Klonopin

What is Klonopin?

Klonopin is Roche’s trade name for clonazepam. It is prescribed for a number of conditions including epileptic seizures and panic disorder. It is a benzodiazepine with anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and potent anxiolytic characteristic. It is one of the most fast-acting of all benzodiazepines. It has been shown in clinical investigations to be extremely effective for panic disorder. Klonopin is effective either alone or in combined therapy for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and akinetic and myoclonic seizures. It may also be useful in patients with absence seizures.

How does Klonopin work?

Like all benzodiazepines, Klonopin acts by enhancing the neurotransmitter GABA, which is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. As yet the mechanism by which resolves seizures and panic is not fully understood.

What does Klonopin look like?

Klonopin is available in a round orange pill of 0.5 mg strength, a round blue pill of 1 mg strength and a round white pill of 2 mg strength. All have a central “K” shape perforation. It is also available in disintegrating wafers in strengths of 0.125 mg, 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg, imprinted with ?, 1 , 1, and 1 respectively.

Klonopin dosing and administration

The starting dosage for adults with seizures should be nor more than 1.5 mg daily divided into three doses. This may be increased by 0.5 or 1 mg every three days until there is adequate control of the seizures or until the dosage becomes too high for the patient to tolerate. It is important that the dose is individually titrated for the patient. No more than 20 mg per day should be taken. If other anticonvulsants are used concurrently, the dosage of Klonopin should be reduced appropriately. When treating panic disorder in adults, the starting dosage should 0.25 mg twice daily. Your doctor may increase this to 1 mg per day after three days. This dosage has been shown to be optical in clinical trials, with effectiveness decreasing at higher doses.

Common adverse effects from Klonopin

Common side effects of Klonopin may include drowsiness, headache, fatigue, restlessness, lethargy, dizziness, nausea, hangover, anxiety, depression, dry mouth, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, euphoria, confusion, blurred vision, bizarre dreams and vertigo. Less frequent side effects include anorexia, ataxia, tremor, unusual dreaming, balance problems, dyspnea, palpitations, vomiting, backache, hyperhidrosis, eye irritation, amnesia, hallucinations and a number of paradoxical responses including restlessness, hyperactivity and agitation.

Interactions with Klonopin

Klonopin may interact with a number of other drugs including alcohol, anesthetics, antidepressants and antipsychotics, barbiturates and narcotics, certain antibiotics and antifungals, other benzodiazepines, protease inhibitors, seizure medications and sleeping pills.

Klonopin warnings and precautions

Abrupt cessation of Klonopin treatment, particularly from a high dose, may result in withdrawal symptoms and epileptic seizures. Thus the dosage should be tapered gradually over several weeks. Liver function should be monitored regularly during long-term use of Klonopin. Klonopin may increase the frequency of seizures in patients who suffer from multiple seizure disorders. Klonopin may cause increased salivation and should be used with caution in patients with respiratory distress.

Tramadol

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol is an opioid analgesic which acts on the central nervous system and is used for the relief of moderately severe pain. It is also used for the treatment of restless legs syndrome. Because it has serous addiction potential it is best avoided in patients who have a history of substance abuse.

How does Tramadol work?

Tramadol is a weak opioid agonist. It also precipitates the release of serotonin and inhibits norepinephrine reuptake.

What does Tramadol look like?

Tramadol is available in a number of proprietary and generic presentations, usually in pills of 50 mg and sometimes in a combined formulation with acetaminophen.

Tramadol dosing and administration

The usual starting dose of Tramadol is 25 mg once daily in the morning. Another 25 mg dose may be added each day until you are taking 25 mg four times a day. Your doctor may increase this to 50 mg four times a day. The maximum dosage should be 400 mg in any 24 hour period.

Common adverse effects from Tramadol

The most common side effects of tramadol are addiction, confusion, serotonin syndrome, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, blood glucose problems, agitation, fever, sweating, seizures coma, respiratory distress and allergic reactions.

Precautions when taking Tramadol

You should take Tramadol without discussing it with your doctor if you have or have epilepsy, liver or kidney disease, a recent head injury, severe abdominal pain, or any lung disease. Tramadol should also be avoided if you are or have been dependent on alcohol or any other drug. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, or who are breastfeeding should also discuss this with their doctor. Tramadol has the potential to be a drug of addiction, so care should be exercised if taking it for a long period or in larger doses.

Interactions with Tramadol

Tramadol may interact with many drugs including alcohol, carbamazepine, digoxin, linezolid and promethazine. It may also potentiate the action of drugs such as antipsychotics, anxiolytics and most antidepressants and sleeping pills. It may also interact with the common herbal remedy St John’s Wort. Dextromethorphan, a component of many patent cough medicines can combine with tramadol to cause serotonin syndrome which can be an extremely serious condition.

What should I do if I take an accidental overdose of Tramadol?

As with all opiates, tramadol overdose can be extremely serious. The symptoms could included dyspnea, lethargy coma, seizures, cardiac arrest and death. If you suspect that you or someone else has taken an overdose of Tramadol you should seek urgent medical intervention. Naloxone may be given to reverse the effects of tramadol, but brings an increased risk of seizures.

Is it safe to take Tramadol if I am pregnant?

Tramadol has been classified as Pregnancy Category C by the US Food and Drug Administration. This means that extensive studies of the use of the drug in pregnancy have not been undertaken, but there is good reason to believe that it may be harmful to the fetus. In animal studies, tramadol has caused low-weight births, skeletal deformities, delayed development and an increased rate of miscarriage. Tramadol has been demonstrated to cross the human placenta, leading to neonatal problems.