jk13I'm having some severe troubles with somnolence / hypersomnia, and am still waiting for the final diagnosis regarding my sleep study. In the meantime, we've decided to correct the situation regardless of the official outcome, cause I've obviously have symtoms that are making my life very difficult. I've switched from 3mg of Klonopin per day to 2mg 2x's per day of Xanax XR to see if that doesn't help. So far, I just feel more tiered than before. I'm now just starting on day #2, and I know that I still have to give it a fair shot. Does anyone have any input on this? Also, I feel more social and general anxiety than before, meaning that probably I'll need a higher dosage of the Xanax XR in the long run. I'd love for any experiences or comments (and I love back and forth discussions - if I or you question something, please feel free to respond, as that's the point of a conversation)! :) One more thing, for those of you who know me, this is just one of several steps that are going to be taken. One of the other steps taking once the benzo of choice is determined, we'll then start to eliminate all of the "sort of" working meds, and upping the dosage of the less sedating working med (dropping 300mg Ultram, 225mg Lyrica, the higher dosage of Pristiq 100mg down to 50mg, and upping the Methadone 30mg up to what is needed, something that has doesn't sedate me much at all, and works by far and away the best for the fibro pain)! Thank god!! The psychiatrist wasn't willing to in the past, but now is all for it. According to him, I've proven over time that I have an extremely low addictive personality profile, rare for also having PTSD, and he's had a number of very bad experiences very recently. Also, hopefully, we'll be saying an almost total good-bye to Abilify (rarely taken as it is), as the Minipress has been working wonders for the C-PTSD!
Xanax xr vs. klonopin, or really any benzo, which has the most effective and least sleepy profile?
- Posted:
- 26 Aug 2010 by jk13
- Topics:
- klonopin, xanax, xanax xr, narcolepsy, anxiety, panic disorder, drowsiness, sleep disorders, sleep
Added 26 Aug 2010:
Ok, so far they know that I've got very mild sleep apnea at night, partially due to the narcotics (methadone slows the breathing considerably, thus less oxygen), but aren't sure if I have multiple sleep disorders yet. I'm going to get a special pillow and give it a try, sleeping on the side... I hate the idea of the mask thing!!!!! I'm stubborn like that... They aren't sure if it's causing the sleep attacks... but the meds plus that make it plausible,
Added 27 Aug 2010:
ok, so this evening, I started to have major panic attacks and irritability even after taking the second dosage of 2mg Xanax XR. Called the doctor, and he told me that he wasn't going to increase the drug, and to go back to the Klonopin. It's strange how different people have such a variety of reactions to mind type meds. Anyways, I have an appointment this next Thursday, and will ask about Valium as an option (I severely doubt that he'll want to try it, due to the fact that the conversion would be 60mg). The Xanax just didn't carry the weight that the 3mg of Klonopin had for me. On top of it all, ultimately the Xanax also made me equally tiered, in a very different way though. Klonopin feels more relaxing and smooth vs. the Xanax for me felt more relaxed in a slightly stimulated way... very hard to explain. Oh well. If the doctor wants to give the Valium a try, I'll definitely post it, but for now, step 2 is to get rid of the 225mg of Lyrica. Will be going down 75mg per week. Apparently regardless if I feel withdrawals or not, there's a possibility for seizures. So... that's that. Lyrica is the one drug that I take that I literally feel nothing from. No benefit, no negative. Just nothing, and expensive. But for a long time, was told to take it.
Added 1 Sep 2010:
just realized that the updates should really be posted up here vs. on the comments, so here it is again.....
Just an update:
Ok, so, I talked to my psychiatrist durring my appointment yesterday about switching from the current 3mg of Klonopin over to Valium, something that I've heard allot of good things about, and according to him, I'd have to be dosed way to high, putting me in a situation setting me up for addiction. According to the good old wikipedia, I guess that 0.5mg of Klonopin = 10mg of Valium, so... that would put me at 60mg of Valium per day, and that's too high of a starting dose for my psychiatrist. Also, the higher the dose, the higher the level of side effects associated with the drug, thus, the higher the abuse potential. So, I guess Klonopin is the one for me as of now. He also pointed out that Klonopin is more or less (according to him - and I'm sure that many would disagree with a portion of this statement), a better and more potent version of valium with fewer side effects.
