Xanax vs Klonopin

[Bob641]

As some of you know I have developed tolerance to Xanax 2mg, using 5 pills a day, mainly at night to help me sleep and when I wake up several times during thje night, I tried tapering down to 3 pills in a period of 3 weeks more or less but the W/D symptoms are way too much to deal, specially the migraine, which doesn't let me sleep.
Now I know that Klonopin 2mg is the equivalent to Xanax and both benzos, but unlike Xanac that have a short term life in your body- that is why develop easy tolerance and abuse over a short period of time-the Klonopin has alonger life time in your body, which  allows to more steady release and less prone to dependence.
Can anyone tell me if it is safe to switch from Xanax to Klonopin abruptly and deal with the taper of the Klonopin later or should I do an inter dose schedule, crossing from one to another and at what rate?
Please help, any suggestion is appreciated.  

[Bob641]

No, unfortunately I do not do much exercises, I'm a kind of lazy"boy". I will discuss with the doctor the pro and cons of tapering Xanax alone or to taper it and go over Klonopin slowly, it seems that the late road is the roughest, but the one that make more sense.

[sadinmichigan]

oh geez..i didn't see the 2 mg 5 times aday..so that is a high dose..sorry..I have been up with sick kids for days..a little loopy..lol..anyway. you may want to still taper down very slowly before you make the switch. Xanax is the stongest of the benzos and after taking it for so long I believe it starts to just mess with everything causing more problems..you can do it..so start real slow. Do you think you really need to take xanax or klonopin? i think we get so accustomed to taking that and even sleep meds that our bodies don't know how to fall asleep by itself anymore. Do you get alot of exercise? I find that when I work out and get alot of exercise daily, I fall asleep alot better. just like our kids do when they go go go all day...

[Bob641]

Yes, thank you girl, you understood right, I take mainly for sleeping, but as you might foresee i have developed tolerance and addiction therefore I have panic episodes during the day. I take Ambien CR to sleep, but it does nothing to me.

[sadinmichigan]

I am not too familiar with Klonopin but many people have switched from xanax to that..my thought about it though is that you say you are taking it to sleep. Xanax is an anti anxiety med and not very useful for sleep. i would consider tapering off it completely and try a med for sleep. I have taken xanax for many years and at one point was on @7mg..but I successfully weaned off it. If your only taking it to sleep then I would suggest using a med designed for that and just get off xanax all together rather than switching to klonopin. Your dose isn't incredibly high so it shouldn't be too hard. You just have to go slow. I took away about 1/4 mg every 2-3 weeks and barely had any w/d symptoms at all. Good luck to you..

[Bob641]

Thanks Jimmy, I plan to discuss this with my doctor on Wednesday, let's hope he will switch me to Klonopin, then I'll in better position on the near future to quit it, instead of quitting the Xanax, which I hear is very rough on you, regarding W/D symptoms. I can stand almost anything but migraines, that is my weak point.
Thanks a lot
Bob

[Jimmy1975]

Hi Bob i`ll make this short. I go to the UCLA anxiety clinic on campus and I can tell you most of the doctors there will not give there patients Xanax unless they have to because of the very problems you address . I take klonopin as needed and yes the half life is much longer the Xanax. Plus it dosent have the nasty side effects as Xanex . Take care Jimmy

[road2recovery]

I don't know medically about all of that...But from my experience, I have taken both...To me the klonopin did work longer then xanax...I took klonopin as persribed from the doctor for 3 yrs...I stopped taking them c/t, without asking him, or reading anything about benzo's...I have to say the w/d's were worst then opiates...But in a whole different way...I remember i did not sleep for 13 days, except for a few hours here and there...Then i got on lexapro, and it got better real quick....I really wish i had found this forum before i did something so stupid...But i really had no clue.. and now i know i could of died...
I think that paaddict gave you some great advice...I am so glad you found out all this great info from this forum , and now have many options, and people to help you through this...
good luck to you
r2r

[landbray]

Hi,
I was on zanax for 20 yrs. I went to a physiatrist.that gave me those & antidepressants, celexa & remron. I had been taking 7 1mgs a day. He took me off of them b/c he felt I had built up a tolerance to them. He switched me to klonipin 1mg 4 times a day. I did that. I was not sick but I felt totally different. It was about a 2months before the klonopin worked for my anxiety. It seemed like my racing mind,racing heart will never stop with the klonipin where as the xanax the relief was instant.
I take suboxine now. The dr that pres it to me gave me valium for anxiety b/c it is less addicting then the other 2 and you have less of a chance of od  also. People who get off xananx then relapse and take them again can die from thinking they can take 7 mgs again, know what I mean?
I can I say I did not wd's when I switched. I just didn't feel as calm I once was. I probably never will again but then I also am not living in that zanax cloud like I did for 20 yrs.
good luck to you
paaddict