Has anyone ever been tired from clonazepam?

You know thinking about it, I don't really get tired from my clonazepam. I used to be on Xanax before switching and wasn't tired on that either. Actually what tired me is the panic attacks that I would get before starting my meds, they just seemed to drain the life right out of me. I suffer from fatigue but that's from another condition I have but the clonazepam itself hasn't caused any problems.

I'm sure you will find others that have your issues though since clonazapem is a sedative medication which typically causes drowsiness.

well thanks ill try and break it in half, as for the prozac ive only been on it for 3 days but no side effects, i do know that takes awhile before it kicks in, buts thanks for taking the time to share with me.

Dawn

2mg isn't that high a dose, so don't worry about it. Studies have found 2mg taken with an anti-d is a good combination for anxiety/ depression.

I take my 2mg at night at first I'd crash within an hour of taking it now it doesn't effect me. Clonazepam is a long life drug, it stays in your body for long periods unlike valium or Xanax that's why you're doc gave it to you. It keeps you more level.

What time do you usually take it? If it's a daily part of your meds then nighttime (your pdoc should have told you that)

I would avoid changing anything relative to your meds w/o consulting your doctor. If your prescription says to take something daily (like an anti-depressant) then take it daily at the prescribed dosage. If your prescription say take as needed, then take as needed. There's no reason to guess - and if nothing else, your pharmacist should be able to point you in the right direction if something isn't clear.

I take Xanax as needed - meaning there's flexibility and I can use my judgement within a certain range (1-3 tablets every 4 hours as needed - for example). The anti-depressant I take like clockwork. I visit my psychiatrist regularly during the "break in" phase - and based on the way I feel, he may adjust the antidepressant to find the right dosage for ME. But I DO NOT vary the anti-depressant myself - and don't EVER go off of it w/out first consulting your doc.

During periods of bad anxiety, I find myself extremely sleepy and tired as well. Anxiety seems to sap your energy at times.

No matter what I've said in my previous post, I agree with everything you just said, porridge, except about the Prozac (because I don't know about it) and the Klonopin (for what she's being treated for it is a very high initial dose from FDA and Roache guidelines). I'll quickly explain my reasons for "not disagreeing with Harry".

I'm not a doctor but have done tons and tons and tons of research on benzodiazepines. What her doctor is doing seems unusual, and it's possible that he's the one dispensing dubious advice. Pokerchick went onto say she's been taking Klonopin three days, and has been taking 2mg in the morning AND at night. That's a LOT to start out with. If it were me I'd decrease my dose on my own since it's only been three days and contact my doctor first thing Monday. And if he can't explain why he's dosing her so far out of the guidelines then I'd very promptly find a new doctor.

But, yes, doctors should be included every step of the way whenever possible. I've always advocated that. When it comes to meds, nobody should ever take advice from here without speaking to a physician first. That really should be a given.

From what I've read, really high doses of Klonopin are not for treatment of anxiety/panic but for people who go into seizures a lot. That's what the drug was originally designed and marketed for. Since those days it's been proven over time to be very effective in treating panic, anxiety, agoraphobia, and social disorders, but usually at much lower doses than 6mg. There's also the problem that higher doses of any benzodiazepine can lead to tolerance. Ideally, one would want to keep their dose as low as possible, so starting high at 4mg/day is just plain weird. You don't have to be a doctor to see that.

It's entirely appropriate for her to call her doctor first thing in the morning and discuss this stuff with them. This forum isn't good for "medical advice" in a strict sense, but it is extremely valuable in helping people prepare to talk to their doctors (knowing what questions to ask, etc).

** Debaser I have edited Harry post as it is NOT up to us to tell ppl to cut doses in half

EVERYONE is different ........NO matter what anyone HAS read CONSULT your doctor PLEASE

Post Edited By Moderator (Howlyncat) : 5/9/2007 3:13:14 PM (GMT-6)

well I have had panice attacks all my life, this isnt something that just came about, so i told my ref doctor, not a phy and he gave me the meds, but im going to see a phy this week and ill see what he says about my meds, cause i took a clon last night at 5pm and didnt wake up til 10 the next morning, so maybe cutting them up alittle would work for now, i dont know, ill see what the doctor says, i have taken 1 mg of clon 2 to3 times a day in the past and it never effected me like this, but I thank you all for taking the time to discuss this with me...ill keep you updated.

