Can you substitute clonipin safely for ativan while stopping Ativan?
Because Klonopin (generic name clonazepam) has a much higher
halflife than Ativan (generic name lorazepam) at 18-50hrs compared
to 9-16hrs for lorazepam, there should be little risk. If you are
taking clonazepam just to get off of lorazepam, you cannot simply
stop the clonazepam once you are off the lorazepam. Both drugs are
benzodiazepines and while they can be fairly interchangable, your
body will still have tolerance to them, and suddenly stopping high
doses of them will result in restlessness, tremors, and potentially
seizures.
Benzodiazepine withdrawal is not a pleasant experience, you
should consult your doctor about substituting the lorazepam with
something like clonazepam or diazepam and have a schedule for
tapering down the dosage.
SHORT ANSWER: Yes, but then you will have to continue taking the
clonazepam instead.