1. < Sleep Health

Klonopin & Gabapentin for sleep

Posted by weijamin @weijamin, Jan 30, 2023

Hi, I am 78, almost 79 & have been taking klonopin, .5 - 1mg for almost 30 yrs. Now it isn’t working so well, so Dr added gabapentin, 2-300mg.
It is working, but I understand the dependence w/ klonopin & in the past have tried to quit, but it has been too hard. Just would like to hear from others if anyone else is taking both of these meds, & what people think about their safety.

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alwaysanxious81 | @alwaysanxious81 | Sep 10 3:07am
In reply to @laughlin1947 "I take clonazepam 2 mg before bedtime, and it has worked wonders for me. No cognitive..." + (show)
@laughlin1947

I take clonazepam 2 mg before bedtime, and it has worked wonders for me. No cognitive decline, no other issues. I need for anxiety and sleep. I also take melatonin, 5 mg before bedtime, and 200 mg of gabapentin. You are at such a low dose of Clonazepam, don't worry. The doctor s are just covering their asses. If you need an additional OTC sleep med, try the Sleep Aid that Costco offers which is doxylamine succinate. It works great, but start slowly with one quarter or one-half tablet, so you don't have a hangover in the AM. Slowly, you will get accustomed to taking a full tablet before bedtime without carryover effects into the AM. Good luck! (They always add these caveats. ....."side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination." ) I'd say, ignore them, they love to use them as warnings for the very few people who ever experience them. If you could get your doctor to prescribe Ambien (Zolpidem tartrate), that's good for sleep too.

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I was just started on .5 klonopin and gabapentin 100mg 3x a day. I'm so scared to take them together at bedtime. Should I worry? I unfortunately have been on ativan for 8 years then moved to klonopin which doesn't seem to help my anxiety as much.

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1 reply
raisingtwins | @raisingtwins | Sep 10 5:20am
In reply to @arthur57 "Wishing you all the best. I think you made a wise decision not going back to..." + (show)
@arthur57

Wishing you all the best. I think you made a wise decision not going back to the Klonopin. Although it helped you sleep it also has many long term side effects which are too concerning. I despise that medication.

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@arthur57
Thanks for sharing your opinion on Klonopin. I took 1mg 2x/day for yearss & it worked well for me (in my situation/at the time). I have since asked 6 doctors to prescribe this medication to me (to NO AVAIL) bc I have severe
anxiety. I wasn't aware of the addiction effects of Klonopin and don't remember how I felt when I quit taking it.
My severe anxiety causes me problems with chronic canker sores, social issues, problems concentrating and completing my day to day responsibilities such as paying bills, making phone calls, and making Dr appointments. My to do pile keeps getting taller and all these problems have gotten totally out of control. I feel that I'm so behind that there's no hope in ever getting back on track in my lifetime (hopelessness).
So, just needed to speak that out loud & I guess I'll continue to suffer bc I've got my mind made up that Klonopin is the only thing I want bc it worked so well for me in the past. My PCP prescribed buspirone which is nothing more than a waste of time for me to just swallow them.

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raisingtwins | @raisingtwins | Sep 10 5:30am
In reply to @alwaysanxious81 "I was just started on .5 klonopin and gabapentin 100mg 3x a day. I'm so scared..." + (show)
@alwaysanxious81

I was just started on .5 klonopin and gabapentin 100mg 3x a day. I'm so scared to take them together at bedtime. Should I worry? I unfortunately have been on ativan for 8 years then moved to klonopin which doesn't seem to help my anxiety as much.

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@alwaysanxious81
I wouldn't worry about taking those together bc the Klonopin is such a low dose.
Believe it or not, I take 2 800mg Gabapentin in the am and 2 800mg Gabapentin in the pm for pain & neuropathy in my feet. My PCP is very cautious about what she gives me & we're both aware that the max dose of Gabapentin per day is 3600mg.
It does not make me sleepy (like most people) & it does nothing for the other old age aches & pains I suffer from.
I suppose I go to sleep quicker simply bc my feet aren't hurting.

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ruthblaze | @ruthblaze | Sep 17 11:26am

Gabapentin is also hard to get off. I just stopped ambien. Now I sleep when my body tells me. Day or night Benadryl at times.

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scottbeammeup | @scottbeammeup | Sep 17 11:56am

I take Ambien and 600 mg of Gabapentin (300 four hours before bed and 300 at bedtime) and STILL can't sleep more than five hours. I'm convinced that any drug induced sleep will only work for awhile, then you have to either increase the dosage or keep adding things.

