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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 12:05:03
I was wondering what everrybody's dosing schedule was. How often you take it, and how at what times of the day/night, also if you take them all in equal doses.
Is there a recommended best way when it comes to the half-life of the med? I suppose the actual dosen't matter as everybody is affected differently, but I've always been insanely tolerant to meds, and I'm on 14mg daily. I take 5mg at around 8AM, 5 mg at around 1-2 PM, and then 4mg at around 6-7 PM. Thing is it tends to vary, and as you can see, I notice that as the day progresses, I need it quicker and quicker. Does this make any sense?
All other Klon. users - what is your schedule?
Thanks
Posted by RobertDavid on April 12, 2006, at 13:37:02
In reply to Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 12:05:03
Wow, 14mgs a day. That's the highest I've heard anyone taking, though know some with epilepsy go as high as 20mgs.
Anyway, I take 2mg's at bedtime. I was up to 3mgs but by playing with the dose found 2mgs worked just as just as well. It was my doctors suggestion that I take it once a day (bedtime) as it has a long half life.
I've tried taking split doses, but found my daytime dose would make me feel a little out of it. That said, there are occations where I do take a daytime dose (.5mgs) such as before a real stressful situation such as flying. Rob
Posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 13:52:43
In reply to Re: Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by RobertDavid on April 12, 2006, at 13:37:02
Posted by bassman on April 12, 2006, at 14:51:52
In reply to Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 12:05:03
Wow, how weird! You schedule is EXACTLY the same as mine! The difference is I'm very sensitive to Klonopin, so I take 0.25 mg 3 times a day. I accidentally took 0.5 mg during the day and I felt awful, as in depressed and weak. Needless to say, one dose per day dosing doesn't work for me-although I tried it for several months.
Posted by Phillipa on April 12, 2006, at 22:00:15
In reply to Re: Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by bassman on April 12, 2006, at 14:51:52
When I took it for a while as monotheraphy it was 3mg a bedtime but it depressed me Love Phillipa
Posted by krybrahaha78 on April 12, 2006, at 22:21:42
In reply to Re: Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by Phillipa on April 12, 2006, at 22:00:15
I take 1 mg twice daily and 12 hours apart. One at 7am and one at 7pm. This seems to work for me
Posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 23:36:23
In reply to Re: Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by krybrahaha78 on April 12, 2006, at 22:21:42
thanks, wow, really seems to have a wide array of effects on people.
Posted by antigua on April 13, 2006, at 9:20:03
In reply to Re: Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 23:36:23
I take .25 with my morning Cymbalta and I have another .5 to work with the rest of the day. IF it's a stressful situation, I take another .25 during the day and the last at bedtime. On good days I just take the .5 at bedtime.
antigua
Posted by Glydin on April 13, 2006, at 10:00:43
In reply to Re: Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by antigua on April 13, 2006, at 9:20:03
I can't tell you the last time I had a dose but I was monotherapy for 3 years on it. At that time, I titrated according to status, but general maintance was usually .25 mgs twice a day. Rare times I took it three times a day. Once a day dosing did not give me full coverage.
Posted by Colleen D. on April 13, 2006, at 11:19:46
In reply to Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 12:05:03
dividing it into 3 equal doses during a 24 hour period. That was tough for me, so I take it all in one dose before bedtime - 1 mg. If I have an anxiety provoking event coming up during the day I take an extra .5mg in the morning.
Good luck!
Colleen
Posted by Greif on April 13, 2006, at 23:11:09
In reply to My GP and PDOC both recommended... » becksA, posted by Colleen D. on April 13, 2006, at 11:19:46
1.5 at night. .25 2-3 times per day. spread out over 4 hr intervals. I ahve beeen on higher doses find 2-2.25 daily works fine. A tolerance does not build up like Zanax. I take an occasional .25 Zanax for extreme stress. Others were posting. about generic brands. The 1/2 mg Purepak was what I always took. New pharmay near me carries Teva. Based on suggestion on board I switched for 2 reasons. Unable to break purebak in half and the stated superior quality of Teva. There is a noticible difference in the Teva. Feels like a different drug. Stronger and lasts longer. The pharmacists indicated that they use different compounds and are better. I would recommend swicthung if you have the option.
Posted by mattw84 on April 14, 2006, at 0:04:27
In reply to Re: My GP and PDOC both recommended..., posted by Greif on April 13, 2006, at 23:11:09
That dose is huge, are you sure you aren't epileptic?? In general practice the max for panic disorder is 6mg. Either way, for panic disorder by the book the dosing is BID once in the AM and the other half at bedtime. Whereas for epilepsy it is TID. Either way probably little difference. Good luck.
Matt
Posted by yxibow on April 15, 2006, at 11:05:53
In reply to Klonopin Dosing Schedules...., posted by becksA on April 12, 2006, at 12:05:03
>Is there a recommended best way when it comes to >the half-life of the med?
The approximate in vivo half life is 16 hrs...
>I suppose the actual dosen't matter as everybody >is affected differently
most definately....
>but I've always been insanely tolerant to meds
quite fascinating... I have too as of late anyway
>, and I'm on 14mg daily. I take 5mg at around >8AM, 5 mg at around 1-2 PM, and then 4mg at >around 6-7 PM. Thing is it tends to vary, and as >you can see, I notice that as the day progresses, >I need it quicker and quicker. Does this make >any sense?
As my day progresses my particular disorder gets worse, so that makes sense in an anxiety disorder, one gets more tired and progressively more anxious of the things they deal with during the day.
I thought I was at a high dose at 8 mg of Klonopin when I switched to 160 (then 170 mg) of Valium... wow, 280mg of Valium -- that's a record.
But it is true the technical ceiling of Klonopin is 20mg in adjunctive therapy for petit/grand mal seizures.
So the answer is, generally twice daily. However you have found that it works better for you 3 times daily so it doesn't really matter. Its in your system and the blood level is already there, but you may be benefitting from spikes in plasma level.
Just be careful that 1) you don't have ANY other major CNS depressants in your body at that dose -- including anything more than a really small dose of alcohol nowhere near the time you take a dose and 2) any other sedating medications -- while benzodiazepines are among the safest of psychiatric medicines in terms of -most- side effects, the one you have to be most careful of here is respiratory depression. That is, the drug is calming every muscle, including the ones tha t control your breathing.
So take care and be well. You could be a fast metabolizer, that isnt unknown.
Cheers
-- Jay
This is the end of the thread.
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