what is the difference? which do you prefer, in your opinion? is it true that klonopin is more addictive and harder to get off of? does one knock a person out more than another?
i will be requesting an anti-anxiety med at my doctor's. i was resistant at first to a benzo, for fear of it completely wiping out my energy level, but i think i am at the point that it is necessary. i'm being sent out of town for a few days for work, and am absolutely terrified of flying with this disorder. i am positive i will have a major panic attack, definitely need something before going. but, i will be alongside some important co-workers, and need to be functioning.
thanks, guys.

Klonopin is much longer lasting: 12 hours vs. 4 hrs for xanax. Not really sure which would be more addictive. I think benzos all carry the same risk but maybe someone else has better info on which might be worse in that situation.

Personally, I have taken both. Klonopin when I first became sick and had PTSD and needed a benzo around the clock. I was very sensitive to it and it took me quite a while to feel like I could function at all on it. And I was on a low dose. When I went off it I had a horrendous time and went through withdrawal. BUT I think these drugs serve a purpose and if you need it you need it and you'll deal w/ the addictive issue later. Also, I believe your body is more apt to become addicted the more regularly you take it and I think my doctor told me that once you take it for about a month it can happen.

Since then I've taken xanax every now and then. I've also used ativan which is slightly longer acting than xanax. Valium is the longest - 24 hours.

So whatever you decide to do just start at a low dose and try to get your body used to it before you need to be functioning on it!

another question - when people speak about withdrawals from drugs, like klonopin or effexor, are these definitely just temporary withdrawal side effects, that one will get through in a week or two. or, can these drugs actually royally screw up your body so that it not only depends on the drug, but will never be the same without them?

In my case with Klonopin, the withdrawal effects were just something I had to get through. I felt like I should have been in detox or something! But I got through it and my body was fine. well, you know, as fine as it can be

It's not just Klonopin/Xanax that have withdrawl issues, but since having experienced a "discontinuation syndrome" from an SSRI last summer, I'm very careful of becoming addicted to anything. Yes, it is like one should be in detox or something... I didn't sleep a wink for 4 days straight, started seeing purple hippos dancing on the walls, felt sicker than a dog, it was just plain living he**, and mine lasted about 6 months before I felt someone normal as in my POTsy self - so I would only take it as needed, which ever drug you decide to try.

that sounds HORRIBLE! seeing purple hippos? oh man. nice that my doctor handed me effexor and didn't mention one thing about withdrawal!

I prefer Klonopin over Xanax, when I take it at all. Xanax made my legs weaker than they already are and didn't do much for me anyway. Klonopin was gentler even though it's stronger, for some odd reason. I would like to take 0.25mgs of Klonopin every day, but the thought of the withdraws...I'm just way too nervous about that. Can't imagine being this sick with Dys AND not being able to sleep for days on end and being flu-like sick for weeks or whatever...too scary.


Gillian

FYI--my absolute WORST withdrawal symptoms were from a drug called Lyrica for nerve pain. (have RSD --after a broken wrist.) Part of me thinks this drug is responsible for setting off the past two years of hell. It took over a year of very slow slacking off to rid myself of this stuff. Obviously, I'm not "normal" yet.

I also sometimes have tried ativan for sleep--sometimes it works--sometimes not--but I am very carefull not to take it every night--and with everything I now look for meds I can break in half or quarters and try very small doses and then increase as needed.

Drugs with strange reactions, difficulty getting off of them, strange drug interactions, or over large reactions have been a HUGE issue for me.

I can NOT stress enough that www.drugs.com is a MUST! It's free! (i do not work for them!)Allows you to make an account without giving much personal info--did NOT get me spammed--and allows me to keep a list of all my meds on file--including vitamins and over the counter meds--so I can check EVERY new med against what I'm already taking FIRST--before I have some strange drug/food interaction.

I have learned--since I'm hyper adrenal, to check for anything about hyperthyroid or adrenal side effects/warnings(no I'm not hyper thyroid but it seems I have similar drug troubles as those who are).

As always, I hope this helps!

I was on klonopin about 10 years ago - I took .125 mg every night for anxiety (looking back, I was probably having a POTS issue that was undiagnosed). I stayed on that dose for about 2 years and then slowly came off with no problems.

Last November, when I started feeling awful again and my parents thought I was having a nervous breakdown (came to find out in Feb that I had mono and POTS) I called the Dr and requested klonopin - I have been taking .125 mg nightly ever since. Its such a small dose but it does really help - I fall asleep within 45 mins of taking it and sleep through the night...It just seems to take the edge off.

I took xanax before - it knocked me out! I was told that the difference b/w xanax and klonopin is that klonopin is longer lasting.

I also take Toprol XL twise a day. I tried to add Lexapro a few weeks ago and had bad side effects that are still lingering - my BP is pretty low right now. I decided to just stick with the Toprol XL and klonopin.