Benzos Alprazolam and clonazepam

[<access denied>]

I'll try not to make this an autobiography. I have that tendency, I'd like to say it's because I'm a writer but in reality I'm just a long winded buffoon.

I was prescribed Alprazolam over a year ago and I've been taking it ever since. Started with .5 and was boosted up to 1mg. I have severe anxiety almost daily accompanied by panic attacks which is something I absolutely cannot bear. I'm a hypochondriac so if anything in my body feels like it's on the fritz, I become convinced the end is nigh. So I've been on that for a while and was thinking of trying something longer acting since 2 times a day "as needed" is a bit confusing to me. So the instructions are to take it twice a day, PRN...which seems like a contradiction, to relieve the never ending anxiety but if a full blown panic attack kicks in, prescription instructions be damned, I reach for that bottle. I can't stand panic attacks. I'd rather be stabbed in the uh...arm, or something.

So I got put on this medication and all the sudden the sun was smiling, the daisies were dancing and the burds were singing my song. It was the good life...until I built up a tolerance. On top of that, as soon as I decided to look into something of the same family (benzos) that may last longer, I called that doctor to set up an appointment, specifically, since we got along real well and he had no problem refilling the meds and even authorizing refills over the phone. So I call to set up an appointment and discover that he has move on to work in a hospital. And I'm happy for him, I'm sure it's a raise for him and he's been a good doctor to me. But knowing he was my guy to give refills I asked the front desk if I could just continue phoning in to get my refills authorized but they said i had to make an appointment with the nurse practitioner in order to do so. So, alright, I set it up for yesterday...it may seem like no big deal but it felt like a murder trial to me. I was worried that this nurse practitioner might be anti-xanax and ignorant of it's intolerable withdrawal symptoms which have, to my understanding, have led to seizures and death. So in the week leading up to the appointment I got no sleep. My anxiety was through the roof and my panic attacks were happening far more frequently than before. And though I know I shouldn't, and that it might raise red flags with the staff there, I had to take more. Not a lot more, just maybe 3 times a day I might have to pop 3 pills instead of 2, but my logic is that "as needed" means "as needed." I need it, I take it, problem solved. And they've never given me any shit about it.

So anyway, I go to see thi Nurse practitioner. A sweetheart of a lady. But she wants to check my blood pressure and heart rate which is always high and ask me to consider taking some heart medication, which I won't be doing. Propranolol is the name. I see side effects and one of them is that it will give me insomnia. Honestly, a choice between a heart attack and insomnia is a no brainer...I'll take the heart attack, thank you very much.

So finally this Nurse Pr. writes my a script for 60 1mg alprazolam...with no refills. Now I'm thinking "and here we go, regime change and I'm fucked." Since authorization takes anywhere from 48 to 72 hours I became a bit concerned. But then came the real kicker...she also wrote me out a script for 15 .5 clonazepam. I don't mind that, but it's 10 fucking dollars for 15 pills. So if I were to switch over, it would cost me 40 bucks per prescription and i just can't do that. But hey, it's a long lasting benzo, my birthday's next week...why the hell not try it once and then report back that my budget is far too limited to buy the shit frequently.

Now this woman SWORE .5 clonazepam is an equivalent dose of 1mg alprazolam...but searching the net i see many people saying the opposite. It's the internut, so who really knows. Then this site dawned on me. And I figured that if anyone could give me the proper dosage equivalence. it would be you guys.

Another thing happened when I asked about the lack of refills with the alprazolam...she said I had to see their shrink and they would discuss "what's best for me and my condition." With that revelation, I came to the conclusion that I am 109% FUCKED. I think I'll be cut off and after a year plus of taking it, taking the Kurt Cobaine way out sounds preferable to the withdrawal symptoms accompanying the cessation of taking this medicine. I realize it's highly addictive and hard to get off of...but why should I want to get off it in the first place? It helps my anxiety, my panic attacks and last but not least...my sleep.

I'll end this here. Answer these questions to the best of your ability and if one is missed, I'll ask it again. But I'm worried they're going to take me off of it, the anxiety and panic attacks will come back 10 fold and life will become miserable once again. I NEED to make one thing VERY CLEAR. I don't care about my life expectancy, I just don't want to deal with this pain and discomfort. I can't take the feeling of feeling as if death is imminent. The wheezing as if a lung collapse is about to happen, the heart skips, the dizziness and in worse case scenarios...passing out. Like, fainting, face first. Last time that happened I lost a front tooth.

