I friend of mine offered me a clonazepam when I was complaining about sleep. Every few days I have taken a half before bed. I have noticed a substantial change in how I feel physically and mentally... I feel much better. and even got some sleep. The dyskenesias that are just starting for me have subsided quite a bit.

clonazepam is said to make the body produce dopamine, interesting, teach a man to fish. It is contraindicated for sinemet, but only because it "may" enhance PD medications. Enhance sounds good to me.

Anyway, thought I would share. Any of you ever try clonazepam?

Robert

hey Robert - I took clonazepam for anxiety, but it made me TOO sleepy - it definitely would work as a sleep aid, but I can get to sleep without it, and I decided to deal with the anxiety in other ways so I could stay awake!

I don't know if it's the extra sleep, but I actually feel physically more relaxed.

Maybe I should try it again and use it once just before bed - and not with another dose during the day.

I understand that it has muscle relaxent properties. I take it for sleep too, and sometime for anxiety. I'read that it can be addictive at high doeses, but, give, the other meds I'm "addicted" to (Sinemet, primarily)I'm not concerned about that possibility. Sleep is so important.

Robert,

The reason you feel so good is because it is powerful enought to help prevent seizures; it is not too far off taking Valium. It works on our GABA receptors, that I know of. It, then may potentially exacerbate certain PD symptoms, that researchers suggest are linked to GABA like gait. If you don't have that symptom, then it might be okay, I would ask a doctor to be sure.

If you have a lot of anxiety, taking a Klonopin will melt it away. Just be careful, it is very highly addictive even just at a few weeks. Tapering down off it is even hell, let alone going cold turkey.The reason you seem to sleep so soundly is because clonazapam suppresses REM sleep, so you will begin to notice that you don't recall any dreams. From what I have read, it stimulates dopamine only in the reward or pleauser center of our brains. This is why you get that rush of well-being.

Here is a really great site on your brain on drugs at McGill University.

Hate to rain on anyone's parade, but when you see a site dedicated to benzodiazepine dependency and withdrawal on the Internet, well, it makes you wonder. Just sayin'...

I have been finding that it may reduce dopamine...

Benzodiazepines, barbiturates and alcohol all act on GABA, and chronic use down-regulates and modify the GABA receptors, which in turn causes dependence. With continued use of Benzodiazepines, the calming effect of GABA is diminished while the excitatory neurotransmitter Glutamate, is increased. Glutamate is always an excitatory neurotransmitter, and GABA is what counters this action. As GABA is initially enhanced by Benzodiazepines, the brain’s output of excitatory neurotransmitters, including Norepinephrine (noradrenalin), Serotonin, Acetyl Choline and Dopamine are reduced. These neurotransmitters are necessary for alertness, muscle tone, coordination, memory, emotional responses, endocrine gland hormones, heart rate, blood pressure control and other functions. As a result, all these may be impaired by Benzodiazepines.

Point of No Return website (for info above)

Yes, I have been on clonazepam for 2 months now, and my memory is much worse, episodes of amnesia, dizzy, unsteady on feet, breathing problems. I tried lorazepam before this and it was as you described, a wonder drug it seemed, to help all aspects of my PD. Read Dr. Heather Ashton's manual about benzodiazepines; it will scare you and maybe save you a host of trouble later. I'm trying to taper off clonazepam slowly to avoid 'protracted' withdrawal symptoms. There are GABA/benzo receptors in every organ of the body, and you may get some weird and horrible withdrawal effects. Take a look at some of the You tube videos on benzo withdrawal - described as 'hell' and can take many months or years to overcome.

When I was diagnosed with REM sleep behavior disorder, the doctor put me on Clonazapam, .5 mg, before going to bed. My dreams and actions prior to that were pretty scary. I found that in times of big stress (mom's funeral) I needed more to keep from acting out so I upped the dose to an extra quarter of a pill or half, if needed. The maximum I've taken is .75 mg. About every 6 weeks or so I have another "event". I moved to another bedroom to protect my husband. In my most recent episode, I kicked the nightstand so hard I broke my middle toe right down the center and compressed the joint on my big toe. Ouch! I appear to be healing fine on both fronts. My doctor actually gives me a prescription for two .5 mg each night with how much I take up to my discretion. I regularly get 7-8 hours of sleep, balance is excellent, memory fine, etc. I seem to have no negative side effects. I may be with it the rest of my life. Good luck to all of you.

I have been taking Clonazapam for many years. It works well on anxiety,tremor
and sleep. A low dose of 1mg could become addictive thus
be very careful . 6 mg is the maximum dosage prescribed. It has a long half-life

Be careful not to get hooked on this drug because withdrawal is horrible. It does affect memory.