# Clonazepam + ALCOHOL



## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

Hey guys,

I got put on 0.25mg Clonazepam (Klonopin), And I want to go out drinking tonight so I didn't take any today.

I've only taken two of these pills in my life. Once on thursday at 4 pm, the next on friday morning at 7 am.

The last time I had a pill was atleast 30 hours ago.

Am I safe to drink alcohol tonight?


----------



## Kpanic (Sep 12, 2010)

Jayd said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I got put on 0.25mg Clonazepam (Klonopin), And I want to go out drinking tonight so I didn't take any today.
> 
> ...


Bad news is Clonazepam has a very long half life, probably the longest besides Diazepam. Never mix booz with benzos, never. I would suspect some of it is still in your system, but I am not a doctor. My opinion is to not do it.


----------



## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

K well I couldn't get a hold of my doctor today, im not going to risk it so I decided to just take my pill awhile ago, im still gonna go out to the club but atleast I wont be anxious as hell. And no I for SURE wont drink anything.


----------



## Guest (Apr 10, 2011)

Jayd said:


> K well I couldn't get a hold of my doctor today, im not going to risk it so I decided to just take my pill awhile ago, im still gonna go out to the club but atleast I wont be anxious as hell. And no I for SURE wont drink anything.


I have been on 6mg clonazepam for about 22 years now. It is not used "as needed." I take it every day and do not miss a day. For me, I take it as seriously as if I needed insulin. I take 2mg 3 times a day.

Klonopin does have a *very long half-life* in the body, moreso than any of the "traditional" benzos such as Xanax, Ativan, Valium, etc. This is why I have never abused it. For some reason it has also never "pooped out" on me, which anticonvulsants tend to do for individuals taking these drugs for seizures. Klonopin was first marketed as an anticonvulsant in 1975, the same year I went to my first psychiatrist. I wonder to this day if getting on that then would have helped me decrease my anxiety enough to preserve longer periods of reality. I'll never know.

I'll put this in a blog as the questions are asked over and over.
But:
1. I have always been told to NEVER take my clonazepam "as needed", to mess with the dose, go off of it suddenly. It is a daily regimen that kept me from killing myself around the age of 30. I am 52. Doesn't mean I am not miserable with DP, but I've said many a time, I wouldn't be typing this here today if it weren't for clonazepam.

2. Excessive alcohol consumption, daily alcohol consumption is not a good idea with this drug or other benzos. All of my doctors over the years have said that having a glass of wine now and again (and that would be about 4 times a year) will do no harm. But I was never one to party.
---------------------------------

Information on Klonopin from an excellent source RxList.com online:

http://www.rxlist.com/klonopin-drug.htm

Klonopin is useful alone or as an adjunct in the treatment of the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (petit mal variant), akinetic and myoclonic seizures. In patients with absence seizures (petit mal) who have failed to respond to succinimides, Klonopin may be useful.

Klonopin is indicated for the treatment of panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, as defined in DSM-IV. Panic disorder is characterized by the occurrence of unexpected panic attacks and associated concern about having additional attacks, worry about the implications or consequences of the attacks, and/or a significant change in behavior related to the attacks.

---------------------

Since Klonopin produces CNS depression, patients receiving this drug should be cautioned against engaging in hazardous occupations requiring mental alertness, such as operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle. They should also be warned about the concomitant use of alcohol or other CNS-depressant drugs during Klonopin therapy

Patients should be advised to avoid alcohol while taking Klonopin.
Clonazepam is used to treat seizure disorders and panic attacks. It belongs to a class of medications called benzodiazepines which act on the brain and nerves (central nervous system) to produce a calming effect. This drug works by enhancing the effects of a certain natural chemical in the body (GABA).

------------------------

*Clonazepam is rapidly and completely absorbed after oral administration. The absolute bioavailability of clonazepam is about 90%.* Maximum plasma concentrations of clonazepam are reached within 1 to 4 hours after oral administration. Clonazepam is approximately 85% bound to plasma proteins. Clonazepam is highly metabolized, with less than 2% unchanged clonazepam being excreted in the urine. Biotransformation occurs mainly by reduction of the 7-nitro group to the 4-amino derivative. This derivative can be acetylated, hydroxylated and glucuronidated. Cytochrome P-450 including CYP3A, may play an important role in clonazepam reduction and oxidation. *The elimination half-life of clonazepam is typically 30 to 40 hours.* Clonazepam pharmacokinetics are dose-independent throughout the dosing range. There is no evidence that clonazepam induces its own metabolism or that of other drugs in humans.

