Klonopin (clonazepam) is a benzodiazepine, the same class of drugs as Xanax, Valium and lorazepam (Ativan). It is used to treat anxiety and various panic disorders, among other things.
This post will give you more information about Klonopin and I will share my experience with this medication. Read to the end and I will share with you an alternative way of dealing with anxiety and panic attacks that doesn’t involve medication.
Is Clonazepam A Sleeping Pill?
Clonazepam is not a sleeping pill, it is a benzodiazepine. With that being said, benzodiazepines commonly have a sedating effect and are often used to treat difficulty sleeping.
Can You Take Klonopin For Life?
Klonopin is not a medication that you can stay on for the rest of your life. It is more suited to short term use, and using it for a longer term can lead to addiction. In addition, the body tends to form a tolerance to the drug with longer term usage, so the effects will become less over time unless you increase the dose.
Klonopin Side Effects
Some of the common side effects of Klonopin can include the following:
Tiredness and drowsiness
Dizziness
Weakness
Unsteadiness or loss of coordination
Headaches
Sometimes there can be more serious side effects such as depression and suicidal thoughts. If you experience any of these side effects then you should tell your doctor immediately.
How Long Does It Take For Klonopin To Kick In?
Usually you will experience the effects of Klonopin within an hour or so after taking it. Occasionally it can take longer, but for most people it takes an hour.
Klonopin Half Life
Klonopin has a relatively long half life when compared with similar medications. It’s half life is approximately 30-40 hours. That means it will take 30-40 hours for half of the drug to leave your system.
How Long Does Klonopin Last?
While it takes around an hour for Klonopin to kick in, its effects can last up to 8-12 hours. You reach peak levels around 4 hours after taking the medication.
How Long Does Klonopin Stay In Your System?
As mentioned, Klonopin has a fairly long half life, so it stays in your system longer than most other benzodiazepines. How long it stays in your system depends on a few different things, like age and weight, the dose you were taking, how long you have been taking it and also your metabolism rate.
Klonopin And Alcohol
It is strongly advised to avoid alcohol altogether if taking Klonopin. There is a risk that combining Klonopin and alcohol can lead to slowed breathing, lowered heartrate, extreme tiredness and sleepiness. This can also lead to a coma or even death, so avoid alcohol completely while you are on Klonopin.
Alcohol increases the effects of Klonopin and combining the two also increases the effects of alcohol. There have been many instances of people abusing benzodiazepines and alcohol which is a very dangerous practice.
Klonopin Addiction
Klonopin is an addictive drug and should only be taken as advised by your doctor. Even just taking the prescribed amount can be habit forming, which you should be aware of before you start taking the drug. The longer you keep taking Klonopin, the more you need to feel the same effects and higher doses can be even more habit forming. If you feel that you have developed an addiction to Klonopin and are struggling to get by without the drug, then you need to seek help from your doctor to get through the addiction and withdrawal.
Klonopin Withdrawal
Even after just a few weeks of use, Klonopin can become addictive and withdrawal can prove difficult. Withdrawal from the drug should be done over time and tapering should be done slowly. If you stop taking the drug cold turkey, then you increase the likelihood of suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will advise you on the best way to withdraw from Klonopin.
When withdrawing from Klonopin, it is common to experience unwanted side effects such as increased anxiety and increased agitation. Often the symptoms that you were taking the drug to treat will return, such as anxiety and panic attacks.
Klonopin And Pregnancy
There are some risks with taking Klonopin while pregnant and also while breastfeeding. You should consult your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant and they may recommend a lower dose or a different medication altogether. They will help you to weigh up the risks against the potential benefit of staying on this medication.
Klonopin Reviews
I have been on a few different benzodiazepines, including lorazepam (Ativan) and Valium to treat my anxiety and panic attacks. I decided against taking Xanax due to its addictiveness and difficulty to withdraw from, and for the same reason I decided against taking Klonopin when my doctor offered to give me a prescription for it.
The problem I have with these type of medications is that they don’t treat the problem long term. While they are effective and usually quite fast acting at treating symptoms, once you stop taking them the symptoms seem to return and I end up feeling like I haven’t really gotten anywhere.
The other problem is how addictive they are. Even if you take the medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor, you can still experience addiction within just a few weeks. It’s hard enough dealing with anxiety and panic attacks as it is, but to throw in the added difficulty of trying to withdraw from an addictive drug can make life very difficult.
An Alternative To Benzodiazepines
All I wanted was a treatment that had no side effects, was not addictive and had no withdrawal effects. I needed it to treat my panic attacks quickly as they were happening, as well as reduce my anxiety to a level where it wasn’t having such a large impact on my life. That doesn’t seem like too much to ask for, does it?
Well, here is the good part (and probably sounds too good to be true). I found something that does exactly what I needed it to without any negative effects. The solution was not a type of medication, but a course that gives me all of the information and strategies I needed to beat anxiety without meds.
Using this course I rarely have panic attacks anymore and when I do, I am able to manage them easily. My general anxiety level is also much lower than what it used to be, where it is no longer having such a major impact on my life. The course I am talking about is called Panic Away and you can find out more using the link below.
Click here to learn more about Panic Away
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