Is klonopin used for bipolar disorder -
Changing meds is terrifying to me. Whichever drug is used, mania is not an easy condition to treat, and you may take several weeks to recover. I left stuff everywhere. These factors suggest that the traditional approach of using a proven mood stabilizer such as lithium is still the wisest approach. Then I was put back on. Abilify is popular because some believe it does not have these same weight gain problems although it does and there is now evidence to support its effectiveness for treating both mixed episodes and bipolar mania. Treatments for bipolar disorder
I was prescribed Clonazepam 3 years ago at a dosage of 1mg SIX times/day. I weaned myself down to 1mg/twice daily within 6 months b/c my tolerance was rapidly building. Fast forward 2 years: I am PREGNANT. I was taken off the medication cold turkey. At first, I was convinced that if I didn't come off of this drug while pregnant, I was nothing more than evil and selfish. I tried to come off and simply couldn't, especially with work obligations. I had old pills that I used to help wean myself off. I got myself down to 1mg/day when I ran out. My doc just wrote me a lower dosage script, after making me feel like a murderer. I am 5 months and so far, the baby is healthy and developing normally. I'll continue to wean and pray for my baby.
This medication is magic. The first few times you take it (if you take it before bed, I usually do because that's when a majority of my panic attacks occur), then you might wake up feeling zombie-ish for a few times in the beginning. For me, that side effect passed. Now, it's amazing for me. My best friend was on Xanax and she said it would just knock her out and by the time she woke up, it would be worn off and she would then panic all over again. Klonopin has not been like that for me because it has a longer half life, which means it stays in your system in effect for a longer period of time. I will say this - be careful. Honestly, I took 1/2 of a .5mg pill for a while and it did me well. Be safe with your usage and you'll love it.
The doctor prescribed .5mg to take daily for occasional panic attacks. At first it seemed like a lifesaver, but after a few months, it didn't seem to be helping, so the doctor doubled my dose. A few weeks later, my panic attacks went from a few times a month to almost daily, and were much more severe than the ones I started taking klonopin for in the first place. The doctor told me to cut back down to my original dose, and my body went crazy - muscle spasms, intense panic attacks, loud ringing in my ears, and nauseated all the time. I would give anything to go back to my "old" panic attacks, which for years only hit once or twice a month for a few minutes at a time. These klonopin panic attacks are lasting for hours at a time, and I am basically housebound between the panic and the physical pain. I am now slowly tapering off this medication, dropping .1mg at a time every month. I have read that it is actually quite common for klonopin to increase anxiety and panic attacks. Why didn't the doctor tell me this could happen?