Has anyone been prescribed Clonazepam Tablets for their RLS and if so did they help?

[Martyrtothecause]

As all the usual medications for RLS have failed to bring lasting relief, the hospital consultant has prescribed a course of Clonazepam which is usually prescribed to prevent epileptic seizures. So far I've not plucked up the courage to use them. Any advise or comments would be welcomed.

[Hidden]

gabapentin is also an epilepsy med, but its used for RLS, ive had gabapentin, so i wouldnt worry about clonazapam if it was prescribed for me

[Martyrtothecause in reply to Hidden]

Thanks niah. I've just looked at your profile and realize you've a lot of experience to draw on. So thanks, I'll pluck up the courage to give it a try .

[Hidden in reply to Martyrtothecause]

nightdancer is where i got all my info from, see her post here, shes the best for help and advice , and good luck

[nightdancer]

Lots of people use Clonazepam/Klonopin, but usually in conjunction with something else. anti-convulsnats are commonly used, like Neurontin/Gabapentin? have you tried that one yet? Clonazepam works a bit differently than gaba. It does help to relax you, but mostly mentally. It also helps calm down some people's legs, but usually people do not take just Clonzepam alone. Not saying no one does. It is all trial and error. I take one in the late afternoon (.5 mg), and it staves off the evening RLS attacks most of the time. Do read all the warnings, and look it up on rlshelp.org on the treatment page. this site is run by a neurologist who is an RLS specialist, and you can write to him with questions; he always answers. :o)

[Martyrtothecause in reply to nightdancer]

Thanks.. Very informative..

[magggzzz]

I know you've looked at my post about clonazepam. I think I got a bit freaked out because when I was researching it on line I ended up being directed to a drugs website which told you how to use it recreationally. I've been taking it for years and I've not had any nasty side effects and I've also stopped taking it suddenly without weaning myself off it because I didn't know I was supposed to and my GP never mentioned it. The only side effect I can think of was I had trouble sleeping at first because it's a sedative and I got to the stage where I had got used to it sending me off to sleep. Seriously I probably have been taking it daily for at least the last 6 years apart from a short break where I tried every other medication available for RLS and found none of them worked so I ended up back on it. Personally I would highly recommend you give it a go. It seems to be a fairly risk free medication and most importantly. IT WORKS!!!

[Martyrtothecause in reply to magggzzz]

Thanks magggzz. My main concern is that one of the side effects is that it could cause confusion. I'm 71 and the thought that I might start getting more confused than usual is a bit worrying. Obviously, not everyone suffers side effects. In fact I've never had a problem with any medication in the past, but for some illogical reason I'm having a problem accepting this one.

Clearly it worked for you, so I think I will give it a go.

[lego in reply to magggzzz]

i have just been given clonazepan to take instead if amitriptyline. have ever taken amitriptyline?if so how did u find them?

[Tortured in reply to lego]

I was given amitripthlene 30 years ago for migraines. It worked. I was supposed to take for 3 months. I took for three weeks, stopped because I did not want to be on any medication. So I just suffered through years of migraines. Now my migraines became worse, trigeminal neuralgia, severe rls, and ms. Mirapex was a miracle drug at first, but then stopped working. Tried everything. Klonopin will help me slow down but not sleep still. For that, I now take small dose of oxycodone, and that makes my legs still and I can sleep. There is nothing worse that than going days not sleeping, running while sitting on the couch. And my rls began with my upper back and arms, couldn't sit still to read anymore, then moved to legs. Very painful, to, like standing directly in front of fire. If I could do anything else that worked, I would.

[nightdancer in reply to magggzzz]

maggzzzzz, you obviously got to the wrong web site. Almost any med like that CAN be used recreationally, EVEN the dopamine meds. Stay on the reputable web sites, pleeeeeeease. We have to be careful of what we read, so we don;t scare ourselves! Listen to your doctor and people who have had experience with that drug.

[nightdancer]

That is why we always say to make sure you are on a reputable web site. For the most accurate drug info rxlist.com or drugs.com. You don't need any other web sites for that subject. Best RLS web sites are rlshelp.org and rls.org

Do not "drift to other links. Unfortunately there is more BAD info out there, than there is good. Stay away from nutty web site like you were on. Knowledge is power, but it has to be the righ knowledge, so you do not scare the crap out of yourself. I am sure there is a web site for every drug that COULD be used recreationally, but they ae not the web sites to be on, as you found out. Scared yourself, huh? Never stop taking a drug like this cold turkey and without telling your doctor. No medication is risk free, not even aspirin or even vitamins or "all natural" stuff, etc. I am glad it is working for you, just stay off those bad web sites. :o)

[TheDancer]

I have been using Clonazapam for several years now with no discernable side- effects, although dependent on the dosage they can make you feel a bit drowsy throughout the day. I am currently using one 500 microgram pill about 30 minutes before I want to try and sleep. I also take a Magnesium and Vitamin B supplement, which I usually take earlier in the day.

For particularly bad spells, my GP has prescribed that I can increase my Clonazapam to as much as three 500 microgram pills per night, but I rarely stay on that dosage as it does make me too drowsy during the day.

[magggzzz]

The trouble with Clonazepam is you develop enzymes which quickly metabolise it if you take it for too long. I was on one 500 microgram tablet for years and it worked fine until it didn't. Now I have to take up to 6 to get the same effect and next day drowsiness is just the price that has to be paid.

[Lor7]

Hi

Do try them, they worked for me for 10 years at 0.5 mg at night and then dose needed upping. I then decided to try all the other medications for a year but with no luck. I now use 50 mg Primidone one at night which works very well, but I still take a clonazepam if I wake during the night as this helps me relax even if I can't get back to sleep.

Finally, I believe the best medication I have tried is clonazepam so go with it and let us know how you get on.

Lor7

[beady3]

How are you getting on with clonazepam would be very interested. I started some today nearly to frightened to take them when I read side affects,well when I wake upin morn I will let you know how I get on xx

[Hidden]

Yes I have they only helped because they help you sleep The better one to take is Loranzapam wich I still take at night

[Hoffie]

I take Clonazepam .5 twice a day. I also take 5mg Oxycodone twice a day around 7PM and then around 1AM. This seems to work for me as I have been getting 5-7 sleep. Without these meds I only sleep 1-2 hours per night.

[Tortured in reply to Hoffie]

Same thing for me. I have been tortured for too many years, and it was either a gun to the head or drugs like that.

[Casinogoer]

Hi, I am Casino Goer, I have been on Clonazepam for many years now but it has been with Mirapex. For some time I thought I was out of the woods. Then the RLS was back. I have seen several doctors about it and that includes Dr. Earley who I was told was the leading expert on RLS from Johns Hopkins. He wanted me on Methadone. I had tried that and the side affects were terrible. I could not take it. It was hard to get off of as well. Went back to the same which was great for a while and the RLS came back like crazy. The Clonazepam never seemed to have any side affects on me, but it didn't work by it's self. I have had RLS for over 35 years. Mirapex is nasty in that if you don't increase the dose, it stops working. But trying to get off of it is a nightmare. I hope the Clonazepam works for you without Mirapex. Maybe if you need something extra, they can give you something else with it. But I would not go back on Mirapex if I had it to do over. I am going to try go off of it. Good Luck!