So in conclusion: Will this clonazepam really cost that much more, or is it just because maybe they only had the brand name pills instead of the generics? Because even if it is a safer medication, 40 bucks a pop every month...I just can't do it.

Will this psychologist fuck me over and tell the nurse practitioner that alprazolam isn't necessary and that warm milk is a better alternative? Obvious sarcasm, but seriously...why do I have to see this women to get a script I've been on a year and one I'm also quite obviously dependent on? What should I say, or not say, in order to keep these meds coming because seriously, I NEED THEM. Not because I'm a junkie, these are the most boring drugs on the planet, but without that my anxiety and panic attacks will come back ten fold and that will no doubt put me in a state facility as it will no doubt drive me batshit insane.

And lastly...I like drugs that help me sleep. And one withdrawal symptom is insomnia. I don'twant to stop taking these. At all.

Thanks for reading if you made it through the whole wall of text. And sorry about that, I'm just really worried.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

TL;DR

Maybe shorten this or just post the direct real question you have, or you're not going to get many responses.

 

[WorldWarMe]

Yeah, I opened it then closed it right away. Just ask the main question and I'll be happy to help you.

 

[RTrain]

I don't think anyone is going to be able to tell you how much your meds will cost at the pharmacy, wouldn't you be better off calling the pharmacy and asking this question.

 

[WorldWarMe]

Generic = Cheaper. Simple as that. You'll probably be paying double for the name brand pills.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

Generic = Cheaper. Simple as that. You'll probably be paying double for the name brand pills.

Yeah, this. Name brand pills are always much much more expensive. Double the price if not even more in some cases.

 

[<access denied>]

Sorry for the length of the post. I'll try again.

Main questions: Is .5 clonazepam (Klonopin) the equivalent of 1mg alprazolam (Xanax)? Because that's what the nurse practitioner told me but online I'm reading conflicting reports that suggest it's just the opposite. One example, one page I read suggesting that .5 clonazepam was the equivalent of .25 alprazolam. If that's the case then it will be like popping tic tacs.

I only buy generics, and I was told by the pharmacy tech that the clonazepam was 10 bucks for 15 pills, as opposed to the alprazolam which is $12 for 60 pills. I know that trying to figure out the pricing is difficult since there's different insurance companies and programs, and prices vary by state. All I'm asking is if that sounds right?

Last question. The fact that the doctor that handled my refills, and the authorizations when the refills ran out is now gone...and now this practitioner wants me to see the shrink before giving me refills along with my next prescription...is the writing on the wall that they're preparing to cut me off completely? I mean, I literally need it. But trying to explain that to them I fear an even worse reaction. They don't seem to understand that the anxiety is a daily thing WITH the occasional panic attacks. It says to take 1 pill every 12 hours "as needed." But alprazolam doesn't linger too long and I've had severe panic attacks 6 hours later and taken another dose, and then felt the overwhelming anxiety within another 4 to 6 hours after already taking my maximum daily dose. It makes no sense. "Once every 12 hours as needed." Sometimes I need 3 a day because of a panic attack. It cuts a 30 day supply, according to those directions, down to a 25 to 20 day supply.

It's gotten to the point with this new staff that the very discussion of the anxiety meds is causing anxiety. But I don't want to go off of them, they really have helped me. It's this hovering over my shoulder to make sure I'm not just looking for a high that's got me even more stressed. And reading about the withdrawals is like a horror story and i know I'll have them if I'm taken off of them since I've been on them over a year.

 

[adder]

For panic attacks clonazepam is useless, because it takes ages to kick in. Alprazolam starts acting within 15 minutes, so it's hard to compare them the simple way. On the other hand alprazolam indeed doesn't hold you long enough and I can easily imagine you have to dose it 3 times a day to be free of anxiety all day long. Clonazepam once a day would suffice as an alternative, but it won't have an immediate strong anxiolytic effect, it'll stay in the background. Anyway, the purpose of taking BZDs shouldn't be alleviating anxiety all the time as it's the straightest way to get dependent on them. IME alprazolam ~ clonazepam, mg to mg, but the same clonazepam dose will be enough for the whole day and the alprazolam equivalent won't act long enough, so you'll end up taking twice as much alprazolam as you'd need clonazepam per day.

