptoms never developed.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

IllusionalFate said:


> Nope, no anxiety or withdrawal whatsoever. Although I only took it ~3 times a week for a month or two max, so I'm not sure if it would have became an issue later on down the road. At 2 days per week tolerance and withdrawal/dependence symptoms never developed.


what dosage do you take it at PRN? I'm sorta curious if taking say 2 mg twice a week, would be that different in terms of withdrawl to taking say .5 mg daily for a week, since the same amount is still being taken in the same week if you get what I mean?


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## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

jim_morrison said:


> what dosage do you take it at PRN? I'm sorta curious if taking say 2 mg twice a week, would be that different in terms of withdrawl to taking say .5 mg daily for a week, since the same amount is still being taken in the same week if you get what I mean?


I take only 1mg now but used to alternate between 1-2mg depending on the situation.

I'm curious about that too. I never took it daily, but I'd assume that if it's constantly in the system without time off between doses then homeostasis would kick in much quicker - thus allowing tolerance and dependence to develop.


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## db0255 (Jul 20, 2009)

LEO123 said:


> Thanks for all your opinion. I really don't know what to do. My doctor prescribe it for everday use but the last thing I want is to build tolerance and add more fuel to the fire with my situation. Iasked him for valium because I heard it last long and people build less tolerance on it but He prescribed klonopin instead because it wasn't as addicting and safer. For those that use it a few times a week. Do You guys experience any withdrawal side effect or feel more anxious the days you don't take it?Thanks again.


I take Ativan, and I've taken a dose of up to 1 mg. Sometimes I'll take it everyday for a week, other times not at all. I've never had withdrawal at all.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

IllusionalFate said:


> I take only 1mg now but used to alternate between 1-2mg depending on the situation.
> 
> I'm curious about that too. I never took it daily, but I'd assume that if it's constantly in the system without time off between doses then homeostasis would kick in much quicker - thus allowing tolerance and dependence to develop.


oh ok, yeah that makes sence, your giving your body a break from it. Do you prefer to take it before the event, or the nigth before due to the long half life?


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## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

jim_morrison said:


> oh ok, yeah that makes sence, your giving your body a break from it. Do you prefer to take it before the event, or the nigth before due to the long half life?


Well, I'm prescribed it for SA but I only take it when I feel anxious in general. It does last a long time so the effects would still be noticeable upon awakening if taken at night, though the strongest effects wear off after only 7-8 hours. Taking it before the event (it takes one hour to kick in) sounds to me like the most efficient way to dose.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Freesix88 said:


> What about xanax. Xanax is short acting should not develop tolerance that quickly like longer acting benzos? Because they stay in your system longer. Hmm.
> I'm talking about xanax as needed ( not three times a day) just 1 mg as need or so.


xanax as needed should be fine, some people like the fact that it kicks in, does its job, and then goes within a few hours. But I would never recommend taking it daily, due to it's short half life, it would be pretty problematic in that scenario.


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## LEO123 (Jul 24, 2009)

Thanks for all your opinions. It helps. What I'm going to try to do is take it 4 to 5 days a week. I'm going to take .5mg a day, Unless more is needed. Maybe that will help me not build tolerance & klonopin be still effective as well.


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## LEO123 (Jul 24, 2009)

P.S. It's fustrating that if not the best, one of the best medication for SA, GAD, Panick attacks... only works for a limited amount of time because one builds tolerance to it & to avoid building tolerance to the drug one can't take it frequently because there's a possibility that one will build tolerance to the drug. SMH, Life isn't fair.


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## outcast69 (Aug 23, 2009)

I was given it to counteract the side-affects of other medications but,as far as helping me with panic attacks it was short term.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

LEO123 said:


> P.S. It's fustrating that if not the best, one of the best medication for SA, GAD, Panick attacks... only works for a limited amount of time because one builds tolerance to it & to avoid building tolerance to the drug one can't take it frequently because there's a possibility that one will build tolerance to the drug. SMH, Life isn't fair.


Yeah, I can sympathize with that totally. Specially because the current big alternative SSRI's make me alot worse, albiet thats just my personal reaction to them.


