How To Get Relief During Daytime While On Klonopin Medication?

Posted on Tue, 7 Jan 2014

Question: Hi Dr. Parakh, Hi it's Brooke again. I just went to my Doc today, he switched to klonopin, 1 mg at night. Is that going to work? I need relief in the day too so am worried the klon won't cover me during the day if I take it all at night. Thanks so much!!

Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (10 hours later)

Brief Answer: Twice a day is better and also recommended. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Theoretically speaking, a single dose of Klonopin should provide all day coverage as the half life is around 30 hours. But divided doses are usually preferred. Even the prescribing information of Klonopin suggests that it be taken twice a day for panic/anxiety and thrice a day for seizure disorder. So in my opinion, it will be better for you to divide the 1 mg dose into two parts. You can take either 0.5 mg twice a day or 0.25 mg in the morning and 0.75 mg at night, depending upon whether it makes you sleepy in the daytime or not. I do not think you will need more than 1 mg per day for now. You will not have any problem in dividing the dose as the tablets are available in 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg strengths as well. Also the tablets are scored to make dose titration easier. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar