Just wondering

I have had Panic disorder with panic attacks since I was in my 20's back when I was diagnosed with anxiety there were not too many medications to take for it. I took Xanax 4mg a day for many years. I went to a doctor for a checkup some years ago and he told me that there is much better medication for Anxiety than Xanax. So he prescribed me Paxil 20mg. I then weened off Xanax that had worked pretty well for many years then all of a sudden about six months ago I started getting panic attacks again. I am currently Still on Paxil 20mg and taking Xanax 0.25mg for a total of 2.75mg a day. I take 0.5mg at 12:00pm 0.5mg 3:00pm 0.5mg 6:00pm 0.5mg 9:00pm and .075 at bedtime.

I have done a lot of reading and I am finding out that Klonopin is probably a better choice. I went to the doctor today and he gave me Klonopin and said to start with 2mg in the morning and 2mg in the evening is that too much to start with and should I ween of the Xanax or just stop cold turkey since they are in the same family. Also should I start with a lower dose to make the side effects less?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Regards,
Keith

[greenlydia]

Not being a doctor nor a pharmacist, I cannot tell you what you should or shouldn't do with your medications. But.......what I will tell you is since you are back on the Xanax, whatever you and your doctor chose to try next, means that you MUST once again taper off the Xanax. You cannot just stop Xanax cold turkey, EVER, without paying a price!
It is not within the scope of this forum to recommend certain drugs. We can give you our own individual experiences with them, we can tell what we liked or didn't like about them, we can tell you we had better luck with X, Y or Z.........but we can't say "This is the best drug for YOU!" Having said that, it is my personal and humble opinion that giving Klonopin a try is a very good move on your part. Bear in mind, there are many who would disagree with me. Since your doctor HAS put you on Klonopin, he should have you on a Xanax/Klonopin "cross over" taper, whereby you decrease the Xanax by a very small amount and increase the Klonopin by the same amount until you have replaced the Xanax totally with the Klonopin. He probably started you on the 2mg of Klonopin as that is close to the dosage of Xanax you're on, but he should be tapering you off the Xanax. I don't think (MY OPINION) that it is a good idea to simply stop the Xanax and replace it with the Klonopin. They ARE, as you said, in the same family, but they both have their own "personalities," and one must be mindful of that.

What you need is a doctor who is VERY knowledgable about benzos, the risks and benefits of each, the need to taper and withdraw, whether a short acting benzo, such as Xanax, with all it's attendant problems, is better than a longer acting drug like Klonopin.
Unfortunately, most primary care physicians ONLY know what the drug rep has told them and they prescribe these meds to us with ONLY that knowledge.

Since you came here with questions regarding your meds, which we are unqualified to answer, I would suggest you get back with your doctor and discuss your concerns and quesitons with him. He is the ONLY one qualified to speak to these issues.

My last bit of advice would be to seek out a good psychiatrist who is not only qualified to prescribe meds for you and follow your progress with them, he/she is also qualified to help you get to the root of what is causing you to be on these meds in the first place.

As my good friend John Lennon would say....."IMAGINE........." In this case, imagine a life without having to take these meds at all.

I wish you luck and
Peace
Greenlydia