daisy131864 Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 anyone here successfully take K for panic attacks? does it work? i'm currently on xanax, and it works great, but i hate having to take so much so often to cover my panic attacks. my understanding is that K is more for the underlying anxiety...thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 K is longer lasting but milder. Xanax is pretty much the best you can take for stopping a panic attack in its tracks, IMHO. It's the only medication specifically developed for the treatment of panic. That said, it doesn't last that long and is pretty addictive. If you've been taking it for a while you should probably just quit taking it because coming off it can be hell. There is a sustained release formulation of xanax available that you might want to look into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy131864 Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 i take the xanax XR at night for sleep already, and the regular during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 How many total mgs a day? If you're likely hooked, you might as well stick with it. Coming off it can be completely brutal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy131864 Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share Posted February 18, 2013 i take 2.5mg during the day, and 1 mg at night, sometimes less. depends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelys Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 I found out that Klonopin is pretty effective for my anxiety and panic attack. I actually love the fact that unlike ativan, it doesn't makes me ''sleepy-ish'' so if i'm with people, at store or whatever, it calm me down without being a zombie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A208B Posted February 18, 2013 Share Posted February 18, 2013 Doc has me on Klonopin "for anxiety and racing thoughts," both of which tend to come on fast for me, including panic attacks. If I catch my anxiety/racing thoughts/panic attack early enough, I can take 1mg of Klonopin and start feeling better about half an hour to an hour later, whereupon I don't notice any recurrent symptoms for a little while. But if the urgency with which I need medication is already through the roof, Klonopin doesn't seem to touch it at all. It definitely has its pros and cons, for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 For breakthrough anxiety I take xanax and it works really well. Being on klonopin, I came to realize that I need to take it on a regular basis for any real effect from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 I take it. I feel like it lowers my baseline anxiety from a 8/10 to a 5/10. This gives me more wiggle room to deal with stress/anxiety. Off of it it would take very little to push me into full on panic; on it it takes a lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinb529 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Klonopin is FDA-approved for panic disorder, as is Xanax. Xanax has a shorter half-life, meaning you need to take Xanax more often than Klonopin. I've had excellent success with both drugs, although I took 10mg of Xanax (2mg 5x daily) and I only need 3mg of Klonopin (1mg 3x daily) to prevent panic attacks. Unfotunately, if you DO have a panic attack, Xanax works better at abolishing the symptoms. Xanax is more quickly absorbed than Klonopin. Some Docs state (and I have no idea if it's true) that Klonopin is "less addictive" than other benzo's due to its pharmacological profile. Klonopin is slowly absorbed (peaking between 1-4 hours after ingesting) and does not give much of a "buzz" effect, plus it lasts longer. These properties are wny Docs say that Klonopin is less likely to be abused. But, who knows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dilemma Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 I agree with Velvet Elvis. Klonopin is good for anxiety, but Xanax really hits a panic attack better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brokendishes Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 My bff is taking K after her breakdown late last year. Her anxiety is better controlled and she sleeps better. I prefer Xanax though because it was the first drug I tried and it actually worked. I don't care about habit forming or anything like that...I got bigger worries than an addiction... Plus, I don't feel like I crave it or over-do it...I used to not take it as much as I was supposed to and would suffer through debilitating anxiety. Now that I've caved to the dr's orders, I take it round the clock as ordered and I feel much better. I hear though, that Xanax XR is the best choice for long-term therapy...You can't abuse it supposedly because it works long-acting instead of short-acting like the regular stuff. I'm contemplating trying it in the future--when my stress levels settle down--whenever that may be.lol Until then, I figure this is the only thing I got right going on for me, so I'm not messing with it!lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts