Posted by polly on October 6, 2001, at 10:42:08
In reply to Re: Xanax and Klonopin together? » polly, posted by paxvox on October 6, 2001, at 7:16:57
Thanks PAX -
Then 6 mg of Xanax should be equivalent to 3 mg of Klonopin.> Although both meds are benzodiazepines, they have certain pharmological differences that COULD make their use at the same time effective. Xanax (alprazolam) at .5mg is equivalent to 5mg of Valium. Klonopin (clonazepam) at .25mg is also equivalent to 5mg Valium (diazepam). The main differences between Xanax and Klonopin is their time to peak plasma level, and their half-life in your body. Xanax takes 1-2 hours to reach peak plasma concentrations, and has a half-life (i.e half of the available drug has been metabolised) of 9-20 hours. Klonopin, conversely, has a 1-4 hour peak plasma time but a much longer half-life of 19-60 hours. So, therapeutically speaking, Klonopin would be the main benzo for your condition, and Xanax could be used ONLY when you were having "breakthrough" panic attacks to supplement the benzo effect, but clear your system more quickly. The co-administration of both meds on a daily basis taken chronically seems redundant. Perhaps your Pdoc should pick one and increase the dose level or dose frequency.
>
>
> PAX
poster:polly
thread:80396
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010927/msgs/80434.html