Klonopin was ranked 46th most often prescribed medication in the United States in 2019. More than 2.3 million people use this drug to control panic and seizure disorders. Klonopin belongs to benzodiazepine class tranquilizers and is categorized as a Schedule IV medication. Therefore, you can buy Klonopin only by prescription.

The manufacturer of the brand drug is Roche. The company developed and patented the formula of Clonazepam in 1964 and put it on sale in the US in 1975. Currently, you can buy not only brand medication but also generic.

Clonazepam, the active substance in Klonopin, is a psychoactive substance, which affects the activity of the substance in the human brain known as GABA. The medication enhances the activity of GABA, producing multiple effects, including:

• Sedative;
• Anxiolytic;
• Muscle relaxant;
• Anticonvulsant;
• Hypnotic.

Klonopin is a long-acting medication. Typically, the drug needs 1 – 4 hours to start working but its effects continue for up to 12 hours.

Based on the FDA label, Klonopin can be prescribed by healthcare professionals to treat epilepsy and panic disorder. However, the applications of Klonopin are not limited to those listed on its label. The multiple effects produced by the medication make it also effective in the therapy of a wide range of other health disorders.

The off-label uses of Klonopin include the therapy of:

• Social phobia;
• Restless leg syndrome;
• Acute mania;
• Tardive dyskinesia;
• Sleep disorders, including insomnia, parasomnia, and REM sleep behavior disorder;
• Alcohol withdrawal syndrome, etc.

While the effectiveness of Klonopin for most of the listed medical conditions has been proven in practice, there is still no official approval from the FDA.

The decision to prescribe Klonopin is made by a doctor after carefully weighing all the benefits and risks of such treatment. In some cases, the risks prevail over the benefits, which means that you are not recommended to take this medication. The medical conditions that may get worse when on Klonopin include:

• Significant liver disease;
• Narrow-angle glaucoma;
• Open-angle glaucoma (unless you receive the treatment);
• Porphyria;
• Severe renal impairment;
• Suicidal thoughts and depression;
• Respiratory disorders.

Klonopin will cause a severe allergic reaction in people who are hypersensitive to Clonazepam or other components of the preparation.

Pregnant women should refuse treatment with Klonopin because of the high risks of inborn abnormalities in the fetuses. Breastfeeding mothers should stop breastfeeding if they need to take Klonopin. The medication gets into breast milk and may cause unwanted reactions in the nursing baby.

Like with other benzodiazepines, the main risk of taking Klonopin (Clonazepam) is its addiction potential. Many people use Klonopin recreationally, chasing physical euphoria. By neglecting the recommendations on the safe use of Klonopin, the risks for building up tolerance and addiction to the drug multiply.

Practice shows that even a couple of weeks of treatment with this medication may lead to drug abuse. The DEA statistic says that in 2017, there were 11,430 Clonazepam reports from federal, state, and local forensic laboratories.

The safety of treatment with Klonopin (Clonazepam) depends on many factors. If your doctor considers this drug necessary, you should follow their prescriptions carefully to achieve a maximum positive result without putting yourself at risk of severe side effects and dependence. Here are some typical pieces of advice for people taking Klonopin.

• Start treatment with the lowest dose and titrate it up gradually. This will prevent side effects and will allow your doctor to find the lowest effective dose of Klonopin for you to stick to.
• Try to ingest the drug at the same hours daily to sustain the concentrations of Clonazepam in your body fluids. This is one of the keys to effective treatment.
• Don’t change your dosage or duration of treatment unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
• Be careful combining Klonopin with any other medications, especially those affecting your CNS. Some interactions may be life-threatening.
• Abstain from drinking alcohol or taking narcotics while on Klonopin. These substances will produce an additive effect, increasing your risks for respiratory depression and other severe adverse reactions.
• To taper off Klonopin, reduce the dose gradually. By doing this, you’ll prevent Klonopin withdrawal.

Klonopin (Clonazepam) is a potent, long-acting benzodiazepine, which works for a variety of medical conditions. Remember that Klonopin should be used only if your doctor considers it necessary. Stay healthy!