Experience w/ Clonazepam

[Robert]

Hi Troy

I used to suffer really badly from this and was terrified that I would harm my wife during one of my “acting out” nightmares. My doctor prescribed half a 500mcg clonazepam 15 minutes before sleep and they have been wonderful! Not only have the terrifying nightmares stopped but also the “acting out”. One tiny warning though, if I take ANYTHING new (medication, supplement, alcohol) that changes my brain chemistry the nightmares and acting out often come back but much milder and only for a day or two. As you can imagine, I am very careful what I take and when but the clonazepam – brilliant!

Good luck

R

[Nancy]

I take clonazepam 0.5 mg each night along with melatonin 15 mg and trazodone 50 mg for insomnia and REM sleep behavior disorder. I haven’t had a problem with the clonazepam; I don’t thrash around in bed like I did before. The only problem I’ve run across is that the pharmacy doesn’t keep it in stock so I have to make sure that the doctor sends in a new prescription early enough so I don’t run out. They’re not permitted to include refills; I can only get 30 tablets each month.

[Mary Beth Skylis]

I can’t speak to REM sleep behavior disorder but I have PTSD and I take clonazepam on occasion to help with sleep disturbances. It does knock me out and make me feel rested. Trazadone also helps but it tends to leave me groggy all morning.

[Barry Block]

I’ve been taking .5 Mg of Clonazepam each night. It works like a charm!

[CJ]

I have been having it for 3 years 0.5mg at night and find it excellent

[Maria in KY]

My experience with clonazepam is similar to what others have posted. I have taken 0.5 mg for more than 1 yr. As my depression and anxiety was treated and improved, I found I slept well without it so with my docs permission I weaned myself off of it due to my concerns about dependence on it and the increased risk of memory issues. But within 3 days of stopping this med, I started having violent dreams and fell out of bed. I researched this dreaming issue in people with PD and found it not uncommon and the common treatment for reducing/eliminating these dreams is clonazepam. So, I’m back on it but just taking 1/2 a tablet (0.25 mg) and the violent dreams have stopped.

I agree with others who responded about concerns of what I might do during one of these episodes. Especially since I fell out of bed fighting off an invisible attach. I got a bump on the head and a couple of black and blue marks and a lesson in the benefit of clonazepam.

Maria

[Joseph (Joe) Saxman]

I have been taking Clonazepam for a number of years, and also taking Mirapex at one time, and now am on Ropinirole. I take a small dose (0.25 mg) three times day. It was prescribed for my anxiety associated with PTSD. With the low dose, I do not have any negative interactions with my PD drugs.

[lumpy]

My husband tried it but he urinates at night and he was very unstable on his feet to get up. He did not like the dry mouth or early morning hang over feeling. Just a note about rem and managing. Stopped caffeine. Less sugar in diet. No tv or movies that are violent or scary. No news programs at nite and no lively conversations in the evening. We lower the lights and calm things down in the evening. We have dealt with this for 32 yrs. I have had the crap beaten out of me. I cannot sleep in the room as he has tried to come out of bed and been severely injuried. Above works unless he is in a strange environment or over tired. He loves war movies so he watches them in the morning time. Sleep apnea mask also helps. Good luck to you.

[Alan M]

Kia Ora Lumpy: Wow… what a keen regimen! Sounds like it works for your hubby. Does he take Clonazepam whenever you are away from home base? If not, do you take anything else?

[Troy]

Thank you all for your replies. I saw my sleep neurologist on Friday and started 0.5 mg of clonazepam a night (beginning last night). I slept through the night without issue. Thanks again.

Best wishes,

troy

[neurodoc]

It is interesting to hear opinions about any drug for Parkinson’s as a neurologist.Clonazepam belongs to benzo’s which kinda are contraindicated for parkinson’s since they are muscle relaxants too and clonazepam lasts about 20 hours.It is used in anxiety disorders more than once a day but the dose u all mention is small 0,5 mgs.Trazodone is a drug that we use often an antidepressant with sleep properties that came out in the 70’s.My only suggestion is that if u use it more than a year,do a cardiac echo cause its a tricyclic antidepressant and it might mess with the cardiac valves.Keep strong.I agree with one participant that u must have a stock of clonazepam,since its a cheap drug and it vanishes although in Europe there are generics.It will never run out completely,since we use it in Epileptic children too.Thanks

[Beth T Browne]

I take that medication, 5m, nightly to help me sleep. I also take 1/2 in the morning for my anxiety. I have had no problems.