[Guest]

Why is it that it seems (from reading the posts here) as though klonopin is so often prescribed amongst the benzos? I seem to recall reading in the past about treatment programs for drug addicts where klonopin patches were used during withdrawal from heroin booze or whatever. Why klonopin rather than lets say valium or Xanax, ativan etc?

I have found Xanax quite effective for relieving feelings of panic or anxiety as well as having a mild anti depressant quality. The only other benzo I have any experience with is valium which i took in the past, up to 80 mgs per day but found it much less effective than xanax. I took it for about a year and i don't recall any horrible withdrawal reactions when I stopped pretty much cold turkey.

I have been taking Xanax daily for many years. I helps me get a good nights sleep and also I like the way it makes me feel when I am tense or DPed.

I don't want to take a "steady state drug" you know a drug that builds up in your body and 24/7 is effecting your conciousness one way or another as then there would be no contrast or relief to look forward to when you take the drug as its effect would be a constant. (for better or for worse)

I am trying at this time to taper down my xanax dosage and perhaps someday even wean myself off of it entirely. Not because I am dissatisfied with the drug and its effectiveness but I am sick of having to participate in the medical system in order to acquire it.

At this time I am taking 1.75 mgs per day down from 2.25 two weeks ago. ( a reduction of (.50mgs or about 20%) Contrary to some of the horror stories I have read here and the contents on some of the extremist benzo phobic web sites, I feel great! I mean at least as of this time I don't feel any sort of withdrawal reaction. My immediate goal is to cut the Xanax down to about 1.25-1.50 by Christmas. And then to a daily dose of about 1mg per day by Easter. Ultimately I want to get it down to where i just take as needed, rather than in regular scheduled doses. I want the control of where and when and how much I take to rest entirely in my hands and not with a doctor or the directions on some medication bottle. I would like to find a natural herbal alternative to begin tapering in as I taper down or off the Xanax but am uncertain about combining the Xanax with herbal remedies. I need to study a bit more.

I still have some DP/DR but it is in the manageable range. When the thoughts come I just let them pass through my awareness without clinging to them. It takes some practice to do this, but I have had years to practice in. Of course sometimes it works better than others.

Also there are two other points to consider. Perhaps when the original reason for taking a benzo has been improved, it is easier to stop taking it than if one still had the symptoms which they were taking the benzo to treat. And also in my case i am taking a beta blocker for hyper tension called atenolol and i have read that beta blockers are sometimes prescribed for anxiety and panic attacks. Perhaps because i am taking this drug I don't feel the impact of the reduction of Xanax as much as i would without it. In that case it seems a beta blocker would be prescribed in treating withdrawal symptom from benzos. Is it? Or perhaps .50mg or about 20% is really not that much of a reduction. Well we'll see what happens.

Anyway back to the original question. Why does it seem that klonopin is the most frequently prescribed benzo around here rather than say valium, Ativan or Xanax?

thanks for your thoughts
john

 

[enngirl5]

Klonopin didn't work for me as well as Xanax does. When my panic attacks first started I was prescribed Klonopin and then when I had my monster panic attack that sent me into permanent agoraphobia and dr, I was taking Klonopin that night and I was eating them like candy and it didn't do anything for me. Soon after I was switched to a low dose of Xanax (.5 mg) and it managed to calm me down when nothing else would. Now I take .125 mg of xanax twice a day and I'm straight. A lot of times I forget to take the other .125 mg at night but I still feel ok. I feel fine on the xanax. It's the celexa that I feel like shit when I forget to take a dose, and when I do take it I'm tired all the time, plus the weight gain, etc etc.

 

[Guest]

I think klonopin is prescribed precisely because it is more of a "steady state 24/7 drug", rather than something that acts quickly, and of short duration. I believe the reason is that "quick acting - short duration" benzos are believed to have more of an addiction potential.