-------------------------

Adults: The initial dose for adults with seizure disorders should not exceed 1.5 mg/day divided into three doses. Dosage may be increased in increments of 0.5 to 1 mg every 3 days until seizures are adequately controlled or until side effects preclude any further increase. Maintenance dosage must be individualized for each patient depending upon response. *Maximum recommended daily dose is 20 mg.*

------------------------
My final note. I had no reaction to any benzo ... not even touching my anxiety ... Valium, Xanax, Ativan .. I've forgotten. Like sugar pills. Klonopin DID help with my anxiety and it made me come closer to reality. From about 30% "here in the world" to about 60% here in the world. DR is worse than the DP I'd say. Dr. Sierra's work at the IoP over decades has indicated that the "Klono-Combo" seems to be effective in treating chronic DP with varying results. Klonpin + an SSRI.

*EDIT: Do not drink grapefruit juice while taking Klonopin (and check the labels of other meds) -- it can affect absorbtion/metabolism of the drug. I am stunned to find that many fruit juices should be avoided when taking a number of medicines.*


----------



## Guest (Apr 10, 2011)

Note: .25mg is a very low dose. But the purpose of it is in many ways the same as taking alcohol, but as I have experienced, alcohol makes me feel worse, I'm less in control, can't think as well. I feel "drunk" with little alcohol. Klonopin does not make me feel "drunk." It has simply lifted symptoms of the DP/DR so they are "bearable."


----------



## Teresa (Nov 23, 2009)

All the nervepills... all the benzoer is produced to calm the same receptors in the brain as alchohol. Thats why its so addictive. Alchohol and benzoes at the same time is not a god idea.

Im am again amazed by how easy it is for people in the states to get nervepills. In Denmark people struggle to get of theese drugs. Test says that not only are these pills highly addictive, but many people that have been taking them for a long time, gets in a form of depressed states and doctors have found out that these pills keeps you in a state of depression and underlying anxiety.
And thats not all... the withdrawal symptoms are horrible, and there are also sideeffects as very strong DP and DR.

In Denmark these pills are only for emergency use. All doctors have been adviced to help all they patients with a withdrawal-plan.

So Jayd.... Please be carefull... ONLY FOR EMERGENCY USE...


----------



## Guest (Apr 10, 2011)

I have to respond that each person is different.

My DP/DR was so bad since I was young I wanted to die when I was 30 -- I had planned that year.

Klonopin is used for seizures, and adults can take up to 20mg and may do so for many years. Yes, withdrawal is a problem, but if done very slowly, VERY slowly, and there are other medications that can assist in the withdrawal, there are fewer problems.

Problem with me is, I STARTED with DP/DR as a child -- no rec drugs. If I had it that severely BEFORE any medications, took the Klonopin and it helped, the logical conclusion is going off of it will take me back to the DP/DR I had before that, and I cannot live that way. I won't. I've decided that.

There is a difference between ABUSE and TOLERANCE. I have a friend whose husband has grand mal seizures. He's been on every anti-convulsant under the sun for the past 20+ years. The seizures started randomly when he was 40 and have never ceased -- some grand mal, a lot of petit mal recently. He grows TOLERANT of his meds. Say after a year they don't work as well. That doesn't mean he takes MORE, they switch him to something else. Sometimes he is so out of it they take him to the hospital and I believe give him IV benzos ... forgot which. Alprazolam.

Without the medication he can die of status epilepticus. sp?

At any rate, in this country benzos are a controlled substance, yes. But I know a number of people who have been on KLONOPIN, and ANTICONVULSANTS, for years. They are DP/DR FREE and will not go off the meds.

Until there are better solutions for me -- that is my choice.

But I wouldn't take KLONOPIN as-needed, that isn't what it's for -- as it has a long half-life and is LESS likely to be abused. The other benzos have a short half-life, and individuals seem to want more and more to get the same effect.

*Everyone is unique.*

Also, I would not drink on any medication to excess, I don't care what medication it is, but especially psychiatric medications. Alcohol is a drug. Ask your doctor. But "party drinking", binge drinking -- why tempt fate. And one can get addicted to alcohol very easily as well if you have a predisposition to addiction of any kind.


----------



## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

Dreamer* said:


> I have to respond that each person is different.
> 
> My DP/DR was so bad since I was young I wanted to die when I was 30 -- I had planned that year.
> 
> ...


Hey Dreamer thanks for your input!

I got put on 0.25mg clonazepam last Thursday for a little trial thing. I got it for anxiety, as you know I have a huge terrifying fear of schizophrenia (I've talked to you about that many times) because this fear got so bad my anxiety was always through the roof, and in return making my DP/DR worse. So right after that first pill I took on Thursday I noticed immediately my anxiety went down. I then went to a bar to meet friends (didn't drink obviously) and was able to be around lots of people without being anxious. That is why I needed to take something for anxiety. The doctor also said it should alleviate the symptoms of DP/DR and even with that small dosage it already feels more "bearable" like you mentioned.

I still have concerns and questions which I am going to ask the doctor this coming Thursday, and I am being reffered to a pyschiatrist there too which will hopefully further help.


----------