 

[<access denied>]

Just in case the post above was considered too long, an even shorter version:

Is .5 clonazepam (Klonopin) the equivalent of 1mg alprazolam (Xanax), as suggested by my nurse practitioner?

Does it sound right that 15 .5mg clonazepam (generic) could be 10 bucks? And directed to take twice a day I would have to get refills once a week as opposed to the 1mg alprazolam (generic), where I get 60 pills to, theoretically, last me an entire month?

And lastly, is this all just the result of the subjectivity of my new prescriber, who may just be anti-alprazolam trying to cut me off completely? And wouldn't that be ignorant of her to attempt to do so since there are potential life threatening withdrawal symptoms at worst, or extreme rebound anxiety and a whole host of other symptoms at best. Which is the reason why I went to them in the first place? Because honestly, I never would have even saw a doctor about this if I know it would only further complicate things.

 

[<access denied>]

For panic attacks clonazepam is useless, because it takes ages to kick in. Alprazolam starts acting within 15 minutes, so it's hard to compare them the simple way. On the other hand alprazolam indeed doesn't hold you long enough and I can easily imagine you have to dose it 3 times a day to be free of anxiety all day long. Clonazepam once a day would suffice as an alternative, but it won't have an immediate strong anxiolytic effect, it'll stay in the background. Anyway, the purpose of taking BZDs shouldn't be alleviating anxiety all the time as it's the straightest way to get dependent on them. IME alprazolam ~ clonazepam, mg to mg, but the same clonazepam dose will be enough for the whole day and the alprazolam equivalent won't act long enough, so you'll end up taking twice as much alprazolam as you'd need clonazepam per day.

I'm already dependent on them. And I know it's not a good thing to be dependent on any drug but that bridge has been crossed. I didn't walk into their clinic asking for alprazolam, I was convinced it was something physical...an issue with my lungs or my heart but my doctor at the time immediately dismissed that with a few labs and checkups. First he prescribed some kind of sedative that didn't work and quite frankly, I can get that with 125mg of benadryl. But that won't alleviate my panic attacks or help with the anxiety. I've tried it. So he put me on alprazolam and it worked. Then I had to up my dose a bit and as soon as I needed a second authorization for more refills, he went on to greener pastures. And now I'm dealing with a new regime who aren't as big on prescribing them as he was.

Honestly, I wish I were a depression case who wanted to die but that's the whole thing, I went to these people because I was AFRAID I was dying. I'm turning 34 this Thursday, I'm young and overall content with my life. I'm not making too much money but that's never been a priority to me. But now it's like I'll either have to keep taking these meds, where their expenses seem to go up all the time OR I'll have to go to rehab. I'm already paying off student loans and that's the last fucking thing I need. And i know when I go to see this shrink she will diagnose me with "depression," which I think is bullshit and I will outright refuse to take any of those pills. With the anxiety and panic attacks, I can literally feel something within my body sending me red flags and the alprazolam stops it. But being sad, to me, is just a mood swing depending on certain circumstances at a certain time. I shake it off and get the fuck over it. But this...this is different. I've passed out, busted out a front tooth, felt like my lungs were collapsing...

Shit, I'm sorry. There I go again. If anyone can help me, I'd appreciate it. I'll check back but I won't post anymore. Obviously I'm all over the place and I'm writing a friggin' encyclopedia with every post. I just feel like these physicians have done my more harm than good, and talking to them only makes things worse. So i look for answers from normal people.

Thanks to everyone who replied and again, I apologize.

 

[brutus]

Price sounds about right for generics, but we don't allow price discussion of even legal drugs.

Klonopin is around .5mg-1mg equivalent to 1mg of Xanax in my experience.

Ask your nurse practioner, a lot of doctors are against prescribing Xanax. Try asking for another medication such as Ativan since it works quicker. Although I have went to doctors who thought that one benzo is enough and that you don't need another for panic attacks. Try taking drugs such as l-theanine or even ask for hydroxzine for anxiety.

 

[Tommyboy]

I wouldn't worry too much about the exact equivalency, as long as you are in the ballpark and won't feel withdrawals. As brutus said he feels .5-1mg clonazepam = 1mg of xanax, and most charts have it day one or the other. You have to take into consideration that there is incomplete cross-tolerance, meaning although taking a benzo means you have a tolerance to all benzos, you won't necessarily have as high of a tolerance to the equivalent dose of the other benzo.

