Clonazepam question

[V82]

Hi guys,

I take Clonazepam occassionally for anxiety.

I only take 0.75 mg to 1 mg

This last week I took it three times.

The week before twice.

I've taken it 7 times total this month.

I have stressful event coming up this Tuesday and maybe Thursday.

Is it safe to take it these days. Or am I risking withdrawal symptoms or tolerance?

 

[SPC123]

You should be fine. According to the literature it would take at least two weeks of daily use before dependence would set in. I myself have binged on clonazepam taking 5-10mg a day for up to 10 days in a row without any issues (of course then I take 3 weeks off...).

 

[V82]

I've always tried to stay safe and be catious with my dosage. I just find for some situations Clonazepam can help me relax. I also have a beta blocker for that. I may just use the beta blocker.

It's for a first date and I have social anxiety sometimes. The beta blocker may help me relax though.

 

[nAON]

Good to hear you're being careful At your current rate though, as SPC said, you're unlikely to feel any withdrawal symptoms. Though it varies for different people, usually you have to be using it every day for at least several weeks for any noticeable discontinuation problems to arise.

So taking it on both tuesday and thursday would be fine, don't worry about that. Don't have any personal experience with beta-blockers though so can't comment on that.

Good luck with your date

 

[Intrinsic man]

You're golden man! With such small doses and infrequent use you will be fine, even if you take it two days in a row.

Good luck with your date, remember, she's probably just as nervous as you! It's just how we humans work

 

[arctica]

Another rule of thumb I've heard is that if you've been taking 1 mg per day for 30 days, you need to taper down instead of going cold turkey to prevent seizures associated with benzo withdrawal.

 

[Tripman]

You have been very responsible with your benzo usage and I personally dont see any problem with this. Just make sure you don't think - hey, this was great and continue to use it every second day etc.

 

[SPC123]

I've always tried to stay safe and be catious with my dosage. I just find for some situations Clonazepam can help me relax. I also have a beta blocker for that. I may just use the beta blocker.

It's for a first date and I have social anxiety sometimes. The beta blocker may help me relax though.

No, a beta blocker won't help you relax. It will simply help hide your nervousness. A beta block will help reduce shaking, sweating, stuttering, and other physical signs of anxiety. You will still be scared shitless. You just won't look like it. I have social anxiety disorder myself, and the last "first date" I went on I took 20mg Valium. Just one side note: I found one down side was that I was so relaxed I actually listened about flavored coffee and text messages and found the date so boring I wanted to shoot myself. Doesn't matter how hot she was, it wasn't worth it. If I didn't have the Valium I probably wouldn't have noticed as much.

 

[V82]

You have been very responsible with your benzo usage and I personally dont see any problem with this. Just make sure you don't think - hey, this was great and continue to use it every second day etc.

Good advice! How about taking it twice a week for an extended period. Is that safe? Just make sure you don't overdo it!

 

[Pjkt2501]

Given clonazepam's half-life of 20-40 hours, that could potentially run you into problems. You may wish to consider using a shorter-acting benzo like alprazolam or lorazepam for more infrequent use that won't overlap.

Not saying that it will, just that it can.

Good luck!

 

[Tommyboy]

You don't want to make too much of a habit out of taking it, so I wouldn't plan on taking it 2x each week. You could probably avoid any physical dependence to it if you stick to using only twice a week, but you don't want to be grabbing for a pill whenever a stressful situation arises.

Honestly I would skip taking it for the first date. The first date jitters are natural and it's probably better that you experience them. I would save the pills for more extreme situations. That's just my 2cents though.

Edit: I agree with Pjkt that klonopin isn't a good choice due to its long half-life. Even if you are just using for two days a week, its long half-life makes it so that it will be in your system for more than just the two days you take it, making the risk for physical dependence higher compared to benzos with short half-lives.

 

[Pjkt2501]

^This is a very good point. Let nature run it's course. Any gal that's gonna like ya is gonna like you for who YOU are, not the medicated you. At least no one you really want anyway.

 

[laCster]

No, a beta blocker won't help you relax. It will simply help hide your nervousness. A beta block will help reduce shaking, sweating, stuttering, and other physical signs of anxiety. You will still be scared shitless.

i disagree; the mind affects the body, and the body affects the mind.

 

[SPC123]

i disagree; the mind affects the body, and the body affects the mind.

This is true enough. However with social anxiety (which I have) it's not as simple as first date jitters. I personally can't even ask a girl out face to face without suffering a full on panic attack. I shake literally worse than Michael J. Fox. That wasn't a joke either, I'm quite serious. I can't talk properly, I stammer and stutter. The kicker is, I have plenty of confidence, I'm in good shape, good looking and very intelligent and articulate. Still, I have no more control over my anxiety disorder than Mr. Fox has over his Parkinson's. It's a chemical imbalance in my brain and has effected me for as long as I can remember. I picked up smoking in grade 8 so I would have an excuse for my trembling hands; I'd say I needed a cigarette.