Klonopin, a drug used to treat panic disorders, anxiety, and seizures, can be detected in the urine for approximately 3-6 days after the last dose, in the blood for up to 2-3 days, in the saliva for around 1-2 days, and in the hair for about a month. Various factors can affect how long the klonopin can be detected, including age, dosage and duration of drug use, overall health, the usage of other substances, and metabolism.
What is Klonopin?
Klonopin, otherwise known as clonazepam, is a depressant which falls under the umbrella of benzodiazepines, which means that it slows the central nervous system (CNS). The drug enhances the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to calm a system that has become overstimulated. In other words, it helps people manage their panic attacks, anxiety, or seizures because it suppresses the central nervous system and allows the body to calm down.
Klonopin may also be prescribed to manage the symptoms of mania, tardive dyskinesia (a condition where one performs uncontrollable bodily movements), and insomnia. Although it has been approved by the FDA to be prescribed and is a schedule IV drug (which means that it has a low potential for abuse), it is still misused by people craving its pleasant after-effects.
Factors that Affect How Long Klonopin Stays In Your System:
As with every drug, there are various factors that affect how long klonopin will stay in your system. Here are some factors:
- Age/ overall health- younger, healthier people usually have more efficient metabolisms, which means that the body can more easily flush the drug out of the system. Other health issues usually present in older people can also slow down the system considerably.
- Metabolism- Regardless of age, the metabolism of a person is genetic. This means that a young person can have a slower metabolism than an elderly person- which will cause the klonopin to remain for longer in the body. Usually, metabolism slows with age, so younger people have a greater chance of having faster metabolisms.
- Dosage and duration- People who consume high doses of klonopin frequently will have a harder time ridding their bodies of the drug. People who have a history of abusing klonopin usually increase their dosages with time, causing the body to have developed tolerance, which in turn makes it harder for the body to eliminate the drug.
- Usage of other substances- people who misuse klonopin while concurrently using alcohol or other illicit, recreational substances will likely have klonopin remain in their bodies for a longer duration of time. This is because other substances, specifically alcohol, can interact with the klonopin and make it more difficult for the body to rid itself of the drug.
How Long Does Klonopin Last?
If you are taking klonopin at the recommendation of a doctor, you should present a doctor’s note when you take a drug test, as depending on the method of testing, the drug can be detected for quite some time. There are different ways to take a drug test, with the duration of time the drug will be detected in each varying:
- Urine test- You may be wondering, does klonopin show up in a urine drug test? Yes, Klonopin can be detected on a standard urine drug test. How long does klonopin stay in your urine? The drug can be detected in urine for approximately 3-6 days after the last dose of klonopin is consumed, although it can show up for up to two weeks.
- Saliva test- another way klonopin can be detected in the body is through a saliva sample. Klonopin will show up on a saliva test for around 5-6 days after the last dose.
- Blood test- a prevalent form of testing is through a simple blood test. The presence of klonopin can be detected for up to three days after the last dose is taken, although it could be longer than that.
- Hair test- This form of testing has by far the longest detection window, with the ability to detect Klonopin up to approximately 30 to 90 days after the last dose was taken. The results, however, can depend on how much hair was collected for the sample.
The window of time that klonopin is detectable in the system through these different forms of testing can vary greatly depending on the factors enumerated above. In order to understand how long klonopin lasts in the system, it’s important to understand the half-life process of drugs in the body.
Klonopin Half-Life:
How long 0.5 mg klonopin stays in your system, or how long 2mg of klonopin stays in your system, is determined by the half-life of klonopin. The half-life of a drug is the time it takes for the concentration of the substance in the body to decrease by half. The half-life of Klonopin is dependent on its active ingredient, clonazepam. Clonazepam has a half-life of about 30 to 40 hours, translating into one to two days for half the concentration of klonopin to leave the body. This is considered a long half-life relative to other substances.
After the first half-life of klonopin in the body, the drug continues to half its concentration until it is removed from the body entirely. It is estimated that around five half-lives are needed until the substance is flushed out of the body- which can take anywhere from 6 to 9 days.
Side-Effects of Klonopin:
Although klonopin is an effective medication for various disorders, people who misuse the drug can become addicted. Addiction is defined as a compulsion to consume the drug constantly to recreate the original euphoric ‘high’ feeling, regardless of the adverse physical, emotional, and psychological repercussions as a result. Here are some side-effects of klonopin misuse:
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Flu-like symptoms
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Extreme drowsiness
- Lack of coordination
- Increased heart rate
- Low blood pressure
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma
- Suicide ideation
People who mix klonopin with other substances to increase the effectiveness of the drug risk more severe symptoms. Certain illicit substances can cause overdose and death when abused together with klonopin.
Klonopin Withdrawal Symptoms:
After the pleasant effects of the drug wear off, the user will feel adverse withdrawal symptoms, which cause them to use more of the drug so they are relieved of the symptoms. People who are addicted to klonopin may try to quit completely on their own, but this can cause serious and even dangerous effects. Here are some of the withdrawal effects:
- Hallucinations
- Anxiety
- Stomach and muscle cramps
- Seizures
- Tremors and shaking
- Confusion
- Insomnia
- Headache
- Sweating
Rather than trying to stop taking klonopin cold turkey, reach out to a mental health professional who can help you gradually reduce your dose while mobilizing different resources to manage the withdrawal symptoms.
Klonopin Addiction Treatment:
If you believe you or your loved one may be addicted to klonopin, reach out to a professional for help. Once a psychiatrist has diagnosed a klonopin addiction, it is essential that the person perform a medical detox with the help of a medical center such as an accredited drug rehab center.
Once the klonopin has been flushed out of the system and you are no longer experiencing the withdrawal effects, follow-up intervention is needed to ensure you don’t fall into the cycle of addiction again.
Addiction is complicated and difficult to overcome, but with the right guidance and support it is entirely possible. At Avenues Recovery our skilled staff have helped thousands of people break free of their addiction, and they can help you too. Our professional and experienced addiction counselors use a wide range of evidence based therapies and programs to give you the best chance at becoming sober. Reach out to Avenues Recovery today to discover a world of support that can guide you along the journey to a drug-free, sober life. Take your first step right now, towards a brighter and healthier future, where you, not your addiction, is in control.