What is the difference between Lorazepam and Clonazepam?
Question posted by Dolcecaro610 on 1 Nov 2013
Last updated on 15 November 2018
9 Answers
Both are benzsos. Ativan helps only a little bit. Klonopin seems to help so much more. Klonopin helps my anxiety, sleep, appetite. Even though I have been on Klonopin and xanax for years my new doctor will only prescribe Ativan. Seeking a good doctor in Louisville, By.
i need to know whether i should stay on clonazapam and be put on lozapam have been on clonazapam for many years
From reading other responces to this Question And taking into account my requirements for my health situation at hand I have found from the experience of taking Lorazepam for many years now that I have to take quite a bit of this drug to help with my problems of anxiety, panic attacks and bottom line very bad nerves and hypertension! Where one person may take 1mg every 5 hours or so I have to take 2mg for it to help! and I'm presently on 5mg per day but when I get an attack it just dosen't cut it! It is my belief from reading that { and feel free to comment on this] I would benefit far more by taking Clonazepam in place of Lorazepam! Its lifetime is longer and its a bit stronger and this may sound strange but for me also being in a lot of pain I find that if my nerves are under control as well as my anxiety and panic attacks in turn i have less pain! I think Clonazepam would be better for me what do you think?
John, I believe you have hit tolerance on your med which is the reason you feel the need to increase dosage or change benzo completely. Research benzodiazepines and you will find they are meant to be taken a short time only (2-4 weeks) yes weeks, not years. Benzos down regulate the GABA A receptors in our brains to the point they are not needed and the med has taken over. In time you need a stronger dosage to get the same effect all the while damaging your own natural calming transmitters. Now may be the time for extra research on this powerful drug. I took clonazepam years and am of now 10 months still with symptoms as my own GABA transmitters are still healing from the damage. There are support groups for benzodiazepines for more info and for you to see what others are going through
Did you know that ADD or ADHD CAN CAUSE SEVERE PANIC ATTACKS, ONCE I STARTED TAKING ADDERALL THEY STOPPED. IT CAN ALSO CAUSE BI PLOAR, DISLEXIA, AN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, I'VE been on Ativan 2mgs for over 20 years, Xanax only last for an hour for me, Klonopin caused me to lose 3 months of my life I remember nothing I did, I'm on Remeron for depression, My Ativan isn't working much at all now, but can't take anything else,, I have adhd, ocd, ptsd, mdd disorder, severe panick disorder, insomnia, there is not much I can take do to allergic reaction or severe side effects.. Ive been dealing with all this for almost 30 years, and the anxiety an insomnia has started to get worse but they won't give me anymore ativan, I take 2mgs 3 times a day! I'm so tired of trying to make it through each an everyday just to barely function! Would appreciate any input anyone might have, thank you..
Kathy, your doctor has done you a great disservice. Ativan can only be used for a few weeks before it no longer really works and you become dependent on it. You must slowly wean yourself off of it, and try a different anti depressant to the one you are on. Anti depressants can be taken forever, benzos are for emergency use only. You should also consider finding a new doctor. Any doctor that would prescribe a benzo for everyday chronic use does not know what they are doing.
The difference is they belong to different structural classes within the benzo family. Ativan in my experience is about half as strong and easier on your body. Its good for sleep or mild anxiety. Klonopin is to me anyway mildly stimulating but still works almost as good as Xanax for panic but its the best for anticipatory anxiety and lasts at least double the therapeutic life of Ativan but it has the potential for more serious side effects but even then its not likely
Most benzodiazepines do the same job with relatively minor variations between them. Some do help anxiety better than others. Some help with sleeping issues better than others. Some are far more potent than others. And some have long half lives while some don't. Take Librium for example, the original and oldest benzo, and it's close companion Valium which was marketed only a few years after Librium. These two medicines have very long half lives. Whereas Ativan has a short half life. Also, going a little further, Librium is used nowadays primarily for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These benzos release the calming chemical from the brain known as gaba for short. Since Ethanol releases large amounts of gaba, when one attempts to stop drinking, gaba levels drop. This is very dangerous. Hand shaking, cold sweats, vomiting, hallucinations, and seisures can occur. Benzodiazepines practically hault these awful alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be fatal in their tracks.
