anyone have experience with klonopin? i was just prescribed

i have been on klonopin for about a month now. it has really reduced my anxiety level and the anxiety/panic attacks i was having. i am a bit worried cause from what i gather it can be quite addictive. i am on a low dose though. 1/2 a pill in the morning and 1 whole pill at night.
as i said though, it seems to be working

reply to post by thing fish


Well, like all benzos they're not good for taking long term.

First we develop tolerance to them pretty quickly so unless dosage is increased they lose their affect. As a result there is the chance for dependency, abuse, and ultimately withdrawal. Plus they are pretty harsh on the liver.

I have always found that even though I might have a prescription that indicates a daily dosage they are more effective in a take one when you need one basis.

Keep in mind I am not a doctor, so please ask your doc or pharmacist, and there is a plethora of information on the web.

You might also want to investigate some natural alternatives.

i have been thinking about taking the klonopin as needed. for example before i go to work cause i have a lot of anxiety there. i was thinking it might work better this way cause the tolerence won't be there. plus my prescription would last longer.
over all though i have been feeling les anxious all day.
i think i will try your method for a bit and see how i feel.

reply to post by thing fish


Stay away from Klonopin if you can. Obviously, if you can't....use it as a last resort.

-Dev

i'm going to call this a wonder drug.
i have been a lot less anxious in taking this. hopefully i can be on it for a while

My friend takes these and they worked in the beginning but she got stomach problems and then became dependent on them. She too took half in the morning and a whole at night. I took them once and didnt like how it made me feel so I told my doctor I wanted to try something on my own instead....I use to get really bad panic attacks so I can understand what you are going through. I never found a medicine that worked that didnt make me feel worse. I used natural remedies and other things but every person is different. Good luck!

I had an adverse reaction to it, but I'm glad you're finding the relief you need. Congratulations.

Obviously, if it is working, you need it. Let your doctor know any concerns you have before changing anything. You must be very careful after taking benzodiazepenes especially at regular intervals.

Never stop taking them cold turkey, you are at great risk for seizures and even death. Titrating down the dosage is too dangerous to attempt without being under the supervision of a doctor.

Klonopin is not going to be as effective for general anxiety disorder as xanax.
xanax works quicker and has a shorter half life, meaning it clears your system quickly.

Klonopin takes longer to work but has a longer half life, meaning it stays in your system longer.

Ativan takes much longer to work and lasts for 8 hours and not very effective for panic attacks or general anxiety.

Buspar is a good substitute and is not a benzo. or controlled substance for that matter. There are no addictive properties with Buspar.

Getting your anxiety under control should be yours and your doctors number one goal. Let becoming dependent be number 2 for now.

If you are considering coming off the medication, because you feel like things are under control now, I assure you it is because the medication is working. You have only been on this for a little over a month, it is way too soon to start wanting to change things just yet.

Please take your medication as prescribed.

I wish you the best,
Pax

I got prescribed Klonopin and I spent 4 years addicted to benzos and then painkillers, painkillers for an up during the day and benzos at night. Like someone else mentioned I got completely off the benzos and moved to natural remedies. I take L-tryptophan at night, as well as valerian and melatonin for sleep, the L-tryptophan is a significant anxiety reducer and combined with better eating, prayer, meditation and exercise I rarely have an anxiety attack. I have found that using a benzo makes rebound panic attacks far worse, my symptoms when I ahd them on any benzo, were far worse than they ever were when I started. Then of course getting off of them was a nightmare, minor siezures, sleeplessness, 24 hour panic attacks and more. For what it's worth, get off of them now, practice meditation and aggressive exercise, you'll feel way better than klonopin could ever make you feel. At least that's what happened to me.
As a significant help also I had to take a good hard look at myself and see where my head was making me crazy and panicky. I had to see where my control issues were causing the problems, and my inability to accept reality as reality made me crazy. It's a painful long hard road, and it requires a lot of work, but with even a bit of effort things get a LOT better.

[edit on 14-9-2009 by gaborn415]

Hey, mblahnikluver - do you mind if I ask what natural remedies you found helpful? Thanks!