I suffered with panic/anxiety disorder for many years before I got help and diagnosed. My symptoms were disassociation. (i.e., I felt as if I were looking down on my body and nervousness when in crowds, supermarkets and waiting in line.) I had to sit at the end of a row wherever I was in one of these situations so I could get out of the building. Getting on a bus or finding myself in traffic was horrible.
I was given drugs such as Prozac, which made me a zombie. I’m not sure I’ve ever totally gotten over some of the sexual side affects of Prozac. I was then put on Zoloft which I thought was putting weight on me. Finally my doctor at the time prescribed the brand name Clonazepam, which is its generic name. Its brand name is Klonopin. I’m on a fairly low dose (2 mg a day split into two doses) and in all these years just once had my dose increased.
I believe that though at one time Clonazepam was a very popular drug because it works it isn’t being given out as much anymore. The reasons for this are twofold.
1. It’s addictive.
2. There are newer, affective drugs on the market that aren’t habit forming.
Without a doubt one of the side affects that I had for quite awhile was tiredness. I had a full time job and young children so the sleepiness wasn’t debilitating or at least I didn’t allow it to be. In fact in those days you’d find me at the gym at 5:15a.m. before work. I found that I had the most energy in the morning so I scheduled my life as early as I could. I went to work at 8:00a.m. and left at 3:00p.m. eating lunch at my desk. You may find that your family gets frustrated by your need to take a nap. Show them this article. You are not alone. I took a nap every day from 4:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. If I didn’t I would really not feel well. I would get dizzy and need to sit down and put my head on the couch until the spinning went away.
I still don’t like getting on a plane. My doctor suggested that I double the dose one hour before flying and during the trip take another one. I do this and it gets me from point A to point B which as he said is what I have to do in order to live a normal life. It does mean I sleep through much of the flight but so what! Many people do anyway and I never get off a plane having to drive.
I never had trouble driving; in fact driving was easier for me since I was on an anti-anxiety drug. I do find myself needing Clonazepam, thus the nature of its addiction. I can feel my body getting anxious and without even looking at the clock I know it’s time to take my second dose. I have dealt with this need by making sure that I always, always have extra Clonazepam with me at all times. I think about what would happen if I were stuck at work due to a snowstorm. I have extra in a pill container just in case I can’t get home. I am in Florida since my mom fell and is in rehab after having her knee operated on. I took more than enough for even the month I thought I’d be here just in case I was here for 6 weeks. I notified my psychiatrist that I would be away and would miss my appointment. I told him about my concern of running out of Clonazepam. He told me not to worry and to call him. I know he can always call in a prescription or my husband can overnight me more if it came to that. When you are on this drug you need to think ahead because you won’t like the affects of missing a dose!
“Klonopin (clonazepam) is in a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. Klonopin (clonazepam) affects chemicals in your brain that may become unbalanced and cause seizures or symptoms of panic disorder. ” www.drugs.com/klonopin.html
My symptoms are very minor thank goodness. I do have times that I trip when I shouldn’t and at time some would say I’m a bit ditzy or forgetful. I laugh it off and play it up as “cute” rather than give in to feeling like I am ill and can’t live a normal life because I can and do.
This is my experience. All the side affects and information that will be helpful to you can be found at this website:
http://www.drugs.com/klonopin.html
