When can you drink alcohol after taking Klonopin?

When can you drink alcohol after taking Klonopin?

You should wait 5-6 days after taking your last Klonopin (Clonazepam) dose to drink alcohol. Even if you’re at the lowest effective dose, I still don’t recommend pairing these two. 

Klonopin is a benzodiazepine, which is an anti-anxiety medication. Klonopin is a CNS depressant as it reduces the excitatory activities in your brain, and so does alcohol. 

The concomitant use can significantly depress your central nervous system (CNS) and can cause a number of disturbing side effects. 

What are the risks of taking Klonopin and alcohol together? 

Taking alcohol and Klonopin together can cause a number of side effects. These are (1):

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting 
  • Stomach pain
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness 
  • Impaired motor coordination 
  • Impaired speech 
  • Forgetfulness 
  • Nervousness 
  • Confusion 
  • Hallucinations 
  • Respiratory depression
  • Blackouts 
  • Coma

The biggest side effect of concern is respiratory depression which could lead to life-threatening complications. Klonopin reduces your breathing rate and affects your respiratory system even if taken alone at therapeutic doses. 

Combining it with other respiratory depressants like alcohol can significantly increase that risk (2). The consequences could be fatal if you already have a respiratory condition like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

Pharmacist’s advice 

It’s best to avoid drinking alcohol with Klonopin and other Benzodiazepines, like Alprazolam, Diazepam, etc. The combination is a dangerous one and can lead to life-threatening complications. Klonopin, in particular, has a long half-life and it takes 5-6 days to get eliminated from your body completely. 

It’s best to wait for at least that long to stay on the safer side. If you’re on short-term treatment, you should avoid alcohol for as long as the treatment lasts. 

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References

1.-

Chan AW. Effects of combined alcohol and benzodiazepine: a review. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1984 Jul;13(4):315-41. doi: 10.1016/0376-8716(84)90001-2. PMID: 6148224. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6148224/

2.-

Edinoff AN, Nix CA, Hollier J, Sagrera CE, Delacroix BM, Abubakar T, Cornett EM, Kaye AM, Kaye AD. Benzodiazepines: Uses, Dangers, and Clinical Considerations. Neurol Int. 2021 Nov 10;13(4):594-607. doi: 10.3390/neurolint13040059. PMID: 34842811; PMCID: PMC8629021. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8629021/