# Got prescribed Klonopin as a temp solution...



## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

I was on 100mg of Desipramine for a few weeks, didn't really do much to my anxiety, just gave me irritating side effects and insomnia.

My pdoc told me I could combine it with Benadryl to sleep... I found out you shouldn't really mix those two.

So today I go in, told her I don't want to be on these obscure pills anymore, and that I want to try Nardil, BUT I'm moving to Florida in 5 weeks, and I would need a 2 week period to wash out the Desipramine, and that 3 weeks isn't enough to see if they would work, and that she doesn't want to let me go to Florida while still experimenting with Nardil... Kinda pissed me off.

So as a solution, she prescribed .25mg of Klonopin, twice a day, WHEN NEEDED, thats what I don't get, I'm constantly anxious, and I heard this crap is pretty addicting.

I was wondering is anybody on a small daily dosage for their anxiety, and if so, how do you feel?


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

tough question, crappy situation. Klonopin is a long-lasting benzo. Your question seems to be about the "as needed." Benzodiazapines are effective in most patients at greatly reducing anxiety, very quickly. .25 mg klonopins 2x a day for two weeks shouldn't really give you tolerance or addiction problems. Klonopin is more subtle (I think) than many other benzodiazapines. So if you take a pill then you should feel anxiety relief within a couple hours. The "use as needed" means don't take it if you're not experiencing anxiety and you don't have to take it on a set schedule. But if you have trouble sleeping and anxiety all the time then maybe take a pill in the morning to reduce your anxiety throughout the day and a pill in the evening to help you sleep.


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## reef88 (Mar 5, 2012)

I'm on a daily dose of 1.5mg of Klonopin, tapering down though. You can't just quit this stuff cold turkey.

Just take it as needed, when the time comes to get off of it, your doc will tell you how, and it won't be exactly easy, but overall, it's not hard to quit Klonopin, it's a long-acting benzodiazepine, and it stays in your body for a while making you not feel withdrawals if you happen to miss a dose, unlike Xanax which gives you withdrawals even when you don't miss the doses (interdose withdrawals). Tapering off Clonazepam is relatively easy compared to other benzos, the only one that I think is easier to get off of is Valium.

I hope Klonopin works for you. By the way, if 0.25mg doesn't cut it, try taking the whole 0.5mg and see how you feel, if it still doesn't work, then let your doc know.

Something else I gotta tell you, this is a med prescribed for people who suffer chronic anxiety, so if you have anxiety all the time, then depending on the day you can take it once, or twice. If you wake up late, have stuff to do, you may not be anxious because Klonopin stays in your body for a long while, then don't take the dose, late at night, or lets say 5-6pm, take the dose. Hell you can even take the whole 0.5mg and enjoy a relaxing feeling that might even help you the next morning. I always take my doses of Klonopin once a day, all at once, I wake up feeling good, and I usually take it after lunch, around 2pm, sometimes I'm not home til later around 5pm, and I'll take it then. That's the good thing about Klonopin, there is no rush in taking it, because once your body has been on it for a while, it'll be in you the whole day and you won't get urges to take it.


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## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

@istayhome: Yea, I tried explaining to her I feel anxious almost 24/7, but she was like "take it for an interview, or if you're going to see yourself in a social setting that day". She sucks, and has no charisma lol.

@reef: I'm sure I don't have chronic anxiety, which is why I'm assuming she gave me that low dosage, but it does get in the way of my everyday life, and kinda doesn't let me function at full potential ha. Thanks though, I'm going to give the 1/2 dose twice a day thing a try, if it doesn't work too well, I'll just take the whole dose around 1pm like you said, sounds like a pretty good idea.


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## reef88 (Mar 5, 2012)

Itsnotadam said:


> @istayhome: Yea, I tried explaining to her I feel anxious almost 24/7, but she was like "take it for an interview, or if you're going to see yourself in a social setting that day". She sucks, and has no charisma lol.
> 
> @reef: I'm sure I don't have chronic anxiety, which is why I'm assuming she gave me that low dosage, but it does get in the way of my everyday life, and kinda doesn't let me function at full potential ha. Thanks though, I'm going to give the 1/2 dose twice a day thing a try, if it doesn't work too well, I'll just take the whole dose around 1pm like you said, sounds like a pretty good idea.


The dose has nothing to do with the condition but tolerance. If she prescribed you 0.25mg is because you have very low tolerance to benzos.

Oh and having anxiety 24/7 does sound like chronic anxiety, it's having anxiety all the time. She told you to take it whenever you were going to socialize of give a speech but it'll also last for most of the rest of the day.


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## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

I've never been on benzos, she's just being careful because I'm allergic to SSRI's... I have no idea how that applies to benzos and tricyclics.

And when you put it that way... sounds pretty chronic haha. I've never had panic attacks or anything like that. I just hope she gives me another prescription that could last me a few weeks once I'm in Florida.


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## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

So I've taken 0.5mg for the past 2 days, it really makes me feel great, calms me down, not afraid to talk to people, etc. but every morning I wake up feeling like if I had a hangover, is that normal?


