Klonopin - Effects on Visuals

[VisualDude]

Technically, Klonopin is an antiseizure. It is also prescribed for anxiety. It seems to be, at least for years, the #1 med for HPPD. Aside from to two extremes of being wonderful and it's villainy, there are specific question I wish to ask:

For those who did NOT visually benefit from Klonopin,

What amounts (dosage) did you try?

For those who HAVE benefited visually from Klonopin,

What effects on visual distortions/problems has this medicine exhibited?

Also, how quickly did it help and at what dosages were required?

Thank you for your assistance.

[VisualDude]

Bump

[Jay1]

I start noticing a 50% or so reduction in all visual symptoms at 1.5mg and find 2mg takes them away by about 70%. Higher doses don't seem to bring any further improvement.

This includes warping, visual snow, after images and altered depth perception.

1mg or below doesn't affect my visuals, but helps with anxiety.

[VisualDude]

Thanks Jay. Did it take long for you to notice the reductions (hours, days, weeks, months)?

[Jay1]

Usualy about 1 hour and starts diminishing after about 12 hours

[VisualDude]

Again thank you for the info. It seemed that some others reported seeing changes with visual symptoms quickly with and dose change (hours or days)

With my doctors permission, have been doing an experiment on self with Klonopin. Previously have never taken more that 1 mg in a day. The only benefits from it have been anxiety and seeing black better (the latter is helped with Sinemet alone sometimes, but best with Gabapentin and/or Klonopin added)

For a few weeks my Klonopin dose has been 3 mg / day. One week at 4 mg / day. Stopped Sinemet for the first 2 weeks.

However, the effect at these higher amounts are identical with 0.5mg per day. Other than the small above mentioned items, there are no effects on visuals at all. Was hoping to see if it would reduce ghosting and these spider-web-like-filaments that I can see at night.

One positive effect is that it gave me more energy and better cognition - of which I became more active and wore myself out . This happens with anti-seizures for me.

One negative effect was that when turning the light out at night, got some very strong strobing for a few seconds.

Will be completing this test when the bottle runs out in about a week (and yes have another lower dose one to care for any tapering needs that may arise)

It only seemed fair to try the effects of Klonopin (which so many use) for HPPD, since I've continued to promote Sinemet for 3 years.

Perhaps this helps explain why this topic was started. It is important for members to document their experiences with how medications affect their symptoms - it is one method of 'diagnosis'

[gill]

For me, klono initially did seem to take the edge off all my visuals, in as much as 1mg, within a few days. But I grew a tolerance rather quickly to those effects. I don't think the long-term emotional effects of it are really worth the visual reduction though.

[Arrows]

I took klonopin for 1 year, working my way up to 6mg/day before slowly tapering down and switching over to valium, then tapering down to nothing.

I'm lucky, my visuals aren't nearly as bad as before I started taking kpins, not having them be so in my face all the time helped break the cycle of being used to watching for them, helped me get out of the mindset of always agonizing over tiled floors and neon signs if you know what I mean.

I still have visuals, they just don't cause me anxiety anymore, and thus are much less intense because the more you pay attention the more it MAKES you pay attention, a terribly vicious cycle.

But, I didn't want to be dependent on any pill, especially one that if I ran out of might kill me. I'm really glad I realized that before I got too sucked into it because I'm much happier now, and I'm much less of a dick.