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Switch from Klonopin to Valium


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I recently switched from Klonopin to Valium in an attempt to treat some muscle spasms I was having do to another issue. I took 3 mg Klonopin all as one dose at bedtime. Figuring out the equivalent dose on Valium is tricky. Properties like being a hypnotic, an anticonvulsant, or an anxiolytic, properties common to all benzos, vary widely in how strong they are in a specific benzo. This makes figuring equivalencies between benzos problematic.

Pdoc said that using a traditional formula 3 mg Klonopin would equal 60 mg Valium. He said 60 mg is a lot of Valium so we would try 30 mg as a starting point. I reduced Klonopin to 2 mg one night then took 20 mg Valium the next with no Klonopin. That seemed to go well. I still woke up a few times but this was because of pain from the spasms. My total sleep time was unchanged, 7 hrs. I was not too groggy or sedated on waking. The next night I went to 30 mg. Sleep unchanged, I slept pretty well. However I had quite a bit of sedation on waking that lasted until the afternoon. Klonopin did not sedate me at all and Valium is known for its' sedation. It has a major metabolite of temazepam (Restoril), a hypnotic. My muscle spasms were much improved. I would like to take 30 mg at least until the spasms stop.

For users of Valium, did you get used to the sedation ? I did to Ativan, back when I took it. 

 

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  • 11 months later...

IME Valium did not feel sedating in the least, even at doses around 50mg. I'm glad to go back on Valium so I know I will have something in my system around the clock to prevent me from suffering too much from benzo withdrawal. It also helps with my neck pain which is a result of a major car accident I was in on Jan 5th, making my need for Flexeril gone. Valium has a lot of benefits I think it is often underestimated, I've only come to appreciate it after I realized it was the key component in controlling tonic-clonic seizures during my Xanax taper

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  • 1 year later...
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