Clonazepam for Sleep disorder.

[BillDavid]

Has anyone had experience taking Clonazepam for RBD sleep disorder? Appreciate your feedback.

BillDavid

[joyceann]

That's what I take. It works great!

[djbk1111]

I'm not sure what RBD is, but I have Parkinson's and take clonazepam to help me sleep. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you have ...

[BillDavid in reply to djbk1111]

djbk1111

Thank you for your response. RBD stands for Rem sleep Behavioral Disorder. Rem itself stands for Rapid Eye Movement. This is a deep stage of sleep when the eyes can be observed to move rapidly under the closed eyelid. This is when one is dreaming. During Rem sleep, one experiences muscle atonia (essentially a paralysis) to prevent us from acting out our dreams.

RBD causes loss of muscle atonia, which can result in dream-enacting behavior that is sometimes violent, flial arms, punch, etc, can result in falling out of bed. Meanwhile being completely unaware of movement or aggressive behavior. Cause is unknown, animal studies are said to suggest is associated with damage to pons. I have recently struck out at my wife having no memory of the incident. Anticipating possible treatment with clonazepam, I wonder if anyone who currently takes it has any experience with Parkinson's drugs or symptoms with it?BillDavid

[NanCyclist]

Clonazapam is a gift. Before being diagnosed with RBD I regularly acted out violent dreams. I went through a sleep test at the hospital that confirmed the REM Behavior Disorder and was put on Clonazapam. I've had very few events since then, no side effects and if there is an especially anxiety filled event (family funeral) I take 1 1/2 pills until the event has passed. I operate much better with full night's sleep.

[isis6361]

It's commonly used for RBD at low dosages and usually doesn't interfere with your parkinsons or the treatment for it.

[superjanet]

My husband used to take this for nightmares. He started on one pill, then two and then three. It worked, for a time until the dose had to be increased, and it was leaving him very sleepy in the morning. About a year ago he was about to increase to four a day, which the Parkinson's nurse said would be OK, but would leave him even sleepier. We turned to homeopathy and he stopped taking the clonazepam completely. After using the homeopathic remedy for nightmares he has much better sleep, and also his daytime hallucinations are much reduced. He does not have to take this all the time now and he is using another remedy to help him get to sleep and yet another to try and stop him getting so hot in the night.

[Lindy614 in reply to superjanet]

What does he use now?

[superjanet in reply to Lindy614]

At the moment he is not taking anything, as the way that homeopathy works is that you take a remedy for a while and then shouldn't need it. If and when the symptoms return you can take another course. You really need to consult a homeopath, as the remedies come in different concentrations and doses. The one he used is called stramonium.

[Nehd in reply to superjanet]

What homeopathic is he taking

[superjanet in reply to Nehd]

See above, nothing now, but it was stramonium.

[movinngroovin]

I have Bill. It works great! Ofcourse Benzodiazapedes like this one can become addictive, but if you don't have those tendencies than no problem...

[Fenian5]

I have been taking Clonazepam for over a year and I get 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. The following hour or two, I may get 15-20 minutes at a time.

[Fenian5]

I have been taking Clonazepam for a little over a year. I fall asleep within 10 minutes and get 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. The next 1-2 hours are 15-20 minutes at a time.

[gcorrell]

Please Google Clonazepam, withdrawal. And investigate this. I was on it for almost two years and it works, yes, but it is also listed as one of the most dangerous (and over-prescribed) drugs. Withdrawal for me was a living hell. I have found behavior/lifestyle solutions that work better. Clonazepam shortens your life considerably, according to published papers and manufacturer's in-depth documentation. It's the drug that dreadful Dr. in Chicago was just found guilty of over-prescribing, for years, in return for millions from the manufacturer. Used to be that most who took this drug were so desperate with debilitating symptoms, or so elderly, that the life-shortening, mental, and tardive side effects are secondary considerations. Since 2009 they've expanded markets with incentives, and the consequences for anyone under 65 can be profound. Columbia-Presby in NYC took me off it in part because the drug caused permanent dystonia etc (tardive) I would otherwise not have had. Caveat emptor.

[shaky]

At the suggestion of my sleep doctor took a clonazepam at bedtime. Next morning I slid out of bed, teetered, twisted, flailed my arms and flopped onto the floor like a fresh-landed tuna. My coordination was completed fouled up. My sleep doctor suggested I take half a dose rather than a full one. But I got some over-the-counter melatonin instead. Didn't work very well but, on the other hand, I didn't break my tush trying to cross my bedroom floor.

[kcaqt]

I use Rivotril (which is clonazopam) regularly. Works v. well, tho I suspect it does produce a slight "hangover" the next morning. Wondering about the comment below re its dangers... several doctors have pronounced it fine for me. Don't always need it.

[Bitsy]

Yes I took clonazepam for 12 months for RBD until I reached tolerance level. Most people don't reach tolerance level. Now I take nothing and have found the disorder is not nearly as prevalent as it was when I was first diagnosed, perhaps an episode a month from every night. My neurologist says I developed RBD because of an atypical antipsychotic drug called Solian I was on. The clonazepam I found made the world very dark and I didn't like it at all. It depends on why you have developed the disorder which is largely unknown. I also tried melatonin which I discovered made the condition worse. All the best and good luck.

[srarndt]

Pharma whack a mole...

I appreciate all of your resonses to the question, but now some of you posters out there have got me wondering!

MY MDS prescribed clonazepam 1/2 X .5mg X 1 per night. to me after I approached him looking for a solution to my acting out violent dreams (The last time I had my wife in a headlock and was mashing her face with my my fist...) I would rather die than to lose/ kill/injure my wife. I know my dosage is small, and I shall talk to my doc but would like info on possible alternatives with fewer side effects (like addiction or premature death, etc... any ideas?

BTW, no violence involeved but last night in the wee hours I unitentionally woke up my wife and my adult son by having a full fledged shouting match with myself, (done in 2 distinctive voices yet!)...first and only extremely vivid dream since trying clonazepam...

Parkinson's: what a concept!

[Polyanna007]

billDavid

I took,the same medication. , one at bedtime for sleep and worked like a charm.

No,problem going off it either when PD reared it's ugly head as the Rqip

Made me very drowsy.

Good luck.

Polyanna007

[sankprison]

my doctor told me to try it to help my shouting and waving arms and fists when I sleep every night. He said that were not sleeping tablets and I should try them fora

[sankprison]

Oh no, no no NO bloody No to this tripe medicine - it made me 100% worse!

[Nightingale-5]

I have RBD sleep disorder, it's terrifying. I got to the stage where I was scared to go to sleep. I am on Clonazepam but it doesn't always work. We have even taken the drastic measure of moving so we have a second bedroom. I was so scared I would hurt my husband.

[moonsake10]

i hope anyone still reading this thread has found out-CLONAZEPAM (aka Clonipin) is habit-forming and therefore a narcotic. In 2018 it is an opiate and not a "good" drug, although I can vouch for it's efficacy (works reeeel good), I try not to take the required amount every night to avoid tolerance. I take .5 to 1 mg per night at bedtime. Hope this was helpful....

[Trixiedee in reply to moonsake10]

It isn’t an opiate, it’s a benzodiazepine

[moonsake10 in reply to Trixiedee]

sorry about that! you are correct-they benzodiazepine...which is like the next opiate.

[ParlePark]

I take it on occasion. Don’t know what RBD is. Helps.