 

[gimpy34]

Pretty much what CABGX5 said. Klonopin just works on your CNS longer and has a longer half-life. That way, your brain doesn't go into a fast withdrawal from the drug, so you won't feel as much need to pop another one its effect wears off.

 

[peacedove]

I agree with CAB... I've been told by psychiatrists that klonopin is supposed to help your anxiety throughout the entire day and night while xanax or ativan works right away but fades in a few hours. Doesn't it say on your xanax bottle to take whatever dose you were prescribed every 3 to 4 hrs as needed? It's not like that with Klonopin. Also, Klonopin is supposed to be much less addicting. One psychiatrist of mine described xanax as being like alcohol (he's the one that wouldn't give it to me).... you get an immediate effect, an immediate almost happy state, but gradually you need more and more of it to get that effect. You build up tolerance quicker.....and are more prone to addiction. I take klonopin everday and xanax when I think I'm gonna freak out and have a panic attack.

 

[peacedove]

Also... I thought I might add... I don't think doctors are supposed to prescribe xanax daily for over a year. At least I've been told it's not recommended by many people and I think it's even illegal in some places. But I don't know.... if you're tapering off so easily I think you'll be fine. I would read a little more about it if you're going to continue taking it daily for an extended period of time.

 

[Guest]

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies.

To enngirl5

You say: "when I had my monster panic attack that sent me into permanent agoraphobia and dr, I was taking Klonopin that night and I was eating them like candy and it didn't do anything for me."

I had a similar experience with valium after the first several months of taking it and I had become accustomed to taking it four times a day. I could take four or five five mgs tablets at a time and they would provide very little relief from anxiety and panic. Would hardly touch the DP/DR at all.

I found that sodium amytal (a barbirtruate) worked quite well but i found it far to sedating. And i would sometimes end up sleeping during the day. I am glad that Xanax works well for you. How long have you been taking it? I have been taking Xanax for about twenty years and the most I have ever taken in a day was 3mgs. My doctor told me that they often find that long term users who don't abuse it tend to find a certain maintenance dosage level where they feel comfortable and increases are much less common than in the initial stages.

When i first began experiencing DP/DR it was very intense and i too developed a sever case of agoraphobia. So bad it was horrifyingly hard just to get out of bed even. I eventually got better through pushing myself and "will power" and now i generally only have serious bouts of panicky feelings in wide open spaces with vast distant horizons.

I don't know much about Celexa other than it is an anti depressant. I did a google search after reading your reply thats how i found out. I took the depression self test and scored 44 which is in the normal range. I have never really felt depression anyway. Of course I don't consider it a really legitimate test in any case.

To CABGX5 and gimpy34

I have heard about that klonopin is supposed to be less addictive but I am not sure if i really believe that. For instance we even have posters here on this site who went through hoffific withdrawals from klonopin. I think the real reason may be that Xanax has a greater potential for recreational drugs usage and is more popular on the street than klonopin. On some of the street drug internet sites I haven't seen too much mentioned about klonopin. Its going street price etc. So I think klonopin may be chosen by some doctors more for political reasons and to appease certain conservative elements within the medical profession and the governing boards rather than its superior pharmacological benefits. If it had a street popularity comparable to Xanax they may not feel klonopin is a preferable choice. In my cynical humble opinion.

To peacedove

You say "One psychiatrist of mine described xanax as being like alcohol (he's the one that wouldn't give it to me).... you get an immediate effect, an immediate almost happy state, but gradually you need more and more of it to get that effect. You build up tolerance quicker.....and are more prone to addiction."

Well heaven forbid that a doctor might prescribe a drug that would help you to quickly feel amost happy." Does it take time, for instance a number of days before klonopin starts to work? It seems I read something like this once.

You say: "Also... I thought I might add... I don't think doctors are supposed to prescribe xanax daily for over a year. At least I've been told it's not recommended by many people and I think it's even illegal in some places"

Well thats a scary thought. What Law enforcement agency of the government would be filing criminal charges against the doctor? I once had an excellent psychiatrist years ago who quit his practice because of increasing State ("Big Brother") interference between doctor and patient. In a way it reminds me of the abortion issue where the state becomes involved in what many believe should be a decision made by the woman and her doctor.

