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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Drug Change

coco0410

coco0410

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 18, 2018
Messages
58
My doctor next time I see him is going to switch me from xanax to valium, I've been tapering off of xanax for about two months (from 2mg of xanax twice a day, and now I'm finally down to .5mg four times a day (2mg) yay!) I'm just scared that the panic attacks are going to come back :( sigh I know no one is a doctor but maybe if someone has the same experience can give me tips on what to expect. Thanks!!
 
Valium is a better choice for maintenance because it is longer acting. If you just need to pop a xanax when you are having an episode that's fine. Keep in mind the Valium is much harder to kick should you ever want to be rid of benzos completely.

I have been using Xanax (alprazolam) for years and am not dependent on it. I can take it every night for a week and sometimes during the day if I get the alcoholic shakes, but I can not take it for a week. I suggest you look at other people's experinces taking it long term and see what it was like for them.
 
ObieWan said:
Valium is a better choice for maintenance because it is longer acting. If you just need to pop a xanax when you are having an episode that's fine. Keep in mind the Valium is much harder to kick should you ever want to be rid of benzos completely.

I have been using Xanax (alprazolam) for years and am not dependent on it. I can take it every night for a week and sometimes during the day if I get the alcoholic shakes, but I can not take it for a week. I suggest you look at other people's experinces taking it long term and see what it was like for them.
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We share exactly the same opinion. The thing you're not going to want to hear from me OP, is that chronic, constant use of Benzodiazepines for the treatment of anxiety/panic and similar disorders has show medically to be of the worst plans of attack. Benzodiazepines typically wane in efficacy regardless of what their original use was for. More Benzodiazepines are typically required to treat the disorder in question and their efficacy tends to lessen over time. It is the consensus of the medical community that Benzodiazepines are to be used for no more than a few weeks at a time except for extreme indications which respond to no other treatments. It is only the pharmaceutical giants that keep the chronic, non-stop usage of Benzodiazepine usage alive, as their is no medical research dictating anything close to the idea that they should be used in a chronic, non-stop fashion similar to an SSRI or similar drug used for anxiety.

So, while, if I have to choose the lesser of two evils, I would have to say that using a longer-acting Benzodiazepine like Diazepam (Valium) is less likely to reinforce that mentality of "PANIC! WERE"S MY PILL?! RELIEF!" I don't think Benzodiazepines are the best answer to your problem in the first place. Irresponsible prescription of Benzodiazepines by irresponsible medical providers quite literally destroys lives. It's just done in a far more slow, insidious fashion than that of Opioid mis/overprescribing.

I'm not judging. I'm just saying out of objective care, that I would like for you to find a less destructive, more labor intensive means of curing your issues.
 
I'm seeing a psychologist too! I hopefully won't have to take any medications! I'm just happy to finally be almost off of xanax!!
 
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