Clonazepam (Klonipin, Valpax, K-Pin, Benzos, Downers)
New Jersey Clonazepam Prescription Drug Possession Attorneys – Serving all of NJ including the counties of Ocean, Middlesex, Union, Mercer and Monmouth.
Prescription Drug Information About Clonazepam
Brand names: Klonopin, Valpax, Ceberclon, Rivotril
Street names: K-pin, pins, benzos, downers
Drug Classification: Clonazepam is a Schedule IV drug in the US. It is illegal to sell without a valid license and illegal to posses without a valid license or prescription.
General Information
Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine drug used to treat panic disorders, seizure disorders, and as an off-label treatment for social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is more sedating than other benzodiazepine used to treat panic disorder, like alprazolam, but may trigger depressive episodes. Clonazepam comes in tablet form and in wafers that are dissolved in the mouth for oral ingestion. Because it depresses the central nervous system, clonazepam should not be combined with alcohol, antihistamines, or other depressants, as this may result in respiratory failure and even death. The effectiveness of clonazepam has not been studied in use for longer than 9 weeks, and patients should consult their doctor before using the medication for this length of time.
Physical Effects
Clonazepam decreases abnormal electrical activity in the brain. It produces feelings of wellbeing and calmness, and well as physical relaxation. Users may experience loss of inhibition, tranquility, and feelings of silliness.
Clonazepam Abuse
Recreational users often crush and snort pills of clonazepam to bring on the effects faster. Some users are trying to ease the comedown or crash from hard drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Other users may abuse clonazepam to treat symptoms of withdrawal from hard depressants like opiates, or to get them through a time period when they can’t get their hands on harder drugs.
Side Effects
Side effects are characteristic of most benzodiazepines and include drowsiness, dizziness, and blackouts or problems with memory. Users may experience loss of coordination, lack of balance, blurred vision, muscle weakness, and headache. Drooling, dry mouth, sore gums, runny or stuffy nose, and loss of appetite may also occur. Clonazepam increases saliva production, which causes some users to cough.
Side effects such as depression, confusion, and unusual thoughts or behaviors should be reported to your doctor and discussed immediately. Do not ignore psychological side effects and expect them to go away. Pale or weak skin that easily bleeds and bruises, involuntary eye movements, shallow breaths, and a pounding or fluttering heartbeat all are serious side effects that require immediate medical attention.
Overdose
Overdosing on clonazepam produces symptoms similar to other central nervous system depressants including diminished reflexes, confusion, extreme drowsiness, respiratory depression, and coma. Since clonazepam stays in the body for a relatively long period of time, users may not realize they are still experiencing the effects of the drug and take in more clonazepam, alcohol, or another drug.
Addiction and Withdrawal
Clonazepam is both mentally and physically addictive and tolerance builds up in the body, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effects. Since clonazepam is a relatively potent benzodiazepine, withdrawal symptoms can be especially dangerous and severe and must be monitored carefully. Some treatments suggest tapering off use with diazepam instead of clonazepam, since diazepam has a long-half life and is much less potent, allowing for ease in decrease dosage levels that does not exist with other benzodiazepines. For example, a 2mg pill of clonazepam is equivalent to about 20 mg of diazepam, making the dose of diazepam much easier to adjust in small amounts. Abruptly ending clonazepam after extended use is dangerous and may cause life-threatening seizures and coma.
Withdrawal symptoms from clonazepam addiction include muscle cramps and weakness, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, convulsions, irritability, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Other symptoms include diarrhea, sweating, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
Sources:
http://www.addictionsearch.com/treatment_articles/article/klonopin-addiction-and-treatment-kpin_55.html
http://www.bcnc.org.uk/whyvalium.html
http://www.non-benzodiazepines.org.uk/clonazepam.html
http://addiction.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Clonazepam_Drug_Abuse_Snorting
http://www.minddisorders.com/Br-Del/Clonazepam.html
http://www.erowid.org/pharms/clonazepam/
http://www.drugs.com/clonazepam.html
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/mono-6006-CLONAZEPAM+-+ORAL.aspx?drugid=14403&drugname=Clonazepam+Oral
http://www.rxlist.com/klonopin-drug.htm