Dear Brain 
Please, Please, I beseech you NOT to alter your Klonopin dosage without complete endorsement, guidance and supervision of your prescribing physician.
Please realize, even if we were doctors, it would be a bad idea to do this on our own, because often we have a hard time self-evaluating as there can be psychological effects as well.
As to the nitty gritty questions you are asking. Yes, lorazepam is half as potent than Klonopin. Does that make it weak? No! Easy to taper? No! Lorazepam has a much shorter half-life (it leaves your system much faster) than does Klonopin. Despite the slight potency difference, Klonopin is perhaps
less difficult to taper for those taking it for anxiety.
I chose my words carefully there. I did not say "easier" because that would imply one was easy and the other more so. Neither one easy to taper. Both are difficult, because
both are high potency drugs. I said "
perhaps... for those taking it for anxiety" because at equivalent dosages, clonazepam and lorazepam are close in anxiolytic effect. However, if a patient takes clonazepam for prophylactic treatment of szs it is a different tune: lorazepam is also effective for szs, and in fact is given to halt status, but clonazepam (Klonopin) has strong anticonvulsant activity and is the preferred drug for prophylaxis because its long half-life offers greater stability.
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Basic Benzo Discontinuation Facts:
- ALL benzos are addictive. Some are more addictive than others.
- ALL benzos must be tapered in order to achieve discontinuation with a minimum of side effects.
- Tapering can still produce withdrawal symptoms. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodi...rawal_syndrome
- Excessively rapid tapering can produce a protracted withdrawal syndrome. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodi...rawal_syndrome
Quote:
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Protracted withdrawal symptoms refers to symptoms persisting for months or even years.
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This is not something you want to mess with!
Sometimes d/c'ing from an addictive benzo requires a two step process:
- gradual switch from original benzo to a long-acting, low-potency benzo such as Valium or even Librium
- gradual taper of the dosage of the long-acting, low-potency benzo.
I do not know if your neuro will wish to do that, or whether he will even wish to withdraw you from Klonopin - you'd need something else to cover szs but that would not cover withdrawal sx, and it would not change one iota in terms of needing to taper the Klonopin. If you feel strongly about not taking a benzo, express this to your doc, and discuss your reasons why with him. It might not be too long as you've only taken the drug two months, but please do be patient with the process, and give it the time your doc deems necessary.
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A lot of people take benzo's and stay on them for years. May I ask why you are suddenly hellbent on coming off Klonopin? I am curious because, just before your recent neuro appointment, you were wanting to increase the drug to 2.0mg, or at least 1.5mg? Of course, you need not answer - just my curiosity. Whatever you choose to do, please be very, very careful, and do not make a move without your doctor on board,
please.
: heartthrob:
Many hugs and good thoughts to you
~ waves ~