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## Saqq (Dec 1, 2008)

Sorry, this is another klonopin question -- unrelated to the original -- but I've taken some of these up to 4mg at a time at literally felt nothing -- I have 0 benzo tolerance, and I've tried 4mg 3x and still gotten nothing... is that weird? I asked my Doctor and he just blew it off and said well I guess benzo's won't' work for you (after going crazy that i took 8x the recommend dose heh -- so he wont prescribe me any others, valium, xanax, etc) -- I';m not trying to do it recreationally or anything, i just want something to give me some sort of hope =/ 

could it just be due to it being generic and not working or something, what else could it be? am i not anxious at all maybe? (and it's all in my head!!) 


meh.


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## Cast Away (Feb 12, 2009)

Ive been on klonopin 3-4 days a week for 7 weeks with some tolerance, Im currently on a break from it and im on the 4th day with no withdrawl.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Saqq said:


> Sorry, this is another klonopin question -- unrelated to the original -- but I've taken some of these up to 4mg at a time at literally felt nothing -- I have 0 benzo tolerance, and I've tried 4mg 3x and still gotten nothing... is that weird? I asked my Doctor and he just blew it off and said well I guess benzo's won't' work for you (after going crazy that i took 8x the recommend dose heh -- so he wont prescribe me any others, valium, xanax, etc) -- I';m not trying to do it recreationally or anything, i just want something to give me some sort of hope =/
> 
> could it just be due to it being generic and not working or something, what else could it be? am i not anxious at all maybe? (and it's all in my head!!)
> 
> meh.


Yes it could be due to it being a generic, if you were on a generic? As some members of this board have pointed out, for some unknown reason, generics sometimes seem to have less efficacy.

The other thing that comes to my mind which may cause benzo tolerance without having taken benzos before, is cross tolerance, are you tolerant to alcohol in particular?


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## Cast Away (Feb 12, 2009)

You dont take 12mg of klonopin in a day with no tolerance and blame it on generics being less potent. You might might have got a spoiled batch but unlikely.


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## Cast Away (Feb 12, 2009)

12mg is alot of klonopin, like jim asked do you drink alot of alcohol. You could try another benzo but there all about the same. 

Saqq, What is the generic brand you are taking? If you dont know look on the bottle.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Cast Away said:


> You dont take 12mg of klonopin in a day with no tolerance and blame it on generics being less potent. You might might have got a spoiled batch but unlikely.


thats a good point I hadnt thought of, if he left his medicine exposed to heat: ie left it in his car in the sunlight for too long, or exposed it to dampness, it may have spoiled it. Something people should be aware of - especially when travelling.


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## Saqq (Dec 1, 2008)

It's just generic: pms-clonazepam -- and I didn't take 12mg in 1 day -- but 4mg on 3 different days -- it wouldn't be a bad batch either, as I tried with a 2nd refill bottle.

and no, not an alcoholic


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## Cast Away (Feb 12, 2009)

Theres different generic brands though saqq


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## wwefwjndrg3274 (Aug 25, 2009)

yes u do build tolerance but its one of the safer benzos


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## ShawnnyK (Aug 18, 2009)

I've probably built a tolerance, but looking at whole picture, I personally don't care, because it has relaxed me in moments I would normally freak out.... Just knowing I've taken a klonapin helps me.... I rather be able to speak in public, than be afraid any day of the week. Day and Night....... Seriously, If you take it for the right reason and don't abuse it, and it decreases your anxiety, who cares.... Just make sure you take it for the right reason.... I've known addicts that think Klonapin is fun...... It's not.... It relieves anixety....


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## wwefwjndrg3274 (Aug 25, 2009)

i personally dont like klonopin because it affects the liver and isnt strong enough as some of the other benzos but what i like about it is its longacting


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

mcsboy8 said:


> i personally dont like klonopin because it affects the liver and isnt strong enough as some of the other benzos but what i like about it is its longacting


It's a very potent benzodiazepine and not considered hepatotoxic. In can increase / decrease levels of some anticonvulsants, but that shouldn't be a problem for people with 'just' social phobia.


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## Cast Away (Feb 12, 2009)

Freesix88 said:


> The effects of klonopin are pretty mild, but I'm a pretty big guy.


Weight dosnt matter


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Cast Away said:


> Weight dosnt matter


Weight does matter as it affects blood / cns levels of the drug.


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## Cast Away (Feb 12, 2009)

I think you might be wrong as i have asked some highly educated people and my psychiatrist. But idk i could be wrong as well.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Cast Away said:


> I think you might be wrong as i have asked some highly educated people and my psychiatrist. But idk i could be wrong as well.


