Klonopin is a brand name for clonazepam, a medication used to treat seizures in addition to panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and complications that arise from extreme weight loss induced by anorexia or bulimia.
This drug belongs to the benzodiazepine class of drugs, which work as sedatives to reduce the abnormal excitement of neurons in the brain. Klonopin works by slowing down the central nervous system, which reduces anxiety symptoms and the abnormal movements caused by epilepsy. Valium is not a treatment for alcoholism it is a switched addiction to get off from alcohol.
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When Should Klonopin Be Taken?
Klonopin comes in tablet form and is typically taken two or three times a day, with or without food. The dose of this medication may decrease after several weeks of treatment; therefore, it is essential to follow your doctor’s instructions closely. Ensure you know how much, how often, and how long you should take your doses.
In addition to these instructions, it is essential to be aware of the following:
- Klonopin can cause drowsiness, therefore avoid driving a car or operating heavy equipment while taking this medication.
- Make sure you drink enough fluids – do not become dehydrated.
- It is essential to take Klonopin regularly until the end of treatment. Do not stop taking your doses even if you feel better after some time.
- If you miss a dose, don’t worry! Unless it is almost time for your next dose, please take it as soon as possible. In this case, skip the missed one and go back to your scheduled time.
What Are the Side Effects of Taking Klonopin Regularly?
Klonopin may cause drowsiness, dizziness, light-headedness, difficulty with coordination and balance, mental slowing, or memory problems. In more severe cases, it may cause depression or involuntary movements such as tremors or muscle spasms.
Klonopin may cause dry mouth; therefore, taking sips of water or sugarless liquids is recommended. This medication can also cause constipation. Make sure your bowel movements are regular. If it becomes difficult to have a bowel movement, try to take stool softeners or fiber supplements in addition to drinking plenty of fluid during the day.
What Are the Most Severe Side Effects of Taking Klonopin?
Klonopin may cause a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Signs and symptoms include difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, hives, feeling faint, dizziness, weakness. If you experience these signs, stop taking your medication and call your doctor immediately.
You should also be aware of the following serious side effects: It is important to tell your doctor about any new or unusual psychiatric or physical problems, including severe anxiety, panic attacks, hairline recession, insomnia, muscular weakness, and twitching. In addition, make sure you inform your physician if you suffer from seizures, as Klonopin may make them more frequent.
Klonopin may cause liver damage; therefore, it is essential to call your doctor immediately if you experience yellowing skin or eyes, pale-colored stools, dark urine, persistent fatigue or weakness, loss of appetite.
This medication may cause drowsiness or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machines if it is difficult to stay awake or feel dizzy.
Klonopin may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in some patients. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: feelings of extreme happiness or sadness, unusual restlessness, confusion or hallucinations, irritability, angry outbursts, acting on dangerous impulses. Report these symptoms to your doctor immediately.
Klonopin may cause memory problems, so call your doctor if you experience difficulty remembering. If you feel that this medication is not helping your condition enough or if it may be causing problems, make sure to let your doctor know as soon as possible.
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What Are Possible Drug Interactions?
Klonopin may interact with the following medications: barbiturates, opioids including heroin and morphine, drugs for Parkinson’s disease such as benztropine mesylate (Cogentin), anti-seizure medications such as gabapentin (Neurontin) and carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), antidepressants such as fluvoxamine (Luvox), cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB), omeprazole (Prilosec, Losec), diltiazem (Cardizem) and verapamil (Calan). Ensure you inform your doctor about all medications you are taking before starting Klonopin.
Before taking Klonopin, make sure you inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, plan on becoming pregnant within the next few months, or if you are taking any prescription or non-prescription medications.
Klonopin can be habit-forming, especially if taken for a long time. It is essential to take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor, and never increase the dose or stop taking it without informing your physician first.
What Kind of Laboratory Work Should You Expect when Taking Klonopin?
Klonopin may cause changes in your routine laboratory values such as liver and kidney function tests, blood sugar levels, heart rate. Make sure to let your doctor know if you experience any unusual signs or symptoms that concern you. Some things to be aware of: You should tell your doctor if you have a history of drug or alcohol abuse. In addition, Klonopin may cause congenital disabilities. Taking it during pregnancy can harm the fetus, so make sure you inform your physician if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while taking this medication.
What Should I Do if I Forget to Take a Dose of Klonopin?
Klonopin is usually taken once daily. However, it may be taken twice daily (morning and evening). Do not take an extra tablet to make up for a missed dose. This medication should be taken with water at the same time every day, without chewing gum or drinking grapefruit juice which may reduce its effectiveness. In addition, it is essential to take Klonopin regularly to get the most benefit from it.
What Other Information Should I Know?
Klonopin may cause side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, problems with memory and coordination. However, in some cases, this medication can also cause agitation or anxiety, aggressiveness, nightmares, hallucinations, and thoughts of suicide. It is crucial that you immediately contact your physician if these effects occur, as this could be a sign of a severe reaction to the medication, which may need immediate medical attention.
