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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JohnSky on October 3, 2007, at 15:03:39
Hello. I switched last Friday from 6mg of Ativan to 3mg of clonazepam. I was taking 2mg 3 times a day for over a year. The change has been tough. I am very anxious a good portion of the day which I atribute to the ativan withdrawal underneath the change. I am doing slightly better than a few days ago but I am so tense and exhausted from the change. How long could the ativan withdrawal knock me around with this anxiety?
Thanks
John
Posted by Quintal on October 3, 2007, at 15:21:10
In reply to Benzo Help needed!, posted by JohnSky on October 3, 2007, at 15:03:39
3mg clonazepam is roughly equal to 6mg Ativan according to most of the official charts, but it sounds as if they're not equivalent for you. Could you ask your doctor for a dose increase? It could take up to a month or more to adjust to the lower dose, especially when it's been as traumatic as it sounds for you in this case. Do you have any Ativan left over? If you do, a staggered taper might help ease the transition i.e. 3mg clonazepam + 1mg Ativan one day, 3mg clonazepam + 0.5mg Ativan the next, then back up to 3mg clonazepam + 1mg Ativan, and so on, lowering the Ativan dose until you're able to tolerate clonazepam alone.
Q
Posted by Fivefires on October 3, 2007, at 17:30:54
In reply to Re: Benzo Help needed! » JohnSky, posted by Quintal on October 3, 2007, at 15:21:10
> 3mg clonazepam is roughly equal to 6mg Ativan according to most of the official charts, but it sounds as if they're not equivalent for you.>
I have same prob' w/ benzos; don't follow w/ them as says re: charts.
And, especially when clonazepam is involved. Feels like it's not even there! I can really empathize w/ what you're goin' thru JohnSky. I actually had a serious nervous system breakdown when taken off another benzo and put on clonazepam. Had to be hospitalized. Like said, I don't abide to the benzo chart equivalents; hypothesized it is either my metabolization or body fat; dunno. Get some help.
>Could you ask your doctor for a dose increase?>
I'd do this, or go back to Ativan 4-5mg a day for a while. After having used Ativan for any good length of time, clonazepam just won't work the same at all, IMO, .. unless u have started another new medication which is lessening anxiety.
>It could take up to a month or more to adjust to the lower dose, especially when it's been as traumatic as it sounds for you in this case. Do you have any Ativan left over? If you do, a staggered taper might help ease the transition i.e. 3mg clonazepam + 1mg Ativan one day, 3mg clonazepam + 0.5mg Ativan the next, then back up to 3mg clonazepam + 1mg Ativan, and so on, lowering the Ativan dose until you're able to tolerate clonazepam alone.>
Or this. I'm thinkin' your body really needs some Ativan, and soon. Look out for yourself.
> Q>
You don't want what happened to me to happen to you JS,
5f
Posted by Phillipa on October 3, 2007, at 22:43:09
In reply to Re: Benzo Help needed!, posted by Fivefires on October 3, 2007, at 17:30:54
John call your pdoc as mine lets me go from one to another. And Q is right they equal about the same thing. Just that ativan is quicker in action. Good luck. Phillipa
Posted by JohnSky on October 4, 2007, at 10:45:31
In reply to Re: Benzo Help needed! » JohnSky, posted by Quintal on October 3, 2007, at 15:21:10
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I need to find a solution. I am at the one week mark from stopping the Ativan so I am hoping this get better each day. My doc decided to add some Gabapetin to help. I think I need to up the clonazepam maybe 1/2mg a dag whether he likes it or not. I need to take care of myself. I do have alot ativan left but I am just afraid to add it at this point.
> 3mg clonazepam is roughly equal to 6mg Ativan according to most of the official charts, but it sounds as if they're not equivalent for you. Could you ask your doctor for a dose increase? It could take up to a month or more to adjust to the lower dose, especially when it's been as traumatic as it sounds for you in this case. Do you have any Ativan left over? If you do, a staggered taper might help ease the transition i.e. 3mg clonazepam + 1mg Ativan one day, 3mg clonazepam + 0.5mg Ativan the next, then back up to 3mg clonazepam + 1mg Ativan, and so on, lowering the Ativan dose until you're able to tolerate clonazepam alone.
>
> Q
Posted by cactus on October 5, 2007, at 5:13:43
In reply to Re: Benzo Help needed!, posted by JohnSky on October 4, 2007, at 10:45:31
I think 5-10mg of valium through out the day would help greatly while you adjust to a long acting benzo even though valium is long acting too. Good luck, I hope you get it sorted out SOON!!!!
Posted by fuzz54 on October 5, 2007, at 11:23:30
In reply to Re: Benzo Help needed! » JohnSky, posted by cactus on October 5, 2007, at 5:13:43
I found that ativan worked differently for me than klonopin (clonazepam). Ativan was short (3 hours or so) lasting and worked well over that short period of time. Klonopin was longer lasting (8 hours or more) and didn't quite work as well, but lasted a lot longer. However, I am more interested in long term relief of anxiety so I stick with the Klonopin. For me the effects of benzos also are influenced by switches in SSRIs. When I went from no SSRIs and Klonopin to Paxil and Klonopin the Klonopin actually started to calm me down better, which I attribute to the combined effects of the Paxil and Klonopin.
Regardless, I have found that there are differences in action of the different benzos even though many people say they are all about the same at equivalent dosage levels. You might need to ask your doctor about cross-tapering between the ativan and klonopin. Or this might be something that takes care of itself after a couple weeks of getting used to the klonopin. Everybody is different in how they react to any psych med.
This is the end of the thread.
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