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## reef88 (Mar 5, 2012)

Itsnotadam said:


> So I've taken 0.5mg for the past 2 days, it really makes me feel great, calms me down, not afraid to talk to people, etc. but every morning I wake up feeling like if I had a hangover, is that normal?


It could be withdrawals but that's rare because Klonopin is very long acting, maybe you haven't taken it enough for it to stay in your system all the time, and therefore not getting withdrawals.

It would be better if you explained what you feel like in the morning, the exact symptoms.


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## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

Ok so I wake up with a huge headache, kinda dizzy, no appetite, I also feel kinda exhausted.

Also, I've had a few cases of sleep paralysis the past 2 nights... Dunno if it's because of the Klonopin...


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## reef88 (Mar 5, 2012)

Itsnotadam said:


> Ok so I wake up with a huge headache, kinda dizzy, no appetite, I also feel kinda exhausted.
> 
> Also, I've had a few cases of sleep paralysis the past 2 nights... Dunno if it's because of the Klonopin...


Might be the Klonopin. How do to take it? once a day, twice? what time of the day? what's the dose?


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## AxlSlash (May 10, 2012)

Itsnotadam said:


> Ok so I wake up with a huge headache, kinda dizzy, no appetite, I also feel kinda exhausted.
> 
> Also, I've had a few cases of sleep paralysis the past 2 nights... Dunno if it's because of the Klonopin...


I use to get sleep paralysis ALL the time! Stop sleeping on your back and it will stop  worked for me!


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## AxlSlash (May 10, 2012)

Ever notice when people who claim to see ghosts or be abducted in there sleep are always laying on their backs in the bed when these "sightings" happen? LOL it HAS to be sleep parlysis! I have seen/heard some crazy things during my nights of the Sleep paralysis!


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## reef88 (Mar 5, 2012)

AxlSlash said:


> Ever notice when people who claim to see ghosts or be abducted in there sleep are always laying on their backs in the bed when these "sightings" happen? LOL it HAS to be sleep parlysis! I have seen/heard some crazy things during my nights of the Sleep paralysis!


Whenever it happens to me, I hear voices and feel some demonic entity standing on top of my body (when I'm laying on my stomach). It's ****ing creepy.


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## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

AxlSlash said:


> Itsnotadam said:
> 
> 
> > Ok so I wake up with a huge headache, kinda dizzy, no appetite, I also feel kinda exhausted.
> ...


Ive never slept on my back! Lol. And reef, I take half in the morning before school (7am) and the other half at around 2:30. I don't take it every day though, sadly idk if my doc will give me another prescription when I go because of the whole moving to Florida thing.


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## AxlSlash (May 10, 2012)

Really? now thats gotta suck  i only get it when sleeping on my back. I couldn't imagine getting it no matter how i slept. Although it doesn't bother me anymore, as i know whats going on when it happens. Still scary tho! Oh man Reef!! One time i woke up and kept hearing a voice saying "why wont you be my friend" over and over again. I remember trying to talk and yell out, but i couldn't!


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## SparklingGrace (Jul 8, 2010)

I've been on Klonopin for quite a while. I have panic attacks but I also feel anxious most of the time too. I think your doctor's advice is good because you can develop a tolerance and it won't be as effective if you take it everyday. I take one a few hours before I know I'm going to leave the house to prevent an attack. It's slow acting which means it takes about an hour or two to really start working, but it does stay in your system longer.

I get sleep paralysis, I wonder if it's due to the Klonopin? I never made that connection before.


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## Itsnotadam (Feb 25, 2012)

SparklingGrace said:


> I've been on Klonopin for quite a while. I have panic attacks but I also feel anxious most of the time too. I think your doctor's advice is good because you can develop a tolerance and it won't be as effective if you take it everyday. I take one a few hours before I know I'm going to leave the house to prevent an attack. It's slow acting which means it takes about an hour or two to really start working, but it does stay in your system longer.
> 
> I get sleep paralysis, I wonder if it's due to the Klonopin? I never made that connection before.


Yea I don't want to rely on it too much, I want to get on Nardil once I'm in Florida. And 3 people here on Klonopin have sleep paralysis, WE'VE MADE A BREAKTHROUGH DISCOVERY! Haha


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## reef88 (Mar 5, 2012)

Itsnotadam said:


> Yea I don't want to rely on it too much, I want to get on Nardil once I'm in Florida. And 3 people here on Klonopin have sleep paralysis, WE'VE MADE A BREAKTHROUGH DISCOVERY! Haha


I take it and don't have sleep paralysis. I mean I've had them, but the last one was like 3 months ago.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Itsnotadam said:


> I've never been on benzos, she's just being careful because I'm allergic to SSRI's... I have no idea how that applies to benzos and tricyclics.


If so you'd be the first person I've ever come across who is actually allergic to SSRIs. Seems every drug warns of potential allergic reaction -- since it would seem an allergy to anything is possible -- though very few drugs are at all likely to cause allergic reasons. I've never come across anyone allergic to benzos either.


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