My doc. switched me from 1mg Alprazolam=Xanax to 1mg lorazepam=Ativan ?
How much difference is there in strength ???
Ddog12.>>
What is the strenth of Ativan 1mg compared to 1 mg of Xanax?
Question posted by ddog12 on 14 Jan 2012
Last updated on 17 November 2017
This question has also been asked and answered here: Ativan vs Xanax - What is the difference?
Answers
gallowglass
15 Jan 2012
I don't know. But prepare yourself for qa hard w/d from xanax if you have been taking it for a while.
jk13
15 Jan 2012
and if you do feel withdrawals, call your doctor asap! Benzo withdrawals are nothing to mess around with...
Chelsi
1 Aug 2015
I have been taking Ativan and xanax for over 10 years to milligrams of ativan 6 times a day one milligram of xanax 3 times a day the only thing I ever withdrawal from wasn't the ativan I've never withdrawn from xanax but then again I always make sure I have them everyday I get prescriptions for them yes I overdo them but in the end I always make sure I have a couple to take off the eerie feeling that I get when I am ready to withdraw so if you're smart that's what we'll do
reyandjay
23 Sep 2016
all of the benzos are uncool, they will all cause withdrawal if you are not on them, don't, if you are, get to a low dose in case something happens. i just misplaced 60 Xanax 2mg at 4 a day, so I am screwed. stay on Ativan or seek therapy for anxiety all together.
Mattimat
17 Nov 2017
Absolutely R23, all benzos create intense withdrawals. The only withdrawals which can cause death are benzo and alcohol withdrawal.
Try to maintain or taper to lowest dose. I was taking 6 mgs Xanax and am now down to 1.5 at night.It's taken 1 year to taper after approx 20 yrs of consumption.
Do yourself a favor stay on a low dose for short periods of time or don't take them at all .
Mattimat
17 Nov 2017
Absolutely R23, all benzos create intense withdrawals. The only withdrawals which can cause death are benzo and alcohol withdrawal.
Try to maintain or taper to lowest dose. I was taking 6 mgs Xanax and am now down to 1.5 at night.It's taken 1 year to taper after approx 20 yrs of consumption.
Do yourself a favor stay on a low dose for short periods of time or don't take them at all .
jk13
15 Jan 2012
Ativan is 1mg to 0.5mg Xanax. You have to also keep in mind that these meds respond differently from person to person. I tried a slightly higher dosage of Xanax XR from my regular Klonopin, and just couldn't do it, I started going into some pretty bad withdrawals. For me, and for whatever reason, the Klonopin works much better, however I know that this is not the case for many people. Xanax also lasts according to one chart 6 to 12 hours (this seems off to me, but regardless am just illustrating a point) and Ativan lasts 10 to 20 hours (duration of time is the half life). Klonopin however lasts 18 to 50 hours. I'm not completely certain how one would factor in the length of the drugs half life into the strength, or if that would be considered to be completely separate issues. Valium after all lasts an obscene 20 to 100 hours. If it stays in your system over 24 hours, then there will be a build up of the drug, creating a more potent long term effect vs. if it were to be used as is needed. If you take the Ativan at the same rate as the Xanax, lets say twice a day, then it would be possible that the effects are compiling where as it would be much less likely for that to happen with the Xanax.
I just want to bring up these issues with you, cause while it may seem that the doctor chopped your dose in half, he might be checking first for your bodies reaction to the drug, and then moving you on up to the correct dose vs. starting out at the equal dose, but having it turn out to be an unnesisary amount.
In my case at the time I was taking 3mg of Klonopin, and my doctor tried to switch me to 4mg of Xanax, technically a stronger dose. As I mentioned earlier I went into withdrawal by the second or third day and had to switch back. Now, if I were on 4mg of Xanax, and was switched to 4mg of Klonopin (which I've been on that dose for a while), I would be nodding out, falling asleep due to it being just too much for my system. I now take 2mg of Klonopin.
Hope that this was of some help, and hope that I didn't get too repetitive and boring.
