Choosing between Ativan and Klonopin is difficult when you need it to treat anxiety or panic attacks. These are the most commonly prescribed medicines for anxiety, but they act in the body differently. In this article, we’ll discuss Ativan Vs Klonopin, so that you can get a clear vision of choosing. Ativan vs Klonopin dosage belongs to the same class of benzodiazepines. But having different properties, let’s understand their effectiveness, dosage, and how long they last in your body.
Are Ativan and Klonopin the Same Thing?
People suffering from anxiety or depression might come across Ativan and Klonopin dosage. Most of them are confused about Are Ativan and Klonopin are similar. To eliminate their confusion & take the pill safely, let’s understand their similarity and differences briefly.
Yes, Ativan and Klonopin are similar but not the same thing. They have a common drug class of benzodiazepines used for similar conditions like anxiety disorder, panic attacks, or Insomnia. Both medicines affect GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which is a neurotransmitter in the brain. They bind the GABA-A receptors in the brain, as a result, it calms down the brain and feel less anxious. Here, the question arises if they are similar; Can You Take Ativan and Klonopin Together? To know this, let’s discuss how they differ from each other, which is stronger in relieving anxiety, and how to use them.
Ativan vs Klonopin, Which Is Stronger?
To understand this, let’s discuss their differences first. Ativan starts working within 30–60 minutes, whereas Klonopin delays it up to 1- 4 hours. Their effect of duration also varies. Ativan lasts around 6–8 hours, but Klonopin stays up to 12–24 hours or more in the body. So, Ativan is useful for treating short-term anxiety, and Klonopin is for long-term daily use. Also, Ativan requires multiple dosages in a day, but Klonopin’s 2 dosages are sufficient per day.
Another fact is that these two medications work differently for individuals. So if you want to analyze which is stronger To Relieve Anxiety fast, know their mechanism first. Take Ativan if you want instant anxiety relief, and for long-term anxiety management, choose Klonopin. Keep in mind to take any pill after a doctor’s consultation. Because he/she will prescribe it according to your severity, other medical cases & level of tolerance. There is a question that arises whether these two medicines can be taken together in a severe case. Usually, doctors do not recommend taking two benzodiazepine drugs simultaneously. Because it can cause some side effects like dizziness, nausea, or drowsiness. Both work by affecting brain receptors. When You Mix Ativan and Klonopin, it may cause some life-threatening effects such as respiratory problems or unconsciousness, like coma. So use it only when you are prescribed.
How Long Do Both Stay In Your Body?
Ativan and Klonopin are both benzodiazepines from the same drug class, but with different mechanisms of action in the human body. They differ from each other with different half lives, detection durations, and different metabolisms in the body. It also has some factors that affect how long it will stay in your system, such as:
- If you are taking a higher dose of the medicine for a longer time, then it will stay longer in your body. Due to Klonopin’s long life, it will take more time than Ativan to flush out.
- The people with fast metabolic power can eliminate the drug easily. I.e., older people will take more time to flush out the drug effect than the younger ones.
- The healthiness of the liver also matters. Unhealthy liver and weak kidney function can delay the metabolism of both drugs. For which it will take more time to stay in the body.
- If you are continuing other drugs with these pills, then it also delays the metabolism of the drugs. For example, enzyme inhibitors like fluoxetine can slow the drug clearance process.
These factors will affect your system to drain out the drug. To know practically, it will be detected by the Ativan vs Klonopin Drug Test. It will detect how long it has been affecting our body.
Ativan Vs Klonopin Drug Test
Generally, in a drug test, Ativan and Klonopin are detected as benzodiazepines. Ativan vs Klonopin half life also matters to detect the drug test. Ativan has a 10–20 hour half-life, and Klonopin has about a 30–40 hour half-life. Here, half-life means how much time it needs to mix with the bloodstream and be active in your body. That means Klonopin will stay longer than Ativan in your system. But in different tests, the drug will be detected differently.
In a Urine test, Ativan can be detected for 6 days, and Klonopin can be detected for above 9 days. Similarly saliva test can detect Ativan for 8 hours and Klonopin for 6 days. In the hair test, both drugs will appear for more than a month. From this, you have got the basic idea of how long it will affect you. If you are taking these, be aware of their side effects and how to eliminate them. Try to stay hydrated, maintain a balanced diet, get regular exercise, and avoid alcohol to avoid the adverse effects.
Side Effects
If you are taking Ativan or Klonopin, then sometimes you might experience drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired coordination. These are the minor effects, which can also be avoided by proper consultation and standard usage. But it is strictly prohibited to misuse and overdose on the pill. Otherwise, it may cause some life-threatening issues for you. Therefore, if you want to take the Ativan or Klonopin pill, take it after a doctor’s consultation.