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#740666 - 08/02/08 11:14 PM Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you prefer?
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Just wanted to know what some of your thoughts were on Alprazolam (Xanax), Clonazepam (Klonopin/Rivitrol), or Diazepam (Valium). Of these Benzos, which do you find more effective for your situation? I was diagnosed w/ GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) 5 years ago and was first prescribed Lorazepam (Ativan). I found this drug absolutely worthless. Having experimented w/ Xanax in the past, I knew it would be a more effective benzo for my situation. I was prescribed 1 mg as needed. After losing my health insurance, like many of you, I began purchasing my meds on the net. I moved up to 4-5 mg of Xanax daily as my tolerance increased. A friend then told me about Valium's longer lasting effects, so I switched from Xanax to Valium and have been kind of back and forth ever since. I have no prior experience with Clonazepam (Klonopin/Rivitrol), but have heard some good things about this benzo, and have an order on its way. I am curious to which Benzos some of you prefer and why you prefer it? How would you compare the three to each other?
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#740669 - 08/02/08 11:23 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you prefer? [Re: Art_Vandelay]
Code21 Code21 Veteran Registered: 07/05/07 Posts: 555 Loc: xanadu	Having tried all three, I prefer the Klonopin. Xanax is always a hit or miss with me, it can either make me feel real drowsy and weird, or do nothing at all. I like valium for tension headaches as it helps to ease my neck pain. But the Klonopin is best for my anxiety - it has a nice calming effect and lasts a while. That's just my personal experience - I don't know anything about their chemical properties or what scientifically makes them work better than the other. $\:\)$ _________________________ Ahh Klonopin, sweet nectar of the gods!
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#740673 - 08/02/08 11:54 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you prefer? [Re: Code21]
pillar pillar GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 11/07/06 Posts: 1944 Loc: The Doors of Perception	I, too, prefer clonazepam. I have GAD, with a panic disorder, and as long as I take the clonazepam occasionally it manages both for me. Diazepam, lorazepam and alprazolam all make me too tired while the clonazepam doesn't but is very relaxing. _________________________ "God deliver us from such criminal imbecility."
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#740830 - 08/03/08 10:50 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: pillar]
LAmike LAmike Banned troiblemaker Member Registered: 07/03/08 Posts: 107	If you're taking it daily I'd try klonopin first and then Xanax if it doesn't work you. I prefer Xanax for as needed use. It doesn't sound like Valium works for you.
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#740911 - 08/03/08 02:04 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Art_Vandelay]
nephro nephro GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 09/04/06 Posts: 8572 Loc: UK, despite the rumours	Originally Posted By: Art_Vandelay A friend then told me about Valium's longer lasting effects, so I switched from Xanax to Valium and have been kind of back and forth ever since. The trick with diazepam is that it only becomes long-acting when taken for a period of time. When taken just now and then, it isn't much different from lorazepam or alprazolam. This is because it has active metabolites which build up gradually until a steady-state is reached. If you have general anxiety, I'm unsure why you were prescribed something 'as needed'. I would have thought you would need something pretty much all the time. PRN medication is more for acute anxiety. Have you considered chlordiazepoxide (Librium)? It is possibly the longest acting benzodiazepine, unless you can get Tranxene-SD in the USA (though it may be indicated for alcohol withdrawal; I'm not sure). Clonazepam would be OK to try; you've seen for yourself how tolerance rose dramatically with alprazolam. It's not a good drug for constant use, due to its short half-life.
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#740912 - 08/03/08 02:04 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Code21]
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Originally Posted By: missanxious Having tried all three, I prefer the Klonopin. Xanax is always a hit or miss with me, it can either make me feel real drowsy and weird, or do nothing at all. I like valium for tension headaches as it helps to ease my neck pain. But the Klonopin is best for my anxiety - it has a nice calming effect and lasts a while. That's just my personal experience - I don't know anything about their chemical properties or what scientifically makes them work better than the other. $\:\)$ Thanks for the info Missanxious! How is the initial "calming effect" compared to that of xanax, which is usually fairly strong very quickly upon dosing? Also, is the Klonopin or Rivitrol better (if you have had these brands of Clonazepam)?
