RYAN? Anyone? Can I switch from Klonopin to Ativan???

[michelleanne]

Hi all, well I just finished week five of Paxil.  I take 20mg daily, and .5mg Klonopin.  I desparately want to quit the Klonopin.  I have started tapering Klonopin 1.5 weeks ago, down from .5 to .25 in the morning and .125 in the evening...but the nervousness from the Paxil is still there.  I take Paxil for panic attacks, and I haven't had any panic attacks for over a month now.  Would it be ok to switch from Klonopin to Ativan safely?  I hate the fact that the Klonopin has built up in my plasma, and I know the Ativan will not......please advise from experience (and I will be seeing my doc on Tues)....

[xanweaner]

I saw that Ryan has signed off from the site....hopefully, he may be back visiting, but I haven't seen his presence...
Perhaps you can find something in the med search section on his past posts on Klonopin reduction....

Good luck....and I assume that you'll be using the Ativan on an "as-needed basis"?

[michelleanne]

I would take the ativan as needed, but right now i take the .25 klonopin right after my 20mg of Paxil b/c i KNOW the nervousness is gonna kick in.  I want soemthing that I am not addicted to and easy to get off of....

[nursegirl6572]

Since you've safely tapered down to a manageable dose of the Klonopin, I don't think the transition should be too much of a problem.  Let me ask you this?

What is your dose of Ativan going to be, and how are you going to take it?  Once a day?, just as needed?

Are your plans to come off the Ativan as well, once the anxiety subsides some more?  If you were planning to stick with a benzo for while longer, I would say stick with just a lower dose of the Klonopin.

Congrats on being panic attack free, by the way!!!  Feels good, doesn't it?  It's also fairly normal for some residual, kind of  "generalized" anxiety to stick around for a while, too.  Have you noticed the anxiety getting slightly better and better?

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

ativan is harder to get off of and your body will need more as you take it , its a short term med, klonopin is a long term med , you can take it when you need it, everyday or now and than i have had both ativan i take once every 6 months , but klonopin i can take when i need it and not worry about my body wanting more . i would think about it , taper off and than take one if you need it . talk to your dr about the two.

[nursegirl6572]

I tend to agree with flutter.  That's why I asked the questions...the switch is usually from a shorter acting benzo to one with a longer half life, like Klonopin, even simply for tapering to d/c a benzo.

I would discuss with your prescriber...make sure he/she understands the goals you have with the medication.  If you are still needing an anti-anxiety med, even "here or there"..I would think the low dose Klonopin would be the way to go (if it is effective for you).

JUST my opinion, however...and the switch may be totally indicated in your situation.

[michelleanne]

thanks for the advice...i am so sick of the "nervous" residual feeling of the paxil, i'm on week 6 (sigh), never felt this previously when i was taking paxil.  i am going to talk to the doc tomorrow.  meanwhile, i decided to break up my paxil dose agian...10mg in the morning and 10mg evening and see if that helps any...