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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jerimycoplo on April 8, 2004, at 21:16:18
I am currently taking .5 mg klonopin on some days when i feel stressed out (as needed). I was wondering how long I have to wait in order to make it *safer* to drink after taking it.
I know that duration of action in adults is up to 12 hours.(but half life is up to 40). I'm not sure which one of those figures would be relevant when trying to not casue too much respiratory despression when drinking and having this stuff in your system. Would it be the 12 hours of *actual* perceivable effects , or the 40 hour of the half life?
Last weekend I had .5 mg on friday morning and then drank 3-4 beers on saturday night...24+ hours... i felt fine. no real hangover/respiratory depression/ confusion.
Just trying to figure this stuff out in order to be *safer* about this...
any comments welcome
jc
Posted by snapper on April 8, 2004, at 22:15:05
In reply to KLONOPIN and alcohol? how long should i wait?, posted by jerimycoplo on April 8, 2004, at 21:16:18
jc, I used to struggle with the time lapse and safety thing in re: to when most of the K is out of my system and when it would be ok to have a few drinks-sometimes I would'nt take anything but .5 to 1 mg of K in the am -to get me through the day-knowing I was going to drink that night!
Everybody reacts differently. from what you said about the time of dosing in relationship to having a few drinks is probably *safe*!
I know you have extreme anxiety like a lot of people do and you still want to drink, but I reallly think you you are scaring the crap out of yourself!! It is good to be knowlegdeable and informed on the risk and what not of meds in your system and then being totally sure that it ok to drink,however at the same time -you might want to consider this...NOT an expert opinion, just my personal experience and thoughts... I would say this: If you are gonna drink, it's ok just don't worry about a very small amt. of K causing you any serious problems short term or long.I would definitely not take 10 to 20 mg or more of K then drink half a fifth of scotch, you might end up doing some real harm there!! Like I said to you In a post a few days back, I used to drink like a fish, and you said that you did 'nt drink that much. Yes I most always exercized as much caution and prudence when I was on meds and drank!! Bottom line being if you drink just space it out and use reasonable caution-I could be wrong here but I honestly think that if you were going to have any potential for harming yourself, it would be much easier to do by mixing say ...a lot of alcohol and barbiturates, and weed and a whole ton of other stuff. It does'nt sound like you are mixing exotic and potentially lethal cocktails of drugs of un-known origin and what not. So just remember to use 'caution ' and try not to worry about when the drug is half out of you system, & try to recognize that the small amt of K you are taking, on an as needed basis and the amt of alcohol you drink is not going to kill you!! I know it's very hard-but try and relax and give yourself some grace.:)
snapper
Posted by seanwrx on April 9, 2004, at 0:11:42
In reply to Re: KLONOPIN and alcohol? how long should i wait?, posted by snapper on April 8, 2004, at 22:15:05
I find that if I only take .5 or 1mg in the morning, by late evening I can drink without any problems. It helps to have something in your stomach though.
If you are rediscovering a night-life again because of decreased anxiety, and you haven't drank in awhile you might want to take it easy.
Posted by Sad Panda on April 9, 2004, at 4:18:06
In reply to KLONOPIN and alcohol? how long should i wait?, posted by jerimycoplo on April 8, 2004, at 21:16:18
> I am currently taking .5 mg klonopin on some days when i feel stressed out (as needed). I was wondering how long I have to wait in order to make it *safer* to drink after taking it.
> I know that duration of action in adults is up to 12 hours.(but half life is up to 40). I'm not sure which one of those figures would be relevant when trying to not casue too much respiratory despression when drinking and having this stuff in your system. Would it be the 12 hours of *actual* perceivable effects , or the 40 hour of the half life?
> Last weekend I had .5 mg on friday morning and then drank 3-4 beers on saturday night...24+ hours... i felt fine. no real hangover/respiratory depression/ confusion.
> Just trying to figure this stuff out in order to be *safer* about this...
> any comments welcome
> jc
>I wouldn't worry too much about respiratory failure on a low dose, you would just have to remember to drink slower because you are going to get drunker a little easier with Klonopin floating around in your system.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by Michael Bell on April 11, 2004, at 21:07:12
In reply to KLONOPIN and alcohol? how long should i wait?, posted by jerimycoplo on April 8, 2004, at 21:16:18
> I am currently taking .5 mg klonopin on some days when i feel stressed out (as needed). I was wondering how long I have to wait in order to make it *safer* to drink after taking it.
> I know that duration of action in adults is up to 12 hours.(but half life is up to 40). I'm not sure which one of those figures would be relevant when trying to not casue too much respiratory despression when drinking and having this stuff in your system. Would it be the 12 hours of *actual* perceivable effects , or the 40 hour of the half life?
> Last weekend I had .5 mg on friday morning and then drank 3-4 beers on saturday night...24+ hours... i felt fine. no real hangover/respiratory depression/ confusion.
> Just trying to figure this stuff out in order to be *safer* about this...
> any comments welcome
> jc
>
I take similar doses as you, and have never had a problem mixing Klonopin and alcohol (and I'm talking a lot of drinks). Then again, I wouldn't recommend it, as my reaction to the combo may be rare.
This is the end of the thread.
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