Clonazepam (Klonopin/Rivotril) reassurance, please

I've been suffering from nausea/bloating for a little over two years. Last autumn I went to a teaching hospital and they looked at me very thoroughly but found nothing physically wrong. To make a long story very short, the two doctors I was seeing finally agreed that I was having modified panic attacks, but they said to wait it out and prescribed no meds.

Until the last week and a half or so, I was doing a little better for the most part. I had good days and bad, but even on the bad days it was rare that I'd be sick all day. Well, that changed recently.

I went back to my primary care physician this morning and he mentioned a few possibilities:

1. Panic attacks/Anxiety
2. Abdominal Migranes
3. IBS

I don't really feel that I have IBS. While it's true that sometimes I have those symptoms, I'm pretty sure it's because of my peculiar eating habits. When I'm sick, I eat very little. I'd never heard of abdominal migraines before. It's most common in adolescent males and I'm a 30 year old male, but the symptoms do fit for the most part. I do suffer from ocular migraines and have off and on for a long time, but since it's rare that someone my age would be suddenly afflicted with the abdominal stuff, he decided to treat me for panic/anxiety first.

He prescribed Clonazepam and the pharmacy is filling it right now. The thing is, I'm terrified of taking pills. I literally can't stand them. I do take Prevacid and ibuprofen without worry but that's all. Anything else I fear will make me sick at my stomach.

Now, logically, I know that nausea and upset stomach are rare with Clonazepam. I've already looked it up on the internet. .001-.01 patients reported it during clinical trials. But, see, I'm a total headcase with pills like I said. What I'm hoping for is some direct reassurance from some people who are taking it or have taken it in the past.

I looked at about five websites. A few of them didn't even say anything about nausea/upset stomach as a side effect. Others did, but they made no mention of how often it may occur or its severity. The site I quoted in the paragraph above was the only one that offered any real data. I'm a creative person, but when it comes to stuff like this I like to see numbers and statistics. Without that, the only thing that can make me feel at ease is hearing what others have experienced.

Thanks in advance for any responses. I hope I get some. If I do not I fear the meds will stay on the counter and I'll never even try to take them. I'm weird like that.

Theree are many that suffer with A/P that do have IBS
I have crohns too and my stomache will bloat like I am ready to give birth and it is usually when I have eaten something I know I should not or going into flare
If you are afraid of taking meds you are sure not alone but please do talk to your doc about it and let him/her know if you are going to Half the RX amount so you are both on same page
I know many here take the klonopin and have found it works great for them I am sure some more will post to have their input as well
Take care n let us know how you make out I believe Sharann has given great input
LYN

I take clonazepam and I have never had a single side effect. I take .25-.5mg as needed, and its always helped tremendously and never made me feel ill. I'm sure you'll be fine too! :)

Well, IMO you should take it as your doctor prescribed, but if you are worried about it start off with one a day and just see how you feel, then move to 2 if you feel okay. If you suffer from constant anxiety that is probably why your doctor said to take it regularly everyday. If you just suffer from an occasional anxiety or panic attack, then that is when you would take it as needed. I would take it at night (as most people do since it can cause sleepiness). If you just swallow the pill with water you will probably feel relief in about half an hour, but I usually put it under my tongue when I need it so it dissolves and is in my system within 10 minutes. I take generic clonazepam, and I am pretty sure that all the other brand name versions of it are also able to dissolve under the tongue (called "sublingual administration").

Everyone reacts to medications differently, I've taken up to two pills (totalling 1 mg) and all it does is calm me down, I never get a "stoned" feeling, and I would assume to accomplish that you would have to take a lot of it, because there are people here who regularly take 2 mg everyday and function fine on it. Also, its not like a sleep-aid, while it will help you fall asleep and probably stay asleep, its not going to prevent you from getting up when you need to. Many times I've taken it in the middle of the night when my anxious thoughts aren't letting me get back to sleep.

This med has helped me tremendously and I know its helped others, don't be scared of it because I know it will only help you!

