I got a crick in my neck on Saturday and it has progressively gotten worse and has now moved into my should and back. Nothing is touching the pain. Just trying to get some relief. I’m also using heat.
Can I take a vicodin if I take Klonopin?
Question posted by Mommauvthree on 25 April 2023
Last updated on 27 April 2023 by smchurch
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4 Answers
smchurch
27 April 2023
Yes you can, but check with your Doctor(s) to be certain that they are aware, then use the minimal possible! If you haven't been on Vicodin, thus little tolerance already established, is where the danger lies should it depress your your breathing, etc.! Hope you feel better soon, Stephen Church
Satori3636
27 April 2023
Yes, as long as you take the prescribed doses only. Combining these two meds in high doses can cause coma or death.
Also as someone pointed out (I know you didn't ask for this next Novella but as the previous poster stated I would hate for anyone including my worst enemy to go through what I went through. Unless someone kills your mother, no one should ever go through what I went through.) benzo withdrawal can be very very, very dangerous. I know this personally and like the person who spoke up earlier, I went through all seven levels of hell and spent about 6 months in the seventh level. When I had to wean off of clonazepam, it took 18 months. You can only safely (according to psychiatrists) reduce your dose by 10 to 12% every 4 to 6 weeks.
Any faster than that and you will likely experience withdrawal from extreme anxiety to physical shaking (tremors) to diarrhea to vomiting and severe headache and stomach aches to high blood pressure and pulse. Stopping very quickly or completely will increase these symptoms 100-fold. Plus you can add heart attack, stroke, seizures
(which I had and almost killed me. It took me 2 years to stop having dreams about Xanax after abruptly quitting 6mg/daily - a dose not actually recommended by the manufacturer or the FDA. My doctor kept upping my dose because the effects of Xanax quickly become ineffective (he should have switched me to Klonopin) and you need more and more for it to keep working. The more you take the more you need and the more your brain fights back to get what it needs, not wants, needs. Xanax in particular amongst benzos (but NOT exclusively-all benzos pose these threats) quickly, efficiently, and very effectively changes your brain chemistry and activity on a fundamental level and also more than other benzos tends to cause seizures when stopped or reduced too quickly. After my seizure I spent the next several weeks in In-Patient medical detox)
and even death. Yes, you read that correctly, you can just drop dead. You will also likely wish for death (I certainly did). These withdrawal dangers (let's not even call them symptoms) can last for months and months.
So, yes, take them together if you need to but what some of us are saying (unsolicited we understand) is that you should do everything possible to not take benzos regularly.
ggeolas
25 April 2023
Your Dr may feel the justification for putting you on benzos but Dr never tell you the downside of taking these medication that is coming off them and the major problem it is coming off these drugs that make major changes to your body I wish I had never taken any benzos I am now in the process of weaning off these drugs and it is hell twice over and can take months to withdraw from these drugs and most Drs don't have the patience to withdraw you in a safe manner I wish someone would have told me the trouble weaning off these drugs and the trouble weaning off I would have NEVER come close to taking them
masso
25 April 2023
What you mention about coming off benzos I completely agree with you 1000%, but the question is actually about if these 2 medications can be taken together safely with no potential interactions not discontinuing/stopping the benzo.
Have a nice day, masso
ggeolas
25 April 2023
You are right I just wanted to also make him aware of what he would go thru if he was to decide to take these medications there is a definite safety concern as you have so correctly pointed out to him and didn't mean to discount your comments related to the safety issues taking these drugs
masso
25 April 2023
Taking the meds you mention there is a potential major interaction between the opioid (vicodin) and the benzodiazepine (klonopin), this means the following, not trying to alarm you, just give you the facts:
Major Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit.
Interactions between your drugs
Major
clonazePAM HYDROcodone
Applies to: Klonopin (clonazepam), Vicodin (acetaminophen / hydrocodone)
Using narcotic pain or cough medications together with other medications that also cause central nervous system depression can lead to serious side effects including respiratory distress, coma, and even death. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Your doctor may be able to prescribe alternatives that do not interact, or you may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring to safely use both medications.
Do not drink alcohol or self-medicate with these medications without your doctor's approval, and do not exceed the doses or frequency and duration of use prescribed by your doctor. Also, because these medications may cause dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and impairment in judgment, reaction speed and motor coordination, you should avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how they affect you. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.
Interaction report:
https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=703-357,71-747
If the prescriber is aware you are taking Klonopin and still prescribed the pain killer or the other way around, your Dr. most likely is aware of this potential interaction, although as it is a potential major interaction, and you read what "major" means I can not tell you he/she outweighed the opposite that the benefit is greater than the risk.
I suggest you contact your Dr. and clarify this situation before taking the meds.
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