• BASIC DRUG
    DISCUSSION
    Welcome to Bluelight!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Benzo Chart Opioids Chart
    Drug Terms Need Help??
    Drugs 101 Brain & Addiction
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums
  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Xanax XR or IR??

J

jonny11007

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 26, 2009
Messages
63
Hey everyone,
I have SEVERE panic attacks, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, OCD. Any anxiety disorder, you name it and I've got it. It's pretty unfortunate because it has held me back in a lot of aspects in my life before I got treatment for it. I have been on benzos for over 4 years now. I have been on Kpins, Valiums, and Xanax, and find the Xanax works the best for me. I am currently prescribed 8mg of Xanax XR a day. Now I know this is alot, but this is the dose that keeps my anxiety at a level in which I can function ie-go out with friends, work, etc.

My question is my Dr. has been prescribing me the XR for the past few months, and last week when I was at her office she said would you prefer the XR or the IR Xanax when she was about to write the prescription. I said the XR has been working for me, and what did she think. She said with the immediate release, I will have ups and downs in my anxiety between dosing, while with the XR, it will be more smooth without the peaks and valleys. She also thought with my constant anxiety, the XR would be better. My anxiety is all of the time, and it also does peak for social situations, but it still is there all of the time. She then wrote me a prescription for 2mg four times a day.

Now I have a question, and the question is what formulation of the Xanax will give me the BEST THERAPUTIC help. I am not interested in getting high at all, I just want to have the least amount of anxiety from taking the Xanax, and I hope I picked the right formulation of it. My thoughts are that the instant release version will only work for a few hours, and then I will have some interdosal anxiety before my next scheduled dose. Whereas, with the Xr and it's longer half life, I will be able to take 4 doses during the day, and even when I take the 4th dose the first dose will still be working. Perhaps the blood serum levels of the alprazolam will be higher because of this, instead of the immediate release version. Again, I'm not looking to get a quick buzz off these, I'm trying to get the best anxiety relief.

Sorry for the long post, but just wanted to see what others here have to say about this. I know many of you are very smart, and would have some great feedback for me regarding this. I also know that 8mg of Xanax a day is a lot, but it helps me tremendously, and will taper slow when it is time to do that. All opinions and responses appreciated!!
 
if its THAT bad....maybe ER for maitenence (sp)....and IR for attacks.....
 
SkagKush said:
if its THAT bad....maybe ER for maitenence (sp)....and IR for attacks.....
Click to expand...
That's kinda what I am thinking. With a high dose like that, I don't want to worry about possibly having a seizure if I went without the IR for too long. I know that this can happen too with XR, but less likely I would imagine.
 
In your situation it sounds that XR would be better suited. The instant release have ups and downs and can actually produce MORE anxiety because of this. They last maybe 3 hours. XR is more designed for daily anticipated panic attacks and instant release is more designed for unanticipated panic attacks to be taken only when you are suffering from one.
 
K'd-OUT-in-AZ said:
In your situation it sounds that XR would be better suited. The instant release have ups and downs and can actually produce MORE anxiety because of this. They last maybe 3 hours. XR is more designed for daily anticipated panic attacks and instant release is more designed for unanticipated panic attacks to be taken only when you are suffering from one.
Click to expand...

Thanks K'd for your response.. I've read your replies in the past about things and you really seem to know a lot about these things. Now, I know I'm not trying to catch a buzz of these, but I do sometimes chew the XR so there is more surface area and it will start to work faster. That way, I have an XR with a little bit faster onset. They seem to be working amazingly. And you're right about the increased anxiety with the ups and downs the IR create.
 
slowdive said:
Don't chew XRs.
Click to expand...

Ya, I've only done it a few times because it gets stuck in my teeth.. I just tried it because I read the dose would kick in quicker. I have only done it with the first dose of the day if I was late for a meeting or whatever at work so it would kick in faster. But, Why do you say not to? I've read on here that many people chew them.
 
first off, you're not just going to have a seizure out of no where, you're on a high dose of xanax, but it's not as if you were taking ir all the sudden you'd seize if you didn't take the dose soon enough, i mean it could happen but unlikely, you'll know your in bad shape before that happens

i think you should go for a combination of xanax ir and klonopin
 
Oh man, I can really put my 2 cents into this....

With the exception of what K'd-OUT-in-AZ said, disregard everyone else's comments. They are just saying IR because they probably can't think of a reason to actually take something without the purpose of getting high........

Anyways dude I can relate to you SO much, in fact when I saw your post, I thought it had to be mine for a while.

The answer definitely is XR..... I happen to be prescribed 2mg XRs and a small number of regular IR bars.

Any doctor who prescribes IR xanax for the kind of chronic anxiety you have is a bad doctor. Like mentioned, the ups and downs from it will just make things worse in the end. Also you have to factor in the constant pill popping throughout the day, not to mention it is wayyy easier to become 'addicted' to IR and significantly harder to taper off - w/d from it.

Whatever idiot said IR halflife is like 11 hours made me laugh. Pop a 2mg bar, sure all my anxiety may be gone for like 2 or 3 hours... tops... but then it's right back.

For me two or three 2mg Xanax XRs right after I have breakfast in the morning is perfect. There is no 'high,' it doesn't have the drug like effect that IR has, I don't have to worry about popping more pills, it doesn't get in the way of my intellectual work etc


Now I am also prescribed the IR to have as a backup. I really do my best to try to avoid from taking it, as I am not trying to get high from my medications as well. (plus I don't really consider benzos as having really any worthwhile recreational value). It is nice to have, mostly just to help ease my mind. As I am sure you know how horrific a panic attack can be, even if I have the right amount of XR in me, there is always the chance that a situation, or something else induces a panic attack anyways.