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#741136 - 08/03/08 10:20 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nephro]
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Originally Posted By: nephro The trick with diazepam is that it only becomes long-acting when taken for a period of time. When taken just now and then, it isn't much different from lorazepam or alprazolam. This is because it has active metabolites which build up gradually until a steady-state is reached. If you have general anxiety, I'm unsure why you were prescribed something 'as needed'. I would have thought you would need something pretty much all the time. PRN medication is more for acute anxiety. Have you considered chlordiazepoxide (Librium)? It is possibly the longest acting benzodiazepine, unless you can get Tranxene-SD in the USA (though it may be indicated for alcohol withdrawal; I'm not sure). Clonazepam would be OK to try; you've seen for yourself how tolerance rose dramatically with alprazolam. It's not a good drug for constant use, due to its short half-life. As far as being prescribed xanax "as needed" goes, this is basically just what the CVS label stated on the bottle. I was prescribed 60 1mg/month; which I felt was not enough, even though some would say I was lucky to get that high of a dosage & quantity. All this really led to was a huge dose increase due to tolerance, which led me to begin buying medication off of the net (as well as my loss of health insurance). I have actually tried Librium for about 2 or 3 weeks several years ago, but I don't remember it working that well. I think it reminded me somewhat of valium, and i'm certain it was likely a low dose. I haven't heard of Tranxene-SD. Is this some form of a Benzo? I know Librium is also prescribed for alcohol withdrawal, so you never know what other uses Tranxene could be used for. I'll have to do some research. Thanks for your input.
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#741158 - 08/04/08 12:18 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Art_Vandelay]
Code21 Code21 Veteran Registered: 07/05/07 Posts: 555 Loc: xanadu	I've only had brand name Klon, generic American clonazepam, and I just ordered some clonotrils. So I'm interested to see how the clonotrils compare. The klon comes on a lot easier for me than the xanax. The xanax makes me tired if it works at all. The klon is like taking a nice deep breath and relaxing. I wish I could describe it better! _________________________ Ahh Klonopin, sweet nectar of the gods!
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#741166 - 08/04/08 03:13 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Code21]
nikitaylor nikitaylor Member Registered: 05/17/07 Posts: 146 Loc: secret pirate island	i love clonazepam. if you suffer from anxiety, particularily GAD, clonazepam works wonders. the best way i can describe its effects on anxiety symptoms is , "it cures what ails ya!" _________________________ golden living, dreams of visions, mystic crystal revalations, and the mind's true liberation: A-QUAR-I-US!
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#741168 - 08/04/08 03:45 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Art_Vandelay]
nephro nephro GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 09/04/06 Posts: 8572 Loc: UK, despite the rumours	Originally Posted By: Art_Vandelay Originally Posted By: nephro The trick with diazepam is that it only becomes long-acting when taken for a period of time. When taken just now and then, it isn't much different from lorazepam or alprazolam. This is because it has active metabolites which build up gradually until a steady-state is reached. If you have general anxiety, I'm unsure why you were prescribed something 'as needed'. I would have thought you would need something pretty much all the time. PRN medication is more for acute anxiety. Have you considered chlordiazepoxide (Librium)? It is possibly the longest acting benzodiazepine, unless you can get Tranxene-SD in the USA (though it may be indicated for alcohol withdrawal; I'm not sure). Clonazepam would be OK to try; you've seen for yourself how tolerance rose dramatically with alprazolam. It's not a good drug for constant use, due to its short half-life. As far as being prescribed xanax "as needed" goes, this is basically just what the CVS label stated on the bottle. I was prescribed 60 1mg/month; which I felt was not enough, even though some would say I was lucky to get that high of a dosage & quantity. All this really led to was a huge dose increase due to tolerance, which led me to begin buying medication off of the net (as well as my loss of health insurance). I have actually tried Librium for about 2 or 3 weeks several years ago, but I don't remember it working that well. I think it reminded me somewhat of valium, and i'm certain it was likely a low dose. I haven't heard of Tranxene-SD. Is this some form of a Benzo? I know Librium is also prescribed for alcohol withdrawal, so you never know what other uses Tranxene could be used for. I'll have to do some research. Thanks for your input. This means you were taking 2mg alprazolam per day, and that if you go by the benzo.org equivalence chart, it would mean you would need 40mg diazepam per day or 100mg chlordiazepoxide per day, and I'd be very surprised if you were prescribed these amounts. This is another common problem; doctors underestimate the potency of alprazolam, and since tolerance took over pretty quick, there's no wonder the other benzos didn't work for you. Had you started on a more gentle benzodiazepine in the first place, having no tolerance, your story may well have been a more happy one.
