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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mist on November 26, 2001, at 2:03:22
I have been taking clonazepam for three days now. I took half a milligram a little while ago. I find it useful for relaxing in social situations, including phone calls which might otherwise make me nervous, and making me more more talkative (I'm usually too quiet).
However, it makes me feel unsteady when I walk sometimes. I feel like I'm listing over to one side or the other, or forward. The less I take the less this happens, of course. One milligram at a time feels like too much for me. I wish it came in 1/4 milligram tablets because it's hard to cut it exactly evenly. I'd rather take 1/4 milligram at a time.
For social anxiety I find it better than alcohol (which I don't like very much anyway--too dehydrating) because it doesn't impair my functioning. I can think clearly and do things on this medication that I can't when under the influence of alcohol. It doesn't have the fun alcohol high, though, (which I don't always get with alcohol anyway but sometimes I do get a kind of euphoria with a glass of wine) so it's a trade off.
I'm also wondering if I should get klonopin instead of the generic. Is there a difference?
Finally, I truly hope the clonazepam doesn't make me more depressed. My main problem is depression and I am deathly afraid of anything that might exacerbate it.
Posted by gheld on November 26, 2001, at 8:47:31
In reply to clonazepam - unsteadiness, posted by mist on November 26, 2001, at 2:03:22
You might buy a pill cutter at any pharmacy. They cost a couple of bucks and work great for cutting Klonopin as well as other medications.
Klonopin can have exaggerated effects when starting on it but these will level out over a while.
It seems to me that taking a whole milligram at a time is overkill in most cases. Remember that it can take up to an hour to get the full effect of a dose; so unless you're in total panic mode it would make sense to take a quarter mg or a half mg, wait and see the effect of that then take more if you need to. Your doc should have discussed all this with you. If not, go back to him or to your pharmacist and get enough information to get comfortable with what you're doing.
Meanwhile, here's a pointer to a monograph on Klonopin. When you get to this URL scroll down the medications list until you get to Klonopin and click on it.
Posted by Greg on November 26, 2001, at 9:16:25
In reply to clonazepam - unsteadiness, posted by mist on November 26, 2001, at 2:03:22
> I have been taking clonazepam for three days now. I took half a milligram a little while ago. I find it useful for relaxing in social situations, including phone calls which might otherwise make me nervous, and making me more more talkative (I'm usually too quiet).
>
> However, it makes me feel unsteady when I walk sometimes. I feel like I'm listing over to one side or the other, or forward. The less I take the less this happens, of course. One milligram at a time feels like too much for me. I wish it came in 1/4 milligram tablets because it's hard to cut it exactly evenly. I'd rather take 1/4 milligram at a time.
>
> For social anxiety I find it better than alcohol (which I don't like very much anyway--too dehydrating) because it doesn't impair my functioning. I can think clearly and do things on this medication that I can't when under the influence of alcohol. It doesn't have the fun alcohol high, though, (which I don't always get with alcohol anyway but sometimes I do get a kind of euphoria with a glass of wine) so it's a trade off.
>
> I'm also wondering if I should get klonopin instead of the generic. Is there a difference?
>
> Finally, I truly hope the clonazepam doesn't make me more depressed. My main problem is depression and I am deathly afraid of anything that might exacerbate it.mist,
I just recently started the klonopin too (about 5 days) and am experiencing some of the unsteadiness you are talking about. If it doesn't pass in another couple of days, I'm going to call my doc about it. I take .5 mgs twice daily and tried 1 mg the other day and found it to be complete overkill... The pill cutter is an excellent idea. Also the next time you see your doc you could ask him to rx the .5 mg tabs, they are scored across the center and can be broken evenly for 1/4 mg use.
I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't imagine that there would be much difference between the generic and the name brand. But I'm definitely not experienced in these matters and you should ask your doc and pharmacist to be sure. Teva USA is the manufacturer of my generic and it seems to work great.
I haven't noticed any increase in depression since starting the klonopin, I'm keeping my fingers crossed...for both of us.
Good luck,
Greg
Posted by mist on November 26, 2001, at 22:42:07
In reply to clonazepam - unsteadiness, posted by mist on November 26, 2001, at 2:03:22
Posted by Mark H. on November 28, 2001, at 18:27:13
In reply to Re: clonazepam - unsteadiness, posted by Greg on November 26, 2001, at 9:16:25
Yup, me too. I find half of a 0.5 mg tablet to be about right. If I take a whole one, I can't get up in the morning. So yes, Greg's advice is right on: ask your doctor to prescribe the 0.5 mg size, and just break them in two.
Good luck!
Mark H.
This is the end of the thread.
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