Clonazepam making me very sleepy

Black101 · Mar 22, 2020, 09:35 AM

I was prescribed klonopin a few days ago for my panic disorder. It is highly effective but the drug is making me sleepy for many hours after taking it. The Doc suggested that I take it in divided doses, but now I'm thinking of taking it once at bed time due to the drowsiness effect. Would it still be effective throughput the day if I only took it once?

Yaowen · Mar 22, 2020, 01:03 PM

Klonopin makes me sleepy for hours too, Black101. My prescribing physician told me it has a long half-life in the body. I think I remember that he said it can remain in the body for 2 days but I could be wrong. I am not a physician or any of kind of medical professional, so please do NOT rely on anything I might say. I use Klonopin for breakthrough panic attacks that do not respond to cognitive therapy techniques. I sure hopes it helps you. Panic disorder is such a cruel and barbaric illness. My heart goes out to you! -- Yao Wen

Black101 · Mar 22, 2020, 01:12 PM

Thanks for responding. How are you dealing with this drowsiness? Have you tried taking it only once instead of divided doses?

bpcyclist · Mar 22, 2020, 02:43 PM

I had to stop it finally. It puts me in a coma.

possum220 · Mar 22, 2020, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black101

I was prescribed klonopin a few days ago for my panic disorder. It is highly effective but the drug is making me sleepy for many hours after taking it. The Doc suggested that I take it in divided doses, but now I'm thinking of taking it once at bed time due to the drowsiness effect. Would it still be effective throughput the day if I only took it once?

Depends on the dose. I take two thirds of this medication at night and the other third in the morning. I hope you can find a system that works for you.

splitimage · Mar 23, 2020, 07:13 AM

I was taking it multiple times a day, and fortunately found it didn't make me too drowsy, but I was used to it. I'm now on a much lower dose, and I only take it at night, but it still seems to work throughout the day.

splitimage

Mar 29, 2020, 09:48 AM

I take mine at night, though mine is a very small dose. Way back when when I took larger doses (i.e. 2 mg per day) it made me overly tired. Horribly so!

Frankly, I hate Klonopin's guts and wish it had never been prescribed for me. I much prefer Ativan. Ativan works well and quick for me and doesn't make me tired during the day, though it can aid with sleep if taken at night.

My pdoc refuses to take me off my small dose of Klonopin, after being on it for 10 years. I think it does squat, nowadays. I am in "Klonopin Jail", as I call it.

I do still have Ativan as an "as needed" benzo, in addition to Klonopin. I try to only take it when coping skills fail me. I have had to be weaned off daily Ativan in the past. It was tough, but I have heard that weaning off Klonopin can be harder.

tree7car · Apr 02, 2020, 07:21 PM

I take the extended release and haven't had the sleepiness problem. I wonder if you could try that type instead? Idk. Worth a discussion with your Pdoc to talk it through.