So... the plan continues as before, to take the meds that don't do a whole lot of good out of my routine. I'm currently down to 75mg of Lyrica from the original 225mg. Once that ones out of the way, then comes the Tramadol, and we'll have to discuss how we want to approach it. Last time I spoke with him about my concerns regarding the discontinuing of Tramadol, he seemed to think that it wouldn't be a problem, this time, he seemed to be more in tune with my concern with the SNRI - and how it has an almost immediate action, thus potentially making it more problematic. Also, regarding the Opioid action, we'll have to figure out how much we want to increase the Methadone to contradict the withdrawal as well as replace it as a pain killer. Tramadol has helped with the pain, so we'll figure all of this out on September 14th, on the next scheduled appointment.
Added 7 Sep 2010:
ok, so... when I went down to 75mg of Lyrica, we had a delay. Apparently, the Lyrica was helping my anxiety considerably, and started to have some major anxiety issues resurface along with minor pain. The last thing that I want to do is add another medication or up the benzo, so we switched the Pristiq at 100mg over to Cymbalta at 90mg per day, and presto! Anxiety gone, as well as most of the pain! I requested to stop the Lyrica, and will have to wait for a response from the doc. (he knows more than I do, and I'm having him be part of the process, every step of the way) Also, it turns out the I have very minor sleep apnea, probably caused by my medications, and we still don't have a clear answer as to the cause of the sleep problem, although, decreasing the Lyrica so far has helped quite a bit!
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Responses (5)
Anonymous 26 Aug 2010
Hi JK, Have you tried Valium? I hear it has benefits as far as muscle pain goes. I haven't tried it... yet, but I am thinking about switching from Xanax to valium. Other people on this site have recommended valium.
Just a thought buddy.
4 mgs of Xanax a day seems like a high dosage to me, but what the hell do I know...
sweetlemon
christine...26 Aug 2010
Hi there jk13. Sweetlemon stole my answer! She does that often. I'm very happy to hear you're getting off the Ultram and upping the dose of methadone as needed. Ultram (in my experience) doesn't help much with pain and is still addicting even though it's technically a non opiate. So if you need around the clock opiate pain control, methadone is your best defense. But extremely difficult to kick. As far as the benzo, sweetlemon is right about the valium. For me personally, it's helped the most and lasts the longest without too much of a "benzo hangover" feeling. You know, once you get your meds all figured out, you'll be pleasantly surprised how productive and happy you can be. It's just so darn frustrating getting there! But over the years (and I don't know why) if my pain is under control, I don't need anti depressants.
jk13
26 Aug 2010
Well, I'm most definitely going to bring the idea up to my pdoc, as I've read over and over that Valium for so many people is the benzo med of choice. Newer never means better, just means... not as well tested. I don't know if he'd be totally comfortable going to such a high dosage of Valium, but if the Xanax, and I really need to give it a few more days to give it a fair trial, I'd love go in that direction. It bothers me a bit that the Xanax XR lasts only 12hrs., so you have to redoes immediately with little or no overlap, very unlike Valium.
christineATU
26 Aug 2010
Methadone, trazadone are 2 very old medications still being prescribed frequently. Some of the newer meds scare me. There's been too many recalls for my comfort. I believe it's just a matter of time before Tramadol is re-classified by the FDA. Several states have already taken steps to re-classify this pain killer. So many doctors are uneducated about its' addictive nature. Patients need to educate themselves about what doctors prescribe them. You are so right about newer not necessarily being better.
fall queen26 Aug 2010
Hi jk, I am starting toget familiar with where you want to be with your meds., that is why I was happy to hear there are some changes already. Now, just like the first time you asked for an open opinion... you know the rest. The only thing I can argue about xanax, is that it actually brings some type of "high" with it. I know people who say they have lost whole days and only remember bits and pieces of what happened. The only other thing about xanax is it has such a short half life. If you take xanax every day for six months or so, you can take in in the morning and if you miss your evening dose, by eight o'clock at night you are already starting to have muscle spasm and tension headaches. Valium is OK, but it is the generics that bother me. Stay away from the mylan, they can be eaten like candy with no real help. They have other generics of valium that work better. Now personally I would rather take klonopin, I take that 2mgs. twice a day.
Anonymous 26 Aug 2010
Hate to disagree with our Fall Queen, but I take 2mg of Xanax a day and I don't get a high off of it.
