yea, well, imo, Xanax(alprazolam) is MUCH more potent than clonazepam. I mean, I'm sure most people here on BL(especially people is OD) are aware that alprazolam is approx. 2-4 times more potent per mg than clonazepam... I used to know the exact ratio, but that was back when I was still a drug abuser and a VERY active member here on BL(3-4 yrs. ago). But, from my own personal experience, I also believe that alprazolam is even more "effective" or "potent" than clonazepam is, even when taken at equivalent doses.... as in (for example) 0.5mg alprazolam and 1.5 mg clonazepam are supposed to be fairly equal benzo doses in regard to their relative strength. But since alprazolam has MUCH stronger hypnotic effects(sleep inducing) than clonazepam, as well as approximately equal anxiolytic(calming/anti-stress) effects(if not even stronger), I would imagine it's quite possible that a dose of alprazolam that is supposed to be equivalent to a certain dose of clonazepam could still be capable of causing much more intense/serious W/D pain and discomfort than would be expected from an equal dose of clonazepam.
I say all of the ^^above^^ because of my personal and extensive experience/research concerning benzodiazepines; primarily alprazolam, clonazepam, temazepam, midazolam, diazepam, lorazepam, and a bit of triazolam(primarily the first three tho). Therefore... since you were dropped off of a dose of 1mg alprazolam(Xanax)/day, I would say it's not completely unusual for you to have had the severe WD you described, since that dose would be approx. equal to 3-4mg's/day of klonopin, but like I described earlier, it's actual effects, especially its hypnotic effects(among others), seem to be MUCH more potent than those of clonazepam... meaning that your 1mg/day alprazolam dose could be equated, in terms of its hypnotic and anxiolytic properties, to MORE than 3-4mg's/day of clonazepam... possibly causing those particular properties(hypnotic/anxiolytic) to have a higher potency ratio when comparing the two drugs. Meaning the 1mg of alprazolam could ACTUALLY have the hypnotic/anxiolytic potency of 5+mg's of clonazepam.... obviously resulting in a more severe WD experience if the daily dose is abruptly stopped.
Of course this is all technically speculation based upon my personal experience, as well as certain facts regarding the pharmacokinetics of benzodiazepines. I know this post got a bit convoluted, but I hope I was able to get my point across clearly enough to be understood. But of course, you were MOST DEFINITELY correct when you stated that "everybody is different", and therefore my "hypothesis" is just that... a hypothesis. An educated guess. Idea. Concept. But basically my point was that my experience supports the thought that Xanax can cause a more severe W/D reaction than other benzos(particularly Klonopin), even at equal doses. Because back when I still took Xanax(the only benzos I'm taking now are k-pins and temazepam; both prescribed), a 0.5mg dose could knock me out(hypnotic effect) and cause intense anxiolytic activity in my brain, while an "equivalent" dose of k-pin(approx. 1.5mg's) would have hypnotic and anxiolytic effects significantly lower, and rarely ever caused intense sedation etc..