I've got a month of Androgen Deprivation Therapy left for prostate cancer and one of the side effects is insomnia. I'm hoping, after that month is up, to be able to get off both drugs but I don't know if that's feasible since I still have to work so SOME sleep is a must.

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chuckiepoo1 | @chuckiepoo1 | Sep 18 9:03am
In reply to @scottbeammeup "I take Ambien and 600 mg of Gabapentin (300 four hours before bed and 300 at..." + (show)
@scottbeammeup

I take Ambien and 600 mg of Gabapentin (300 four hours before bed and 300 at bedtime) and STILL can't sleep more than five hours. I'm convinced that any drug induced sleep will only work for awhile, then you have to either increase the dosage or keep adding things.

I've got a month of Androgen Deprivation Therapy left for prostate cancer and one of the side effects is insomnia. I'm hoping, after that month is up, to be able to get off both drugs but I don't know if that's feasible since I still have to work so SOME sleep is a must.

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I would suggest that you look into delta-8 and delta-9 for help with insomnia. I've tried about medication that is recommended for sleep but have gotten more relief from delta-8 and delta-9.. most nights I am able to sleep the entire night. You will probably have to experiment with the amount to take, starting with a minimal amounts and gradually increasing as needed.

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maryruth7 | @maryruth7 | Sep 29 9:48am
In reply to @weijamin "I have been taking klonopin-started off at 1mg 3 x day, now at 1 mg at..." + (show)
@weijamin

I have been taking klonopin-started off at 1mg 3 x day, now at 1 mg at night only, but not working well as I have been on klonopin for almost 30 yrs so Dr added 300mg gabapentin. It is working, but not really feeling good about it. These are the only meds I take as my health is excellent otherwise. I have tried to get off klonopin many times, but could only get it down to 1 mg…..then it just became to difficult to stop all together. So, I’m thinking, at this age(almost 79) I’ll probably just keep on…any comments are appreciated.

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If the Klonopin is not affecting your health.
Example liver, kidneys
and it help you sleep and your Doctor does not object to it. If I were you I would keep taking it. I am looking for something to help me sleep, what works for me my insurance will not cover and the pharmacy at Walgreens refuse to sell the Ambiam 5mg.
To me. If insurance will not cover. It's crazy. It seem to be the pharmacy that started my problems, (long story)

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tc1945 | @tcainaru | Sep 30 9:18am

I started having sleep problems January 2023. It has turned into chronic insomnia. Dr gave me Trazone and that ave me side effect sobI quit working. I am 71 and still have insomnia. Usually I can fall asleep then wake up and can not fall back to sleep. Trying a small dose of seraqual, but extremely nervous about it because of what it is. Been getting light headedness and taking 25mg lamotrigine for it. I have been a Type 2 diabetic for 30 years. Have tried everything else to restore my sleep, nothing is working. Even gone to a psychiatrist in which is making it worse. Please help me!!

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3 replies
tc1945 | @tcainaru | Sep 30 9:46am

I started having sleep problems January 2023. It has turned into chronic insomnia. Dr gave me Trazone and that gave me side effect so I quit working. I am 71 and still have insomnia. Usually I can fall asleep then wake up and can not fall back to sleep. Trying a small dose of seraqual, but extremely nervous about it because of what it is. Been getting light headedness and taking 25mg lamotrigine for it. I have been a Type 2 diabetic for 30 years. Have tried everything else to restore my sleep, nothing is working. Even gone to a psychiatrist in which is making it worse. Please help me!!

Like Helpful Hug

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1 reply
ripley | @ripley | Sep 30 11:50am
In reply to @tcainaru "I started having sleep problems January 2023. It has turned into chronic insomnia. Dr gave me..." + (show)
@tcainaru

I started having sleep problems January 2023. It has turned into chronic insomnia. Dr gave me Trazone and that ave me side effect sobI quit working. I am 71 and still have insomnia. Usually I can fall asleep then wake up and can not fall back to sleep. Trying a small dose of seraqual, but extremely nervous about it because of what it is. Been getting light headedness and taking 25mg lamotrigine for it. I have been a Type 2 diabetic for 30 years. Have tried everything else to restore my sleep, nothing is working. Even gone to a psychiatrist in which is making it worse. Please help me!!

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I also have severe insomnia, which I believe is caused by my fibromyalgia. Sleep gummy's and melatonin help me. Thirty minutes before bed, I take a sleep gummy that contains 10mg CBN and 5mg THC (from Minny Grown). About 15-20 minutes later I take 2.5mg melatonin and 50mg Trazodone. This usually help me get 5-6 hrs of sleep. Charlotte's Web sells sleep gummys called "Stay Asleep", dosage is two gummy's that contain 10mg CBN each. I've tried them but only take one gummy.

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