clonazepam

[connie50]

hi my GP as prescribed me with 500 micrograms tablets (clonazepam) was taking tramadol but had severe itching (one of the side effects of tramadol) so had to stop it, he gave me the clonazepam instead says on the box to take one or two at night, the first night was ok,BUT the second night was a nightmare, my legs were all over the place in my arms as well, so about 11.0clock took another, after awhile I felt so weird, the next morning I was like a zombie, I didn't no were I was. can anyone explain why I was feeling like this.

[Hidden]

Clonazepam is a benzo and as such is a sedating drug. The half-life is 30 to 40 hrs. So you were likely 'stoned' on the drug or to put it a nicer more clinical way you were experiencing the sedating side-effects of it!

If I take Zopiclone, I am left groggy the morning after, its just the way these drugs work on the body

Sorry to hear you had bad side-effects from the Tramadol as it can be quite effective.

[connie50 in reply to Hidden]

the tramadol was brilliant but the itching kept me awake all night long one of two evils

[Hidden in reply to connie50]

Typical that - you get a drug that works on the RLS and it messes you up other ways

[martino]

I couldn't manage Ropinirole or pramipexole so I went back to clonazepam. I was on 4mg but my neurologist was aghast and told me to get down to 0.50. I am now on 2.00 and my doc has said only go as low as I can manage which is about where I am. I am just off for a nuclear brain scan so that may tell me something. My Neuro doesn't think it is RLS but I tick all the boxes

[nightdancer in reply to martino]

4 mgs is a "mega" dose for Clonazepam if only using it for RLS. Did your GP prescribe it and how long have you been on that does, well before you lowered it. As I said to Connie, it usually works better with other meds for RLS. I have been taking it for 12 yrs and the start dose is always .5 mgs or in the UK the dose that Connie is using. In 12 years I have only had to go up to 1 mg and that really is as high as one should go, so do not blame the neuro for being "aghast". Why does your neuro think what you have is NOT RLS? Do you fit the diagnostic criteria? irlssg.org is the International group f doctors who set the high therapeutic doses for meds and RLS. In19 yrs of managing RLS groups and having had it for 45 yrs, I have never met anyone who is not epileptic on a dose of 4 mgs! A nuclear brain scan will not show RLS, now will it rule it out, unless MAYBE contrast dye is used. But there are not tests for RLS, just ones that rule other things that you could have besides RLS. A ferritin level test is about the only test to see if your body is storing iron correctly. Any other test is only to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms you are having. 2 mgs is basically the MAX dose of Clonazepam in the context of RLS or are EXTREMEY, unless you are epileptic. and that is not your issue from what you have said, and epilepsy and RLS are not connected in any way, except the fact that some of the same classes of meds are used, as with Parkinson's. Requip is a Parkinson's drug, but that does not mean you will get Parkinson's if you have RLS. Parkinson's is rigidity of muscles and inability to move as well, like shuffling instead of walking, etc for one example. I took care of my father the last 10 yrs of his life and he had Parkinson's. RLS is the exact opposite, and both are neurological diseases, but RL is also considered to be aneurologically based sleep disorder.

[martino in reply to nightdancer]

Hi

Thanks for your comments. On my conservative marking of the Study group questions I have severe RLS. As I said earlier the two dopamine agonists made matters worse. I agree looking back that 4 was too high. My neurologist after a lot of arm movement walking etc decided he wanted to explore other possibilities hence the nuclear scan with an MRI two weeks time and a sleep study. I see him again early Jan. I will try to get the clonazepam dose down but my doc won't prescribe anything else meanwhile apart from 30/500 Zapain for the pain in my legs which wakes me around 4.30. Apparently the neurologist thinks there are signs of .bradykenesia pointing to Parkinsons. I hope not!

[nightdancer in reply to martino]

bradykenesia? will have to google that one, and Parkinson's also is not l=related to RLS, except some of the same meds are used.

[Spudellen in reply to martino]

From what I can gather martino, leg pain and cramps are just part and parcel of RLS. I have been put on Zifrol (Pramipexole) and although I was supposed to take 1/2 125mcg tablet and gradually work up to two 250mcg, I am managing quite well on 1/2 of a 125mcg tablet. It has been brilliant and I just hope I can stay at this level. I have just come back from a 2 week cruise and I slept like a baby....such blessed relief from the awful uncontrollable body movement. I do understand that you can have augmentation but it is less likely with with Sifrol....everyone is different though.

[martino in reply to Spudellen]

Thanks very much. I think my main problem with pramipexole was sleeplessness but also it came back with a vengeance when I did wake. I will try to bring the clonazepam dowm further but I am getting RLS symptoms for much of the day now. My doc won't prescribe anything else until I have seen the neuro again on 5th Jan

[landman]

I started with small dose. Worked up to 1.5 in 3 weeks. Felt like crap stopped taking this psychotic drug. Google it.

[nightdancer in reply to landman]

Clonazepam is not a "antipsychotic" drug, per se. it's original intended use is for treatment of seizures, and anti anxiety. I tis not a "psychoactive" drug like, for example, meds for schizophrenia or bipolar. it is more anti anxiety, same class as valium and Xanax, it is a "calming" drug, so to speak, and works best in conjunction with other meds for RLS. All depends on what works for you and what doesn't. There is NO one med that works for everyone. Wish there was!

