OT: Clonazepam users - need help

[BlackSpinner]

My mother has been kicking worse and worse while sleeping and almost kicks dad out of bed. So the doctor prescribed Clonazepam .5 mg

The first night we used it, it worked fine BUT she was totally out of it the next day. Now due to the dementia there is much of anybody home but with the Clonazepam it was like handling a zombie and she slept just about all day.
Last night we gave her half a pill, she is awake this morning but it did nothing for the night time marathon.


So I want to know
Did you get used to it and wake up?
Should I ask for a different dosage?

Any suggestions? (separate beds or bed rooms are not acceptable after 60 years of marriage)

Thanks

[49er]

My mother has been kicking worse and worse while sleeping and almost kicks dad out of bed. So the doctor prescribed Clonazepam .5 mg

The first night we used it, it worked fine BUT she was totally out of it the next day. Now due to the dementia there is much of anybody home but with the Clonazepam it was like handling a zombie and she slept just about all day.
Last night we gave her half a pill, she is awake this morning but it did nothing for the night time marathon.


So I want to know
Did you get used to it and wake up?
Should I ask for a different dosage?

Any suggestions? (separate beds or bed rooms are not acceptable after 60 years of marriage)

Thanks

Hi BS,

If you want an between dosage and can't get it at your local drug store, you might see if a compound pharmacy could make it for you. This site might be able to provide a name of one that is closest to you:

http://www.on-acp.org/

The downside could be the cost might be very expensive. Hopefully, that isn't the case.

49er

[Pugsy]

Another thought...dosage time so that not so much of a zombie the next day while maybe she is getting used to it (if she does).
Maybe take it earlier in the evening????

[BlackSpinner]

Another thought...dosage time so that not so much of a zombie the next day while maybe she is getting used to it (if she does).
Maybe take it earlier in the evening????

I thought about that but I have to lift her out of the arm chair into the wheelchair and take her to the bathroom as part of the bed time routine. Doing that is hard enough with her awake and cooperating.

[kaiasgram]

Clonazepam has a longer half life than some of the other meds in that group (xanax, ativan...) so taking it earlier in the evening would be a good solution if there wasn't the bedtime routine issue that you have to deal with. I wonder if a compromise solution could be to take half the dose earlier in the evening, see if your mom can stay with it enough to still get through the bedtime stuff, then give her the second half when she goes to bed. See if the staggering helps with the evening before and morning after issues but does the trick during the night.

[Always tired]

BS,
I have tried Clonazepam unsuccessfully two times and had the same reaction as your Mother. I was an absolute zombie on the same dosage and finally gave it up after a few days . I never could get use to it and I went back to the Lorazepam. I think Kalasgram's idea is a good one to try.
A T

[BlackSpinner]

Thank you everyone

I think I will try the 1/2 & 1/2 tonight and see how this goes.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Several years ago I had a bit of experience with Lorazepam (chemically related to clonazepam) and found that it takes about a month to get used to the initial biochemical impact of benzos. Perhaps (I'm not a doctor), she will adapt to the prescribed dosage, which seems fairly low to me, and therefore become more responsive during the daytime hours? At least that's what I found when I was taking lorazepam. However, like I said, I didn't take it for a long period of time, so don't really have any input on long-term usage.

[BlackSpinner]

Several years ago I had a bit of experience with Lorazepam (chemically related to clonazepam) and found that it takes about a month to get used to the initial biochemical impact of benzos. Perhaps (I'm not a doctor), she will adapt to the prescribed dosage, which seems fairly low to me, and therefore become more responsive during the daytime hours? At least that's what I found when I was taking lorazepam. However, like I said, I didn't take it for a long period of time, so don't really have any input on long-term usage.

A nice thought but... I was gone for 17 days and there was a distinct drop in her functioning during that time.
We might not have her for that long and her being less functional is a big physical stress on me too.

[jencat824]

An alternative drug might be Mirapex. It is for PLMD & RLS. I take it, but also take Clonazeam too & for me the Cloazepam isn't a problem. I know from experience how difficult it can be to manage dosage in dementia patients, my mom died from Alzeheimers almost 2 yrs ago & I remember so well how a med that would not affect us so strongly really has a loaded impact on their system.

Good luck with your trial dosing schedule, I hope it works for her.

Jen

[VikingGnome]

It takes time for a person's system to get used to Clonazepam. It will cause drowsiness for most people when first started. It takes a while for the body to get used to it. A danger is the use of this drug in the elderly. They are more sensitive to most medications. I really hate that her doctor decided on Clonazepam. It is physically addicting and VERY DIFFICULT to get off once on it for a while.

[BlackSpinner]

It takes time for a person's system to get used to Clonazepam. It will cause drowsiness for most people when first started. It takes a while for the body to get used to it. A danger is the use of this drug in the elderly. They are more sensitive to most medications. I really hate that her doctor decided on Clonazepam. It is physically addicting and VERY DIFFICULT to get off once on it for a while.

Addiction is not a worry here. What is at stake is quality of life for both of them in this, probably, the last year.

[kteague]

Blackspinner, sorry to hear of the problems your family is having at an already difficult time. You know I'm not one to quickly look to the dopamine agonists, but especially considering the stage and state of life of your mother, maybe they'd be a viable option with less hangover effect. Managing a TENS Unit with her might be a bit of a challenge, but if the meds don't work, it's an option. In the meantime, would placing a long body pillow between them in the bed give your Dad a bit of a buffer? Good luck in your efforts to improve everyone's quality of life, including your own. Hang in there.

[DavidCarolina]

I wonder if effexxor might deliver the same results?

Also have you performed oximetry on her during REM?

[BlackSpinner]

Blackspinner, sorry to hear of the problems your family is having at an already difficult time. You know I'm not one to quickly look to the dopamine agonists, but especially considering the stage and state of life of your mother, maybe they'd be a viable option with less hangover effect. Managing a TENS Unit with her might be a bit of a challenge, but if the meds don't work, it's an option. In the meantime, would placing a long body pillow between them in the bed give your Dad a bit of a buffer? Good luck in your efforts to improve everyone's quality of life, including your own. Hang in there.

No, TENS unit is not an option at this point. She has no patience for something like that and there is no way to explain it.

We did the long body pillow and it worked for about 6 months but at this point she flings her legs straight into the air and flops right over the pillow. We are talking acrobatics, not just a kick or two. It took a lot of persuading to put the pillow between them, they have been married for over 60 years.