Clonazepam Patient Tips

How it works

Clonazepam acts on nerve cells to calm abnormal electrical activity within the brain. It is in the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines.

Upsides

• May be useful short-term in some anxiety disorders such as panic disorder or in the treatment of certain seizure disorders (for example, Lennox Gastaut). May also be used off-label, that is, prescribed for conditions that are not FDA-approved but may be well established.

Downsides

If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include:

• Drowsiness and unsteadiness upon standing, increasing the risk of falls.
• May impair reaction skills and affect a person's ability to drive or operate machinery. Avoid alcohol.
• Do not use clonazepam if you have severe liver disease or acute narrow-angle glaucoma.
• Side effects such as body aches and pains, palpitations, memory disturbance, headache, and tiredness have all been reported.
• Can cause emotional or physical dependence.
• Withdrawal symptoms (including convulsions, tremor, cramps, vomiting, sweating, or insomnia) may occur with abrupt discontinuation; taper off slowly under a doctor's supervision.
• As with other anticonvulsants, clonazepam may increase risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior which may be noticeable as early as 1 week following administration.
• Women should not breastfeed their baby while receiving clonazepam.
• Lower doses may be required in the elderly.

Notes: In general, seniors or children, people with certain medical conditions (such as liver or kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, seizures) or people who take other medications are more at risk of developing a wider range of side effects. For a complete list of all side effects, click here.

Bottom Line

Clonazepam may reduce seizure frequency in specific seizure disorders and can be used short-term in panic disorder; however, it can cause dependence and withdrawal symptoms on discontinuation.

Tips

• Do not take clonazepam for longer than 9 weeks without speaking with your doctor first. However, do not discontinue suddenly without your doctor's advice.
• Swallow regular-release tablets whole with water.
• For orally disintegrating tablets, open pouch and peel back foil on the blister; do not push tablet through foil. Use dry hands to remove tablet and place in mouth; it will dissolve rapidly in saliva. After dissolving, may be swallowed with or without water.
• If your mood changes, or you experience depression or a worsening of depression, talk with your doctor.
• Do not use clonazepam if you are allergic to it or other benzodiazepines like alprazolam, lorazepam, or oxazepam.
• Do not start or discontinue clonazepam during pregnancy without speaking to your provider first.

Response and Effectiveness

Onset of action is usually 20-60 minutes. Peak effects reached in 1-4 hours.