i have been on a low dose of xanax for a while 0.5 mg take as needed, it really does nothing for me unless i take 1 every 4 hours or so (Which is the maximum dosage) i really don't want to up my dose on xanax because i tried taking more than that once on a really bad day and it just made me feel really dazed and drowsy, klonopin on the other hand does not give me that feeling, now the only problem i have with klonopin is it does not take away the muscle acheing symptoms of anxiety which is one of the worst things i go through, its the body aches and the morning panicy,heart pounding felling, those two are the worst! once i get over the nauseating panic state in the morning i immediately feel all of muscles tense, makes me not want to do anything, i was told ativan relaxes muscles and is not as sedating as xanax, now im not sure about any of this but if anyone has any advice and has the same symptoms i do, please let me know

thank you =]

After a little anxiety bout...after like 10 years without a flareup...I tried the clonapam (sp)...it worked so well...my gp didnt want to give it to me he wanted to put me on celexa but that was an antidepressent and I told him number 1 i was not depressed!! hello! and also that I didnt need something everyday...just on an as needed basis...anyway the clonopam was/is great. just a half tablet doesnt make me drowsy just makes me feel myself. As for the body aches I also had them didnt really know where they were coming from...i ended up taking 800mg motrin and then if I need the clono. I didnt want to take too many med as one time...besides my GP hates if I take clonopan to much...addictive med.
hope it kinda helps
tonishere

I haven't tried Klonopin, but I have used Xanax in the past and am using Ativan now. Ativan works quickly like the Xanax, but it stays in your system longer, and so you don't have to take it as often.

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I was struggling with crippling anxiety in the mornings, as soon as I woke up--heart pounding, couldn't catch breath, nausea, dry heaves, trembling, lightheadedness. A sense of general anxiety and muscle tension would stay with me through much of the day too.

I finally told my doc that I needed something to address the anxiety more specifically than just an AD, b/c my mornings in particular were killing me. We added Ativan, 1mg tabs. I take one immediately when I wake up in the morning (before I get out of bed) and it kicks in w/in 15 minutes and has virtually eliminated all the horrible morning anxiety. I sometime take a second pill later in the day, as needed. And that's it. I've been amazed that one little pill could make such an extreme difference. I don't feel dazed, just calm. I know everyone reacts differently, but if you're not happy w/ the Klonopin or the prospect of increasing xanax, perhaps you could talk to your doc about trying Ativan? Maybe it'd help. Good luck!

Ativan works fast and seems to last longer than Xanax.

I tried Klonopin and it hit me like a sledgehammer. Only if the anxiety is really bad would I take Klonopin.