Uses
Clonazepam is benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines are usually recommended for sedation, seizures, and anxiety. Specifically, clonazepam treats seizure disorders. Slows brain nerve cell activity, particularly in the central nervous system.
Note that this drug may have several brand names and formulations. This drug may not work for all conditions. Your doctor may have prescribed this medication for purposes not listed in these drug information articles. Please visit your doctor if you have not discussed its use or are unsure of its purpose. Ask your doctor before quitting this medication.
Never give this medication to someone else, even if they have identical symptoms. Taking this medicine without a prescription is risky.
How to Use
Each person’s clonazepam dosage depends on their seizure control needs. Avoiding coordination issues and drowsiness requires dose customization.
Adults should start clonazepam with 1.5 mg per day, divided into three doses. This method reduces drowsiness and other adverse effects. The dose will be gradually increased by your doctor until your seizures are under control. Adults should take 8–10 mg per day in three doses for maintenance.
For children under 10 or 30 kg, the dose is depending on body weight. Starting dose should be 0.01 mg to 0.03 mg per kilogram of body weight daily, divided into 2–3 doses, with a maximum of 0.05 mg per kilogram. Maintenance doses are normally 0.1 mg to 0.2 mg per kilogram of body weight, adjusted gradually by the doctor until the child’s seizures are under control.
Clonazepam works with or without food. Grapefruit juice might increase clonazepam levels, therefore avoid it while taking it.
Body weight, medical problems, and concomitant drugs can affect medication doses. If your medical professional has prescribed a different dose, do not alter your treatment without first consulting with him or her.
Following your doctor’s orders is crucial. Take a missed dosage immediately and resume your program. Skip the missing dose and continue as usual if your next dose is close. Forgot a dose? Don’t double it. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure what to do after missing a dose.
Keep this medication out of reach of children, at room temperature, and away from light and moisture.
Medication should not be dumped in wastewater or household garbage. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of expired or unused drugs.
Dosage and Strength
0.5 mg tablet:
This pale orange tablet is cylindrical, flat, scored, and bevelled-edged. One side has “ROCHE” over “0.5” and the other is cross-scored.
Each tablet contains 0.5 mg clonazepam.
Cornstarch, iron oxide red and yellow, lactose, magnesium stearate, potato starch, and talc are nonmedicinal ingredients.
2 mg tablet:
This tablet is white, cylindrical, biplane, scored, and beveled. One side has “ROCHE” over “2” and the other is cross-scored.
All tablets contain 2 mg of clonazepam.
Cornstarch, lactose, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose are nonmedicinal ingredients.
Warning
The following people should not use clonazepam:
Patients allergic to clonazepam or its components.
Patients who have had an allergic reaction to lorazepam, diazepam, or oxazepam.
Patients with acute narrow-angle or closed-angle glaucoma.
Myasthenia gravis patients, who have muscle weakness.
People with severe respiratory disorders that clonazepam could worsen, making breathing harder.
Patients with severe liver illness may have high blood levels of clonazepam due to its metabolism and removal.
Patients have sleep apnea, which causes breathing interruptions during sleep.
Open-angle glaucoma patients who are getting prescription treatment may utilize clonazepam.
Side Effects
Many drugs might cause side effects, which are unanticipated reactions to conventional doses. These side effects range in intensity, duration, and durability.
The negative effects listed here are not experienced by all drug users. If side effects worry you, discuss this drug’s risks and advantages with your doctor.
The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of pharmaceutical users. Many of these side effects can be treated, and some may improve naturally.
If these symptoms persist or cause you worry, see your doctor. The pharmacist can also help you manage these adverse effects.
Unsteadiness
Slow response time
Unsteadiness
Drowsiness
Moisture in the mouth
Weak muscles
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Most of the following adverse effects are rare, but they might cause serious problems if ignored. Thus, any of the following side effects require immediate medical attention:
Disorientation, delusions, or reality loss are signs of abnormal thinking.
Anxiety
Behavior changes such aggression, agitation, excitement, anxiousness, and irritation.
Confusion
Increased seizure frequency or new seizures
Cough
Hallucinations—auditory or visual ideas of nonexistent things.
Increased falls
Memory loss from recent occurrences
Sleep problems, nightmares
Depressive symptoms include impaired attention, weight fluctuations, sleep disturbances, diminished interest in activities, and suicidal thoughts.
Symptoms of liver problems include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, loss of appetite, yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine, and pale feces.
If these occurrences occur, stop taking medicine and seek medical attention:
Hives, breathing problems, or mouth, tongue, lip, or throat swelling indicate a serious allergic reaction.
Slow, shallow, or feeble breathing.
Extreme drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech, slow and shallow respiration, loss of balance and coordination, uncontrollable eye rolling, and low blood pressure indicate excessive pharmaceutical use.
Ideas of self-harm or suicide.
Note that some people may experience adverse effects not listed. Thus, if any symptoms arise while using this drug, see your doctor for advice.
Is there any other medicine warning or precaution?
Before using this drug, tell your doctor about any medical conditions or allergies, all medications you’re taking, pregnancy or breastfeeding status, and other health information. These factors may affect how to take this drug.
This medicine should not be taken with alcohol or other sedative medications such antidepressants, sleeping aids, anxiety meds, or narcotic painkillers. This combination can cause drowsiness, impaired respiration, and other dangerous effects, including death. Alcohol and drug addicts should avoid clonazepam unless medically necessary.