Maybe we are both right: With some drugs body weight might play a more important role than with others, but a (non-tolerant) person with 130lbs will feel the effects of a fix benzo dose stronger than a (non-tolerant) guy with 330lbs.

Here is some prescribing information:


> Children: *Clonazepam* is administered orally. In order to minimize drowsiness, the initial dose for infants and children (up to 10 years of age or 30 kg of *body* *weight*) should be between 0.01 and 0.03 mg/kg/day but not to exceed 0.05 mg/kg/day given in two or three divided doses. Dosage should be increased by no more than 0.25 to 0.5 mg every third day until a daily maintenance dose of 0.1 to 0.2 mg/kg of *body* *weight* has been reached unless seizures are controlled or side effects preclude further increase. Whenever possible, the daily dose should be divided into three equal doses. If doses are not equally divided, the largest dose should be given before retiring.


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## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

I was 130lbs when I was given valium in hospital for sedation and was told they gave me enough to sedate a horse, yet had no impact on my anxiety whatsoever! I had not used a benzo before either. So what does that mean for me?!?!? :blank 

lol


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

RockiNToM said:


> I was 130lbs when I was given valium in hospital for sedation and was told they gave me enough to sedate a horse, yet had no impact on my anxiety whatsoever! I had not used a benzo before either. So what does that mean for me?!?!? :blank
> 
> lol


Perhaps theres an explanation, as to why valium isn't crossing your blood-brain barrier properly, a genetic varition of one of the transporter substrates needed for it to cross the blood-brain barrier or something, not sure though.


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## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

Either way, as it's the only benzo licensed for anxiety in the UK, that means I'm screwed if I ever wanted to use something quick and easy in the event of a panic attack.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

A doctor/psychiartrist could still precribe the other benzos off-label though couldn't he? or is that completly illegal in your country?


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## gillettecavalcad3 (Jul 9, 2009)

I am prescribed Clonazepam off label for social anxiety and I live in the UK. So it is possible to get on another benzo.

Xanax would be the hardest benzo to get prescribed in the UK I would imagine.


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## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

Well jim, I'm not really sure how it works. Whenever I enquire about those other 2 benzos I'm told straight up "they are not licensed for anxiety, we don't use them" and that's the end of that. Sucks being where I live.


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## gillettecavalcad3 (Jul 9, 2009)

RockiNToM, .....I feel for you mate. It took me a while to find a good psychiatrist. There are pdocs out there who will prescribe off label. There are a few others from the UK on here that are prescribed Clonazepam. Pete who is a regular on here is prescribed it off label I'm pretty sure.


My pdoc is an older woman, ....who knows her stuff. Prior to that I met a lot of younger pdocs who were a waste of time.


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## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

gillettecavalcad3 said:


> RockiNToM, .....I feel for you mate. It took me a while to find a good psychiatrist. There are pdocs out there who will prescribe off label. There are a few others from the UK on here that are prescribed Clonazepam. Pete who is a regular on here is prescribed it off label I'm pretty sure.
> 
> My pdoc is an older woman, ....who knows her stuff. Prior to that I met a lot of younger pdocs who were a waste of time.


I agree, find yourself an old psychiatrist. I've been to a few in my day, and the younger ones just don't pay enough attention to detail, the older ones usually have enough experience with everything, including MAOIs and Benzos, so their not as susceptible to all of the misinformation which is put out there.


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## Chris John (Jul 4, 2013)

Medline said:


> Personally I did develop tolerance to the anxiolytic effects of clonazepam (constant 8mg dose [4mg bid] taken daily over several months) and I was also physically dependent on the benzodiazepine. 'Resetting' tolerance and and eliminating physcial dependence is IMHO easy when using an equivalent dose of the cross-tolerant Phenobarbital or Desoxyphenobarbital (Primidone) for 10-14 days. After this period I had the full benefits of clonazepam again. Problem is that few doctors still prescribe Pheno altough with it's extremely long half-life and slow onset of action it's much less toxic and dangerous than the shorting-acting barbiturates (Secobarbital, Pentobarbital) [ab]used in the 1960s and 1970s. It has also pretty low abuse potential and in general patients consider it a medication and not something to party with.


So if you regularly took breaks from klonopin to take pheno instead, would you be able to take an anti anxiety med everyday without ever developing a tolerance?

I've often wandered why people don't go on multiple drugs with similar effects but work by different means to prevent a tolerance buildup.


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