Clonazepam

Clonazepam may cause serious or life-threatening breathing problems, drowsiness, or coma if used along with certain medications. Tell your doctor if you are taking or plan to take medications for cough or pain. Call your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical care if you experience: unusual dizziness, lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, slowed or difficult breathing, or unresponsiveness. Be sure that your caregiver or family members know which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor or emergency medical care if you are unable to do so.

Clonazepam may be habit forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or for a longer time than your doctor tells you to. Tell your doctor if you have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, if you use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression or another mental illness.

Do not stop taking this medication or take fewer doses without talking to your doctor. Call your doctor or get emergency medical treatment if you experience any of the following symptoms: unusual movements; ringing in your ears; anxiety; memory problems; difficulty concentrating; sleep problems; seizures; shaking; muscle twitching; changes in mental health; depression; burning or prickling feeling in your hands, arms, legs or feet; seeing or hearing things that others do not see or hear; thoughts of harming or killing yourself or others; overexcitement; or losing touch with reality.

You will be given the Medication Guide. You can also visit https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm to obtain the Medication Guide.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking clonazepam.

Clonazepam is used to control certain types of seizures. It is also used to treat panic attacks (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear and worry about these attacks). Clonazepam is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Clonazepam comes as a tablet and an orally disintegrating tablet (tablet that dissolves quickly in the mouth) to take by mouth. It is taken one to three times a day with or without food. Take clonazepam at around the same time(s) every day.

Take lorazepam exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Do not try to push the orally disintegrating tablet through the foil. Instead, use dry hands to peel back the foil packaging. Place the tablet in your mouth immediately. The tablet will quickly dissolve and can be swallowed with or without liquid.

Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of clonazepam and gradually increase your dose, not more often than once every 3 days.

Clonazepam is also used to treat symptoms of akathisia (restlessness and a need for constant movement) that may occur as a side effect of treatment with antipsychotic medications (medications for mental illness) and to treat acute catatonic reactions (state in which a person does not move or speak at all or moves or speaks abnormally). Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Before taking clonazepam,

• tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to this drug, any part of this drug, or any other drugs, foods or substances. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the allergy and what symptoms you had.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are taking or plan to take while taking clonazepam. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye that may cause vision loss) or liver disease. Your doctor may tell you not to take clonazepam.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had lung or kidney disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking clonazepam, call your doctor.
• talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medication if you are 65 years of age or older.
• you should know that this medication may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
• talk to your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages during your treatment with clonazepam. Alcohol can make the side effects of clonazepam worse.
• you should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways, and you may become suicidal (thinking about harming or killing yourself or planning or trying to do so) while you are taking clonazepam. There is a chance that you may experience changes in your mental health if you take a medication such as clonazepam, but there may also be a risk that you will experience changes in your mental health if your condition is not treated. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: panic attacks; agitation or restlessness; new or worsening irritability, anxiety, or depression; acting on dangerous impulses; difficulty falling or staying asleep; aggressive, angry, or violent behavior; mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood), talking or thinking about wanting to hurt yourself or end your life, withdrawing from friends and family; preoccupation with death and dying, giving away prized possessions, or any other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor if you are unable to do so.

Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit and drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medicine.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Clonazepam may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• drowsiness
• dizziness
• unsteadiness
• problems with coordination
• difficulty thinking or remembering

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING or SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• rash, hives; swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, or throat; hoarseness; difficulty breathing or swallowing

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant. Always lock safety caps. Place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. https://www.upandaway.org

Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Do not flush this medication down the toilet. Use a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist about take-back programs in your community. Visit the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website https://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for more information.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

• drowsiness
• confusion
• coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Clonazepam is a controlled substance. Prescriptions may be refilled only a limited number of times; ask your pharmacist if you have any questions.

Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.

• Klonopin^®