How Effectiveness is Klonopin & What are Its Side Effects?

It is important to not drink alcohol while you are on klonopin or clonazepam. This medicine, klonopin or clonazepam might become habit forming and you should never give this medicine to anyone.This medicine has to kept at a place no one case access it. It is against the law to sell or give away the medicine to anyone.

Klonopin otherwise known as clonazepam is a benzodiazepine. This is a seizure medicine that also affects unbalanced chemicals in the brain. Klonopin or clonazepam is also known as anti – epileptic drug.

Klonopin or clonazepam is used to effectively treat several seizure disorders in children and adults such as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or absence seizures

Klonopin or clonazepam is also used for effective treatment of panic disorder in adults mainly agoraphobia.

If you have severe liver disease, narrow angle glaucoma or even if you are allergic to similar medicines or Valium, do not use klonopin or clonazepam.

If you have any symptoms that is worsening or new such as suicidal thoughts, unusual changes in behavior or thoughts to hurt yourself, call your doctor immediately.

Do not take klonopin or clonazepam if you have any of these symptoms:

• Sever liver disease
• Narrow-angle glaucoma

Any previous history of allergic reactions to alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), flurazepam, chlordiazepoxide, lorazepam (Ativan) all are benzodiazepine

You need to tell your doctor if you have any of these conditions or symptoms to make klonopin or clonazepam safe for you:

• Glaucoma;
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), bronchitis, asthma, breathing problems, emphysema
• Liver or kidney disease
• History of suicidal behavior or thoughts or depression
• Porphyria ( it is a genetic enzyme disorder which might cause various signs of affecting nervous system or skin
• If you are on narcotic medication like opioid
• History of psychosis, mental illness, addiction or alcohol or drugs

It is common symptom of having suicidal thoughts while having klonopin or clonazepam. Your physician will check your progress at every follow-up consultation. It is important for your caretaker or family members to note your changes in behavior, symptoms and mood

Strictly follow your doctor’s advice in taking klonopin or clonazepam mainly if you are pregnant. It is important that you should not take or stop klonopin or clonazepam without your doctor’s knowledge. If you become pregnant during the treatment tell your doctor. This medicine klonopin or clonazepam might have abilities to harm the unborn baby such as causing feeding problems or breathing problems in the child. Similarly, having seizures at the time of pregnancy can cause harm to the baby and mother.

Your name will be registered in the pregnancy registry, if you are pregnant or become pregnant during the treatment. This is mainly to study the outcome of the effects of klonopin or clonazepam in the baby and pregnancy.

Do not breast feed your child if you are taking klonopin or clonazepam as it might pass through breast milk and harm the child

Children are not to be given klonopin or clonazepam without the doctor’s advice. Klonopin or clonazepam is not to treat anyone below 18 years old for panic disorders.

In older adults, the sedative effects of klonopin or clonazepam will last longer. It is common to have accidental falls mainly in older adults who take this medicine. Therefore you must be careful in dealing with older adults taking this medicine, prevent them from accidental falls

Treatment of Seizure Prophylaxis – General Adult Dosage

Equally divide 1.5 milligrams of klonopin or clonazepam into three doses orally per day. This klonopin or clonazepam dosage might be increased in small amounts such as 0.5 to 1 milligrams one time in every three days till seizures are controlled adequately. Also, until symptoms reduce and does not increase anymore

Maximum dosage: 1 day 20 milligrams

If several anticonvulsants are used it might increase the depressant adverse effects. Klonopin or clonazepam is given alone and also as an adjunct mainly to effectively treat Lennox-Gastaut syndrome also known as petit mal variant and myoclonic and akinetic seizures.

Start dosage: 2 times per day, 0.25 milligrams orally

Maintenance dosage: 1 milligrams every day orally

Maximum klonopin or clonazepam dosage: 4 milligrams everyday orally

• The dosage might be increased by 1 milligrams/day after three days in most patients
• The dosage might be increased or decreased in amount of 0.25 milligrams and 0.125 milligrams two times in every three days till seizures are controlled adequately. Also, until symptoms reduce and doesn’t increase anymore
• In most cases one dosage will be administer at bed time to reduce inconvenience
• The klonopin or clonazepam treatment has to be slowly stopped with decrease of 0.25 milligrams twice every day until the drug is completely withdrawn.

Klonopin or clonazepam is for the treatment of panic disorder without or with agoraphobia.

If you have or experience any of these symptoms such as swelling of tongue, lips, face, throat, difficulty in breathing or hives, you must call your doctor immediately.

If you have any of these worsening or new symptoms also call your doctor, panic attacks, agitated, irritable, feeling impulsive, trouble sleeping, hyperactive (physically or mentally), behavior or mood changes, restless, more depressed, feeling of hurting yourself, suicidal thoughts.

Get immediate medical assistance if you have any of these severe side effects of klonopin or clonazepam:

• Severe drowsiness
• Shallow or weak breathing
• Hallucinations, aggression, confusion
• Worsening or new seizures
• Fluttering in your chest, pounding heartbeats
• Thoughts to hurt yourself or suicide
• Unusual changes in behavior or mood
• Involuntary or unusual eye movements.

Other common side effects of klonopin or clonazepam are:

• Memory problems
• Dizziness
• Depression
• Drowsiness
• Feeling tired is also a side effect of klonopin or clonazepam
• Coordination or balance problems.