There are many doubts regarding the drug interaction of various drugs, including two quite popular drugs: clonazepam and fluoxetine.
On the one hand, clonazepam is a drug that is part of the benzodiazepine family with anticonvulsant, hypnotic, sedative, and mood-stabilizing functions, and, on the other, we have fluoxetine, an antidepressant known for several years.
Many will wonder if these drugs can be taken together, and the answer is that yes, treatment with both drugs gives a sure solution to reduce anxiety and sleep disorders and improve mood and loss of interest.
If you want to know more about this topic, we invite you to continue reading this FastlyHealarticle, “Can I take clonazepam and fluoxetine together? “.
Table of Contents
What is clonazepam for, and what dosage?
The benzodiazepines are a pharmacological group which clonazepam, a drug whose mechanism of action is to potentiate the effect of neurotransmitters in the brain that suppress seizure activity belongs, so it is suitable for treating various types of epilepsy and panic disorders, but as an additional measure.
In the same context, clonazepam is indicated for anxiety disorders, sleep disorders such as sleepwalking disorder, bipolar disorder, and alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
The usual dose is 0.5 milligrams every 8 hours. Increasing the daily dose to 0.5 milligrams every three days is recommended until the amount gives the expected response.
In the case of status epilepticus, the standard dose is 1 milligram intravenously in adults, repeating only if necessary every 4 or 6 hours.
The time in which the action appears after oral administration of clonazepam is approximately between 20 and 600 minutes, and the direction of its effect is around 12 hours in adults. Clonazepam is metabolized in the liver and excreted in the urine, and its elimination time is 20 to 40 hours.
The adverse reactions that a person taking clonazepam may face are tiredness, weakness, drowsiness, feeling dizzy, less reaction time to a stimulus, and difficulty with attention and concentration.
If clonazepam is administered with alcohol, barbiturates, antipsychotics, and antidepressants, there may be some potentiation of the depressant effect.
What is fluoxetine used for, and what dosage
The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a pharmacological group to which fluoxetine, an antidepressant drug widely known, belongs.
Fluoxetine has several indications, among which we can mention:
- The depression from the mildest to the most severe
- Anxiety disorders.
- Panic disorders
- Obsessive disorders.
- Eating disorders, such as bulimia.
For this reason, this drug must be indicated by a specialist, and periodic monitoring will be necessary to determine the efficacy of the medicine according to the prescribed indication.
The available presentations of fluoxetine are capsules and tablets. Initially, it is recommended to start with a dose of 20 mg per day, specifically in the morning. If there is no clinical improvement, the specialist may consider increasing the amount after several weeks, the maximum dose being 80 milligrams per day.
Often, people taking fluoxetine may experience insomnia, headache, anxiety, drowsiness, nervousness, nausea, muscle weakness, diarrhea, and decreased libido.
Fluoxetine is well tolerated. However, one of the possible interactions occurs when it is administered with other antidepressants such as selegiline. Likewise, this drug interacts with tramadol, carbamazepine, and phenytoin.
Can you take clonazepam and fluoxetine together?
Both drugs do not present drug interactions with each other. A short-term study was carried out with clonazepam and fluoxetine to treat anxiety, sleep disorders, and symptoms of depression, obtaining a result that the combined treatment at low doses of both drugs generates a sure answer [1].
Clonazepam and fluoxetine together favor the reduction of anxiety and sleep disorders. They also reduce the symptoms of low mood and loss of interest.
In this way, we can say that if you can take clonazepam and fluoxetine together as indicated by the specialist, preferably at low or minimal doses. Avoid self-medicating or increasing the amount without proper medical evaluation.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any type of condition or discomfort.
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