Falling! Side effect of anxiety medication (clonazepam)?

Posted by Barb @amberpep, Apr 25, 2020

Hi all ….. I don't know if I told you all this, but for the passed year+ I've been taking ffalls…. big ones. The other night I did a flying leap across the living room floor, hit a little stand, then the TV stand, and landed on my right side, hard. I just laid there and cried. I finally got up laid on the sofa with my right cheek on an ice pad and fell asleep. When I woke up I looked at the Mayo site which lists all the meds and their side effects, and low and behold 2 of them did cause unsteadiness and falling.
So, when I talked to my Psych., he told me which one was most likely to be causing them ….. the Klonopin. So, instead of taking 1-1/2 in the AM, I just take 1, and see him in 3 weeks. Yesterday and today I've already noticed a difference. This would be wonderful if that was the answer.
abby

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Hi @amberpep, I moved your message to the Depression & Anxiety group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/depression-anxiety/
This should bring more people into the discussion, like @jody01 @helenfrances @njp1013 @sears @lindagirl who have experience with clonazepam (Klonopin).

Indeed drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, and unsteadiness are all potential side effects of clonazepam and may well be the source of your recent issues with falling. How have you doing these past couple of days since reducing the dosage?

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Definitely contact your prescribing doc about that. Benzos can impair motor skills if dose is too high for you.

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@colleenyoung

Hi @amberpep, I moved your message to the Depression & Anxiety group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/depression-anxiety/
This should bring more people into the discussion, like @jody01 @helenfrances @njp1013 @sears @lindagirl who have experience with clonazepam (Klonopin).

Indeed drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, and unsteadiness are all potential side effects of clonazepam and may well be the source of your recent issues with falling. How have you doing these past couple of days since reducing the dosage?

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My experience has been with Xanax not Klonopin.

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I take Lexapro and Klonopin. I find Lexapro really helps depression. I have to take 2 Klonopin at night with a sleeping pill to get to sleep.

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I take clonazapam 1 mg, 1 in the morning or afternoon and then 2 at bedtime. I have been on it a long time. The one med that made me fall was Prozac. I hope the lower dose helps, I know it's not fun to fall. TAke care of yourself.

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@lilypaws

I take clonazapam 1 mg, 1 in the morning or afternoon and then 2 at bedtime. I have been on it a long time. The one med that made me fall was Prozac. I hope the lower dose helps, I know it's not fun to fall. TAke care of yourself.

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You’ve been on Klonopin for many years? Have you noticed any tolerance? Are you on the same amount for all this time?

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@njp1013

Definitely contact your prescribing doc about that. Benzos can impair motor skills if dose is too high for you.

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How are you doing?

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@doorman

You’ve been on Klonopin for many years? Have you noticed any tolerance? Are you on the same amount for all this time?

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I’d like to know too.

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@doorman

You’ve been on Klonopin for many years? Have you noticed any tolerance? Are you on the same amount for all this time?

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I can' remember how many years. It still works for me. But I'm going to be having surgery and will be put on Percodan, toradol, and valium. lilypaws

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Make sure they know exactly what/how much/how often you are taking this, because mixing WITH Valium would be a big no-no, eek! (Former RN here.)

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