Respiratory Function: Clonazepam slows breathing. Pre-existing respiratory issues, cognitive damage, or concurrent use of other respiratory-depressing medicines like codeine or morphine may exacerbate this respiratory impact. If you have serious respiratory troubles, talk to your doctor about clonazepam’s pros and cons.
Coordination Impairment: If you have a medical condition that impairs coordination (e.g., spinal or cerebellar ataxia), consult your doctor about how clonazepam may affect your condition, how your condition may whether it affects pharmaceutical dose and efficacy, and specialized monitoring is needed.
Dependence and Withdrawal: Clonazepam can cause physical dependence, which requires regular dosing to prevent symptoms. A drastic dose reduction or abrupt discontinuation can cause seizures, irritability, nervousness, sleep disturbances, agitation, tremors, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, memory impairment, headache, muscle discomfort, intense anxiety, tension, restlessness, and confusion. Medically supervised dose reduction is key to preventing withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor before abruptly quitting this medication.
Depression: Like other benzodiazepines, clonazepam can cause mood changes and depression. Depressed people or those with a history of depression should see their doctor about this medication’s effects, how their condition may affect the dosing and efficacy of the medication, and whether they need special monitoring. If depression symptoms like poor attention, weight swings, sleep patterns, and decreased interest in activities appear in a family member taking this drug, consult a doctor immediately.
Drowsiness/Reduced Alertness: Clonazepam causes drowsiness and sedation, therefore driving or using machinery should be avoided while taking it. This is especially important when first starting clonazepam and learning how it affects you. Alcohol increases drowsiness, so avoid it.
Grapefruit juice might raise clonazepam levels, therefore avoid it while taking it.
Kidney Function: Impaired kidney function or kidney disease might cause this medicine to accumulate in the body and cause negative effects. Individuals with Talk to your doctor about this medication’s effects if you have kidney disease. how their condition may affect the dosing and efficacy of the medication, and whether specialized monitoring is needed.
This medicine contains lactose. If you have genetic lactose intolerance, talk to your doctor about other treatments.
Liver Function: People with liver disease or compromised liver function should discuss the health effects of this medicine with their doctor. how it may affect the medication’s dosing and efficacy, and whether specialized monitoring is needed. This drug is not recommended for severe liver dysfunction.
This medicine may impair recent memory. If you have memory impairment while using this medicine, consult your doctor.
Porphyria: If you have porphyria, talk to your doctor about this drug may influence your condition, how your condition may affect the medication’s dosing and efficacy, and whether specialized monitoring is needed.
This medicine may worsen or cause new seizures. If your seizures intensify or persist while taking this medicine, tell your doctor.
Clonazepam during pregnancy can increase birth defect risk. Only use this medicine during pregnancy if the benefits outweigh the risks. Do not take this medication if you got pregnant. Ask your doctor immediately. Avoid suddenly stopping medication to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Discuss your alternatives with your doctor and follow their advice.
Breastfeeding: Clonazepam can enter breast milk and harm your baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding while using clonazepam.
Children: Before considering long-term clonazepam use for a child, explore the pros and cons with their doctor. Prolonged use may harm the child’s mental and physical development.
Seniors: This medicine may cause sedation and coordination issues in seniors. These increases fall and fracture risk. This drug may need reduced doses for seniors.
Interaction
Clonazepam may interact with these drugs:
- Alcohol
- Antihistamines (azelastine, cetirizine, doxylamine, diphenhydramine, hydroxyzine, loratadine)
- Chlorpromazine, clozapine, haloperidol, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone are antipsychotic and
- Apalutamide
- Itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole are “azole” antifungals.
- Butalbital, phenobarbital
- Others (alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam)
- Brimonidine
- Buprenorphine
- Cannabis
- Chloral hydrate
- Clarithromycin
- Clonidine
- Cobicistat
- Deferasirox
- Entacapone
- Enzalutamide
- Esketamine
- General anesthetics
- A grapefruit juice
- Idelalasib
- Kava
- Lemborexant
- Luminacaftor, ivacaftor
- Maprotiline
- Melatonin
- Methadone
- Metoclopramide
- Mifepristone
- Mirtazapine
- Mitotane
- Baclofen, cyclobenzaprine, methocarbamol, orphenadrine relax muscles.
- Codeine, oxycodone, morphine, tapentadol, tramadol
- Nabilone
- Pramipexole
- Pregabalin
- Rifampin
- Ropinirole
- Sarilumab
- Scopolamine
- Epilepsy drugs (clobazam, carbamazepine, levetiracetam, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, topiramate, valproic acid, zonisamide)
- Siltuximab
- Tetrahydrocannabinol
- Thalidomide
- Aminophyllines, oxtriphyllines, theophyllines
- Tocilizumab
- Valerian Zolpidem
- Zopiclone
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you use these drugs. Your doctor may examine these choices, depending on your situation:
- Medication discontinuation.
- Switching medicines.
- Changing medicine dosage or delivery.
- Keeping the same drug regimen.
Interactions between drugs do not require their discontinuation. Discuss drug interactions with your doctor.
Prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal drugs should also be disclosed. Disclose any dietary supplements or other substances, such as caffeine and nicotine from cigarettes or street drugs, that may affect prescription efficacy and interactions. Inform your prescriber of such use.
