# Job interview/Klonopin question.



## Krom (Jan 22, 2012)

Background: I take 0.5mg at night for sleep and rarely take it any other time.
Had a job interview today. Took 2mg and it didn't touch my anxiety and was just petrified at how I would perform. I was so anxious I couldn't think clearly
Long story short, interview was rescheduled for tomorrow, and I'm wondering how much I should take this time around. Was thinking 3-4mg, but dont want to take so much that I get spaced. 2mg did not make me feel spaced.
Opinions?


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## TheoBobTing (Jul 8, 2010)

Who knows dude? 4mg could do nothing at all to you, or it could have a strong effect and make you want to sleep with your head in the interviewers lap. I'm sort of confused about how 0.5mg could help you to sleep, while 4x as much does not calm you down.


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## Inshallah (May 11, 2011)

Perhaps you need to try a bèta blocker? Klonopin is also a weird choice for your goals. It works too long as a sleep aid and probably not fast enough for your job interview.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

I agree with both of the above posters. Also, if your job interview is triggering some specific phobia's/anxieties for you, it might just be something you won't be able to deal with very well right now. If it's something that is getting you so hyper-vigilant that you can't function with a notably higher dose of benzo that normally helps you then maybe nothing is going to help by tomorrow. You may need to get yourself more used to the situation first so you feel more comfortable. Otherwise it may be a matter of being petrified or taking so much klonopin that you're totally out of it


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## T-Bone (Oct 1, 2010)

When i used to take klonopin, and i planned on using it for an event such as this, i would skip use entirely the day before. It seemed to have little effect the second day if i used it two days in a row. Also i would take it about 2 hours before the interview.


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## Krom (Jan 22, 2012)

TheoBobTing said:


> Who knows dude? 4mg could do nothing at all to you, or it could have a strong effect and make you want to sleep with your head in the interviewers lap. I'm sort of confused about how 0.5mg could help you to sleep, while 4x as much does not calm you down.


 Thanks for responding. 
In terms of the confusion: Sleeping isn't an anxiety provoking event for me, and honestly, I may not even need the 0.5 at bedtime. I used to require 2mg at night, but have tittrated down over the years.
Conversely, job interviews send me thru the freakin' roof. I may have used a poor choice of words in my initial post. I can certainly "feel" the 4mg, but it doesn't calm me enough to do remotely well in an interview.
I may need a different benzo. as I've been taking the klonopin for some time.
I wonder what benzo is best for job interviews.


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## Krom (Jan 22, 2012)

Inshallah said:


> Perhaps you need to try a bèta blocker? Klonopin is also a weird choice for your goals. It works too long as a sleep aid and probably not fast enough for your job interview.


Have heart issues and doc wont give my b blockers 
What benzo would you suggest Inshallah- and take a stab at the mg too please.(I know we're all different, so I won't hold you to your answer


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

Krom said:


> Background: I take 0.5mg at night for sleep and rarely take it any other time.
> Had a job interview today. Took 2mg and it didn't touch my anxiety and was just petrified at how I would perform. I was so anxious I couldn't think clearly
> Long story short, interview was rescheduled for tomorrow, and I'm wondering how much I should take this time around. Was thinking 3-4mg, but dont want to take so much that I get spaced. 2mg did not make me feel spaced.
> Opinions?


Am I reading this correctly? You only take .5mgs for sleep nightly and rarely take it any other time. Whats rarely? and at what dose then?
Now the part that blows me away is that if you have only been taking .5mgs and not splurging on 1-2mgs or so a few times a week. I just do not see how 2mgs would not touch your anxiety. Is this batch from a reputable pharma company, like Teva. How much time did you give it before your interview and are you taking any other GABAergic meds?

Sorry for all of the questions, i just can't believe you felt nothing. I could if you usually floated around that dose range but to jump .5 to 2 mgs and not feel it, wow! Before you go in start titrating up your dose. You never know, there could have been some physiological brain cleaner working on that day. I would not take 4mgs at once. That is the highest a pdoc will prescribe and if you've been at .5, then it could really bum rush you!

