Ativan vs Klonopin

I have been taking Ativan for approximately 3 years, (1mg x 3/day) along with my Effexor XR for depression and anxiety disorder. The last year has been hell for me. My psychiatrist and I have tried different medications to alleviate both the depression and the anxiety. I also suffer from long term insomnia. The medication changes have not helped, (substituting Rispiridol for Ativan) and have pushed me to the brink of a psychotic state. At this point I feel like my depression is under control - but the anxiety is increasing and I'm also experiencing panic attacks. Some of my symptoms include: debilitating confusion, muscle stiffness, inability to focus, insomnia, chronic headaches, etc.
I believe that my anxiety is not connected to my depression like doctors have always told me in the past, but a separate issue.
Here is the good news. A peer of mine gave me a few Konopin to try instead of the Ativan. (I didn't take them at the same time.) All last week while taking the Klonopin I slept 6-8 hours a night. I woke up feeling free and happy for the first time in over a year. I was not agoraphobic or afraid to talk to people. In short, I felt like a new person or the person I had been when I was younger before my mental health took me down.
Can anyone relate to this experience? Is it as simple as changing one benzo for another? It seems that for maximum effect I needed to take 4mg of Klonopin daily. Is that stronger than 3mg of Ativan? (I will be asking my psychiatrist these questions when I see her on the 20TH of December.) With the Klonopin I can focus, remember everything that happened during the day, I'm not lethargic or sleepy but motivated and ready to get out of the apartment and do things. I'm smiling and laughing for the first time in months. I'm hopeful and have goals. And I am ENJOYING my life.
My biggest fear is having my doctor reject my desire to change medication and that she will not agree with the quantity that is working for me. I understand addiction, (have been active in AA for 12 years) and her possible fears and concerns. But if I have to go back to the way I've felt for the last year I would rather not be around and existing on this earth.
Apologies for the long post.
Feedback would be much appreciated!!!

Sincerely,
Lisa

I've been on both Ativan and Klonopin (Clonazapam). Ativan is really fast acting, so it's good for panic attacks, but it can negatively affect memory and cognition. It also doesn't stay in your system very long. Clonazapam is slower acting, and stays in your system longer, so it's better for managing ongoing anxiety. I take it, in addition to my other meds. I take 1 mg 3X daily and 2 mg at night.

splitimage

Yes, my understanding is the fastness of Ativan. I've received a few shots of it in relation to being hospitalized. However, I have been taking .5 mg of Klonopin 3x a day for a good while. I actually would like to come off of it, since I fear it might be affecting my memory. I do know Klonopin is stronger than Valium.

I hope your pdoc will do what's best for you.

I understand where you are coming from. Your Dr. doesn't want you to being the doctor but that is his/her problem.
Remember you are in control and if one drug works better than another and they are the same type of medicine then it shouldn't be a problem.
I take 90mg of cymbalta for depression and 3mg of zanax for anxiety and 10 mg of ambien at night. You need to tell your Phys doc meds are not working and need adjustment because your anxiety is causing panic attacks. Also if you have a primary doctor who knows you well he/she can make that adjustment and write you the scripts that you need. But I wouldn't tell your doctor you took a friends meds this will cause a big red flag.
Best wishes,

I agree. It is your body.....I wasn't trying to imply otherwise. Yeah, and I also agree that I wouldn't tell your doc about taking someone else's meds.

You do make me wonder why some people get prescribed Klonopin and some Ativan. Is there that big a difference? Anybody know?

Thank you for your feedback. Also, the dosage you take sounds reasonable to me and I can use it as a reference point, (not telling her about you) as a level I would like to try.
Thank you - Lisa

Yes, the memory thing was starting to affect my ability at work as well as other areas. The Klonopin didn't seem to do that, but have only taken it for a week. If my doctor switches me over I will keep everyone posted on the results.
Re: Your other post. I will not tell my Psychiatrist about getting meds from someone else! I was on Klonopin several years ago - so I guess I will use that as my point of reference.
Sincerely,
Lisa

I have had positive and negative meetings about medications with my doctor. I do go in with a lot of helpful information because I keep a journal for one thing so it's written down and not just my imagination about the affects.
I try to take a calm yet firm stand with her and that's what I will do next week. Maybe a little firmer than usual. The drawback is being seen at a LA county facility because their policy on approved meds swings back and forth. Also, any change requires extra effort on those working within the system and for whatever reason it sends them in to a ugly tailspin. And they are always on the look out for "drug seekers." Many of the county facilities in CA are not allowed to prescribe benzos at all! County has an approved list of the meds they can prescribe and that is why they go for the older anti-psychotics to solve issues that they're not meant for. For example: giving me Risperdal in lieu of Ativan for anxiety. And the doctor really didn't understand why I was resistant to this form of care.
Once again thanks for all the support,
Lisa

I really think it is the half life each of these benzos posses. Xanax hits the quickest but leaves you with more rebound anxiety. Ativan is in the middle with reaction time, etc. and I think also the only one used in shot form during crisis. Klonopin stays in the body the longest so it tapers out of your system in a more gentle way.
Could be wrong and am open for new medical advice.

Sincerely,
Lisa

I've been on Klonopin for about 7 years for anxiety. I've also been on Ativan. Ativan simply made me drowsy and didn't do much for the anxiety. Klonopin has been a wonder drug for me. Two friends of mine swear by Xanax, but admit it is short acting.

Just my two cents.

Um, yes, don't do that. I did. D'oh!

It was the only time in my life that I ever traded Rx's with anyone, but I admitted to taking someone else's Valium and that did not sit well with my pdoc. What she gave me instead is hydroxyzine hcl, which is non-habit forming, but also not doing what I need.

Lorazipam works faster than clonazipam but has a much shorter half-life, so it doesn't stay in your system past, I want to say about 16 hours. Clonazipam is about twice as strong as lorazipam, with the max dose for each is 10 pills, so 5mg and 10mg; mind you, that's the maximum for sedation, anxiety control is supposed to be 3 or 4 pills max. While the clonazipam is stronger it doesn't get used the same way by your body, so it may be that your body uses it better than lorazipam. The fact that it's new for you is plus; you can build resistance to benzos pretty fast.

Just make sure you don't do what I did... I wound up mixing both, which was something 12 pills (that was all I had left), got no effect from it, then just stopped cold turkey. I didn't sleep for 3 weeks.

scooterb: I also take effexor xr for depression and anxiety. I've been given ativan a few times when I've been in hospital and I've been prescribed clonopin as an outpatient.

Like most have said here, Ive found ativan to be shorter acting. It also gave me "eye shakes", as in a few hours after taking it sometimes my vision would get blurry and everything would seem like it was moving from side-to-side really fast.

Clonopin has worked really well for me, gives me a good night's sleep, I feel relaxed and it's the only thing that lessens the agitation and distress for me when things get too 'bad'. I guess the best way I would describe it from my experience is that ativan is like a strong, short 'hit' whereas clonopin is a smoother, longer lasting med.