Does anybody know the dose range for Clonazepam ?

[bambisoloved]

Does anybody know the range of doses for Clonazepam for RLS. As this drug is usually given for epilepsy my GP has no clue what dose to give for RLS as their are no guldlines.

So he has given me a low dose which has no effect.

[Hidden]

Prof Davies prescribed this for me to take at night four years ago - still taking it as it helps enormously. The dosage he prescribed was: to begin with 1/4 of a 500 microgram ( 0.05 mg) of clonazepam - to be upped to a whole one over time. As I say I have been taking it for four years now and have upped it in the last year to 1/2 at night - I wouldn't be without it now. Do make sure it is microgram dosage and not milligram as there is a huge difference :).

Hope this helps

Jill

[bluescrew in reply to Hidden]

Be very careful how long you take it for!!!! I have been taking it for 12yrs and I saw a study that after 3yrs it affects the brains memory function. I previously had thought that I had onset dementia. I went to my GP who stopped the drug in its entirety. Big mistake. Massive withdrawal systems, now on a maintenance dose. Memory still shot though

[nightdancer]

I do not know the differences in dosing in the UK and the US. BUT, the lowest dose is .5 here, not .05. It is cool that you can take such a small dose. I take .5 twice a day. It is different for everyone, but it should be started at the lowest dose. To me it should be no lower than .5, or it wll not helpme at all. It is all trial and error, and Clozepam is used for for many more thinsg than an anticonvulsant. In the USit is rarely used for that. More for sleep and movement disorders.

[nightdancer]

rxlist.com is the absolute best site to look up meds.

[bambisoloved]

Thanks for your replies

I have severe RLS and persuaded my GP to give me 3 mg dose but it was like getting blood out of a stone I usually get 2 - 3 hours sleep over a 24 hr period taking naps during the day.

Taking Clonazepam has extended my night time sleep a little.

I am due to see a consultant at Kings Collage Hospital in November so i am hoping to get my meds sorted out

Thanks for website for drug info

[Martyrtothecause]

I've recently been prescribed Clonazepam by my hospital Neurologist. Dosage instructions read take ONE or TWO 0.5mg tablets at night. I was very reluctant to start using this treatment, as this medication was never designed for RLS. However after a few extreemly bad sleeplesss nights I decided to try One tablet an hour or so before retiring. I slept right through. Thinking sheer fatigue from lack of sleep on previous nights might have been responsible for having a 'good' night, rather than the medication, I didn't take another dose until a week or so later, when a severe bout of RLS kicked in early in the evening. An hour or so before retiring I took ONE 500 microgram tablet which seemed to do the trick and I slept through.

I realize this is not how this medication should be taken. In fact the doseage instructions read:'Do not stop taking this medicine except on your doctors advice', but as I'm not actually taking it on a regular basis I don't consider myself sufficiently reliant on the drug to cause a problem.

So in this rather long winded way I'm saying that, at this moment in time, Clonazepam appears to work for me.

[Hidden]

You are right, as you are not taking it on a regular basis, then you wouldnt get withdrawals by just using it now and again.

This is one medication i havent tried, the fact that it has a long half life has put me off even asking my doctor about it...

But, would just add, there are a few medications that are not designed to treat RLS. but alot of doctors and people have found much to to relief of RLSers, that there are some meds, that can be used as off label and give some good RLS relief to alot of sufferers.

[magggzzz]

I have been using clonazepam for RLS for about 8 years now. For about the first 5 years one a night was fine but after that my body started to get used to it and I've had to up the dose. I have heard that for severe epilepsy the dose can be up to 16 mg but I'm not there yet. My RLS varies so much but a normal dose for me would be 2mg, that's 4 tablets. Sometimes though it's been so bad I've had to just keep taking it until it stops. I usually take another 2 tablets and wait about half an hour. If that doesn't work I just carry on taking more and waiting till it stops. The worst night I've ever had was actually last week and I must have taken about 8 mg. Up till then my biggest dose had been 6mg. I was a zombie the next day at work but as you know, once it starts you'd do anything to make it stop. A few years ago I started supplementing it with gabapentin but I'm not sure if that does anything other than knock me out.The doctor told me that if I started having to take a lot regularly he'd send me to a neurologist and I think perhaps it's time for that now.

I've never tried the neupro patch but I have tried another dopamine agonist and it did nothing for me. It's clonazepam or nothing for me. I'm actually scared of going to a neurologist and him making me try another medication because the thought of trying something and it not working and having to suffer with full blown RLS while I try it just terrifies me.

[Hopeless100]

Was given 500 micorgrams Clonzepam for RLS. didn't really work, hypnotic effect.