What happens if you combine Klonopin and caffeine at the same time?

My new work schedule is 4 pm until 8 am, after a 6 hour drive to get there. They are determined to bleed everything they possibly can out of me. I'm on the second day of this work schedule, managed maybe 4-5 hours sleep which meant that my melatonin didn't wear off before I had to start working again. Oh, and I ran out of celexa last week and can't get any more refills because I have no insurance and can't afford a doctor visit.

I got triggered and was having flashbacks to another job where I stood up to an abusive, power hungry director, so she set me up to get assaulted by one of the youth in the residential treatment program. Now I work at a different program, and they complain that I hesitate too much about intervening when another staff member is out of control.

Tonight, one of the girls in this program was having a bad day, and I was warned to watch her closely because she had threatened to try to attack and hurt staff. That trigger brought up the old memories and I saw clearly, much more than before, how that director had arranged for me to be supervising the girl who was threatening to hurt staff in general and me specifically. The girl was increasingly verbally aggressive and disrespectful, and I was instructed to "take her down" the next time she was verbally disrespectful. I was assigned to watch that girl and two others while they cleaned the downstairs classroom and all of the other youth and staff were upstairs. The girl hit me over the head repeatedly with a blunt object, and I couldn't grab her arm fast enough to stop her. There was nobody within earshot to help or back me up. That director intended for it to be that way. I never saw that so clearly before.

I couldn't get that out of my mind, and I started crying in front of the girls I'm working with here, and I couldn't stop. And I still had the whole night to keep on working. I don't use my Klonopin often at all (which is why I still have it), and only used it while I was working once before, under extreme circumstances. Tonight I needed to get the flashbacks under control so I could stop crying, but also stay awake and alert for the rest of the night, on very little sleep (and no appetite and haven't eaten in at least 24 hours either, not that I had any time to).

So, back to the question, what happens if I take Klonopin and caffeine at the same time? I went with just the Klonopin, and I'm dizzy and wobbly and not functioning very well. I have some energy gum with 80 mg of caffeine per serving. Would they cancel each other out, or make everything worse somehow, or what?

(((Rapunzel))) I'm sorry for all that has happened and is happening!

When I had extreme anxiety about going to therapy, and talking once there, I found a combination of a bit of Xanax with a strong cup of coffee worked for me. The Xanax did it's job, but instead of making me tired (I rarely take it, and usually only a portion of the small .5mg dose) it just relaxed me and then the coffee gave me energy and made me feel like talking.

So, I say do what you have to do. I don't know anything about Klonopin, so I don't know if you can take less than a full dose, but maybe that would be better since you are already sleep deprived. (*Sorry, re-read and realized that you already took the Klonopin. I am still sleepy headed I guess.)

Gosh that is a long shift after a long drive Somehow, you really need to get your necessary hours of sleep. It is so important.

Caffeine + Klonopin (clonazapam - a benzodiazapine) =

Caffeine -a stimulant - actually REMOVES Klonopin (a depressant) from its' receptors thus undoing what it - the Klonopin - was meant to do - help with panic and anxiety. Caffeine is not something I would recommend if you have panic or anxiety disorders.

Jerry

Any suggestions for surviving this schedule on shift work without caffeine? Just finished my third day of it, with maybe 10 hours of sleep total in the last three days. After finishing yesterday's night shift (the one when I took my Klonopin to fight the flashbacks), I crashed for a couple of hours, dreamed about being dizzy and falling down a lot and getting run over by a stampede of cattle while my ex watched and was entertained. I thought I needed more Klonopin (it had been 10 hours since taking it), but I woke up and was actually that dizzy, so I decided against it, but couldn't sleep anymore and then had to be on shift again. Couldn't get anything done last night because I was so tired.

((((((((((((( Rap )))))))))))))
I agree with Echoes, you somehow need to get more sleep!
How are things going now?

Staying at that job was self-destructive. They kept wanting more and more, and when I tried to point out that they didn't seem to understand what they were asking, I was told that we were all in the same boat. I couldn't keep functioning that way. Last weekend, I was up for 26 hours one day, only managed maybe 3 hours sleep, was up for 32 hours, and drove home. I pushed myself more at the end, not sure if I was trying to make a point, or just get something done and prove that I could. Anyway, last weekend was my last weekend there, by mutual decision. I can't work that way, and I'm not going back. So, now I don't have a job. Back to the drawing board. I am working on getting my sleep schedule normalized again now. Avoiding any more caffeine than there is in a glass of green tea, and haven't used klonopin either in a few days. Using St. John's Wort, valerian, Sam-E, and sometimes melatonin to try to get some balance and maintain it. Light therapy too, but not consistently enough. It is really hard to wake up in the morning, or to be able to sleep when it is bedtime.

I use ashwanganda and holy basil for controlling cortisol...

...Rapunzel, try something I use alot... when I'm not sleeping but need to... especially when I've been up nearly all night and have an early day, so maybe I only have 3 hours to sleep? As I fall asleep I tell myself (self hypnosis) that I will wake and feel refreshed and just as though I'd had 8-10 hours of sleep.

It helps me through the morning... but I always get to crash in the afternoon..

I think you would have to add in staying alert, feeling energetic etc.

Have you tried guarana? (Have we had this discussion before?)

How is your UT job search going? Can you find any job at all, and then find someone to supervise you and counsel people for free, just to finish you time? Whew...I wish I could recall all this stuff what you've shared etc. but then, if I could do that I might be able to work (aside from the pain)

Good to hear from you. Sorry I missed your earlier post.

Rap give yourself time. I think you just became so fatigued it is going to take some time to feel well rested. I'm glad you don't have to do that anymore, and I will keep you in my thoughts for finding a new job that won't interfere with your needed sleep!

I've had one interview so far. I also posted an update in the supporters forum, with a little more information.

I've used guarana a little bit. I have some herb tea and also some mints that have it. I have some essential oils too. A blend with lavender that I use sometimes in the evening, and another that has tangerine and I don't remember what else - the tangerine is the predominant scent. How do you use ashwanganda and holy basil?

I can't remember all of what we have talked about before either. It's been more than 6 years now! It's ok if things come up over again.

Thanks everyone for the support and advice. Energy would be nice to have, too.

I just take the ashwanganda 16:1 concentrated potency 250 mg and holy basil 600mg in capsule forms... They help control cortisol, which, well you know, is dumped into the body from stress, and causes all sorts of problems.

They help me calm down too (I don't feel drugged at all)...so maybe will help you get to sleep naturally?

The guarana is what they are putting into the energy drinks, like redbull... but I think they are doing that poorly. I keep it around because it also clears my body of all phlegm, mucous etc...and helps with inflammation, so it's my go-to "drug" when I have an allergic reaction that threatens my breathing. It's a natural adrenalin I guess? Check it out before using I guess.

I combine them everyday and it does nothing negative to me.

That simply is not true.