I asked this question of people who have bipolar disorder and got a wide variety of answers, ranging from, "I pop them like Tic-Tacs so I am only prescribed five at a time," to "It mellows me out," to "It makes me want to crawl out of my skin *shudders*." Here are some of the other answers:

• I get very sleepy with it so I take only a half. Every person is different with medicines so your body may react differently then other people's bodies. It's a good medicine to take.
  
  
• I take them before I go shopping makes it easier for me less anxiety.
  
  
• The worst side effect is ED (erectile dysfunction), which has been a difficult experience in a new relationship. I cut back on my dosage. No
  adverse affects of increased anxiety. Better results with intimacy.
  
  
• I take 1 mg in the afternoon. It makes me need a nap, but we bipolar peeps need naps anyway, so I don't feel so bad. But coming off of it is tough; you could actually die. So it looks like I'll be taking it forever...
  [Note: I have never read this; I believe this writer has been misinformed. It is true, though, and withdrawal from this type of drug can be quite unpleasant.]
  
  
• I take 2mg at night to help shut my mind off and 1mg during the day as needed, which isn't very often, for general anxiety. Helps in both cases.
  
  
• A psychiatrist told me that it only works for a month and that after that, you're only feeding withdrawal. For that reason, he doesn't prescribe it.
  [Note: It is true that drugs of this type are not recommended for long-term use, but many people do find it continues helping them for a long time. Again, withdrawal side effects can be nasty.]
  
  
• I tried all the other antianxiety meds before we settled on this one. Have been on it for years,a  low dose, and I take it 3 times a day with more at bedtime. It has saved me from panic attacks, and I take extra when I feel very stressed.
  
  
• I used to take it. All it did was make me sleepy. I've been off of it for about 3 months.

I myself take it only rarely. It's a long time since I've taken it during the day. Since I take it so rarely, I have no tolerance, so I get sleepy. Useful if I need a long nap. I don't recommend adding it to other sleep meds if the others generally work well. I get very dizzy when I do that, and had a very bad fall once from the dizziness.

What about you? What's your experience with Klonopin or the generic clonazepam?