meds

[autume]

which is a better anxiety med klonopin or ativan

[JSGeare]

Good heavens, Autume, we're not shopping for dish detergent or shot gun shells here! We're talking about your noodle, your noggin, your gray matter, your BRAIN.

Let me rephrase that: YOUR brain -emphasis on YOUR. And the horrible and sad truth is that nobody, not even your doc, knows the answer, until you try. That said, if your doctor favors one over the other, it is because, looking at the whole big picture, he or she has good reason to think one is better than the other -so be guided accordingly.

I'm assuming, of course, that your asking for yourself. But you could just as well, I suppose, be asking for a child or grand child or a friend or to settle an argument over your weekly bridge game. So, maybe, you'll give us a little more of the story.

I hope so.

[cj29]

I just want to echo those comments.  The answer is, 'It really depends...".  Ativan is recommended for short term use and is faster acting while Klonopin takes longer to build in your system and is used more for long term use.  Regardless, both are benzos and, in my opinion, can be effective as long as you combine it with talk therapy.

[dolphin845]

Agree - everyone is different.  The first go around with ativan,  I didn't like it.  but I'm taking it again now and I like it.  It does sedate me and make me tired but it's better than being an anxiety mess.  Today I took .25 mg. at around 10:00am and felt great all day.  Finally had to take another .25 mg. at 8:00pm since the first one was wearing off and I could feel my breathing change to more difficult.  I hated the idea of taking drugs.  I felt so weak and useless.  BUT,  I'm done suffering.  I'm also in talk therapy and I'm hoping to not have to take any drugs one day.   I'm not any SSRI's except for 5-HTP at night and I do seem happier since I've been on that.
I also take compazine for when my stomach gets all bent out of shape becasue of the anxiety.
I've never taken klonopin so I can't compare but for me right now.... the ativan last a long time.  
Well, around 10 hours on a .25mg dose.  That could change too - I might need more as the days go on.   I don't know.  I'm a real light weight tho.  One dramamine and I'm out like a light.
If I could take 1/2 of that .25mg of ativan,  I'd probably do that.  I'm very sensitive.

[Jikan]

Namaste,

There is no simple answer to you question since different medications effect diffferent people in different ways.

What may work well with one person may cause terrible side effects in another.It also depends on what the medication is being used to treat(i.e. panic attacks or generalized anxiety).

The only sure way to determine which is best is using both, hopefully under the supervision of a doctor.

Both medications are benzos with Ativan being a fast acting aagent and Klonopin being a slower acting agent.

Michael(Jikan)