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#1
Jun 09, 2014, 08:52 PM
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I was told today that I should take Klonopin regularly, if I'm going to take it, rather than as needed. The reason being that not taking it on a schedule makes my body go through withdrawals. Has anyone ever heard this?
BTW, the person who told me this is not a medical professional.
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BP2 w/major depression Klonopin Seroquel |
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#2
Jun 09, 2014, 08:59 PM
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Maybe you should ask someone who is a medical professional? All you're going to get from us are more opinions from non-medical professionals.
That said, I've been prescribed Klonopin PRN before and didn't experience withdrawal if I didn't take it regularly. If you take it once or twice a week your body isn't going to be dependent on it.
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Bipolar I with psychotic features/GAD/Transgender (male pronouns please) Seroquel/Abilify/Risperidone/Testosterone My Bipolar Poetry Anthology Underneath this skin there's a human Buried deep within there's a human And despite everything I'm still human I think that I'm still human |
 BipolaRNurse
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#3
Jun 09, 2014, 09:11 PM
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klonopin can be addicting if you take it regularly. it is routinely prescribed prn. talk to your doctor for more information. I took it for a year regularly and had a very difficult time weaning myself off of it. I went thru withdrawals. now I only take it when my anxiety is really bad and I cannot tolerate it any longer. I never experience withdrawals from taking one as needed. again, your doctor can educate you on the proper way to take it. take care
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#4
Jun 09, 2014, 09:39 PM
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I take Klonopin only on the nights when I don't want to be sleepless and freaking out the next day.
Seriously, I've been on benzodiazepines for about a dozen years and doubt I'll ever come off. I started back when I was going through perimenopause and never stopped, although I did progress from Ativan to Klonopin (which is longer-acting than Ativan). My advice to you is to use it sparingly so you don't become physically and psychologically dependent on it, like I am.
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DX: Bipolar 1 Anxiety Tardive dyskinesia Mild cognitive impairment RX: Celexa 20 mg Gabapentin 1200 mg Geodon 40 mg AM, 60 mg PM Klonopin 0.5 mg PRN Lamictal 500 mg Levothyroxine 125 mcg (rx'd for depression) Trazodone 150 mg Zyprexa 7.5 mg Please come visit me @ http://bpnurse.com |
| Hbomb0903
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#5
Jun 09, 2014, 09:59 PM
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Is a low dose .5 1x daily and .5 prn considered habituated? I do find that I've been able to come off it before ( had some level of Rx for many years) but when I'm cycling I am sleepless without it. I don't usually take all if the pen just the .5 at night.
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Bipolar II - ADHD ~A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?~ Albert Einstein |
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#6
Jun 09, 2014, 10:17 PM
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My sister's psychiatrist took her off Klonopin after she'd been on it twice daily for a couple of years. He did it slowly by reducing the dosage, then dropped it to once daily, and then off. This is a woman who LOVES her drugs and has an enormous capacity for them, and she's doing fine off the Klonopin.
With mine, however, he won't take me off because I have a LOT of anxiety wrapped up in bipolar, and even so I'm on a very small dose. I occasionally need the PRN Ativan but only once or twice every few months. Your mileage may vary, but if you want to be off Klonopin when you're not cycling it sounds like you can do it pretty easily. The fewer meds, the better, as long as you're not struggling with the illness.
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DX: Bipolar 1 Anxiety Tardive dyskinesia Mild cognitive impairment RX: Celexa 20 mg Gabapentin 1200 mg Geodon 40 mg AM, 60 mg PM Klonopin 0.5 mg PRN Lamictal 500 mg Levothyroxine 125 mcg (rx'd for depression) Trazodone 150 mg Zyprexa 7.5 mg Please come visit me @ http://bpnurse.com |
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#7
Jun 10, 2014, 05:40 AM
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Generally it is prescribed as a prn, but my psychiatrist has me take one at least once a day and I'm allowed to take a second one because I have severe anxiety (hives, diarrhea, rashes, etc.) I only take 0.25mg which is very small dose though and I use chamomile tea to try to quell my anxiety.
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"Unable are the Loved to die For Love is Immortality" -Emily Dickinson |
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#8
Jun 10, 2014, 08:49 AM
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I have very high anxiety and had been taking .5 4Xdaily for 2 years. It was just dropped down to 1mg at bedtime a few weeks ago and I seem to be ok.
Now my daughter can tolerate it but can't take it because she's addicted to it and abuses it. It can be very addictive.
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The struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow Don't give up |
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#9
Jun 10, 2014, 11:43 AM
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I have only taken it PRN. I didn't get withdrawals because my body wasn't getting it all the time. Lately Ive taken it PRN for sleep aid because I wasn't sleep even with my regular sleep aid.
Don't do anything unless your Dr says so. They know whats best. |
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#10
Jun 10, 2014, 12:29 PM
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The nurse at my doctors office years ago told me the same about xanax bc my anxiety and panic attacks were terrible at the time. I did listen and started taking it 3 times a day then a year later 4 times a day. I dont reccomend this to anyone. Benzos are extremely addictive. I ended up towards the end getting more anxiety from the pills bc it wasnt enough. I had to put myself into rehab to get off of them. It was terrible. I threw up for days and had to be put on anti seizure meds bc withdrawl from benzos can cause bad seizures. While I was in rehab I witnessed a man have one and it scared me really bad. I personally will never use them again. Id say yes they are good for a short period of time but should never be used for longer than a month on a daily basis.
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Crystal  Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe become simple.  Bipolar 1 OCD BPD Anxiety with panic disorder Agorophobia viibryd |
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#11
Jun 10, 2014, 12:51 PM
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I have been prescribe several different benzos including klonopin at different times, it's been prescribed both as several times a day and as a prn, I think it depends on your symptoms and the doc mostly knows how you should use it at any one time. If you are afraid of addiction there are others you can try such as buspar and propranolol
 I've never heard of going into withdrawal from a prn at a low dose. If you were on a high dose then didn't take it that's different.
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Nammu …Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. …... Desiderata Max Ehrmann |
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#12
Jun 10, 2014, 01:12 PM
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You can definitely take K-pin prn. Doing so is better than taking it regularly, which does cause physical dependence. The only potential issue with taking it prn is it can cause your moods to swing, especially if you're bipolar.
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