# Xanax XR vs. Klonopin



## nabber (Feb 13, 2009)

It seems the more posts I read almost everyone is on Klonopin. Are there any others out there who take Xanax XR?
I tried Klonopin for 1 month at the very beginning of my benzo addiction, then went strait to Xanax XR because the
Klonopin seemed to make me more depressed. The month I was on Klonopin I was going through the process
of trying to get off 5 years of Lexapro to try out Effexor. Mabye I would benefit more from Klonopin? Is Klonopin stronger 
then Xanax XR, and does anyone know the chemical differences? I'm sure I could look it up, but i'd rather read some responses on here.

I feel ok on my Xanax Lamictal Lexapro combo, but I'm wondering if Klonopin will work better over a longer period of 
time. I'm not sure if I've built up a large tolerance to Xanax and mabye it's losing it's effects, but I was thinking about
trying Klono again now that I feel more stable.

I've been on Xanax XR for a long time, 2mgx2 daily


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## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

Clonazepam (klonopin, rivotril) is equal in potency to alprazolam (xanax). So 1mg of clonazepam = 1mg of alprazolam. The difference is in the duration of action and half life. Xanax is a very short acting benzo while clonazepam is one of the longest acting ones out there. Xanax also has a very short half life while clonazepam has a long one.

I usually don't advise people to stay on xanax for any length of time or to only take it on a as need basis for panic attacks. The reason is almost every person ive known who has run into serious problems with benzodiazepines where on xanax. Or it's bigger less used hypnotic brother halcion (triazolam). But thats a whole other can of worms. So thats why i recomend long acting benzos such as clonazepam or valium for chronic anxiety.

All the same i have no idea if clonazepam would work better for you then xanax. Everyone is different.


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## Absentis (Jul 10, 2007)

nabber said:


> It seems the more posts I read almost everyone is on Klonopin. Are there any others out there who take Xanax XR?
> I tried Klonopin for 1 month at the very beginning of my benzo addiction, then went strait to Xanax XR because the
> Klonopin seemed to make me more depressed. The month I was on Klonopin I was going through the process
> of trying to get off 5 years of Lexapro to try out Effexor. Mabye I would benefit more from Klonopin? Is Klonopin stronger
> ...


Clonazepam is one of the best medications within the benzodiazepine family to treat epilepsy. (One theory of DP/DR is that it could be something like epilepsy.) There are variations in half-life (how long it stays in your system), bioavailability etc etc but the most important difference between benzos is probably found within their anti-epileptic properties.

In terms of whether or not you should switch meds: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Since everyone responds to medication a little differently, you may not experience the same success as other people on clonazepam.


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## nabber (Feb 13, 2009)

Thanks for the replies, yeah I asked because I had a doctors appt the next day. I got a klonopin prescription for a month,
so far so good. I can definitly tell the half life lasts alot longer, and I feel more relaxed even at a smaller dose 1mgx2 daily.
I think the first time around I was taking the klonopin it was the effexor messing with me.

I guess the xanax XR 2mg only let out a little bit of xanax into my system at a time, so it wasn't like I was on 2mg xanax for
12 hours. It was a misconception I didn't understand.


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