Clonazepam Oral Tablet

• This drug has a black box warning. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A black box warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
• Using clonazepam with opioid drugs can cause dangerous effects. These can include severe drowsiness, slowed breathing, coma, and death. If your doctor prescribes clonazepam with an opioid, they will monitor you closely. Examples of opioids include hydrocodone, codeine, and tramadol.

• Slowed response time warning: Clonazepam is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. This type of drug can slow down your brain’s activity and interfere with your judgment, thinking, and reaction time. You shouldn’t drink alcohol or use other drugs that can also slow down your brain’s activity while you’re taking this medication. You also shouldn’t drive, use machinery, or do other activities that require alertness until you know how this drug affects you.
• Suicidal thoughts and behavior: Clonazepam can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior (thoughts or actions of harming yourself). Tell your doctor if you have worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, or any unusual changes in mood or behavior.

Clonazepam oral tablet is a prescription drug that’s available as the brand-name drug Klonopin. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-name version.

Clonazepam comes as both an oral tablet and an oral disintegrating (dissolving) tablet.

Clonazepam is a controlled substance drug.

Why it's used

Clonazepam is used to treat panic disorder. It’s also used to stop seizures.

Clonazepam may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications.

How it works

Clonazepam belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

Clonazepam works by increasing the activity of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). This is a chemical that sends signals throughout your nervous system. If you don’t have enough GABA, your body may be in an excited state. This may cause you to have panic attacks or seizures. When you take this drug, you’ll have more GABA in your body. This will help you have fewer panic attacks and seizures.

Clonazepam oral tablet may cause drowsiness. This drug can slow down your brain’s activity and interfere with your judgment, thinking, and reaction time. You shouldn’t drive, use machinery, or do other activities that require alertness until you know how this drug affects you. It can cause other side effects as well.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of clonazepam oral tablet can include:

• drowsiness
• problems with walking and coordination
• dizziness
• depression
• fatigue
• problems with memory

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Serious side effects

Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:

• Depressed mood or thoughts of suicide (harming yourself)
• Seizures. These are more likely to happen if you stop taking this drug too quickly or if you already have a seizure disorder

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

Clonazepam oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.

To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs you’re taking. To find out how this drug might interact with something else you’re taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Drugs that increase the risk of side effects

Taking clonazepam with certain other medications may cause more side effects. Examples of these drugs include:

• Benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam, clonazepam, triazolam, and midazolam. You may feel more sedated and drowsy.
• Opioids, such as codeine and hydrocodone. Taking these drugs with clonazepam puts you at serious risk of severe drowsiness, slowed breathing, coma, or death.
• Barbiturate and nonbarbiturate sleep drugs, such as amobarbital, butabarbital, eszopiclone, pentobarbital, zaleplon, and zolpidem. You may feel more sedated and drowsy.
• Other drugs used to treat anxiety, such as buspirone and hydroxyzine. You may feel more sedated and drowsy.
• Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline. You may feel more sedated and drowsy.
• Other drugs used to treat seizures, such as gabapentin and pregabalin. You may feel more sedated and drowsy.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking.

There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.