I would call your doc for clarification on the prescription if it was me
I am like Ali I put my ativan or diazapam in mouth and let it dissolve the ativan under my tongue 'Works real quick
I have no idea about that med taste but the ativan doesnt taste too bad to me lol

Thanks sis for the great input
Luvs ya
Lyn

I have taken Klonopin in the past, and I have real issues with medication and sensitivities to them. Klonopin, and it's generics, have never caused me any side effects. I would take it, and slowly I would feel my body/mind calm down. I moved a little slower than normal with the first few doses, but that went away. No stomach upset at all. If that is a real concern for you, you could try the sublingual way as others posted, would absorb into bloodstream and pretty much bypass the stomach.

I can not take any sleep medications, I have four children and I care for my mother. I've taken Klonopin and been woken up from sound sleep by a very ill child, and I was fine to think and drive and react.

Hope this helps!!
Sarah

Thanks again, everyone. It's really good to have this kind of reassurance for when I do have to take it.

I've been panic attack free all day, though. I've kind felt one coming on in the last few minutes but it hasn't really hit, yet. This might be the best day I've had in the last couple weeks.

Sugar? Well, I can probably handle that. The only pills I've ever tasted were asprin (disgusting) and once when my prevacid got stuck in my throat and the capsule came apart after I burped. That was nasty, too.

I have yet to take this stuff. This morning I woke up feeling pretty good. I did start to have an anxious spell but it never fully materialized. This afternoon at work, the same thing happened but it got a little worse. I had the pills with me but had to leave the office to go to a meeting and didn't want to take it for the first time right then. It subsided on it's own anyway without getting really, really bad.

So, basically, I'm still waiting for an attack. Maybe I should take it anyway, just to see what it does?

I have no idea why the pharmacist would tell you that, there are plenty of people who take clonazepam (not to mention other benzos) sublingually as it provides us with the quickest relief. Do not let someone who obviously doesn't have experience in taking the medication themselves worry you!! Also, a benefit of doing the sublingial method is that you can easily spit the pill out if you start to feel yourself get sick - something you certainly can't do if you've swallowed the pill whole. I would recommend making your first dose half a pill under the tongue, and if you feel fine then your next time can be a full pill if needed! Thats what I would do :)

I assumed all forms of clonazepam were formulated to be dissolved under the tongue, but apparently this isn't the case. I have generic clonazepam, and I've had it from two different pharm companies, one time it was pink, now I think they are white. Maybe you'll want to call your doctor about getting the kind that are dissolvable if infact you don't already have them. I really think its worth it to be able to do that, so hopefully you have good insurance and won't have to pay too much if you want to try it that way.

I take 2mgs nightly with water and do not get any nausea or problems from clonazepam. If anything it should relax you.

I also read not to stop it directly but in hospital they took me from .5mg twice daily to one larger dose at night. It has a long life lasting 24 to 30 hours in your body.

Site seems to be having issues today. Is anyone else noticing that? A lot of errors, very slow loading times, etc.

Anyway, are you taking the pills, hopeful, or the type of clonazepam that's supposed to be administered sublingually? I'd like to see photos of what you guys are taking under the tongue and compare it to what I have.

It's my understanding that if you were to take the oral pill and let it dissolve under the tongue, you'd actually get a much higher dose than you would if you were to swallow it or use the sublingual specific type. From what I gather, that's because the pill is formulated with the expectation that stomach acids and enzymes will break down some portion of it.

I can't get hold of my doctor. The poor guy's office is probably still crammed with flu patients like it was the other day. We're having quite an influenza outbreak down here.

I take the wafers on a regular basis, and as needed. Taking it regularly, keeps my anxiety down a lot, but if I'm in a store or something and feel anxiety kicking in, i take one. I don't put it under my tongue, but on top. I just don't breath through my nose untill its completely disolved b/c its not the best tasting thing, but not awefull either. I've never suffered any side-effects from it. I take 1mg BID, and 1mg as needed.
This med. doesn't really cause much drowsiness(for me at least). I take one in the am, and don't seem to be tired, and one PM and it does help me relax. Never had nausea with it.
I am really curious as to what an abdominal migraine is, as i think I deal with this too. any info would be great.
I wish the best for you. Don't be afraid of this med...it is safe, and has very little side effects.