# Help Me Switch From Klonopin To Ativan! How?



## john0563 (Aug 29, 2008)

Im 26 years old and I have unfortunately spent a few days locked up in the local crisis unit. While I was there my anxiety was at the highest level I have ever had because I had all power and independance taken away from me.

I still visit the county nurse practitioner once a month because I dont have health insurance. I am currently on 400mg Seroquel each night, 200mg Lamactil each morning, Remeron (mertazaprine) 30mg each night and the nurse has me take 25mg up to three times per day of Seroquel to help with my anxiety because she does not have the credentials to prescribe any benzos.

I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, major depression and agoraphobia.

I visit a seperate doctor which I pay for out of pocket and he knows everything I have through the county. The only reason I visit him is because he can prescribe benzos and I currently take Klonopin 0.5mg 2x daily which does absolutely nothing for me because I dont have anxiety all day, just anxiety attacks which last from 10minutes to up to an hour!

When I was in the crisis unit, they were giving me Ativan 0.5mg and it worked absolutely wonderful and did not make me sleepy or anything at all. It just took all the anxiety away. The doctor I am visiting now thinks that a longer acting med like Klonopin is best for me and every time I see him (once a month) I keep bringing up the fact that Klonopin has no effect on me whatsoever and I always ask him why he cant prescribe me Ativan instead because it has been the only thing that really helps me and he insists that I stay on Klonopin, but due to my anxiety attacks I recently lost my only job I have been able to find in over a year.

What do I do or what can I say to this doctor to help him realize that I honestly believe that Ativan would work better for me? It's the only thing that has ever helped me at all!

Thanks to everyone for your time and responses.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

welcome to SAS! I prefer Klonopin and have a 5mgs a day script for it.


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## john0563 (Aug 29, 2008)

I wouldnt tell the doctor, but I have taken as much as 3mg at a time (6 0.5mg pills) when I am having an anxiety attack and nothing. To me its just a waste of money. I think different people react differently to meds. Klonopin seems to be the magic pill for many people here, but I swear its a waste of time and money to me. Ativan has been the only thing to help me. Of course, I dont want to sound like Im going in there demanding a specific benzo because I dont want him to think I abuse or sell them. I just know that they work for my particular case and I would like to even get one a day which would be great.


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## Foh_Teej (May 5, 2004)

Klonopin is a more powerful than Ativan but we cant argue that its better for you and your situation. Klonopin is generally considered to have less abuse potential so maybe thats why your doc is adamant about not switching. Sounds like you have panic disorder and Xanax would be a better choice than either typically. However if Ativan is truly the one that works best for you, gotta tell your doc like it is and hope he listens.


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## Wellington (Dec 29, 2007)

Lorazepam worked pretty good for me, but clonazepam works really good too. I might go back on it someday, or xanax for prn use. You could always ask for ativan, and emphasize how much better it really works for you. IMO Xanax should be the best for you since it works the fastest and is indicated for panic attacks. The onset of action of xanax/ativan is much faster therefore making those medications more suitable than klonopin for panic attacks


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## DMBfan (Aug 29, 2008)

Some doctors have irrational benzo preferences like klonopin is safe but ativan isn't. I'm kind of surprised that in the face of losing your job due to anxiety your doc *still* won't give you ativan. There's really no point in arguing with this doc so you may have to move on to another one. But one idea is to tell him/her that klonopin has to be taken daily but you only need to take the ativan "as needed" which means you have less of a chance of becoming addicted (which I assume is the objection to prescribing it.) Without getting specific, benzos are not that hard to get if you know how to use the internet.


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## john0563 (Aug 29, 2008)

Thanks for the advice. I've been taking Klonopin 2x per day for over 3 months now and would have no problem throwing them in the trash, so I know that I do not have any sort of dependency or addiction to it, and I try to stay very alert and honest with myself when it comes to my meds because I do not want to become "addicted" to any type of med. Honestly, I'm most dependant on my Seroquil and am terrified by the idea of not being able to have it everyday. As far as benzos such as Ativan goes, I just feel I honestly need this med to assist me with my anxiety disorder. I'm thinking of switching docs but then you've got to build up trust all over again and go through all the conversations about how you've felt over the years, how you're doing now, etc. and just the thought of going through all that again is exhausting for me to think about. I just wish I could get my current doc to prescribe what I honestly feel is the best med suited for me.


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