I just started klonopin three days ago, I was just wondering how long it takes my body to adjust to it so I'm not always so tired and drunk feeling? Anyone have experience with taking this daily? It is working, which I'm extremely thankful for, but I still can't do any driving or really leaving the house because I'm so exhausted and off balance, just hoping that will come to an end. Any advice would be great!
Thanks!

Hi KDN -

I think Klonopin is similar to Xanax, and I can offer my experience with Xanax.

I also felt tired when I first started taking it, but I realized that what I was really feeling was an absence of the tension and anxiety that had become "normal" for me!

When I set my mind to do things, exercise, walk around, attempt that regular, normal life I was looking for, I found it was pretty easy to get going!

It was not just my attitude, but my attitude did have a lot to do with it. If I remember correctly you've also had some fears about medication ... so that is kind of like an extra hit of anxiety. The Klonopin may be working and relieving you of those symptoms and the comparison feeling is exhausted and loopy.

Try to sit quietly for a few minutes. Eyes closed and just breathing. Let yourself really experience the absence of Anxiety and Panic. Let yourself really feel what its like to 'be okay' for a few minutes.

Then, take some deep breaths and tackle one small job -- cleaning out a drawer, making peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, walking around the block. Not a marathon, not a sit-down-dinner-for-20, not painting the whole house in one day. Just a simple task. Put on some music. Encourage your kids to help or to sit nearby and color.

Let yourself do some of those things that you imagine were only a dream -- accomplishing normal things in a normal way without feeling anxious and afraid. THIS is what the meds are so good for!

After two or three days of being VERY conscious of doing this, it will become more natural and you'll start getting used to the feeling of no anxiety!

Yay!

Keep us posted, okay?

Love,

Ceejay

Thank you Ceejay.I just hate feeling so tired, and am really hoping it passes. I am enjoying the lack of constant anxiety like I was feeling before, but the drunk feeling isn't great either lol. I'm going to give my doc a call tomorrow when they open and see if I can try a half of pill and see if it still keeps me calm without knocking me out. I've also noticed that when the klonopin is close to wearing off I get very agitated, I don't know if maybe that's just my anxiety coming out and the tensness that I'm used to, but I hope that will too stop after awhile. Thanks again for the advice I really appreciate it!

You're probably pretty sensitive to the meds ... and also sensitive to your own adrenaline! Which is why it is really, really important for you to learn how to do some kind of self-calming, meditative breathing!!

I think it will help your transitions in and out of the meds ... and also help you feel like you're not on the end of a yo-yo!!



Hugs love to you here at the end of the summer! If you get a chance sometime how about a nice, newsy blog post and catch us up on your life!!

Maybe we should all plan to have a live chat some evening and catch up!! Crazy Kitty is about 6 weeks from having a baby and lrouse has moved and lamy has moved and earthmama has moved... wow ...that's lots of moving!!

Hi KDN~I have been taking Klonopin PRN for awhile. Sometimes I get that "high" feeling for 20 minutes or so and get really tired. This happened more when I first started taking it though. Sometimes the tiredness kicks in hours later and I can absolutely not stay awake. Other times I take it and I just have a relief from the anxiety.

From what I have learned about Klonopin, it is sometimes taken in smaller doses several times a day to treat severe anxiety, kind of more therapeutic treatment rather than PRN, like xanax. I think klonopin lasts longer and doesn't necessarily have quite the same fast acting effect of xanax. I believe it stays in the body longer and has less of an addictiveness to it than xanax. lamy