Klonopin, or its generic drug name Clonazepam, forms part of a group of drugs named benzodiazepines. It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause you to have anxiety. Clonazepam can be used to treat problems other than anxiety but its main use is in treating seizure disorders (epilepy) and panic/anxiety disorders.
Klonopin is used alone or along with other medications to treat convulsive disorders such as epilepsy. It is also prescribed for panic disorder--unexpected attacks of overwhelming panic accompanied by fear of recurrence. Klonopin belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines.
Klonopin works best when there is a constant amount in the bloodstream. To keep blood levels as constant as possible, take your doses at regularly spaced intervals and try not to miss any.
You should avoid taking this medication if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have glaucoma (eye/blindness disorder), asthma, emphysema (smokers of any class should do a check on this before taking this medication), bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, a history of depression or depressive/suicidal thoughts, a history of drugs or alcohol addiction, severe liver disease such as jaundice, hepatitis, Reye syndrome or even Wilson's disease, or if you are allergic to Clonazepam or other benzodiazepines such as alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, clorazepate, diazepam, lorazepam or oxazepam.
You should not use Klonopin if you have severe liver disease or narrow-angle glaucoma, or if you are allergic to clonazepam or other benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene), lorazepam (Ativan), or oxazepam (Serax).
Never drink alcohol while taking Klonopin or any related drugs. This medication can increase the effects of alcohol and may cause serious health concerns. Taking Clonazepam can become a habit so make sure you only take what's prescribed to avoid all possible secondary effects. The use of Clonazepam may cause harm to an unborn baby so avoid in all circumstances taking this whilst pregnant or breastfeeding to reduce the chances of having side effects of Klonopin.
To make sure you can safely take Klonopin, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:
kidney or liver disease;
glaucoma;
asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), or other breathing problems;
a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or behavior; or
a history of drug or alcohol addiction.
FDA pregnancy category D. Klonopin may cause harm to an unborn baby, and may cause breathing or feeding problems in a newborn. But having seizures during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. Tell your doctor if you have epilepsy and are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Do not start or stop taking Klonopin during pregnancy without medical advice. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of Klonopin on the baby. Unless you have a serious risk of having a seizure due to epilepsy during pregnancy that may cause a miscarriage, you must not use Klonopin during pregnancy. Klonopin may pass into breast milk and could harm a nursing baby. Do not breast-feed a baby while taking this medication.
Klonopin (clonazepam) is a prescription medicine approved to treat epilepsy and panic disorder. It is beneficial for improving symptoms of panic disorder and treating certain types of epileptic seizures, including:
Seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
Akinetic seizures (also known as atonic seizures), which are characterized by a sudden loss of muscle tone, causing "drop attacks"
Myoclonic seizures, which are characterized by sudden, brief muscle jerks
Absence seizures, which are characterized by brief periods of decreased awareness or "spacing out."
There are many other benefits of this drug. Benzodiazepine medications (such as Klonopin) have various effects on the body, including:
Reducing anxiety
Causing sleepiness
Relaxing muscles
Stopping seizures
Impairing short-term memory.
All benzodiazepines can have these effects to some degree, depending on the specific benzodiazepine that is being taken. They work in the brain by enhancing the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain chemical that is naturally calming. GABA can slow down or stop certain nerve signals in the brain.
Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Klonopin.
More common side effects of Klonopin in seizure disorders may include: Behavior problems, drowsiness, lack of muscular coordination
Less common or rare side effects in seizure disorders may include: Abnormal eye movements, anemia, bed wetting, chest congestion, coated tongue, coma, confusion, constipation, dehydration, depression, diarrhea, double vision, dry mouth, excess hair, fever, fluttery or throbbing heartbeat, "glassy-eyed" appearance, hair loss, hallucinations, headache, inability to fall or stay asleep, inability to urinate, involuntary rapid movement of the eyeballs, loss of or increased appetite, loss of voice, memory loss, muscle and bone pain, muscle weakness, nausea, nighttime urination, painful or difficult urination, partial paralysis, runny nose, shortness of breath, skin rash, slowed breathing, slurred speech, sore gums, speech difficulties, stomach inflammation, swelling of ankles and face, tremor, uncontrolled body movement or twitching, vertigo, weight loss or gain
Klonopin can also cause aggressive behavior, agitation, anxiety, excitability, hostility, irritability, nervousness, nightmares, sleep disturbances, and vivid dreams.