JK, did I read you correctly... when you said tramadol is not addictive?
Thanks and hope you are feeling great,
sweetlemon
christineATU
26 Aug 2010
Fall Queen is right about the generics for valium. My hubby was prescribed them years ago for tension headaches and the doc was adamant about him getting the "real deal." They are rarely filled because of their cost. However, the real valium has an actual "V" punched out in the middle of the pill.
MichaelKing4 Oct 2010
You mentioned somewhere near the top that have the meds not make you too sleepy during the day was important to you, or something to that effect. That being the case, you should probably leave the Valium alone. Its half-life is waaay longer than either Xanax or Klonopin, and I've never met anybody that doesn't feel sluggish during the day because of it. Also, if your main issue is panic attacks, as opposed to just straight anxiety (*without* panic attacks), Klonopin will almost certainly work better for you than Xanax.
As for dosage, someone said 4mg/day Xanax was a lot . . . nobody can say that without taking into account the tolerance level you've built up to the drug. For sure, if someone takes no benzos at all, and you give them 4mg Xanax, they'll probably pass out . . . but after being on it for a couple of years, it can take 2mg bars to do what 0.5mg did at the beginning . . . which is why the PDR specifies a Rx dose range up to 10mg/day of the drug.
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4mg of Xanax is a high dosage according to what I understand, but I can't really function in social crowds very well without the help of a benzo, and unfortunately, I wish that I could take lower dosages, but not yet. My psychologist taught me how to deal with panic attacks, however not social situations, unfortunately we have bigger fish to fry... first the C-PTSD, then back to the anxiety, and depending on the PTSD, the anxiety may decrease, and I'll be SOOOOO happy to get down to a lower dosage. I've tried several times with the Klonopin, and I can do it, I can deal with minor withdrawals with it lowered slowly, but just can't deal with the actual anxiety. If 4mg doesn't help with the problems that it's suppose to treat, then I'd like to try 5mg, adding 1mg for the daytime, making it 3mg, and 2mg at night. The last thing that I really want to do is increase anything more than I have to.
Expand this post...
Gotta say, the psychologist works slowly, but really, it works!!! Can't believe that I can now make panic attacks just go away in a minute or two (with the benzo :( but haven't had to increase as a result!! Before anything, it would be bruising my chest! I'd love to try Valium, but I'd probably need an equivalent dosage (I think), and that would just be too high for that drug... although I've heard nothing but positive things about it!
sweetlemon (answer thief) is right. But you may need the 10mg dosages. Oh I love teasing you sweetlemon! But of all the benzo's, valium is one of the best. At least in my opinion. Have a good day, sweetlemon.
Chris
lolol you took my answer ... i take valium 3 times a day 10 mg ... works pretty good for me ... im not drowsie at all ... i can take a 2 mg xanax an be asleep in 30 minutes
Just an update:
Ok, so, I talked to my psychiatrist durring my appointment yesterday about switching from the current 3mg of Klonopin over to Valium, something that I've heard allot of good things about, and according to him, I'd have to be dosed way to high, putting me in a situation setting me up for addiction. According to the good old wikipedia, I guess that 0.5mg of Klonopin = 10mg of Valium, so... that would put me at 60mg of Valium per day, and that's too high of a starting dose for my psychiatrist. Also, the higher the dose, the higher the level of side effects associated with the drug, thus, the higher the abuse potential. So, I guess Klonopin is the one for me as of now. He also pointed out that Klonopin is more or less (according to him - and I'm sure that many would disagree with a portion of this statement), a better and more potent version of valium with fewer side effects.
Expand this post...
So... the plan continues as before, to take the meds that don't do a whole lot of good out of my routine. I'm currently down to 75mg of Lyrica from the original 225mg. Once that ones out of the way, then comes the Tramadol, and we'll have to discuss how we want to approach it. Last time I spoke with him about my concerns regarding the discontinuing of Tramadol, he seemed to think that it wouldn't be a problem, this time, he seemed to be more in tune with my concern with the SNRI - and how it has an almost immediate action, thus potentially making it more problematic. Also, regarding the Opioid action, we'll have to figure out how much we want to increase the Methadone to contradict the withdrawal as well as replace it as a pain killer. Tramadol has helped with the pain, so we'll figure all of this out on September 14th, on the next scheduled appointment.