Klonopin Information and Uses

Klonopin

Klonopin Overview

Klonopin (generic: clonazepam) is a prescription medication used to treat certain seizure disorders in adults and children, and panic disorder in adults. Klonopin belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines, which help slow brain activity.

This medication comes in tablet and wafer forms and is taken one to three times a day, with or without food. The tablets should be taken with water. The wafers can be taken with or without water.

Common side effects of Klonopin include drowsiness, walking or coordination problems, and dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how Klonopin will affect you. Do not drink alcohol while taking Klonopin.

Uses:

Klonopin is a prescription medicine used to treat certain seizure disorders (epilepsy) in adults and children and panic disorder in adults.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Uses of Klonopin

Klonopin is a prescription medicine used alone or with other medicines to treat:

certain types of seizure disorders (epilepsy) in adults and children
panic disorder with or without fear of open spaces (agoraphobia) in adults

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Side Effects of Klonopin

The most common side effects of Klonopin include:

Drowsiness
Problems with walking and coordination
Dizziness
Depression
Fatigue
Problems with memory

Klonopin can cause serious side effects (see "Drug Precautions").

These are not all the possible side effects of Klonopin. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

Klonopin Interactions

Tell your doctor about the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take any of the following:

amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);
certain antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac), erythromycin (Erythrocin, E-mycin),
antidepressants;
certain antifungal medications such as itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral);
antihistamines;
certain calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others) and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan);
cimetidine (Tagamet);
HIV protease inhibitors including indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), and ritonavir (Norvir, in Kaletra);
medications for anxiety, colds or allergies, mental illness, or pain;
other medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton), phenytoin (Dilantin), or valproic acid (Depakene, Depakote);
muscle relaxants;
nefazodone;
rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);
sedatives;
certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluvoxamine (Luvox);
other sleeping pills;
and tranquilizers.

Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

Tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John's wort.

Klonopin Precautions

Do not stop taking Klonopin without first talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping Klonopin suddenly can cause serious problems.

Klonopin can cause serious side effects, including:

1. Klonopin can slow your thinking and motor skills

Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how Klonopin affects you.
Do not drink alcohol or take other drugs that may make you sleepy or dizzy while taking Klonopin until you talk to your healthcare provider. When taken with alcohol or drugs that cause sleepiness or dizziness, Klonopin may make your sleepiness or dizziness worse.

2. Like other antiepileptic drugs, Klonopin may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500.

Call a healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:

thoughts about suicide or dying
attempt to commit suicide
new or worse depression
new or worse anxiety
feeling agitated or restless
panic attacks
trouble sleeping (insomnia)
new or worse irritability
acting aggressive, being angry, or violent
acting on dangerous impulses
an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania)
other unusual changes in behavior or mood

How can I watch for early symptoms of suicidal thoughts and actions?
- Pay attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings.
- Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled.
  Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you are worried about symptoms.
  
  Suicidal thoughts or actions can be caused by things other than medicines. If you have suicidal thoughts or actions, your healthcare provider may check for other causes.
  
  Do not stop Klonopin without first talking to a healthcare provider.
  
  Stopping Klonopin suddenly can cause serious problems. Stopping Klonopin suddenly can cause seizures that will not stop (status epilepticus).

3. Klonopin may harm your unborn or developing baby.

If you take Klonopin during pregnancy, your baby is at risk for serious birth defects. These defects can happen as early as in the first month of pregnancy, even before you know you are pregnant. Birth defects may occur even in children born to women who are not taking any medicines and do not have other risk factors.
Children born to mothers receiving benzodiazepine medications (including Klonopin) late in pregnancy may be at some risk of experiencing breathing problems, feeding problems, hypothermia, and withdrawal symptoms.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking Klonopin. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Klonopin while you are pregnant.
If you become pregnant while taking Klonopin, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry. You can register by calling 1-888-233-2334. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy.
Klonopin can pass into breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you take Klonopin. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Klonopin or breast feed. You should not do both.

4. Klonopin can cause abuse and dependence.

Do not stop taking Klonopin all of a sudden. Stopping Klonopin suddenly can cause seizures that do not stop, hearing or seeing things that are not there (hallucinations), shaking, and stomach and muscle cramps.
- Talk to your doctor about slowly stopping Klonopin to avoid getting sick with withdrawal symptoms.
- Physical dependence is not the same as drug addiction. Your healthcare provider can tell you more about the differences between physical dependence and drug addiction.

Klonopin is a federally controlled substance (C-IV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Klonopin in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Klonopin may harm others, and is against the law. Tell your doctor if you have ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.

Do not take Klonopin if you:

are allergic to benzodiazepines
have significant liver disease
have an eye disease called acute narrow angle glaucoma

Klonopin Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Klonopin there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Klonopin.

Inform MD

Before you take Klonopin, tell your healthcare provider if you:

have liver or kidney problems
have lung problems (respiratory disease)
have or have had depression, mood problems, or suicidal thoughts or behavior
have any other medical conditions

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking Klonopin with certain other medicines can cause side effects or affect how well they work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider.

Klonopin and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Klonopin may cause harm to your unborn baby.

Klonopin and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. Klonopin may be excreted in human breast milk and may cause harm to your nursing baby.

Klonopin Usage

Take Klonopin exactly as your doctor tells you. Klonopin is available as a tablet or as an orally disintegrating tablet (wafer).
Do not stop taking Klonopin without first talking to your doctor. Stopping Klonopin suddenly can cause serious problems.
Klonopin tablets should be taken with water and swallowed whole.
Klonopin wafers can be taken with or without water.
- Do not open the pouch until you are ready to take Klonopin.
- After opening the pouch, peel back the foil on the blister pack.
- Do not push the wafer through the foil.
- After opening the blister pack, with dry hands, take the wafer and place it in your mouth.
- The wafer will melt quickly.
If you take too much Klonopin, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center right away.

Klonopin Dosage

Take Klonopin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you. Klonopin comes as a tablet and a wafer (orally disintegrating tablet) that dissolves quickly in the mouth. It is usually taken one to three times a day.

Your doctor will likely start you on a low dose of Klonopin and gradually increase your dose. Continue to take Klonopin even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Klonopin without talking to your doctor first.

Klonopin Overdose

If you take too much Klonopin (more than the prescribed amount) call your local Poison Control Center right away.

Forms of Klonopin

Klonopin tablets are available in 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg strengths. Klonopin wafers are available in 0.125 mg, 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg strengths.

Active ingredient: clonazepam

Inactive ingredients:

Tablets:
- 0.5 mg tablets contain lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch, FD&C Yellow No. 6 Lake
- 1 mg tablets contain lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch, FD&C Blue No. 1 Lake and FD&C Blue No. 2 Lake
- 2 mg tablets contain lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch
Wafers: gelatin, mannitol, methylparaben sodium, propylparaben sodium and xanthan gum