Posted by ed_uk2010 on January 5, 2015, at 2:56:38
In reply to How strong is Clonazepam really?, posted by michaels97320 on January 2, 2015, at 8:04:54
>Clonazepam seems way weaker than what is claimed in the tables.
It's not weak at all - but it's quite different. Clonazepam is much more slowly absorbed than diazepam. As a result, you don't feel it kick in nearly as much. It's also less muscle relaxant than diazepam. Don't be fooled into thinking it's weak though, it's certainly not - the effects are just 'spread out' differently over time, and effects on muscles, memory and mood are someone different too.
Diazepam is useful for 'when needed' use because of its very rapid onset of action. It is more rapidly absorbed than most others benzos by far, particularly on an empty stomach. It is noticeable very soon after a dose in the non-tolerant. The duration of action is surprisingly short after intermittent/occasional doses but increasingly long after regular dosing. Diazepam accumulates with repeated dosing due to slow elimination.
Unlike diazepam, clonazepam is almost invariably faily long-acting right from the first dose... but after long-term use it is not as long-acting as diazepam is after long-term use, it doesn't accumulate to the same extent.
You can see that comparing the doses of the two drugs is difficult due the different rates of absorption, distribution around the body, and excretion... as well as due to differences in pharmacological effects such as muscle relaxation. There is therefore no precise equivalent dose, all suggestions are nothing more than vague estimates which hold true for some people but not others.
Be aware, if you use 2mg of clonazepam regularly (including on alternate days), substantial physical dependence is likely to develop after a month or more of use and the drug may be very difficult to stop. Using 5mg of diazepam on alternate days is probably less likely to produce marked withdrawal symptoms when discontinued.
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:1074710
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20150102/msgs/1074811.html