Tips for using klonopin when needed

[hitbyasegway]

As I've mentioned before, I'm on 20mg of lexapro and 150mg (I think) of Wellbutrin. I was also prescribed klonopin to take if I feel a panic attack coming on. I am planning on bringing it with me everywhere I go (just in case) but I have taken it before and it makes me very drowsy to the point where I could fall asleep standing. I can't chance falling asleep at work and I'm nervous I might have a panic attack there (which I have before) and won't be able to use the klonopin because of the drowsiness. Anyone have any tips to combat that? TIA

[Brightfuture22]

Try cutting the pill in half. It may help you with the panic but not make you so drowsy you fall asleep at work.

[Dolphin14]

I agree with Brightfuture, take a smaller dose.

[anonymous-one]

Be careful about taking Klonopin. The longer you take it, the more difficult it becomes to get off of it. I've been taking Klonopin for 30 years now and I am extremely dependent on it. The withdrawals getting off Klonopin can be life threatening. So far, I've tried to taper off of it one time. The doctor wanted me to taper too fast resulting in deadly seizures and biting my tongue up pretty bad. This week, I'm starting treatment with an addiction psychiatrist. I will need more medical management for tapering and possibly inpatient detox. Klonopin may work for the short term. But don't depend on it. You'll only be hurting yourself later down the line. Sorry to tell you all this. I'm sure that you'll hear the same thing from anyone who's taken Klonopin. Just be careful taking Klonopin or you could face what I'm going through.

[LovePurple2 in reply to anonymous-one]

Very true what you said, about Klonopin! I been on it since April 2015 at 0.5mg twice a day. One at bedtime & one during the day it made me sleepy during the day. I did go down to taking it only at bedtime & not during the day without any problems. I started having anxiety this June over an health problem with my eye & my family doctor that put me on the klonoin in 2015 said, I could take one tablet by mouth up to twice daily when needed for severe anxiety unrelieved by other measures. I've only taken 1 1/2 in a 24 hour period on some days. I want to be weaned off of the klonpin once my psychiatrist I'm seeing now gets my current anxiety under control. If I had known how addictive Klonopin & other benzodizepine medicines can be I would never had taken them.

[hitbyasegway in reply to LovePurple2]

I really had no idea it was so addictive. My doctor just told me it was a LESS addictive drug than Xanax, but I guess she never said it wasn't addictive at all. Thank you for your input!

[LovePurple2 in reply to hitbyasegway]

You're welcome & it seems a lot of doctors never told their patients about it being addictive. My doctor never did. Had I known I would never had taken it.😢

[hitbyasegway in reply to anonymous-one]

Thank you for telling me all of that! I didn't know the longer you took it the harder it is to come off. The doctor never warned me about that but I've read it's pretty addicting so I believe it. I have yet to take it (which means I haven't had a panic attack!!! Yay!) but I'll be sure to only take it if I NEED it. Thank you so much, that was very helpful