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#741224 - 08/04/08 07:20 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nephro]
gya321 gya321 Journeyman Registered: 07/22/08 Posts: 59	Thats a good question. Im not sure none of them seem to have any affect unless its alot of milligrams.
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#741260 - 08/04/08 08:41 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: gya321]
toseph100 toseph100 Enthusiast Registered: 07/15/07 Posts: 217	If you want to treat a longterm anxiety problem, in my experience, clonazepam is wonderful. I haven't developed a tolerance, take a very small dose, and go about my day. The others make me tired and I'm not looking for a high. I actually can't stand xanax.
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#741332 - 08/04/08 10:57 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: toseph100]
daddyd daddyd Old Hand Registered: 08/01/08 Posts: 460 Loc: UK	Do you need to take clonazepam daily as a preventative, like buspirone? or can it be used as a reliever in the event of a panic attack? Does it leave you feeling not heavy at all, that would be great for work purposes! Ive suffered periodic panic attacks for years and also dont like the Xanax but have never really had any other option offered to me Edited by daddyd (08/04/08 10:59 AM) _________________________ You Have Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself..
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#741356 - 08/04/08 11:34 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: daddyd]
LAmike LAmike Banned troiblemaker Member Registered: 07/03/08 Posts: 107	Any benzo can be taken as needed. Clonazepam takes 1-2 hours to kick in instead of 20 minutes for xanax. That is why it's probably a better maintenance med than it is at stopping panic attacks quickly. I find it to have a much milder feel than xanax and lasts me 12 hours.
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#741360 - 08/04/08 11:43 AM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nephro]
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Originally Posted By: nephro This means you were taking 2mg alprazolam per day, and that if you go by the benzo.org equivalence chart, it would mean you would need 40mg diazepam per day or 100mg chlordiazepoxide per day, and I'd be very surprised if you were prescribed these amounts. I never said I was "prescribed" the diazepam or chlordiazepoxide, only the Xanax. Before the Xanax, I was started on Ativan (which is [censored] if you ask me)! I then went to Xanax 1 mg's. When I began using other benzos, I was medicating, using the internet. I had lost my health insurance and was no longer able to afford my Dr. visits. So, like so many, I began ordering certain benzos off of the net. I did this in hopes that I could find the "right" medication. Yes, I have taken 40 mg of Valium per day for quite a while, but never took 100 mg of Librium, in fact I believe I said it was a very low dose at that... It seems that many users on here are saying that the Clonazepam works quite well for them, I appreciate all your guy's posts! They have been very informative!
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#741457 - 08/04/08 01:54 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Art_Vandelay]
nephro nephro GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 09/04/06 Posts: 8572 Loc: UK, despite the rumours	Sorry, I misread. You tried them but not on prescription. But I am I right in thinking that before you were prescribed the lorazepam you had already experimented with Xanax in the past?
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#741494 - 08/04/08 03:02 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Art_Vandelay]
NotBillGates NotBillGates GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 01/15/04 Posts: 2535 Loc: 867-5309	Chlordiazepoxide never did a thing for me. I thought they were just sugar filled capsules? _________________________ “Choosing Obama is a great opportunity for Americans to show the world they can change, be humble and learn from their mistakes." - Nelson Mandela
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#741592 - 08/04/08 07:03 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: NotBillGates]
nikitaylor nikitaylor Member Registered: 05/17/07 Posts: 146 Loc: secret pirate island	i got tdo's xanax 2mg xanax bars and they had a weird effect on me. i ended up taking lots in order to feel relaxed and i had hellish WD's. Valium makes me feel hammered. i think clonazepam is the best benzo to smooth out your anxiety and go about your day. _________________________ golden living, dreams of visions, mystic crystal revalations, and the mind's true liberation: A-QUAR-I-US!