I used to be prescribed alprazolam too, and when I decided to get off of it I tapered down to 1mg before switching to valium. Now just about every equivalency table said that 0.5mg alprazolam = 10mg valium, which would mean I should have been switched over to 20mg of valium. However, my doctor only prescribed me 10mg of valium a day and I found it to be enough.

Now as for the price, the generics will obviously be cheaper. Also, the price does not necessarily go up in proportion to quantity, so for example if 10 pills were 10 dollars that doesn't mean 50 pills will be 50 dollars, they are usually cheaper per pill the more you get.

I also wanted to mention the Propranolol. Just because insomnia is listed as a side effect doesn't mean you will experience it. If you need it then try it, and if you have insomnia they talk to your doctor about coming off of it.

 

[adder]

You have to take into consideration that there is incomplete cross-tolerance, meaning although taking a benzo means you have a tolerance to all benzos, you won't necessarily have as high of a tolerance to the equivalent dose of the other benzo.

I totally agree here, especially when you switch e.g. between classic benzodiazepines and triazolobenzodiazepines. I've been on clonazepam for a very long time now (5 years, I guess), and when I occasionally take alprazolam or estazolam, they both feel stronger to me (relative to clonazepam) than the equivalence charts say, e.g. I definitely can feel subjective effects from 1mg of alprazolam while taking 1mg of clonazepam at the same time is like taking a sweet.

 

[Halif]

Honestly, I wish I were a depression case who wanted to die

As a "depression case", I find that a pretty thoughtless remark. And to preface it with "Honestly".... well...

I would say that I wish I could give you my life for a month to experience what it's like to live with severe depression, but HONESTLY I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

 

[<access denied>]

As a "depression case", I find that a pretty thoughtless remark. And to preface it with "Honestly".... well...

I would say that I wish I could give you my life for a month to experience what it's like to live with severe depression, but HONESTLY I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Sure, I'd trade you your depression for my anxiety and panic attacks. And how's this for "thoughtless"...I don't even BELIEVE in depression. And apparently I've been diagnosed with it anyway, which is something I plan on disputing tomorrow.

I'm sorry you're unhappy and I wouldn't wish unhappiness on anyone, either. But here's how I see it. Sometimes the world takes a wrong turn according to your wishes. It may be anything from just a mild inconvenience to outright unescapable misery. There's nothing wrong with your brain, the world just sucks from your perspective. You notice a world of shit and disapprove. I'm with you on that one.

It's actually the complete OPPOSITE of thoughtless. My father was diagnosed with depression. My eldest brother, too. Took the fucking "easy way out." My little brother, a new father, also talks about it all the time. Dios mio, how large a portion of this nation is now deemed "depressed?" Last time I checked it was HUGE. So I'm sorry if that offended you, but I stand by that and there was nothing thoughtless about it. I've spent YEARS pondering that shit. And I refuse to take the blame, or to let you take the blame. Some people are getting their way and the consequence of that is it will makke some of us miserable.

I won't get into pissing match of which diagnosis is worse but feeling like you're about to die, no matter how miserable you may feel most of the time, is by far worse in my opinion. All the sudden you're clinging to this world of shit with a death grip, praying to gods that you may have sworn your whole life don't exist. Jesus, Jupiter, the fucking Sumerian sun god...all the sudden, you're a man of faith because the uncertainty and fear of death far outweighs your "depression."

Do not presume that anything I've said here is "thoughtless." And in fact, I'm in your corner. I'm telling you that you're being lied to. It sucks to be sad or, since you're so convinced, "depressed." But it's absolutely TERRIFYING when you're wheezing and gasping for air and your heart's trying to jump out your chest. And once you pop that highly addictive pill and it all goes away, all the sudden it becomes impossible to believe it's simply mental.

I'm NOT fucking stupid. Everything I say is well thought out and pondered to the point where my depression turns to a far more useful emotion. Anger. The nerve of some jackoff shrink telling you that the misery you feel over any of the numerous flaws in modern day society is all in your head...fuck if I were larger and more courageous I'd snap a neck.

Always sorry to make an enemy, but that was a challenge I wasn't going to let slide. Yes, I'm being honest. And yes, I DID put plenty of thought into it. And last but not least, I've taken psychology 101, learned about chemical imbalances and all of those claims by the medical orthodoxy. And I reject it. It's that simple. I've lived with it on more than one occasion, and I had to bury blood because sadness over the state of the world, or over his perceived inadequacies and whatever else...hell, probably over all of the above.

