Klonopin Doesn't Work Under Severe Anxiety?

I've had anxiety and panic attacks for the past decade (since my early twenties) which has been resolved with daily low usage of Klonopin.

In this time as well, I have also had bouts of severe chronic anxiety that can last for weeks at a time. It randomly comes on and can stay with me for 5 days or 5 weeks and then goes away.

In the past, I have tried to alleviate it by sometimes increasing my dosage of Klonopin by as much as 5 times the recommended dosage, yet this does absolutely 'nothing'. It's as almost if when under severe anxiety, my body simply is saying that Klonopin is not the solution.

I thought all benzos were the same essentially? I was told that perhaps I should consider Xanax for situations like this.

Can someone tell me why Klonopin doesn't work during these bouts of severe anxiety.. even when increased by as much as 5 times my daily dosage? Should I consider Xanax or another alternative?

Thank you in advance.

I take ativan for my anxiety. I know that if I'm having really bad anxiety the ativan doesn't touch it and I have to take something else (I take thorazine for those situations). It could just be the way your body works. Xanax is more of a longer lasting anti anxiety medication rather than a short acting one. It could help to reduce your overall anxiety rather than only helping for a short period of time. (Sort of stop it before it occurs rather than treating the problem) Talk to your doctor about it.

I've had the same problem myself. I don't know how to confirm this but, I think it's because during the severe episodes there is too much adrenalin flowing through my veins. I'm hyper vigilant all the time but these episodes for me happen when I have flashbacks, and I definitely feel the adrenalin rush, it will seem to build for days. I make this mistake about every 5 years or so, this is to try and squelch it with alcohol. Just sends me into a manic state, and I won't come out of it until I sober up, and then I get to have at least 2 full weeks added to the severe anxiety episode, plus deal with anxiety of what a fool I made out of myself.

I never had any luck with xanax, klonopin though definitely works the majority of time. And for me it works for at least 12 hours. I recently got diagnosed as hypervigilant by a counselor this week and I'll see the shrink on monday. Been dealing with it for a long time my dr never made a diagnosis just gave me klonopin.