Expert: Lauro Amezcua-Patino, MD - 1/5/2006

Question
Since you cannot answer this- perhaps can you tell me
if klonopin is bad for you on a long term basis and
can anything besides addiction.



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Followup To
Question -
Hi-
I have been on this medicine since June 04-I have weaned myself down from 2mg to 1.5-1.25. I have doing ok- I stay on the lower dose for at least 4 weeks-but when I get stressed out I feel
anxious.  I worry about sleep-because that's how my attacks started, when I tried to go to sleep.
This happen to me 11 years ago-I was on the same
medication and weaned my self off after my mom
passed away in 1995.  I was off this medication
for 9 years-then my sons got married 8 weeks apart, I had a D&C, I passed out and had many tests, all was fine and then they thought my husband had prostrate cancer- everything was going wrong-and then the attacks started in June 04.
Am I doing the right thing weaning off-the doc
really doesn't want me too.
Any advice.
Debbie
Answer -
Sorry Debbie,

I can not give you advice about medication instructions, since I am not the one who prescribed the medication. You should see or talk to the physician who prescribed your medication.

Answer
Dear Debbie,

Klonopin belongs to a family of medications known as benzodiazepines, other medications in this family include Valium, Ativan, Librium, Restoril, Xanax and others.
This medications work in your brain in a receptor know as GABA, the same receptor that is involved in intoxication with alcohol.
Over time, you are likely to develop tolerance, meaning that you will need a higher dose to exert the same effect, you may also suffer from withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking suddenly. So you are likely to develop physical dependency to the medication, even if you are not abusing it. In general these classes of medications are not indicated for long term use, however, in some circumstances, they are used long term, because they are the only medication that work for some patients.