Galenika – Rivotril (Clonazepam)

Description

Clonazepam belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines.

It’s used to control seizures or fits due to epilepsy, involuntary muscle spasms, panic disorder and sometimes restless legs syndrome.

It works by increasing the levels of a calming chemical in your brain called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This can relieve anxiety, stop seizures and fits or relax tense muscles.

Clonazepam is available on prescription only. It comes as tablets and as a liquid that you swallow.

Key facts

• If you’re taking clonazepam for seizures or muscle spasms, your dose will be increased gradually and it might take up to a week to work fully. For panic disorder and restless legs syndrome, clonazepam should take around 1 hour to start working.
• The most common side effect of clonazepam is feeling sleepy (drowsy) during the daytime. Do not drive or ride a bike if this happens to you.
• It’s possible to get addicted to clonazepam, but it’s not likely to be addictive if you take it for a short time (2 to 4 weeks).
• If you take clonazepam for more than 2 to 4 weeks, your dose will need to be reduced gradually before you stop taking it.
• Do not drink alcohol while taking clonazepam. There’s a risk you can sleep very deeply and you may have trouble waking up.

Side Effects

Like all medicines, clonazepam can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones.

Common side effects

These common side effects of clonazepam happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

• Disturbed sleep (such as vivid dreams)
• Feeling sleepy (drowsy) in the daytime
• Feeling light-headed, unsteady or dizzy
• Muscle weakness

Keep taking the medicine, but speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

It happens rarely, but some people can have serious side effects when taking clonazepam.

Call a doctor or call 111 now if:

• the whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin – this could be a sign of liver problems
• you see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations) or think things that are not true (delusions)
• you have problems with your coordination or controlling your movements
• you have swollen ankles, a racing heartbeat, a cough and feel tired – this could be a sign of heart problems
• you bruise easily, feel tired, have nosebleeds and have breathlessness – this could be a sign of blood problems
• you notice mood changes such as talking more than usual or feeling overexcited, restless, irritable or aggressive – these side effects are more likely in children or if you’re over 65

Make an appointment to see your doctor if you have difficulty remembering things (amnesia).

Information Leaflet

Clonazepam 2mg – Patient Information Leaflet

Dosage Recommendation

Clonazepam tablets come in strengths of 0.5mg, 1mg or 2mg. The liquid contains either 0.5mg or 2mg in 5ml.

If you’re taking it for epilepsy or muscle spasms you’ll usually start on a low dose and gradually increase it over 2 to 4 weeks until your doctor thinks the dose is right for you.

Your doctor will tell you if you need to take clonazepam in 1 dose or split your dose so you take it up to 3 times each day. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you’re not sure how to take it.

The usual dose for:

• epilepsy in adults – 1mg taken at night as the starting dose, increasing to 4mg to 8mg over 2 to 4 weeks
• epilepsy in children – the dose varies depending on their age. It will be increased gradually over 2 to 4 weeks
• involuntary muscle spasms in adults – 1mg taken at night as the starting dose, increasing to 4mg to 8mg over 2 to 4 weeks
• panic disorder – 1mg to 2mg each day
• restless legs syndrome – 500 micrograms to 2mg each day

If you’re older than 65 or have kidney, liver or severe breathing problems, your doctor may recommend a lower dose.

How to take it

Take clonazepam tablets with a drink of water.

You can take the tablets or liquid with or without food.

If you’re taking clonazepam as a liquid, the medicine will come with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you measure out the right dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount.

How long to take it for

How long you take clonazepam for will depend on why you’re taking it.

When used for epilepsy, clonazepam is usually prescribed long term.

For other conditions, your doctor will want to regularly review if you still need it.

If you’re prescribed clonazepam for more than 4 weeks, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually before stopping it, to prevent withdrawal symptoms.