Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking klonopin as follows:
- Klonopin use in expectant mothers could harm the unborn baby and result in pregnancy complications, such as, low birth weight baby, small head circumference, and preterm delivery. So, klonopin use should be avoided during pregnancy and in women planning to get pregnant. Women in the child-bearing age group, taking klonopin on a regular basis, must employ effective contraceptive measures in order to avoid getting pregnant.
- Klonopin use, especially in individuals with history of anxiety and bipolar disorder, can sometimes result in exacerbation of depressive symptoms, hallucinations, changes in behavior, irritability, compromised sexual drive, and provoke thoughts of suicide. Individuals taking klonopin can also present compromised memory and forgetfulness. Report any deterioration of symptoms of mood disorder immediately to your physician, so that, a change in plan of care could be considered.
- Your physician could change the dose of klonopin, based on the response you show. Notify your doctor of any unresolving anxiety, muscle spasms, worsening muscle pain and discomfort, episodes of seizures, insomnia, or continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Individuals develop tolerance to the dose of klonopin with diminished therapeutic response over time. Report to your physician regarding any blunting of therapeutic response, with poorly controlled anxiety episodes, seizures, muscle cramps, nervousness, irritability, restlessness, and insomnia. Your physician could consider a change in the plan of care to provide the desired therapeutic relief.