Remember klonopin isn't a zoom in and zoom out benzo like xanax. Who's half life is shorter than a fly's at 2-4 hrs. With klons at a half life around 45or so hrs, it gives you more time to play with your dose and still feel the pill from 45min ago also. You don't have to go all in. So if your appointment is at two I would start dosing a few hrs before. Now if you can handle 2mgs off the bat without relief than start there. If your concerned start at 1-1.5. You will feel what it's got to give in 45-50minutes. So take stock then.

If you really do not feel any relief thaen I would dose another 1mg tab, minty fresh!. Now if you still don't feel that then you got your stuff from India and the batch is week. they are notorious for shipping weak benzos. If you need more relief then dose the last mg and be on your merry way. And if you still feel nothing than it's crap they sent you!


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## Krom (Jan 22, 2012)

metamorphosis said:


> Am I reading this correctly? You only take .5mgs for sleep nightly and rarely take it any other time. Whats rarely? and at what dose then?
> Now the part that blows me away is that if you have only been taking .5mgs and not splurging on 1-2mgs or so a few times a week. I just do not see how 2mgs would not touch your anxiety. Is this batch from a reputable pharma company, like Teva. How much time did you give it before your interview and are you taking any other GABAergic meds?
> 
> Sorry for all of the questions, i just can't believe you felt nothing. I could if you usually floated around that dose range but to jump .5 to 2 mgs and not feel it, wow! Before you go in start titrating up your dose. You never know, there could have been some physiological brain cleaner working on that day. I would not take 4mgs at once. That is the highest a pdoc will prescribe and if you've been at .5, then it could really bum rush you!
> ...


 A LOT of good and very useful info in your post. Thank you so much.
Let me clarify- I DO feel it at the higher doses. It's just that it doesn't do the trick well enough to actually get me thru the human resources door. I expext some anxiety and am prepared to deal with that, but at the dose stated my mind is rushing so fast and hard with the "what if's" that I doubt I could form an intelligent sentence. Interviews are my MAIN trigger, and I would quite literally rather be beaten with a board than go on one.
As far as I know the med is from a good source. I get it at my local CVS drug store- a popular chain where I live.
Thanks again for the strategic advice.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

Yeah best advice is that you seem to know your body and a good base level to start at. Start the first dose of say 1.5-2mgs 2 hrs before. Wait 45min s and see. I mean you want to be calm going in but your probably going to have some jitters.If it really doesn't hit good enough. than up to 3mgs. I mean thats not going to knock you over, as it seems like you may have the constitution of a mtn gorilla!

Now at three with around 45min to go and feeling it. Gauge how a half would feel and maybe do 31/2. If your at the door to the building and trust me this usually happens. Our brains, in all of their brilliant reasoning will say," **** it, it's only a half" and you should be good to go man.

And if you can't feel 4 to any decent degree after the interview pm me immediately. We'll have to get you in for a study. Pubmed baby, the big leagues, if you don't topple!!! Fricking silverback

And kids, please don't try this at home!


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

metamorphosis said:


> Y
> And if you can't feel 4 to any decent degree after the interview pm me immediately. We'll have to get you in for a study. Pubmed baby, the big leagues, if you don't topple!!! Fricking silverback
> 
> And kids, please don't try this at home!


It's interesting. When I first started taking benzos My doctor let me go through all that are available to find what works best for me. I knew Ativan doesn't really help my anxiety, just makes me tired. Xanax is good for panic attacks. But I have Very sever GAD so I needed something that last long term. Klonopin seemed like a good choice. But it doesn't affect me at all. My doctor and I discussed it. I tried all the different brands, different pharmacies and ramped my dosage up to 8 mgs (with no benzo tolerance) but I never noticed anything at all from Klonopin. So I went on Valium as a long-lasting benzo which works very well for me at a medium dose. Every other benzo I've tried works for me, but not Klonopin. I don't know why it has no affect on me, but that's what it is.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

istayhome said:


