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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by utopizen on January 23, 2004, at 9:20:54
Doc is switching me from Klonopin to Xanax XR today. I've been on 1mg 3x/day of Klonopin since April now. Effects lessened about three months into my treatment of it... eventually I was using it as an insomnia pill, or a "I don't feel like squirming in my seat today" pill for classes. It really had much less meaning for me once I got tolerance or whatever you want to call it, and I never abused it.
Xanax, according to doc, is ussually something you switch from to go to Klonopin because he said Klonopin's stronger. My old p-doc said he was thinking of trying another random benzo, Ativan, whatever he felt like trying. This new p-doc says that once the benzo receptor is not as responsible to a benzo, it doesn't change just by switching to a new benzo. Seems to make more sense.
But I don't care. I use to like having "control" over my dosing. I preferred short-acting stimulants because they wouldn't last as long, so I could have an appetite at some point in the day and not feel boring, etc.
Now I want to take a pill when I wake up, and forget I took it. I don't want to use the little diver's dial on my watch anymore to remind me when I last took my dose of drug x. I want to be consistent. I also have narcolepsy, so I have to take Desoxyn at 9, 12, 3, and 6 PM. Even then, I have terrible lulls at times and my evenings are miserably low. I've asked about adding some Adderall XR to deal with the "crashing" or "lulls" or whatever they are, but I have to hold off until my Xyrem is titrated over the next couple of months and I adjust to Xanax.
It'll probably be less effective than Klonopin, maybe even a problem coming off of it (I came off of Klonopin a few weeks once with no problems when I lost some). But I don't care. With Xyrem, I have to wake up 2 1/2 hours after going to sleep just to re-dose. I don't mind that so much, since its benefit could really help me down the road in a couple of months.
But seriously, I wish they still made Desoxyn Gradumets. They were the only stimulant that worked for 12 hours, as claimed. And they're the only stimulant that I respond to for my narcolepsy.
I'm 20 now, and have been going through med trials for two years. I use to think I had more control knowing when I dosed, what I dosed, what I dosed it with, etc. Now I am begining to realize these things control me more than I control them. I shouldn't be timing things like this all the time, explaining my behavior to myself depending upon when I dosed my meds at what dose, etc. I'm getting really tired of it all.
Posted by theo on January 23, 2004, at 9:38:36
In reply to Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by utopizen on January 23, 2004, at 9:20:54
What is your dosing, once daily, split doses?
Posted by Tiss on January 23, 2004, at 15:15:17
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today... » utopizen, posted by theo on January 23, 2004, at 9:38:36
I just started Xanan XR .5mg a few days ago. It's great-don't feel drugged or anything just normal with no anxiety. It starts to wear off about 8 hours later and if I feel uncomfortable I take .25mg of klonopin, which takes the edge off the rest of the eve.
Posted by Simus on January 24, 2004, at 0:21:52
In reply to Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by utopizen on January 23, 2004, at 9:20:54
In November, my doctor switched me from Xanax to Xanan XR (1mg). I don't know why he did, because I only took it to help me sleep. But I took the XR anyway for about 6 weeks before switching back. On the XR, I was nodding off during the day (while sitting up) and then having more trouble sleeping at night. Switching back was HARD, because my body had become accustomed to the XR.
Posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 12:57:22
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today... » utopizen, posted by Simus on January 24, 2004, at 0:21:52
I've only used the xanax XR for about 4 days and this is what I've experienced. Good energy, productive without constant worry and rumination over things (OCD), not worried about catastrophic things happening to my children, etc. I do however, feel very guilty about taking this on a daily basis for fear of someday having to get off. I know that can be so hard. BUt I've been on everything for depression, anxiety, PTSD (for someone slippig me acid as a teen) and sexual abuse, raised by an alcoholic bipolar mother. So, this seems to be working and I am enjoying life-Wow! I am training for 1/2 marathon and just in general doing better. How do you get over the guilt of taking something that you know is addictive? Thanks, Tiss
Posted by theo on January 24, 2004, at 17:53:15
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 12:57:22
What dose are you taking and are you taking it once daily or in divided doses, morning and night?
Posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 21:41:09
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today... » Tiss, posted by theo on January 24, 2004, at 17:53:15
Umm, are you asking about the dose of xanax xr? I am taking .5mg 1xday. Since it's time released it shouldn't be divided. I experimented today and just took a little klonopin and xanax-about 12.5mg 2x today. I felt a little jittery-maybe from not taking the xanax xr today? BTW, how much do you all pay for a script of the xanax xr? So far my Dr. has given me samples. Thanks,Tiss
Posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 21:43:10
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 21:41:09
Good grief, that post made no sense. I meant that since I DID NOT take any xanax xr today but only a little klonopin that that is perhaps why I felt a little jittery today. Like, I was still withdrawing from the xanax from yesterday? I think I should go to bed, I don't think I making any sense!
Posted by Adam33 on January 24, 2004, at 22:00:24
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 21:43:10
How are you liking the Xanax XR compared to the Klonopin?
> Good grief, that post made no sense. I meant that since I DID NOT take any xanax xr today but only a little klonopin that that is perhaps why I felt a little jittery today. Like, I was still withdrawing from the xanax from yesterday? I think I should go to bed, I don't think I making any sense!
Posted by theo on January 24, 2004, at 23:37:20
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by Tiss on January 24, 2004, at 21:41:09
What I meant is I'm taking 1mg tablets of Xanax XR, one in the morning and one at night, versus taking one 2mg pill once daily. Xaxax XR has a half life of about 12 hours so my doc said it evens it out, 1mg 7:00am and 1mg 7:00pm.
Posted by CareBear04 on January 25, 2004, at 11:16:24
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today... ?Tiss, posted by theo on January 24, 2004, at 23:37:20
I've heard that Xanax XR is ridiculously expensive. Right now, I take regular Xanax and some Klonopin. My dr. said that Xanax XR and Klonopin should be pretty comparable in that they both set in slowly and have a long half-life. If that's true, it's probably better to stick with Klonopin cuz it's a lot cheaper! For me, though, Klonopin has just stopped working. I don't know why. A few months ago, it made me reaaally mellow and sort of tired. Now, I don't feel anything. Has this happened to anyone else? Seems like lots of people have been on it for years without experiecing a loss in its effect. BTW, what's the equivalency between Xanax and Klonopin? Any feedback would be great. ~CB
Posted by Kon on January 25, 2004, at 12:15:39
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by CareBear04 on January 25, 2004, at 11:16:24
>For me, though, Klonopin has just stopped working. I don't know why.
Tolerance to sedating and hypnotic effects seem to eventually occur in the majority of people. The general view is that tolerance to anti-anxiety effects is not common. You just might be one of the unlucky ones. You might ask your doc.
>BTW, what's the equivalency between Xanax and Klonopin?
0.5 mg Xanax = 0.5 mg Klonopin, so basically the dosages are interchangeable (i.e. 1:1). See:
Posted by utopizen on January 25, 2004, at 16:45:12
In reply to Re: Switching from Klonopin to Xanax XR today..., posted by Kon on January 25, 2004, at 12:15:39
> >BTW, what's the equivalency between Xanax and Klonopin?
>
> 0.5 mg Xanax = 0.5 mg Klonopin, so basically the dosages are interchangeable (i.e. 1:1). See:
>
> http://www.benzo.org.uk/bzequiv.htmI have a pretty big name doc. I had heard on the web that it was equal too, and told him I thought that, but he said no... claimed Xanax was about 1/2 as potent, and he generally switched patients from Xanax to Klonopin if he needed to switch them from one to the other b/c Klonopin is stronger, he said.
I was taking 1mg 3x/day Klonopin for social anxiety disorder. I just started 3mg/day Xanax XR. He seemed hesistant, thinking it was too low, but wanted to see how things would go. I think he muttered something about likely needing to double the dose if it doesn't work out.
I've been on it for two days. Feel rather fine, more calm... although not potentently so. I've also got narcolepsy, so I've gotta watch out. I think it's making me tired, but I'm going to try not using it tomorrow and see. I've got ADD, so the combo of sleepiness+ADD for me means I realize my tiredness the most when I need to do school work, go to the library, and "hit the wall"-- even with Desoxyn and all, I realize I am too tired to read or write anything. It's scary, because it's a new semester and last semester didn't pan out for me so well... before narcolepsy, about a year ago, I worried so much about my social anxiety disorder. I wish I had that as my biggest worry now... now I have trouble simply functioning as a student. But I'm titrating up on Xyrem, so we'll so how things for that.
This is the end of the thread.
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