Klonopin. Gonna try it. What should I know?

[NYGirl]

Ok. Done trying to go back on Zoloft for GAD. Gonna try
the Klonopin like the dr suggested.  What should I know?
She wrote the script for .25mg in the morn and .25mg at night.
Thoughts? Side effects? Have you been on it? For how long?
Thx!

[lcfrogs]

I just started taking it and it doesn't really work for me. It takes at least an hour to kick in for most people. I feel drowsy a couple of hours after taking it, but the anxiety stays severe and so I cannot fall asleep. Hopefully you will have better luck with it than I have.

[jay8510]

Works for me. Kicks in about a half hour after taking it. Works for anxiety but not depression. You shouldn't take it for to long as it is habit forming. .25 mg is quite a small dose but should work for awhile. It will make you drowsy, but it will ease your anxiety (at least for me it did)

[NYGirl]

Thank you both!   Only have anxiety, no depression.
Thinking I may only take it at night since my days are usually
good!  Maybe I'll finally get a good nights sleep!  Lol

[insights]

Maybe I'll finally get a good nights sleep!  Lol

If your anxiety levels are tolerable then please don't take Klonopin just to help you sleep. Its sedating effects soon wear off so it is only a very short term solution, plus there are better sleep aids. For example, the antidepressant trazodone (Desyrel) which at low doses doesn't have any antidepressant properties, but is highly sedating. It may also counteract some of the long term antidepressant side-effects such as sexual dysfunction.

Ian

[NYGirl]

Thanks Ian. No I'm not gonna take Klonopin just for sleep.
I have anxiety which is why I'll be taking it.  I fall asleep ok
but sometimes wake up at 4am with my mind bouncing all over.
I'm usually good during the day when I'm busy, but it's the nights
when my mind starts!

[stevo1111]

If you can get yourself through a busy day, it is likely that you don't need Klonopin. It really is effective at giving those who cannot get through life a chance to escape their chains and function in society. It is also good at blocking panic if you go through a spell of it. If you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps, options like: therapy, exercise, mediation and lifestyle changes- are usually enough to help you feel more comfortable. In mild to moderate cases, we may build up anxiety to be a terrible huge monster when really it is no more than running on sore muscles, an uncomfortable nuisance.

As Ian said, if you have sleep issues trazodone or elavil are likely a better first line option. I mention elavil because at low doses you may gain some anti-anxiety benefits also without many nasty side effects. I find trazodone to knock me out!

[jay8510]

I am taking trazadone right now and its a great sleep aid, but you do feel cloudy when you wake up. I usually only take 25-50 mg.

[NYGirl]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

[laineyk]

ICFROGS, I have the exact same response to klonopin...what have you found that works?