Sincerely,
Jeff K
Loyder
15 Jan 2012
Their both the same Ativan just has a longer shelf life . Its better for you to ween off Ativan when the time comes. Your doctor was smart by doug this for you.
Inactive
15 Jan 2012
Jeff, you are never boring, just very informative!
Inactive
15 Jan 2012
Hi Mary, Ddog and Jeff,
Ddog, just want to let you know, Jeff knows his stuff!!
Lara
jk13
15 Jan 2012
After rereading my comment, I think that I failed to mention in the example that Klonopin to Xanax is 1 to 1, making Xanax at 4mg stronger according to the charts vs. the 3mg of Klonopin. As I said bellow, withdrawals are something that shouldn't be taken lightly with benzos, as they can cause seizures and death, very unlike opiates (which have withdrawals that feel more gross and mental in my opinion, but is something that you wouldn't actually die from). Thanks for the vote of confidence Lemon Girl! I really appreciate it!
Inactive
15 Jan 2012
Jeff,now you r just showing off... hugs,c
bluepony
20 Nov 2014
I have been reading these forums and have been prescribed klonopin and lorazapam (Ativan), neither of these did anything for me... it was like taking sugar pills. The only thing that works for my anxiety is Xanax. Why do you think that this is?
R. P.
Tyrant1488
26 Aug 2015
Okay so in the Benzodiazpine drugg class you have 3 main tiers of treatment: top tier- Xanax or (Alprazolam). Middle tier- Ativan or (Lorazepam). Bottom tier- Valium or (Diazapam). There are many other generics to name but these are the most common. So to best answer your question a .5 mg Xanax is = to 1 mg Ativan but the African has a longer half life and take minutes longer to become effective. So here's where it gets confusing. A 1 mg Ativan is like taking 1.5 mg of Valium because Valium has muscle relaxant properties. It all depends on body chemistry, weight, diet, tolerance and your choice of administration of the medications. But in my personal past if I need to take my prescribed 2 mg Xanax and was out I would just take 4 mg Ativan and feel a little less buzzed but better. No more anxiety or panics. And it would hold me over longer than if I would have just taken the 2 Xanax.
Xanax for me works wonders for me for about 15 minutes then I feel Im about to lose it again so I would need more. Taking the Ativan in place took away all panic and sort and actually relaxed me to a point of still being functional without the side effect of Xanax. And it works usually for about 5-7 hours depending on the severity of the anxiety or panic attack.
Tyrant1488
26 Aug 2015
Okay so in the Benzodiazpine drugg class you have 3 main tiers of treatment: top tier- Xanax or (Alprazolam). Middle tier- Ativan or (Lorazepam). Bottom tier- Valium or (Diazapam). There are many other generics to name but these are the most common. So to best answer your question a .5 mg Xanax is = to 1 mg Ativan but the African has a longer half life and take minutes longer to become effective. So here's where it gets confusing. A 1 mg Ativan is like taking 1.5 mg of Valium because Valium has muscle relaxant properties. It all depends on body chemistry, weight, diet, tolerance and your choice of administration of the medications. But in my personal past if I need to take my prescribed 2 mg Xanax and was out I would just take 4 mg Ativan and feel a little less buzzed but better. No more anxiety or panics. And it would hold me over longer than if I would have just taken the 2 Xanax.
Xanax for me works wonders for me for about 15 minutes then I feel Im about to lose it again so I would need more. Taking the Ativan in place took away all panic and sort and actually relaxed me to a point of still being functional without the side effect of Xanax. And it works usually for about 5-7 hours depending on the severity of the anxiety or panic attack.
Mattimat
17 Nov 2017
Jeff
Interesting info.
It's been sooo long that I've been consuming Xanax that prior to your sharing I believed that 1to 1, Xanax was more potent ( with consideration given to different effects per individual etc.)
My pharmacy erroneously gave me another's 23rd today and interestingly one of the containers had 1mg. of ativan whereas my 3rd was for 1mg. of Xanax.
I was a little put off ( as it were
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