How to ween myself off of Xanax and Klonapin

[Cole0079]

I have been taking xanax and Klopin daily for 3 years.  I take .25 xanax as needed daily, and 1 mg of Klonapin at night to sleep. Last night I only took .50 of Klonapin, and maybe slept 5 hours, which is not enough for me.  How should I do this without having bad withdrawals, especially lack of sleep?

[Paxiled]

Benzos aren't a good medication for sleep.  For one thing, the longer one takes them, usually the less tired they make you.  Otherwise, nobody would be able to take them in the day to treat anxiety, which is what they're for.  Medication can also over time interfere with sound sleep, as it alters normal sleep.  Have you ever tried melatonin or homeopathic remedies or valerian?  Or a sleep clinic?  The real sleep medications are things like ambien, but you'll eventually become dependent on them and over time they'll wear off in effectiveness.  As for the Xanax, if you think you're dependent on it, you probably are.  Question is if you need it.  Whether you're addicted to it or not isn't the point, both clonezam and Xanax are addictive drugs.  I personally don't see why you'd need both clonazepam and Xanax, since they do the same thing when they work.  And if you want another answer from the doctor, you'll have to start a new thread.  I've never noticed him to reply twice to the same thread.  

[Cole0079]

I have been taking the .25 xanax everyday, I feel like I have become addicted to it.  I feel like I have more anxiety, especially when it wears off.  I would like to be able to funcion without having to take these meds. Will it hurt me to ween myself off both at the same time?

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Why do you want to change these medications?  There's no trouble stopping this Xanax as long as you only take it occasionally come up that you should simply stop taking it.  Taking klonopin in order to sleep is the same as taking any sleep medication.  You can either continue, or learn to sleep without medication or ask your doctor for a substitute.