If you were taking 3 gm of Xanax a day, that is a very high dosage, especially given that Xanax is rapidly addictive. Getting you off it sounds like a good idea.
Sorry...typo. The equivaleny should have read Xanax 0.5 mg = Klonopin 0.25 mg.
Sorry about that.
Well, actually, your doc may be on the right track. If you were taking the Xanax regularly three times a day, you would have built up a tolerance to the med, making it not work as well without occasional dosage increases.
If that was the case, the switch to Klonopin was a smart one. If he is directing you to take it 1-2 times a day, every day, the Klonopin will build up in your plasma, causing a more "steady" state of calm, versus the ups and downs you may have with a shorter acting benzo, like Xanax. If that's the case, you need to just give it a few days, and you should be feeling better.
There should be no issue with w/d if your doc has prescribed a comparable dose of the Klonopin, which, actually, the dose of Klonopin, comparably is higher, as the approx equivalency is Xanax 0.5mg = Klonopin 0.5 mg.
If you could just clarify how you were taking the Xanax (ie "as needed", or every day, three times a day), and how the Klonopin is Rx'd (ie 1mg daily, or 1mg 3 times a day as needed, etc), I can probably ease your mind a bit.