klonopin vs xanax

[HypoDi]

Please can someone tell me which is better?
I am on Tareg for blood pressure, from specialist....then my GP put me on Wellbutrin and klonopin .... which my specialist took me off and said take Xanax only with the Tareg.
Any comments much appreciated.

[agoraphobia]

It looks as though this thread is dead.

[agoraphobia]

RockyMD, I don't know who OP is, and someone in the past wrote the exact question as I did? That's scary......lol. At any rate, I'd be interesting to hear from some of the ones knowledgeable in this area. I do have, what I think, a pretty good knowledge of many facets in this area, but I'm always open to input. :)

[RockyMD]

You do realise the OP wrote this question almost over 3 years ago, right? lol

[RockyMD]

You do realise the OP wrote this question over 3 years ago, right? lol

[agoraphobia]

I too sufer with Panic Disorder. I have taken Xanax for close to 19 years. I started off at .25 TID, and within a month I was increased to .5 MG TID. I stayed on that does for a year, and was then increaesd to .5 QID. I stayed at that does for 2 years, and the PSY. I saw after that increased it to 1 MG QID. I stayed at that dose, which worked for me for the next 8 years. I then found myself needing an extra, as they didn't seem to be lasting as long. In 2003, about a year later, I was taking 1 mg qid, and I would break one in half and take them between the times that I felt I needed it, which was daily. I always took a full one first thing in the morning and a full one at night. Also, at that time, I did not have a psychiatrist, but rather just a family dr. Unfortunatley, in the smallish town I live in, the psychiatrists have practices in other places, and most always end up leaving their practice here. In 2003 a psychiatrist opened an office here, but he also had  a practice in the larger city an hour from us. At anyrate, I told him my history, and he upped the Xanax to 6 mg per day. I stayed on that does until 2007. He had moved his practice from here in Sept. 06 . However, he said he would continue to see me via phone conference, which he did. In 2007 , 6 wasn't doing the trick , so he increased it to 8 mg per day. As of last month, he said I would have to come in or he wouldn't be able to see me. Well, I can't make it there due to panic/Agoraphobia. There is a mental health clinic here now. Not the public one. So I will have to try and make it there. However, I don't think they will write me a script for 8 mgs of Xanax, and I am terrified of comming off of them, due to their very short half life. I know from exp. some dr.s in the past wanted me off of them, and wanted to titrate them too aggressively. I didn't mess around with them, needless to say. You are excatly right about the roller coaster ride from the xanax. They act fast, but they reach their peak in a few hours. I had thought about asking the place I will be going about switching over to Klonapin, but there are so many phys. out there that think you can just drop Xanax and switch to another benzo. Any advice on what to tell the new Psch, and suggestions on switching to Klon.? I have tried SSRI's without much luck, and I'm not big on trying new meds, as it scares me wondering if I will have a bad side effect, that I work myself into almost a panic attack, or the anticipatory anxiety is so strong, that I can't bring myself to take new meds. Not all the time, and also depending on what it is.
Any suggestions, thoughts or advice is most appreciated.
Thanks,
John

[BlazeinAz]

I have suffered from panic attacks and anxiety since 1999.  The panic attacks have mostly stopped after therapy.  About once every 3 months something happens and one starts to come on.  But they are never as strong as before.  They do not consume me and I am not as worn out after like I was before.

I think CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) helped.  I would like to continue with it again.  Immediately, though, the breathing techniques and the alternating muscle tightening and relaxing exercises have helped the most.  You should learn these in CBT and/or other therapy.  As for drugs, I try to avoid them.  I do not like the "buzz" and highs.  I just lost my sister who died before her time, due to opiate addiction.

Hopefully you get this since your post was Jan. 9, and no one responded to you.  Maybe you can repost and address to "Ryan" since he seems to be the expert here.  I felt bad that you had no response.

Good Luck and know in your heart that these will pass.  Do not beat yourself up either.  Chemical reactions deep inside of us are nothing that we can control.  The Military has dealt with this before.  You are not their first.

Blaze