Thanks,
Dawn

A doctor contacted me through my blog a little while ago and I brought this up with him. His take was that he will not prescribe more than 2 mg/day Klonopin. In his experience tolerance will occur at higher doses and even at 2 mg sometimes. In this situation he tapers the patient off and six months later starts them off and the recommended initial dose (.5 mg/day for three days, then 1 mg/day). He said at this dose it is extremely unlikely to develop a tolerance to the anxiotic properties. I also asked him about SSRI's but he started getting a little put off, I think, as if I were trying to get him to treat me for free or something.

I told him about Dawn's case...she'd been of K for 18 months and a doctor started her off at 2mg bid. He actually thought it was a pharmacy mistake.

You'll find almost as many opinions as you'll find doctors, though. I just thought that conversation was interesting because I worry that I'll someday have to increase my own dose and it'll be a slippery slope.

Anyway, I hate to "gang up" on Harry but I, too, feel like he steps over the line now and then. It's really the moderators' jobs to delete those types of posts. Maybe now that you've said something they will.

(the following is not advice) Still, if I were Dawn I would've stepped down my dose over the weekend and I'd contact the doctor first thing on Monday. That's just me. I mean, if I didn't yet have to worry about withdrawal but couldn't ever wake up, that's a temporary solution. Then, in my phone consultation, I'd have the Roche/FDA guidelines at my fingertips and would ask exactly why he's doing what he's doing. And he'd better have a good answer or I'd promptly seek out a second opinion. And I'd probably do that anyway.

Back to the topic at hand --

Yeah, even my little .5 mg nighttime dose keeps me from waking up on time. The alarm clock did wake me up this morning, but I managed to go back to sleep and didn't wake up until 8:30! I was supposed to be at work 44 minutes ago...

Why am I posting here, then? Shaking out the cobwebs, smoking the morning cigarette, and eating a slice of bed for breakfast. All at the same time, haha.

Gotta go...have a great day everyone!

I've never noticed it acting paradoxically in terms of an anxiotic. Often it does seem to heighten my awareness or give me a little pep, which I would consider paradoxical considering that it's a "minor tranquilizer", but I don't think I've noticed it making me more nervous.

Sometimes I do get breakthrough anxiety, though...there's no doubt about that. It's weird...it's seems like a lot of the discussions I have here I've already written on my blog. Yesterday at work at I had breakthrough anxiety for a while and have come to notice that it's not uncommon in the morning hours. Occasionally in the evenings, too. It was worse a few weeks ago. I can handle the anxiety as long as it doesn't turn into a panic attack. The breakthrough stuff certainly isn't pleasant but I can manage it.

They say SSRIs do increase anxiety at first. They weren't originally designed for treating anxiety, of course, and some of the studies I've read suggest that for a lot of people they simply do not work for that. But for some they do. A lot of times they prescribe small doses of valium for the first couple weeks.

Like Sarah, Klonopin only makes me drowsy when I am already tired. I take it only as needed, which usually ends up only being at night everynow and then before bed when I'm having trouble sleeping because of anxious thoughts. Since I'm already in a sleepy mood, the Klonopin just helps me get there quicker it seems. But if I take it during the day while being active, I don't notice a difference. BUT, I do only take .5mg at a time - I agree with the others that 4mg per day seems way too large a dose to start off. I can't imagine what taking 2mg at once would be like, I've only ever taken 1mg at a time when things get really bad. I would absoutely consult your doctor about this dosage - it seems that the large amount is probably whats making you so sleepy.

Either he may have or the pharmacy may have made a mistake, but I'm REALLY interested to hear what a psychiatrist thinks about it! Please let us know!

Well, that kind of pisses me off. The doctor that prescribed you 2mg bid should have some sort of disciplinary action taken against him. 4 mg's to start out? What on Earth was he thinking? It's not like it would've killed you or anything, but it most certainly didn't seem like a very good idea at all.

I'm really glad you had an appointment with a doctor who knows better. I think you'll find that the Klonopin won't make you that drowsy. Certainly no worse than it made you feel before when you were on it. I've mentioned I have a hard time getting up in the mornings, but that's a combination of the Klonopin, being a night owl, and having a job that's flexible about when I come in each morning. You'll do fine.

Weight gain from Prozac? I didn't find it listed in this very comprehensive list of side effects: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/fluoxetine_ad.htm