Finally changing meds

[scottso]

Ok I have finally begun the transition after years from Xanax XR (.50mg 1x a day) and Lorazepam (.50 bid) to just Klonopin (.50 bid).  The first step which is moving from the  Xanax XR pill to a regular Xanax .125 4x a day was my biggest fear but I did that this morning which was a huge step for me.  I have read through a tremendous amount of posts from members switching to klonopin and thought it would be ideal for me to get off of the two drugs and have the end result be one drug (the klonopin).  I never realized until recently the lorazepam was making up for valley's i am experiencing between doses of the Xanax XR and how I built up a tolerance to both over the years without increasing doses.

I am using the step method that other members have talked about (like RCA Ryan) dividing doses and stepping out one dose with the klonopin each week until all 4 equal of the day equal 1mg of klonopin (I believe in my case), which by the way my doctor thought was a great idea and I never would have thought of it unless I read it in the forums.  My question to the community is for those of you that have switched to klonopin from xanax, have any of you been on the two benzos like I am and was your switch relatively stress free?  Btw, my diagnosis is panic disorder.

Thanks for reading and have a great day

[Hkuba]

Hi, I am new here, but wanted to share my story . . .  Back in 2000 when i was 25 I had a nervous breakdown, all becuase I was not able to fall asleep.   It was like I obsessed and worried about not being able to sleep and then it turned into a complete breakdown.  I couldn't sleep, eat, work, do ANYTHING.  I felt so completely horrible that I cried all the time and didn't know what was wrong with me.  I thought I was never going to get better.  I had to go to the mental hospital emergency room becuase I was so bad.  I was daignosed with Major Depressive Disorder and GAD.  I was put on Prozac an d Klonopin.   Within 2 weeks I felt SOOO much better and back to myself, though I worried EVERYDAY that the "episode" would come back.  It didnt, and I slowly was weened off Klonopin within a year and stayed on 40 mgs of Prozac ever since.    11 years later, October 2011, I gave birth to my first child.   I had the WORST Post Partum depression.  Same feelings as I did back in 2000, but this time I had a newborn to take care of that I wanted nothing to do with.  SOO awful,  I for sure thought death would be better, and I was svery much contemplating it.   I found a Psych that specialized in Post Partum.  She upped  me to 60 mgs of Prozac, 1 mg of Klonopin and 10 mg of buspar.   After 6 months I finally started feeling more like myself, though I still had anxieties about having to wake up at night with the baby.  The anticipation of KNOWING but NOT KNOWING WHEN I was going to have to get up really made me anxious.  Now that hd is sleeping thru the night, I am much better.   So, my  Psych has been slowly taking me down on the Klonopin from the 1 mg, then to .5 and just started a couple days ago to .25.  I take the prozac in the AM and the klonopin and the Buspar before bed.   I haven't slept all that great the last few nights, AND today, I am SOOOOO anxious!  Not depressed, but anxious, like I want to crawl out of my skin.   I am HOP:ING this is just a withdrawal from the Klonopin.    Has anyone experienced this before?  I never have.  Thanks, sooo much!

[scottso]

Ryan thank you for responding and I'm glad I waited to start the klonopin step-in after reading your message.  Something just didn't seem right to me with my original plan of keeping the ativan thrown in but I was afraid of withdrawal from it as well.  I tried to find posts where others had taken both and were switching to klonopin but to no avail.  

Perhaps I had better wait until this evening to start the klonopin step-in as my last dose of lorazepam was only 7 hrs ago just to be on the safe side and at least get past the half-life of it.

Thank you for the great information and I appreciate you taking the time to write out a plan that is well thought out as well as cautious.  I know that I along with others value your contributions to this community.

Thanks again and be well,
Scott

[scottso]

Hi Norma,

You are absolutely correct.

Thank you for responding and for your words of encouragement.

Have a great day,
Scott :)

[nanal575]

Hi Scott.......best of luck to you.......with your medication changes. I think when you're safely on the other side of this.....you're going to feel a great sense of accomplishment. The one thing that strikes me about what you're doing is.........you're very worried about what you're going to feel.......before you feel it ! If you could get a handle on that.....I think you'll have an easier time of it. Again......you have my very best wishes for a successful transition...........peace and love.......Norma