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#741599 - 08/04/08 07:21 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nikitaylor]
nephro nephro GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 09/04/06 Posts: 8572 Loc: UK, despite the rumours	What dose of Valium makes you feel hammered?
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#741600 - 08/04/08 07:22 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nephro]
nikitaylor nikitaylor Member Registered: 05/17/07 Posts: 146 Loc: secret pirate island	i'm too embarrased to say, lol _________________________ golden living, dreams of visions, mystic crystal revalations, and the mind's true liberation: A-QUAR-I-US!
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#741610 - 08/04/08 07:32 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nikitaylor]
nephro nephro GRAND Pooh-Bah Registered: 09/04/06 Posts: 8572 Loc: UK, despite the rumours	Well it doesn't really matter; I was just going to suggest that a lower dose might work well for anxiety. It has a quick onset, so isn't bad for acute anxiety as well as general anxiety. But if you've found success in clonazepam then fine; just remember it's very potent.
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#741620 - 08/04/08 07:48 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nephro]
nikitaylor nikitaylor Member Registered: 05/17/07 Posts: 146 Loc: secret pirate island	i agree with nephro that clonazepam is very potent. it is a benzo that really should be 'respected'. i found that 1mg twice a day was perfect. _________________________ golden living, dreams of visions, mystic crystal revalations, and the mind's true liberation: A-QUAR-I-US!
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#741635 - 08/04/08 08:22 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nephro]
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Originally Posted By: nephro Sorry, I misread. You tried them but not on prescription. But I am I right in thinking that before you were prescribed the lorazepam you had already experimented with Xanax in the past? Seriously? ...not so sure this really matters Back to topic... I started the thread because I wanted to hear what others thought about the three popular Benzos; Alprazolam, Clonazepam, and Diazepam. -Which they preferred and why?
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#741646 - 08/04/08 08:43 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: nikitaylor]
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Originally Posted By: nikitaylor i got tdo's xanax 2mg xanax bars and they had a weird effect on me. i ended up taking lots in order to feel relaxed and i had hellish WD's. Valium makes me feel hammered. i think clonazepam is the best benzo to smooth out your anxiety and go about your day. Ahh yes, the infamous Gador Bars from TODO! I'm sorry they had a wierd effect on you, I can tell you this though; They were some of the most potent Xanax available on the net and did pack quite a punch. To me, thus far, Xanax has proven to have the worst WD's of all Benzos. I'm guessing it's because of its extremely short half-life. I've heard of many Docs weaning people off of Xanax w/ Valium and even Librium. Anyway, interesting how just about everybody is recommending clonazepam! That's great news and thanks for your input Niki! I can't wait for my Rivotrils...
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#741650 - 08/04/08 08:52 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you prefer? [Re: Art_Vandelay]
recruiterlo recruiterlo Pooh-Bah Registered: 05/01/06 Posts: 1226 Loc: here for now	i'm sure cosmo kramer could help you...or larry david. _________________________ rather be a redhead, than a deadhead....
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#741654 - 08/04/08 09:10 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: recruiterlo]
Art_Vandelay Art_Vandelay Journeyman Registered: 07/17/08 Posts: 76 Loc: East Coast, US	Originally Posted By: recruiterlo i'm sure cosmo kramer could help you...or larry david. Being an architect as well as running Vandelay Industries (a small latex company) in NYC, one has little time to acquire the right chill pills!
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#741657 - 08/04/08 09:18 PM Re: Alprazolam, Clonazepam, or Diazepam ...which do you pref [Re: Art_Vandelay]
recruiterlo recruiterlo Pooh-Bah Registered: 05/01/06 Posts: 1226 Loc: here for now	i live right here in nyc and you can acquire whatever you want and whatever time you want. even designing those buildings -- just put on a hard hat and find a dealer cat. you should know that.....can't get no pity if you live in this city. just don't end up in benzo hell -- as too many have and it sounds like you're in for a bad time -- hopefully later rather than sooner. but it will happen at the amounts you refer to. good luck, though. Edited by recruiterlo (08/04/08 09:25 PM) _________________________ rather be a redhead, than a deadhead....
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#741723 - 08/05/08 04:23 AM </