Benzo for plane travel

[[W2...]]

Hi, I tapered 2mg clonazepam to 0,49mg in 2 years, stop since half year, because reached base illness level and on CBT & talk therapy for year. I usually have serious panic attacks on planes. Doctor told me I can try taking 0,25-0,5mg Xanax for plane travel. It means one day per every two months I need to take 0,25-0,5mg Xanax twice as long transfer between the 2 planes.

Can it mess up my clonazepam taper?

 

Extra question: Also you think same if staying on same dose of clonazepam for long than tolerance symptomps (base illness) may come, and only reducing dose breaks this, but at a certain point of taper base illness symptomps may come out very much, and they need to be handled by therapy and/or less harmfull pills?

[[Do...]]

Hi @[W2...]

Alprazolam is the most powerfull and most addictive benzo off all and also has the shortest half life so switching from clonazepam to alprazolam doesnt look like a good idea cause you could have strong interdose WD symptoms besides the one you could already be experiencing.

If you were thinking in taking both that would be even worse, though they have similar potency, you would be in fact updosing to twice what you are having now and that could (maybe make it worse) bring relief for a short time and a bigger problem for long term.

It seems that diazepam and clonazepam are the 2 most used benzos for its longer half life and adding any other benzos or any other meds is always a bad idea, for example, some people take gabapentin or pregabalin and end up having to spend another 1-2 years tapering from that when they finally come off benzos, those drugs are as bad to come off as benzos.

You've come a long way to reach 0.49mg and unless is unbearable, you should stick to your clonazepam taper.

And about your other question, as long as i know, the answer is yes, if you hold for too long you will get tolerance symptoms, but to be honest IMO we are all in tolerance while tapering and anything that isnt updose will inevitably lead to tolerance, so the only way is forward or use strategic hold to stabilize and then keep going.

About the anxiety, i was suffering extremely severe panic atacks anywhere anytime for a few months and i could overcome it with CBT with the help of Claire Weeks lectures wich you can find in youtube and her book "Self-Help for Your Nerves :Learn to Relax and Enjoy Life Again by Overcoming Stress and Fear". It did work for me and for many others and i am free of anxiety and panic even while WD and tapering.

Take a look at this post i started for this issue.

I hope it can help you.

[[W2...]]

Thank you so much for your great post!!!

Than I shouldn't take alprazolam with my clonazepam even so rarely like only a day in every 2 months, because the effects are unpredictable, and doesnt worth the risk.

Long ago when I had my first panic attack on a plane I took a bit part of (~0,05mg) clonazepam. It helped a bit and didn't mess my clonazepam tapering, but forums say not good to do such, and it was only one occasion.