Side effects due to rapid decrease or abrupt withdrawal from Klonopin may include: Abdominal and muscle cramps, behavior disorders, convulsions, depressed feeling, hallucinations, restlessness, sleeping difficulties, tremors
More common side effects in panic disorder may include: Allergic reaction, constipation, coordination problems, depression, dizziness, fatigue, inflamed sinuses or nasal passages, flu, memory problems, menstrual problems, nervousness, reduced thinking ability, respiratory infection, sleepiness, speech problems
Less common or rare side effects in panic disorder may include: Abdominal pain/discomfort, abnormal hunger, acne, aggressive reaction, anxiety, apathy, asthma attack, bleeding from the skin, blood clots, bronchitis, burning sensation, changes in appetite, confusion, coughing, difficulty breathing, dizziness when standing, ear problems, emotional changeability, excessive dreaming, excitement, fever, flushing, fluttery or throbbing heartbeat, frequent bowel movements, gas, general feeling of illness, gout, hair loss, hemorrhoids, hoarseness, increased salivation, indigestion, infections, inflamed stomach and intestines, lack of attention, lack of sensation, leg cramps, loss of taste, male marital problems, migraine, motion sickness, muscle pain/cramps, nightmares, nosebleed, overactivity, pain (anywhere in the body), paralysis, pneumonia, shivering, skin problems, sleep problems, sneezing, sore throat, swelling with fluid retention, swollen knees, thick tongue, thirst, tingling/pins and needles, tooth problems, tremor, twitching, upset stomach, urinary problems, vertigo, vision problems, weight gain or loss, yawning
Klonopin may cause you to become drowsy or less alert; therefore, you should not drive or operate dangerous machinery or participate in any hazardous activity that requires full mental alertness until you know how this drug affects you.
If you have several types of seizures, this drug may increase the possibility of grand mal seizures (epilepsy). Inform your doctor if this occurs. Your doctor may wish to prescribe an additional anticonvulsant drug or increase your dose.
Klonopin can be habit-forming and can lose its effectiveness as you build up a tolerance to it. You may experience withdrawal symptoms--such as convulsions, hallucinations, tremor, and abdominal and muscle cramps--if you stop using this drug abruptly. Discontinue or change your dose only in consultation with your doctor.
Klonopin slows the nervous system and its effects may be intensified by alcohol. Do not drink while taking this medication. Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by clonazepam. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines, or any other seizure medications or benzodiazepines.
If Klonopin is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Klonopin with the following:
Antianxiety drugs such as Valium
Antidepressant drugs such as Elavil, Nardil, Parnate, and Tofranil
Barbiturates such as phenobarbital
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Major tranquilizers such as Haldol, Navane, and Thorazine
Narcotic pain relievers such as Demerol and Percocet
Oral antifungal drugs such as Fungizone, Mycelex, and Mycostatin
Other anticonvulsants such as Dilantin, Depakene, and Depakote
Sedatives such as Halcion
This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with clonazepam. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
If you have epilepsy and must take this medication, avoid Klonopin if at all possible during the first 3 months of pregnancy; there is a risk of birth defects. When taken later in pregnancy, the drug can cause other problems, such as withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, inform your doctor immediately. Klonopin appears in breast milk and could affect a nursing infant. Mothers taking this medication should not breastfeed.
Unless you have a serious risk of having a seizure due to epilepsy during pregnancy that may cause a miscarriage, you must not use Klonopin during pregnancy.
The starting dose should be no more than 1.5 milligrams per day, divided into 3 doses. Your doctor may increase your daily dosage by 0.5 to 1 milligram every 3 days until your seizures are controlled or the side effects become too bothersome. The most you should take in 1 day is 20 milligrams.
The starting dose for infants and children up to 10 years old or up to 66 pounds should be 0.01 to 0.03 milligram--no more than 0.05 milligram--per 2.2 pounds of body weight daily. The daily dosage should be given in 2 or 3 smaller doses. Your doctor may increase the dose by 0.25 to 0.5 milligram every 3 days until seizures are controlled or side effects become too bad. If the dose cannot be divided into 3 equal doses, the largest dose should be given at bedtime. The maximum maintenance dose is 0.1 to 0.2 milligram per 2.2 pounds daily.
The starting dose is 0.25 milligram twice a day. After 3 days, your doctor may increase the dose to 1 milligram daily. Some people need as much as 4 milligrams a day.
For panic disorder, safety and effectiveness have not been established in children under age 18.
Klonopin tends to build up in the body if the kidneys are weak--a common problem among older adults. Higher doses of the drug also tend to cause more drowsiness and confusion in older patients. People over age 65 are therefore started on low doses of Klonopin and watched with extra care.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Any medication taken in excess can have serious consequences. If you suspect an overdose of Klonopin, seek medical attention immediately.
The symptoms of Klonopin overdose may include: Coma, confusion, sleepiness, slowed reaction time, muscle weakness, and fainting. An overdose of Klonopin can be fatal.
Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of Klonopin. This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.