> It's interesting. When I first started taking benzos My doctor let me go through all that are available to find what works best for me. I knew Ativan doesn't really help my anxiety, just makes me tired. Xanax is good for panic attacks. But I have Very sever GAD so I needed something that last long term. Klonopin seemed like a good choice. But it doesn't affect me at all. My doctor and I discussed it. I tried all the different brands, different pharmacies and ramped my dosage up to 8 mgs (with no benzo tolerance) but I never noticed anything at all from Klonopin. So I went on Valium as a long-lasting benzo which works very well for me at a medium dose. Every other benzo I've tried works for me, but not Klonopin. I don't know why it has no affect on me, but that's what it is.


And even though Valium has such a long half-life. It makes me groggy as ****. I really don't enjoy it unless I'm ready to drop for the night!


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## TheoBobTing (Jul 8, 2010)

Krom said:


> A LOT of good and very useful info in your post. Thank you so much.
> Let me clarify- I DO feel it at the higher doses. It's just that it doesn't do the trick well enough to actually get me thru the human resources door. I expext some anxiety and am prepared to deal with that, but at the dose stated my mind is rushing so fast and hard with the "what if's" that I doubt I could form an intelligent sentence. Interviews are my MAIN trigger, and I would quite literally rather be beaten with a board than go on one.
> As far as I know the med is from a good source. I get it at my local CVS drug store- a popular chain where I live.
> Thanks again for the strategic advice.


If interviews are your main trigger, perhaps you have specific as opposed to generalized social phobia. Beta blockers are sometimes used for specific social phobia. Personally, beta blockers and benzodiazepenes had no damned effect on me whatsoever.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

Just read the thread...How did the interview go?

I used a little bit more kpin than normal for my last interview but I think the key is to only calm a certain amount of your anxiety and use the rest as energy for the interview.


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## Krom (Jan 22, 2012)

49erJT said:


> Just read the thread...How did the interview go?
> 
> I used a little bit more kpin than normal for my last interview but I think the key is to only calm a certain amount of your anxiety and use the rest as energy for the interview.


 Thanks for asking.
It didn't go well. I say some of the stupidest things when I'm that anxious. I certainly wouldn't hire me based on that interview.
It adds salt to the woulnd that I live in a small community and jobs for which I can apply are few and far between. To find one, get lucky enough to score an interview, then screw it up- it's like a kick in the gut.
The damnable thing is that I'm a great employee(all my past employment reviews have been glowing, and I almost never get anxious on the job to a detremental degree), but I suck at the interviews(and public speaking).
Gotta do something different... No clue what. Tried most meds. Have an appt next week with Doc, and am thinking of asking about bipolar meds- lamictal maybe. I really wish Stablon was available here. Also am switching therapist, as mine doesn't really do much.


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## 49erJT (Oct 18, 2010)

Krom said:


> Thanks for asking.
> It didn't go well. I say some of the stupidest things when I'm that anxious. I certainly wouldn't hire me based on that interview.
> It adds salt to the woulnd that I live in a small community and jobs for which I can apply are few and far between. To find one, get lucky enough to score an interview, then screw it up- it's like a kick in the gut.
> The damnable thing is that I'm a great employee(all my past employment reviews have been glowing, and I almost never get anxious on the job to a detremental degree), but I suck at the interviews(and public speaking).
> Gotta do something different... No clue what. Tried most meds. Have an appt next week with Doc, and am thinking of asking about bipolar meds- lamictal maybe. I really wish Stablon was available here. Also am switching therapist, as mine doesn't really do much.


Sorry to hear that the interview didn't go very well....I worked with a guy who had 4 interviews for the same job and didn't get the new job/promotion until the 4th interview. Keep your head up because you will get more opportunities.


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## Krom (Jan 22, 2012)

49erJT said:


> Sorry to hear that the interview didn't go very well....I worked with a guy who had 4 interviews for the same job and didn't get the new job/promotion until the 4th interview. Keep your head up because you will get more opportunities.


 Thanks 49er


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