They release the so desperately needed gaba back into their receptors. Anyway, getting off track a little, some benzos are removed from the body differently than others. Since Librium has to be broken doen into several metabolites by the liver, and it takes the liver quite a while doing these functions, this is why Librium has a long half life. One would assume, but I am no doctor, that Ativan which also is widely used for alcohol detox would be the wiser choice, since it is removed by the kidneys with only a little help from the liver. I say assume only because the liver of an alcoholic is usually not in its best shape. Well, enough of that. Out of Klonapin and Ativan, to answer the question finally, Klonapin would be my choice, although Ativan is effective, it is also known to stop or inhibit new memories from being made, even in proper doses. Hope this helps.
To me, that's the difference: Clonazepam helps a whole lot as sleeping aid (for many years) but Lorazepam helps only up to the second sleepness night, than it causes me even more insomnia but each person reacts differently to certain drugs. Sad to say that in the country I leave now I can not buy Clonazepam :(
What country do you live in? In the states just go to the doc for anxiety issues and say ativan isnt working can i try Clonazepam
I found this:Although most benzodiazepines are used interchangeably, some are most commonly used for certain conditions.
Alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clorazepate (Tranxene), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and midazolam are used for anxiety disorders;
clonazepam (Klonopin), clorazepate (Tranxene), and diazepam (Valium) are used for seizure disorders;
estazolam, flurazepam, quazepam (Doral), temazepam (Restoril), and triazolam (Halcion) are used for insomnia;
midazolam, lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium) are used in anesthesia;
diazepam (Valium) also is used for muscle relaxation;
chlordiazepoxide (Librium) is used for alcohol withdrawal.
As of the arrival of mainstream use Clonazepam it has been classified by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to be the only other drug within the class of Benzodiazepines to be Wiley used for the purpose of Panic Disorder, the only other one is Alprazolam(Xanax) so no not necessarily correct. Although Klonopin(Clonazepam) can be used to treat seizures due to its unique binding properties to the GABA receptors it is not frontline use for seizure disorders whatsoever. Thanks and hope this answers your question more clearly about what Clonazepam is. It's also molecular weight wise twice to three times as potent as Ativan(Lorazepam) meaning if a person were to take 1mg of Clonazepam it would be equites if to 2-3mg of Ativan or Lorazepam give /take. Thanks hope this helps.
Thank you for your response. I have been taking clonazepam, for approximately 3 years now for anxiety; I am a high school administrator. I saw my doctor yesterday and told her that I was tired of taking the Klonapin during the day; due to the fact that it made me so sleepy (just started about a month ago.) She prescribed me lorazepam for day use and clonazepam for nighttime. I sure hope this works.
Thanks again,
Clonazepam is also used for GAD. From moderate to severe. Putting a benzo in 1 category and not the other is false information. Please, if you are not a health care professional, don't stand by it as truth. The first person to ask you doctor, if he is not making his rounds soon. Ask your nurse. Her duty is to answer you questions or find someone to do so.
i am prescribed clonazepam for anxiety attacks
Though both are benzodiazepines, the two drugs are in different classes. Clonazepam is considered a long-acting benzodiazepine, with a rapid onset time of one to four hours and a half-life of approximately 34 hours, while lorazepam is a short-acting benzodiazepine with the same approximate onset time but a half-life of about 15 hours.
Thank you. Your information was very helpful. I have been in the hospital for a week. I normally take kolonapin but they are giving me ativan but I don't feel the same. The Dr's and nursrs are telling me they are the same. I know they are both benzos but your explanation made things much clearer. Thank you. I appreciate your comment.
They are in the same "family"... benzodiazepines..that is... Valium like drugs..but they are two different compounds I believe clonazepam is longer acting... anti anxiety meds
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