Should the government have the power over the citizens in these personal private matters? ie. the abortion issue or what drugs your doctor can precribe. And it is not just the Gov. the insurance companies have an obscene amount of ability to influence doctors choices. And then there is the profit driven pharmaceutical companies. I better not get started. Its getting to be a really sick system! A sort of Medical fascism!

IMHO
john

 

[bat]

i was given oxazepam which started to work in about 20 mins so i suppose it's more like xanax

 

[gimpy34]

I do think Klonopin is less addictive. I've taken Xanax, too. It works for 4 hours or so, so you will need to take another one sooner. This really only comes into play after consistent long-term use. It's reccommended that doctors don't prescibe Xanax for more than 6 weeks.

I never really felt an addiction with Klonopin or Xanax . Maybe more of a dependence, but I've never thought to myself, "Damn, I've got to get a Klonopin, now." It's just like, "Well, time to take my pills." I think that with antidepressants, too. I've gone off Klonopin after years of use and had no serious withdrawal problem. I just had to taper off correctly. I also had the help of some ADs to help my panic disorder. I will admit that if I had to go off with Klonopin to nothing I would be a total wreck.

 

[Dreamer]

For me, and I can't explain this at all, Klonopin was the first and really ONLY med to give me some relief from DP/DR. Significant relief.

I never really had panic attacks, just an endless GAD, which seems to best fit as a diagnosis. Also chronic DP/DR and bouts of severe depression.

Xanax, Ativan, and Valium were like taking sugar pills, even at high doses. Klonopin, yes, has a much longer half-life. For me, I AM going with the steady control of my DP/DR with this, and have for a long time... since 1987. Lamictal is the second drug that helped me be "less afraid" of the DP/DR. Interesting is both were marketed as anti-convulsants initially, and their use has spread to other uses.

I will say, a few years ago (well the past three years) I had some very stressful events in my life, and had what might be a real heart-pounding, clearly adrenaline-driven anxiety a number of times. In these cases my DP/DR did NOT increase. Once, someone (a friend) gave me one Xanax. It worked differently from the Klonopin. It calmed me down. Klonopin... for me... and I'll say this for me only.... seems to be "different" I have a small supply of Xanax on hand, but don't take it. I even have a refill and have no need for it.

Also, it took Klonopin about 6 weeks at 8mg to give me some DP/DR relief, it was not instantaneous. I've been at 6mg since 1987.

I do believe going off of Klonopin... if I ever need to or desire it (I don't)... will cause withdrawal. But I wouldn't call myself an abuser. I've never abused Klonopin. Taking an extra Klonopin really does NOTHING for me re: bad episodes of DP/DR.

I was prescribed Klonopin in 1987 by a collegue of my psychoanalyst who said that Klonopin was giving relief to DP/DR patients at Sheppard-Pratt hospital. He was an expert in DP/DR. He didn't recommend anything else at the time, and again this was in 1987. He is a founding member of the ISSD. (International Society for the study of Dissociation).

Complete cocktail again.... I know many know this:

Klonopin (clonazepam) 6mg/day -- I'm on the generic, notice no diff.
Lamictal 200mg/day
Celexa 40 mg/day
Pamelor (nortriptyline) 50mg/day -- generic.

Best,
D

 

[Guest]

I haven't tried klonopin but have tried the new xanax XR which is once daily dosing - its easier to manage dosing than short acting Xanax. It might help you taper down your current use. You won't feel it as much as when you take the fast acting kind, but it will help you level out throughout the day.Thanks for the post - I'm looking to find out about Klonopin as well. I'm currently just starting Lamictal which is supposed to help DP/DR symptoms. I'm slowly building my dosage and will keep everyone posted.