Substituting Clonazepam for Alprazolam

[Graduisic]

SWIM has a prescription for alprazolam which he has run out of and is experiencing difficult withdrawal symptoms. Until he can get his script refilled, he has a supply of clonazepam that should get him by. He tried one the other day (1 MG) and it made him realize what a bad headache he had, and he still felt some 'jitters' since the feeling did not resemble that of alprazolam. SWIM is wondering if there would be any complications/risks for using clonazepam for like a week. he figures it's better than quitting cold-turkey then going back on alprazolam. What is recommended in SWIM's situation?

[rokman nash]

Most trying to get off alprazolam switch to diazipam if possible due to the longer half life(of the latter).Kolopin should help, but not sure of the dosage.There are many taper schedules that can be found here to help swim.

Hope this helps, good thoughts

rokman nash added 2 Minutes and 54 Seconds later...

Sorry didn't realize that this was just for a week.

[allyourbase]

switch to valium or serax, not klonopin, they have much longer half lives, and their larger doses make it far far easier to taper the dosage.

[Bluedrip]

Per Ashton, Klonopin has equivelant potency to Xanax on a mg./mg. basis. SWIY should be able to get by on Clonazepam for the week. All benzos are different from each other, and it is not unusual to have some discomfort if SWIY switches all at once.

If you wish to switch to a longer acting benzo for tapering purposes, it is usually suggested that people crossover gradually over 2-3 weeks rather than suddenly, giving the body time to adjust to the differences and restabilize. If SWIY is out of Xanax and cannot get more, then gradual substitution is obviously not an option.

[tyranny4u]

tt switched from alprazolam and lorazepam to clonazepam, was a bit wicked
within the first 7 - 10 days, but now tt tapers off with clonazepam only
(which by the way isn't a short acting benzo, tt thinks 50 h half life is
enough. besides of that, in tt's humble opinion clonazepam has better
effects on anxiety and panic and "bad thoughts". tt considers Clonazepam
to be the better substance for first substituting and then tapering off.
Tapering off from a benzo that has a very long half time has it's disad-
vantages, too: when coming to the end, one would suffer longer from
WD, as eg Diazepam gets out of the body very slowly. tt has done many
benzo and barbiturate WD's, but this written here is just his personal
experience, might work for some, might not work for others. )