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Clobazam
Diagnosis & Treatment > Seizure Medications > Clobazam > What's the best amount of clobazam to take?
 

What's the best amount of clobazam to take?

Follow your doctor's directions. Call if you have any questions.

Young adults and teenagers are usually advised to start by taking 10 milligrams (1 tablet) per day, at night. After about a week, the doctor may prescribe more tablets to get better control of the seizures. Very few people benefit from taking more than 2 or 3 tablets (20-30 mg) per day, however, and side effects usually become more of a problem at higher doses.

If the seizures nearly always occur during sleep or first thing in the morning, the doctor may advise taking all the tablets at bedtime. If daytime seizures occur, the advice may be to take some twice a day. If the dose cannot be equally divided, take the larger amount at bedtime.

Seniors (over age 65) generally require a lower initial dose and particular caution with any increases.

For children, the starting dose is usually half a tablet (5 mg) per day, or even less for very small children. The dose can be increased every 5 to 7 days until the seizures are controlled or side effects become a problem. Giving more than 1 mg per kilogram(2.2 pounds) of the child's body weight per day seldom improves seizure control, however. This dose would represent 3 tablets (30 mg) for a 66-pound child or 2 tablets (20 mg) for a 44-pound child. These amounts would usually be divided into two doses per day.

Be sure to use only the number of tablets that the doctor prescribes. If you think one or two extra pills were taken, call your doctor for advice. For a larger overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency room right away.

No one should stop taking clobazam or change the amount they take without talking to the doctor first. Stopping any seizure medicine all at once can cause a serious problem called status epilepticus. It's particularly unsafe to stop taking any type of benzodiazepine abruptly. The resulting withdrawal symptoms are likely to be unpleasant or even dangerous.