This page is part of a blog and today we are going to talk about finding the best Clonazepam dosage and how that can be used as a treatment. So, first things first; before we can discuss what Clonazepam dosage is best, we need to know what this medication is. Originally sold under the brand name Klonopin, this medication is a benzodiazepine that was developed by Roche in 1960 and subsequently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1975 as an anti-anxiety treatment.
The patent was in place for many years and has since expired, which means it has been produced by many different pharmaceutical companies under generic names. Generic medications also have to be licenced and approved by the relevant healthcare regulatory agency, such as the FDA or the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We will discuss licencing and safety in the last section.
The words 'Clonazepam dosage' can refer to how strong the medication is, but it can also be used to describe the dosing schedule. This is going to be discussed in much more detail nearer the bottom of the page, so first, lets talk about what this type of medication is. Known colloquially as 'benzos' their scientific name is benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics. Benzodiazepine sedative hypnotics are a family of medications and as well as this one, they include Diazepam, Alprazolam, and Lorazepam.
There is a very similar family of medications known colloquially as 'z drugs' and their scientific name is non-benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics. This family came after benzodiazepines and their chemistry was the foundation for the development of these new drugs. The core benzodiazepine structure in terms of chemistry is a central benzene ring and a diazepine ring.
Non-benzodiazepines are different on a molecular level which is why they do not belong to the same family, but both classes target the same receptor in the brain. We will discuss this in more detail further down the page. But first, lets see what a Clonazepam dosage might be used for.
A Clonazepam dosage has been licenced to treat anxiety disorder, but it can be used off-label for other conditions. It is most frequently used for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety, and panic disorder. The most prevalent type of anxiety is GAD, and it is characterised by rumination and excessive worrying to the point that it is not possible to function normally on a day-to-day basis.
Social anxiety is more specific, and the symptoms are entirely centred around social interactions. It could be that you have an intense fear of social engagements, but you are unsure why, or you may be worried about saying the wrong thing, or not knowing how to interact with your peers for example. Most people have these worries from time to time and that is completely normal; however, if these thoughts are interfering with the way you live your life, then you may want to consider treatment to manage your symptoms.
If you take the Clonazepam dosage that has been recommended for your symptoms and implement some non-pharmacological techniques, then social anxiety can be managed effectively. It is less common, but sometimes a Clonazepam dosage may be used as a muscle relaxant, for example, to manage restless legs syndrome.
Regardless of your Clonazepam dosage, the mechanism of action will remain the same. The mechanism of action, i.e., the way it works, depends on the active ingredient in the medication, not the strength of the drug. This is because the chemical makeup of the medication interacts with substances and chemicals within the body to alter their function, which means the sole difference your Clonazepam dosage will make, is the potency.
This medication, like all benzodiazepines, has an active ingredient which binds to receptors which are located throughout the central nervous system, and they are called gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA) receptors. Receptors are found throughout the central nervous system and they are located on neurones. Neurones are nerve cells, and they have many different types of receptors, and they are essential for the way the nervous system, and therefore the body functions.
Neurones are an extensive network of nerves which connect at the synapse, which is a minuscule gap where most receptors are located. Communication throughout the nervous system is in the form of transmitted electrical signals, and neurotransmitters regulate this activity. As neurotransmitters are either excitatory or inhibitory, i.e., they increase or decrease electrical activity, this alters the way we feel or behave for example.
In simple terms, the GABA released from taking your Clonazepam dosage decreases certain electrical activity and promotes feelings of calmness and some sedation and reduces the symptoms of anxiety.
The most appropriate Clonazepam dosage in terms of strength needs to consider the reason for treatment and how severe your symptoms are. There are 3 strengths available, with the lowest Clonazepam dosage being 0.5mg. If you have anything that contraindicates this medication, you are taking something that may interact with this drug, or you are over 65, then you will need to start on the lowest Clonazepam dosage available to make sure you do not experience any adverse effects. If it is safe for you to do so, you can then increase the strength until you find an effective dose. A clinical review showed positive effects, and no tolerance was found when a 2-3 mg intake was maintained.
Caffeine and sugary drinks should be avoided while you take this medication as they are stimulating and will counteract the effects of the active ingredient. Stimulants can make your symptoms worse, therefore your Clonazepam dosage will be working twice as hard and while it may deal with the additional or more severe symptoms caused by the caffeine, it may not treat the symptoms that you experience daily.
It is worth noting that each Clonazepam dosage lasts for a long time as it has an elimination half-life of 18 to 60 hours. So, if you are taking it for insomnia, you may feel drowsy the following day if you take it quite late in the evening. The long elimination half-life is excellent for maintaining consistent relief from symptoms if you find they remain constant throughout the day.
You should always the Clonazepam dosage instructions before starting your treatment, even if you have taken this medication in the past. When you have figured out the best Clonazepam dosage in terms of strength, you should work out what times you need to take it. It is also important not to take this medication daily or for longer than 6 weeks wherever possible. Benzodiazepines can increase your tolerance over time, and they also carry the risk of physical dependence. To reduce this risk, you should have days when you do not use medication.
There are other things you can do to relieve symptoms as well. For example, it has also proved useful for people with GAD to set aside a specific amount of time, at the same time each day, to allow themselves to worry. Once this time is up, you must wait until the next day to be able to worry again. With practice, this reduces the main symptoms of GAD, which in turn starts to lessen the surrounding symptoms. Then you will find that you can take a lower Clonazepam dosage as well as take it less frequently, until you may not need it anymore at all.
This medication has been approved by the FDA and MHRA, and the 3 Clonazepam dosages are suitable for most people who need treatment. We briefly mentioned contraindications and interactions when we were discussing the most appropriate Clonazepam dosage. A contraindication is a health condition or a state of being that increases the risk of adverse effects. Some contraindications from this medication include:
With the exception of pregnancy, you may still be able to use this treatment, but you would almost certainly be advised to take a lower Clonazepam dosage if any of the contraindications apply to you. Depending on the severity of the contraindication, you may need to stay on the lower dose or even avoid it altogether in some cases. For example, a low Clonazepam dosage would be suitable if you have a mild allergy that causes itchy skin, but you would have to avoid this medication altogether if you have experienced anaphylaxis in response to it.
Anxiety disorders are within the top 10 most common mental health conditions, and as a group of disorders, they are only less prevalent than depressive conditions. Often, anxiety and depression are comorbid, which means that people suffer from both.
For more information on this medication or any of the other products stocked at our online pharmacy visit our homepage www.stretta-therapy.com.
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