Switching from Xanax to Klonopin

I have been taking Xanax 2mg daily, 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon.I am suppose to switch to 2mg Klonopin with my doctors instructions which were stop taking extended release Xanax switch to short release and then in few days start taking Klonopin instead of Xanax which doesn't seem right to me. Now I was thinking of switching 0.25 Xanax for Klonopin every few days or so to avoid having issues with withdrawal. Is this a good plan? Or can i just switch at once?

I see no one has answered...let me send someone who has a good grasp of substitution with these particular benzodiazepines.

I have been taking Xanax 2mg daily, 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon.I am suppose to switch to 2mg Klonopin with my doctors instructions which were stop taking extended release Xanax switch to short release and then in few days start taking Klonopin instead of Xanax which doesn't seem right to me. Now I was thinking of switching 0.25 Xanax for Klonopin every few days or so to avoid having issues with withdrawal. Is this a good plan? Or can i just switch at once?

 

Hi

 

I guess I am your gal.  . Did your doctor suggest you take klonopin instead of Xanax? I understand he wants you to go to a longer acting drug but to me, from my very personal experience, is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. He probably doesn’t know klonopin very well.

 

You see, klonopin has this nasty habit of binding to your receptors very tightly and doesn’t want to let go. In general this means for a longer post taper issue. I was hoping he/she would suggest a Xanax to Valium switch. And yes he’s right that you have to get rid of the RX version. No biggie.

 

Since Xanax s half life is around 5-7 hours, you would really have to stagger your cross over. They are both of equal strength. So if it were me, the first week I would take .5 mg klonopin. Keep your Xanax dose. After 10 days take another .5 mg klonopin and remove .5 mg Xanax. In 10 days take another .5 mg klonopin and drop .5 mg Xanax. So at this point you would be on 1.5 mg klonopin and 1 mg Xanax. Wait another 10 days and take your final cross over of .5 mg klonopin and drop .5 mg Xanax. Wait 10 days and drop your final .5 mg Xanax. So your cross over would be complete. If it was me I’d ask my doctor to cross from Xanax to Valium but if he won’t it’s better to taper from klonopin than Xanax though I know of many people who just do a direct taper. Good luck 🍀. I think you’ll do fine. A ton of people here have done this with great success.

Thank you so much for your answer. I will follow your plan because it makes more sense. My doc actually vame from working in a hospital specializing in addiction but I dont think they are very familiar with benzo addiction since xanax And rest isnt really prescribed in my country. She wants me ti go to klonopin then to valium, i have stockpiles of both at home And some other. I dont really know why they were even allowed ti prescribe a medication when i was 15,16 And  not even inform me of possible addiction. Sorry for late response i had medica emergency but thank you so much for your advice, i was so lost, no direct info on Internet nothing. I hope to get rid of this things because at 28 y old my mind is slow, reflexes non existing And cant remember most of the last 12 years. Thank you again

If it’s any consolation, I couldn’t remember a decade of my life. A complete blur. Actually I think it’s a good thing. Good luck with your cross, I’m sure you’ll do fine. but one more word. Going from Xanax to klonopin and then to Valium is a waste of time and more challenging to your body. I’d go straight to Valium. It’s like I don’t understand why people teach their puppies to pee on newspapers and then outside. Skip the newspaper already! Some pet people...