This medication may cause drowsiness or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machines if it is difficult for you to remain awake or alert.
Do not drink alcohol while taking Klonopin, and alcohol may increase the drowsiness and dizziness caused by this medication. If you must use alcohol, talk to your doctor first about how it will affect your treatment with Klonopin.
Klonopin can cause congenital disabilities in an unborn baby. Do not take this medication if you are pregnant. Call your doctor right away if you think you may have become pregnant while taking Klonopin.
If your doctor tells you to stop taking Klonopin, do so in a tapering manner with them overseeing unless advised otherwise by your doctor. Stopping the medication abruptly can lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Klonopin passes into breast milk and may risk a breastfeeding infant. Do not take this medication if you are breastfeeding without first talking with your doctor.
Do not adjust the dose of Klonopin yourself unless specifically directed by your physician, as doing so can lead to incorrect dosing or severe side effects.
If you have been taking Klonopin for a while, do not suddenly stop taking it without first discussing the situation with your doctor. If you abruptly stop this medication, withdrawal symptoms may occur, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and anxiety.
Klonopin may interact with grapefruit juice. Therefore it is essential to be aware of this if you consume large amounts of grapefruit juice.
Do not suddenly stop taking Klonopin without first discussing the situation with your doctor. If you suddenly stop this medication, withdrawal symptoms may occur, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and anxiety. These symptoms are usually temporary but can be severe in some cases in rare instances. Your doctor will determine if slowly stopping this medication is necessary.
Klonopin is only available through a prescription that cannot be refilled. Additional refills will not be provided for this product.
If you have a seizure while taking Klonopin, continue taking the medication and call your doctor immediately.
How Do I Take klonopin?
According to the prescribing information, the recommended dose for individuals with anxiety disorders is .5 mg to 3.0 mg per day (according to the prescribing information). The dosage should be taken as prescribed and can be taken with or without food, and taking it with food may help reduce stomach upset. Always take this medication exactly as directed by your doctor.
Who should not take Klonopin?
Do not take Klonopin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding without discussing the situation with your doctor. Do not take this medication if you have a history of heart disease, liver failure, or alcohol abuse. Do not drive a car or operate machinery while taking Klonopin without first talking to your doctor about how the medication will affect you.
Klonopin is in the FDA Pregnancy Category C and is known to cause congenital disabilities in animals. Do not take this medication if you are pregnant or become pregnant while taking the drug.
Medical conditions such as glaucoma, thyroid disease, and seizure disorders may be affected by Klonopin. Discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition if you have one of these conditions.
The above is general information about Klonopin, which can help but is not intended to help in determining whether this medication is proper for you. You should consult your doctor if you think this medication may be appropriate for you.
Klonopin is a registered trademark of Roche Laboratories Inc.
How do I store Klonopin?
Store this medication at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and moisture in an airtight container. Do not allow the pills to come into contact with any sharp objects which may damage the capsule.
Keep this medication in its original bottle or if you have an empty bottle, keep the pill contained in it not to get lost.
If you are taking Klonopin for a long time, do not dispose of medications by flushing them down the toilet unless your doctor advises you to. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper way to discard your medication.
Klonopin is available in generic form. Please take it as prescribed by your doctor.
There are no known herbal alternatives of Klonopin that provide the same effects without adverse side effects or risks of addiction and withdrawal symptoms.
Symptoms of overdose on Klonopin include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, headache, confusion, seizure, trance, sweating, clammy skin, chest pain, hallucinations, paranoia, irregular heart rate.
If someone is showing signs of overdosing on Klonopin, call 911 immediately. If the person has lost consciousness or cannot wake them, do not attempt to give them anything by mouth and immediately call for help.
In the medical sense, a user can overdose on a drug for one of three reasons:
- The user took more of the drug than was prescribed.
- The user took the pill to achieve a higher high than they were told to expect (including side effects).
- The user mixed their drug with another mind-altering substance, like alcohol or sedatives.
Klonopin Detox Treatment Options
Some people may develop a dependence on this drug and feel that they need to take it to function normally. If you think you are becoming dependent on Klonopin, talk to your doctor for advice and treatment alternatives.
The symptoms of withdrawal from Klonopin typically occur within 24 hours after the last dose and can include anxiety, seizures, tremors, and sweating. If you experience these symptoms when you stop taking Klonopin, talk to your doctor about the best way to detox from the medication.
There are a few options for Klonopin detox treatment. The most common is a gradual dose reduction supervised by a doctor, and this allows your body to adjust to the lack of Klonopin over some time.
Another option is to go into a residential detox program where medical staff will monitor you around the clock. This is often recommended for people who have experienced severe withdrawal symptoms in the past.
There are also outpatient detox programs that allow you to detox at home with the help of an adviser. This is a good option for people who have a strong support system at home.
Talk to your doctor about the best detox option for you. They will help you find a program that fits your needs and lifestyle.
You must follow your doctor’s advice on how to get off Klonopin safely to avoid dangerous withdrawal symptoms, like seizures or delirium.