[nightdancer]

Because you are changing meds yet again. Connie, have to answer you. Clonazepam is really meant to be used in conjunction with other meds. But after only 2 days you do not know yet if clonazepam will work. Remember, even the best med we can find for ourselves, we are ALWAYS going to have bad night here and there, and no one med works for everyone. You have to give a med more than 2 or 3 days to work. And, you totally switched classes of meds. Tramadol is a synthetic opiate and will give you some of the same kind of withdrawal as a regular opiate, so your RLS and body and brain are re-adjusting once again to something new. So, all I can say, like before, give it some time before you get nervous. My pain meds work GREAT fro me WITH Clonazepam and a sleep med. Sometimes combination therapy is the best way to go for most of us after a lot of trial and error. Give it some time, more than 2 day. @ days with a med tells you nothing most of the time. It is certainly not making your RLS worse, it is just that you are switching frequently from one class of meds to another. Give them a chance to work. if the Tramadol made you itch, then it is not for you. Did it always do that, this was not your first time on it, I know. Switching from patches to Tramadol to clonazepam, which is mostly an anti anxiety and/ior antiepileptic drug, but it works way differently than , say Gabapentin, which is an anti seizure med, plus used for nerve pain. Clonazepam, like I said rarely works by itself, and you feel like this because I assume you just stopped the Tramadol, went right to Clonazepam, so some withdrawal is going to be felt, and that is why you feel that way more than likely. Besides meds, whet else do you do for your RLS? maybe it is another med that is making it worse, maybe something you are eating, etc. have you ever kept a food, symptom, med diary? it is VERY helpful. But if you keep switching up meds at this rate, you will not know what works and what does not. I know what a drug holiday is, and this is not it, you are just switching meds. Are you still using the patch, Neupro, or not? On the second night your "legs were all over the place". That is because, itching or not, your body is missing the tramadol and the half life of clonazepam is one of the longest so it stays in your body longer and peaks later than a lot of meds. So, I take mine around 7 pm, or even earlier, so the "hangover" does not happen. After 12 refusing it, I would never give it up, in conjunction with the rest of my meds. 2 nights is not enough to tell if a med is going to work for you with any regular success. I know it is hard to be patient, but you have to be when trying different meds. And, if you are switching meds on a regular basis, your body and neuro receptors are not being given a chance. So, patience is good, even though I know that sounds hard, and time. Some meds work right off , but not many. Clonazepam needs to be taken at the same time every day/evening for it to work for you, just like most meds. But, you usually always need a backup med to take with it, a shorter acting one that would work faster. Clonazepam mostly is anti anxiety, so is not going to help RLS all by itself, usually. Trial and error and TIME is needed to figure out the RLS puzzle for each individual.

[nightdancer]

one more comment, the 'weird feeling' usually goes away, it is a new med for you at this time, so it takes some time for some of the side effects to wear off, that is why I stress giving it enough time to see if it will work or not for you. have you looked up the side effects? rxlist.com or drugs.com or read the leaflet that comes with the med in the drug store. any of these will explain your "weird" feelings. We always have to do our homework when we start a new med, or even go back to one we have tried in the past.

[Spudellen in reply to nightdancer]

You have so knowledge about RLS Nightdancer...I wish the Doctors were as well informed.

[connie50]

thanks a lot night dancer at the moment I am on the2mg patch then about 10.oclock/ 10.30 I take 1 clonazepam ,& my GP told me to carry on taking the clarityn,(was taking this with the tramadol when I was itching ) don't ask me why, I don't no, so for the last couple of nights I haven't took the clarityin,

[nightdancer in reply to connie50]

Now you are confusing me again, Connie. Are you taking the Clonazepam with the patch? From your original post, you mentioned Tramadol and itching, but did not say you are still using the patch. What is your med list right now? Claritin is an allergy med that usually does not make RLS worse, but does little for itching, is more for sinuses. I take that for my autumn allergies when the leaves come down. Just remember, there are always going to be bad nights for every single one of us, and it that is the way of RLS. MY meds work great 90% of the time, but not ALL the time. no meds work all the time ever.

[connie50 in reply to nightdancer]

hi night dancer don't no if I've already replied to your comments but here we go, yes I am taking the 2mg neupro patch + one 0.5mg clonazepam but this is not doing a thing for me at all, during the day I am fine its when I go to bed, my legs start, I put the patch on about 9ish then about 10ish to 10.30 I take the clonazepam, all this does is makes me very sleepy, but as soon as I get in bed my legs will start, I have even tried taking two but the next day I am so spaced out I don't no were I am

[magggzzz]

Clonazepam has been my drug of choice for my RLS for about 10 years now. I remember the days when I could get by on one 0.5mg tablet but now my regular dose is 4 plus 3 gabapentin which I'm not sure are much use really. I've tried other things but nothing works for me. I am a bit groggy in the morning but I've just learned to live with it. Sometimes though when it's been really bad I've just kept taking the tablets and giving it about half an hour then if it hasn't worked I take more. I'm sure that sometimes I've taken 8 tablets, maybe even more.

I was considering asking for a referral to a neurologist but now I'm not so sure.

[cassie258]

I like Rivotril (Clonazepam). It works well to control my seizures and my anxiety. When I run out I dont experience any withdrawal symptoms. I cannot complain about this medication. If taken as prescribed and not mixed with other stuff (illegal drugs and excess alcohol) it is a great drug. I commonly order it via generic-meds-store.com without danger. No complaints !