Okay so I am asking you moms because I do not know much about klonopin which was px to me a few months ago when I learned my mother has cancer. I do suffer anxiety and have had a hard past 3 years. But when I got the news my mind completly went to the worst case and I just could not calm myself down. I called my dr because I could feel myself getting to a point of pure panic. She told me to call my therapist. So I went in and they put me on klonopin. They px 3 times a day as needed. At first I think I may have taken it during the day once or twice. And it def worked in not making me feel drugged just allowing me to think more rational. So here is my concern. Since then I take one at night before I go to sleep it helps me sleep. I dont feel an urge to take it or ever take it during the day. But my sister was telling me I am probably addicted to it and if I just stopped taking it I could have a seizure. God this is why I wanted my dr to handle this. I do not want to be addicted to anything. I do not at all feel the need for one. At worst I just won't be able to fall asleep. But now I am afraid I could have a seizure. Its the lowest dose I know that much. Can I just not take it? Is this a safe medication to take for sleep in very low dose? Thanks ladies. Fyi I know I am always asking questions of such a depressing sort. My life is really not so out of control. Its just been a very hard few years. Happy easter!
I took it for for a few years, mostly at bed time to help with sleep. NO you will not have a seizure. Anything can become addictive, even ice cream, if you let it. Klonopin in my experience was not an addicting drug. I too suffered from anxiety, and it helped me just knowing that I had it with me "in case" I freaked out. And knowing that, alone, without ever needing to take it, helped me tremendously. You'll be fine :)
It can be misused and become an addiction. BUT I took it every day for years and never had a problem. My brother takes it as part of a drug rejimen for deep muscle cramps, to help him relax very deeply, and he's take it for over 20 years, still no problems.
I think that each and every drug can become a part of our dependency if we let it. I know that when I started feeling better I decided to do Klonopin more as a PRN instead of 2 per day.
I carried around in my purse for years, the same bottle. I know I would have not taken it because I am too neurotic about meds being too old but it was like my own lucky rabbits foot. I had it so I would never "need" it.
I think if your doc wants you to take it then you should follow those directions very well. If you start feeling better talk to them about taking a bit less each day.
Once you have worked through your anxiety issues you will feel better and be more back to normal. I'm not sure I'll every feel 100% the same as I did before panic attacks but I can cope and function just fine.
So take the meds. Klonopin is sort of in the same family as Valium and can become an addiction so do be careful and don't add more meds to your day without making sure the doc says to do that.
I was on 1mg of klonopin for a bit for insomnia. I have PTSD & fibromyalgia as well so I was also on other things. I stopped all of my medications at once. I did this with the full support of my doctor.
Talk with your doctor if you want to go off of it. I highly doubt that you cannot. I started taking 3mg of melatonin for sleep and while no it doesn't work great it also does enable me to at least get comfortable, well what is considered comfortable to me and fall asleep(in a broken state)for at least 4-5 hours a night. Definitely work with your doctor and therapist to help you through things as well as get you on the best path to enable you to live a happy life. Good luck!
Talk to your doctor!! You can always taper the dose if that makes you feel more comfortable until you can see him/her...
Take half a one a bedtime for a week then a 1/4 of one a week then...stop...
It can be addictive, but your doctor is the best person to ask about how to stop taking it. I don't think you are going to have a seizure if you just stop taking it.
I have used it for years and have missed days and not really thought about it...it is a lifesaver for anxiety and sleep issues...call and talk with your doctor, you will feel better than just a bunch of us moms on here.
The best thing to do is talk to your therapist... they will tell you how to taper off of it......
Tell them that right now you are just taking it at night to help you sleep.... it may be a valid reason to take it... it slows your mind down and lets you relax to go to sleep.....
If you are looking for some alternative ways to help you sleep, ask your therapist to teach you some methods to relax.... meditation, things like that. A Psychiatrist I was seeing for a year taught me that many years ago, and it did help.
I take it at night only. Not every night, just on those that I can't turn my brain off and find the stress/anxiety kicking in. My doctor, nor my pharmacist, has never warned me that this is an addictive drug. Some weeks I take one almost every night, some weeks, I take none. I have never had any side affects from stopping and starting it.
But do address your concerns with your doctor.
We all have times where a little drug therapy can help us get through.
Hugs
It's a benzo and it is addictive but I bet if you just tapered it down you would be fine. If you do not feel the need to take it I highly doubt you are addicted. Try only taking 1/2 dose tonight and for the next couple days then just skip a night...I bet you will be fine.
Having seizures after stopping taking a benzo (it has a longer name benzodiaziupam or something but I cant spell it), which is the class of drugs that Klonopin is in, is a real thing BUT I think that is for people who have been on a very HIGH dose of benzo for a VERY long time.
~I have a Rx for Klonopin as well, to take as needed for anxiety and at night for sleep. I do not like them. They do help in making me tired but they do nothing for helping with my anxiety, as I can not take them and expect to continue functioning during the day, as they just put me to sleep.
Do not listen to your sister. She is not trained in drug therapy. Ask your therapist this question. The issue is complex.
I've taken Ativan off and on for several years. The literature will tell you it can become addictive. I've taken it only as needed, just as you're doing with the klonopin and have not become addicted.
Since it is helping you, I would not stop taking it. Unless your sister is a therapist who prescribes drugs or a pharmacist she does not know enough to make this recommendation.