Looking at this post, I can see another "tl;dr" coming up. Along with a hostile tone that may get me banned. But I'd like to plead to the mods to let me make one more post and ask one more question. Coming up in 3...2...1...

 

[<access denied>]

Thursday's my birthday. This weekend, I want to go to Laughlin (Mini Reno or Micro Vegas) and get shitfaced and watch my friends and brother lose money. And then I plan on making fun of them for it and probably get my ass kicked for doing so. I know it sounds strange...but it's a good time to me.

Obviously, benzos shouldn't be mixed with alcohol. But this will be a bender and quite frankly I want to take a break. So I want to go 3 or 4 days without taking the shit, hopefully lowering my tolerance in the long run and then taking it when the agonizing hangover kicks in. Is this is really, really bad idea? Because I've read that ethanol and benzos tickle the same GABA receptors so I figured hey, a perfect excuse to lay off the pills for a few days and also go on a good old fashioned Irish bender.

Will I survive if I do this, or what? If you want to ban me after answering this, that's fine. I didn't want to get nasty with the above poster but honestly, I hate when people presume to know me, my thoughts or the extent of my knowledge on certain things. I also didn't appreciate having my condition, which I consider physical, belittled. And I know the potential consequences of unfathomable sadness or, if you like, "depression." I know it's serious...I just don't think it's something that's wrong with the individual, I just think the world ain't spinning at the pace many of us want it to. Divorce rates, a casually violent society, neverending bickering and bitter divisions that make people dehumanize each other. I could make a list but we'd be here until 2022. Anyway, last question and then I'll leave you all be.

And believe it or not, I appreciate the feedback regardless. Thank you.

 

[Halif]

But here's how I see it.

There's nothing wrong with your brain, the world just sucks from your perspective. You notice a world of shit and disapprove.

I'm with you on that one.

You are not with me at all. The world does not suck from my perspective.

From your extremely wordy posts and total disregard for other people's situations, it seems to me that you are completely absorbed in your own world.

People will be more willing to read and respond if you keep your questions brief, and leave out the unnecessary comments about what other people think and feel.

 

[dankplantgrower]

Hmm reading that post again, Im not sure but are you saying youre going to stop the benzo intake cold turkey in vegas? How much benzos are you currently on? Please make sure you arent on a high enough dose associated with seizures upon WD, unless you start a quick taper right now before your vegas trip. I dont think booze is a suitable replacement. Also, youre gonna be a nervous wreck unless youre drunk I imagine, I remeber quitting benzos and dealing with occasions like that.

Man, I love benzos, I just dont love benzo dependence...

 

[Tommyboy]

Thursday's my birthday. This weekend, I want to go to Laughlin (Mini Reno or Micro Vegas) and get shitfaced and watch my friends and brother lose money. And then I plan on making fun of them for it and probably get my ass kicked for doing so. I know it sounds strange...but it's a good time to me.

Obviously, benzos shouldn't be mixed with alcohol. But this will be a bender and quite frankly I want to take a break. So I want to go 3 or 4 days without taking the shit, hopefully lowering my tolerance in the long run and then taking it when the agonizing hangover kicks in. Is this is really, really bad idea? Because I've read that ethanol and benzos tickle the same GABA receptors so I figured hey, a perfect excuse to lay off the pills for a few days and also go on a good old fashioned Irish bender.

Will I survive if I do this, or what? If you want to ban me after answering this, that's fine. I didn't want to get nasty with the above poster but honestly, I hate when people presume to know me, my thoughts or the extent of my knowledge on certain things. I also didn't appreciate having my condition, which I consider physical, belittled. And I know the potential consequences of unfathomable sadness or, if you like, "depression." I know it's serious...I just don't think it's something that's wrong with the individual, I just think the world ain't spinning at the pace many of us want it to. Divorce rates, a casually violent society, neverending bickering and bitter divisions that make people dehumanize each other. I could make a list but we'd be here until 2022. Anyway, last question and then I'll leave you all be.

And believe it or not, I appreciate the feedback regardless. Thank you.

If you are dependent on benzos then don't stop them to drink. You will be at a very high risk for a seizure if you are withdrawing from benzos while also coming down from drinking beer.

 

[lostandnotfound]

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