Is 0.5mg of Klonopin effective for anger, anxiety, irritability, especially taken at bedtime?

Question

My doctor is trying to wean me off of Lexapro, but the withdrawal symptoms are awful. During the day I have a lot of anxiety, I’m very irritable, emotional, and easily angered. I asked if she can prescribe me something in the meantime to help with the anger and irritability since I have to work during the day and this is when I am at my worst. So, she prescribed me 0.5mg of Klonopin to take at bedtime as needed. However, I don’t think that taking 0.5mg of Klonopin at bedtime will help me with the anxiety, anger, and irritability that I get during the daytime. I've taken Klonopin before – 0.5mg twice a day, but never at bedtime.

Can anyone else share how much and/or how often they take Klonopin to help with anxiety, anger, irritability, etc.? Thank you!

Answer 1

I take 0.5mg at night for my nighttime anxiety, nightmares, etc, not for the problems during the day. For that, I take 1mg in the morning. I'm actually on 30mg of Lexapro PLUS 10mg of Abilify as it is. 0.5mg of Klonopin at night would NOT help me at all during the daytime especially if I were being weaned off Lexapro! It wears off by then. Personally, I'd need AT LEAST 1mg of Klonopin in the morning so that I wouldn't kill myself, get paranoid and hide in my apartment or have a panic attack.

I'm NOT a doctor but I know I would need more than what you are taking. I'd especaily need it in the morning/afternoon.

Answer 2

5htp - take 50-100mg last thing at night. This increases serotonin levels in the brain. L-Theanine - an amino acid - good for an immediate calming effect, but I have read that it lowers serotonin levels in the brain, so don't take it long term and don't bother taking it with the 5htp or neither of them will work properly. Just experiment with both of them separately then stick with the one that you liked most. If you're prone to depression, then stick to the 5htp. Anger and irritability can be a symptom of depression. Passiflora - a herbal remedy - take one capsule in the morning and one at night. A combined magnesium/calcium supplement - acts as a natural sedative without causing tiredness. The vitaimin B complex - essential for effective nervous system functioning. Cut out ALL caffeine - even in tea - buy decaf or drink herbal/fruit teas. I do all of the above and have found that my mood, anxiety, irritability and anger has diminished by about 80%. Valerian also has a sedative effect - take at night, but it can cause tiredness the next day. Only take it once in a while if you're really stressed and need a good nights sleep. Hope you feel better soon.

Answer 3

Ah, Klonopin.... Like floating on a cloud while silken-haired, satin-skinned Greek goddesses massage your temples and feed you seedless grapes dipped in dark chocolate.

No, wait. That's Morphine.

I just started on Klonopin again about three weeks ago after not taking it for a few months (also started on Lexapro at the same time, funnily enough), and I just had my dosage adjusted yesterday. The original prescription this time was 0.5 mg up to three times a day, as needed (last time, it was 1 mg up to three times a day, but I found out the interesting way that I can't handle that much), and I was just kicked down to 0.125 mg. I'd just taken half a tablet on my way out to session, only to show up at my therapist's office completely stoned less than half-an-hour later. She had a problem with this. Go figure.

The thing is, I'm super-sensitive (if not just plain \allergic\) to most chemicals, and tend to have a very different reaction to medication than is expected, so your mileage will probably vary. I can't say anything about it helping with anger or irritability, because, since starting on the Lex, I can't feel a damn thing except ridiculously tired (I have a severe form of bipolar, so this is a really, REALLY weird thing). But it does help \greatly\ with my anxiety -- I've had regular panic attacks since I was a kid, and when I'm on KP, they go away completely. The only problem I've had with it is that 0.5 puts me to sleep within a half-hour, so I NEED to wait until I'm going to bed to take it, and I sometimes take it \specifically\ to help me get to sleep -- I'm a chronic insomniac, and this and melatonin are really the only things that take the edge off without putting me into something bearing a close resemblance to a \coma\. (I had an interesting experience last week taking it shortly before going out to mow the lawn.... Who knew a weed whacker could be considered "heavy machinery"?) When I do take it (I don't need it everyday, and I take it only when I need it), I don't take it more than twice, and -- until having my dosage adjusted yesterday -- I didn't take more than 0.25 during the day, though I take the 0.5 when I need it to get to sleep.

I honestly don't know if this will be of any help -- problem is, I'm actually getting sleepy just \thinking\ about this, so I'm having a bit of trouble getting my words straight. I guess that the bottom line is that when I need it, I take the 0.5 at bedtime, and it carries me through until late morning or midafternoon (depending on how late bedtime was), then I take the smaller dose, which carries me through until bedtime.

Answer 4

I take klonopin as needed. Sometimes 0.5 would be enough, other times it won't even come close! If I were to take it at bedtime it would defeat the purpose unless I was having trouble sleeping. I would think you should be taking it when you are having anxiety! Not when you are winding down from the day. I would talk to your doctor and ask why they want you to take it at bedtime opposed to when you are actually having an anxiety attack.

Answer 5

Kolonopin is useful at bedtime if you have anxiety during the night. It wears off after 8 hours, so by 7AM you will have no benefit left over from the Kolonopin.

If you are associating your symptoms with your withdrawal from Lexapro, you are obviously not coming off Lexapro correctly. Google weaning or withdrawal from Lexapro and read the stories of other people.

The common advice when getting off a drug is to reduce the amount you are talking by 5% once a week. Worked for me. Your Kolonopin is doing nothng for you in the day.

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Answer 6

you would need to take the klonopin throughout the day in order for it to have any effect on your symptoms during the day.

Please be aware that klonopin has it's own withdrawal symptoms so right now you are using it to withdraw from something else but what will you use when it is time to stop the klonopin?

I went through klonopin withdrawals myself check out my story at http://www.whatwinnersdo.com

Answer 7

Clonazepam Anger

Answer 8

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Joe Barry writes exactly how I think. The examples are perfectly described. And the method is genius. I recommend this book and thanks Joe Barry for writing it. It changes your life

Answer 9

I would think so