Ex. I was in the steamroom at my healthclub nearby, and it was super hot in there, I was drinking plenty of water and all that, but for whatever reason, I began to feel the first littlest sign of a panic attack coming on. Tried cooling down in the shower and just taking deep breaths, but it wasn't working - my heart was beating faster and faster, I became dissociative, that terrifying feeling - well thank god I had thought to bring some Xanax IR bars with me to the place. Sprinted basically naked to my locker, chewed up a 2mg Bar... just sat down in the cold water and took some deep breaths and the feeling quickly passed and I was saved.


And the idea of Klonapin + IR xanax isn't a bad idea either, I may switch to that, just because I am worried about my very high consumption of Xanax and although XRs do work great, Clonzepam as a chemical itself, is just generally safer/less worries about w/d (not to say they don't exist)


Good luck man, hit me up if u wana talk or have any questions, you're the first person to bring up exactly what I am dealing with.

Minus the SEVERE part, since I have been on Lithium (for better or for worse) my anxiety has gone down a lot. But I am officially physically addicted to Xanax, so there is no way I can just stop taking it obviously.

I have a pretty good taper plan, gona see if my doctor can match it or come up with one that is better.
 
BluntedSkier,

Amazing and very informative post! Thank God there is somone else on this forumn that wants to take benzos for the benefit of relieving their own anxiety, rather than take some benzos to catch a buzz. I almost thought I made the wrong choice by going with the Xanax Xr instead of the IR based on everyone's replies so far. You were right when you said that K'd out in AZ had the only good advice.

That was a bit funny that you said you almost thought my thread was yours for a while! I guess no matter where you are, there is always somebody looking for the same answers and in the same position as you.

All I want is my Severe anxiety disorders to be treated the RIGHT way, giving me the best chance for an optimum future life. As you and I both know, panic attacks and anxiety are no walk in the park. I was soo glad to read your post and to hear what you had to say. With the IR Xanax, you take a bar and then 3 hours later the anxiety is back full force. But, with the Xanax XR, a few in the morning and maybe one late in the day seems to really keep the anxiety and panic attacks at bay! Having a little bit of the IR just in case a panic attack arises or you are in a tough situation is a good idea.

We are very much in the same situation, and I realy appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post! We gotta keep in touch, you seem to be a smart dude. I'm only 2 or 3 replies away from hitting 50, and then we can talk via PM.

Well, thanks again, and good to find someone here not wanting to abuse their benzos! Keep in touch
 
Last edited:
jonny11007 said:
BluntedSkier,

Amazing and very informative post! Thank God there is somone else on this forumn that wants to take benzos for the benefit of relieving their own anxiety, rather than take some benzos to catch a buzz. I almost thought I made the wrong choice by going with the Xanax Xr instead of the IR based on everyone's replies so far. You were right when you said that K'd out in AZ had the only good advice.

That was a bit funny that you said you almost thought my thread was yours for a while! I guess no matter where you are, there is always somebody looking for the same answers and in the same position as you.

All I want is my Severe anxiety disorders to be treated the RIGHT way, giving me the best chance for an optimum future life. As you and I both know, panic attacks and anxiety are no walk in the park. I was soo glad to read your post and to hear what you had to say. With the IR Xanax, you take a bar and then 3 hours later the anxiety is back full force. But, with the Xanax XR, a few in the morning and maybe one late in the day seems to really keep the anxiety and panic attacks at bay! Having a little bit of the IR just in case a panic attack arises or you are in a tough situation is a good idea.

We are very much in the same situation, and I realy appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post! We gotta keep in touch, you seem to be a smart dude. I'm only 2 or 3 replies away from hitting 50, and then we can talk via PM.

Well, thanks again, and good to find someone hear not wanting to abuse their benzos! Keep in touch
Click to expand...

I still think you might be suited better for klonopin daily, with ir for breakthrough anxiety. I find klonopin to help with anxiety much better than xanax, and it has a long half life
 
JamtasticX said:
I still think you might be suited better for klonopin daily, with ir for breakthrough anxiety. I find klonopin to help with anxiety much better than xanax, and it has a long half life
Click to expand...
Thanks for you reply,
You bring up a very interesting idea, and one that I was kind of thinking towards. The ONLY thing keeping me back from asking my Pdoc about this is that Klonopin kind of makes me feel a bit depressed. It worked wonderfully when I was using it for my anxiety disorders, but I seemed to get depressed after a few weeks of use. That's my only concern, but you make a great point there. I guess some benzos react differently on some than others.

If that depression had not been the case of the Klonopin, I would be strongly contemplating that idea of yours.
 
i just got prescribed xr instead of k-pin because they just stopped working; i agree xr is better for all day anxiety ir did give me pretty bad rebound anxiety. but you can chew the xr a little if you need fast relief.
 
I think Xanax XR should always be used for anyone on Xanax IR. Why? REBOUND. thats all my two cents. I would go for a dose of er and ask for .5 xanax for emergency use...
 
Alprazolam certainly is a short-acting benzo and XR formulations are nicer when it comes to the rebound issues. IR works better for some people, however.
 
NeighborhoodThreat said:
Alprazolam certainly is a short-acting benzo and XR formulations are nicer when it comes to the rebound issues. IR works better for some people, however.
Click to expand...
true true. I thought Xanax IR was for me until the rebound every morning every afternoon, and it just sucked. TOOO short acting. After awhile youll NNEEEEDDD the xr version.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top