bluntedskier
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2009
- Messages
- 192
I'm slightly worried about my own benzo use.... I haven't been using them for TOO long but it's been several months now of varied prescriptions.
For a while my psych wouldn't give me any type of benzo at all... then realized how bad my anxiety was making me suffer so he put me on Klonapin with a long term (low dose) amount of Lithium.
The Klonapin seemed to make me just kind of moody and zombie-like... so we switched to Xanax. Even though Lithium scares me, it has seemed to definitely help in terms of anxiety and overall mood stabilization. However, its obvious side effects are that I am constantly thirsty all the time and I feel that it might be slightly 'dulling' the creative/cognitive part of my brain - which is a real problem considering what I do.
But back to the Xanax - I am prescribed both 2mg Xanax XR x 3 a day and 2mg Xanax IR (as needed). Now this probably sounds ridiculous to most of you, but I usually just take two of the 2mg XRs in the morning. I don't feel anything from that. Even my girlfriend with zero tolerance to benzos, can take 4mg XR and not really feel anything... just calmer throughout the day.
So on my lowest days, where my anxiety is down and I feel good, I am taking a minimum of 4mg Extended Release. I try to avoid taking any of the IR's unless I feel like I really need them.
But for example, yesterday, would be an example of one of my highest intake days.... I took one 2mg XR in the morning, then probably around 6 or 7 mg of the IR xanax (because I took a lot of adderall for the first time in a while) and I kept it maintained with little bits of IR (.25 - .5) throughout my work period - from around 11:00am to 11:00pm, mostly to negate the negative effects I get and to make my comedown smoother.
Bottom line, Mylan generic ones or not, I realize I have a very high tolerance to benzos at this point, and it worries me. I do not think of them as a recreational drug to me at all.... maybe ONCE I have taken 4mg IR and sat down and watched a movie. Otherwise, I have used them as prescribed.
But as stated by someone above, just because you don't have your MD doesn't mean you know everything. My doctor doesn't seem concerned at all with the lithium and xanax.... while I am. I mean he is very expensive and Ivy League etc... but yeah.. that's just a label sometimes.
I just don't want to fall into the deep end and have to end up at some rehab for Benzos, just so I don't risk suffering a seizure or worse. I don't know, Xanax XR seems to be the mellowest, most non recreational, unnoticeable form of benzo out there... and when it comes time for refill each week on both the IR and XR, I have plenty left over - so I am actually taking less than perscribed. But when some people hear "4-8mg a day" they are like whaaaat dude you're crazy!
And it doesn't feel like that at all. I'm young and have been through some shit before, and just don't want to deal with anymore drug-related problems.
Can anyone suggest a perhaps, safer benzo that might seem effective for me? I have never tried Valium and I have always been curious. My doctor says that it often has the same 'loopy' zombie like characteristics of Klonapin though.
I haven't had a serious panic attack in a long time... especially since the lithium has started to work. What triggered me having these in the first place? I don't know. It happened second year at college and I came home and it was a nightmare for like 5 months.
But for I was in the steam room (150+ degrees) the other day at my spa (no homo), after working out pretty heavily, and having eaten a big steak & cheese right before going (dumb), I don't know if it was a combination of dehydration, overheating, the Lithium or what.... but I started having that horrible 'losing touch of reality,' 'heart beating fast' panic attack for the first time in like 3 months. Thank god I had brought some Xanax IRs with me, took a 2mg and got in the cold shower, chilled out and felt much better.
That's why in the end, although Xanax seems the most dangerous, for someone like me who can actually manage not to abuse it, it literally is a life saver. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has tried the XR version. It seems almost kinda rare... most people I've talked to haven't even heard of them.
Sorry for posting so much, had a lot on my mind.
For a while my psych wouldn't give me any type of benzo at all... then realized how bad my anxiety was making me suffer so he put me on Klonapin with a long term (low dose) amount of Lithium.
The Klonapin seemed to make me just kind of moody and zombie-like... so we switched to Xanax. Even though Lithium scares me, it has seemed to definitely help in terms of anxiety and overall mood stabilization. However, its obvious side effects are that I am constantly thirsty all the time and I feel that it might be slightly 'dulling' the creative/cognitive part of my brain - which is a real problem considering what I do.
But back to the Xanax - I am prescribed both 2mg Xanax XR x 3 a day and 2mg Xanax IR (as needed). Now this probably sounds ridiculous to most of you, but I usually just take two of the 2mg XRs in the morning. I don't feel anything from that. Even my girlfriend with zero tolerance to benzos, can take 4mg XR and not really feel anything... just calmer throughout the day.
So on my lowest days, where my anxiety is down and I feel good, I am taking a minimum of 4mg Extended Release. I try to avoid taking any of the IR's unless I feel like I really need them.
But for example, yesterday, would be an example of one of my highest intake days.... I took one 2mg XR in the morning, then probably around 6 or 7 mg of the IR xanax (because I took a lot of adderall for the first time in a while) and I kept it maintained with little bits of IR (.25 - .5) throughout my work period - from around 11:00am to 11:00pm, mostly to negate the negative effects I get and to make my comedown smoother.
Bottom line, Mylan generic ones or not, I realize I have a very high tolerance to benzos at this point, and it worries me. I do not think of them as a recreational drug to me at all.... maybe ONCE I have taken 4mg IR and sat down and watched a movie. Otherwise, I have used them as prescribed.
But as stated by someone above, just because you don't have your MD doesn't mean you know everything. My doctor doesn't seem concerned at all with the lithium and xanax.... while I am. I mean he is very expensive and Ivy League etc... but yeah.. that's just a label sometimes.
I just don't want to fall into the deep end and have to end up at some rehab for Benzos, just so I don't risk suffering a seizure or worse. I don't know, Xanax XR seems to be the mellowest, most non recreational, unnoticeable form of benzo out there... and when it comes time for refill each week on both the IR and XR, I have plenty left over - so I am actually taking less than perscribed. But when some people hear "4-8mg a day" they are like whaaaat dude you're crazy!
And it doesn't feel like that at all. I'm young and have been through some shit before, and just don't want to deal with anymore drug-related problems.
Can anyone suggest a perhaps, safer benzo that might seem effective for me? I have never tried Valium and I have always been curious. My doctor says that it often has the same 'loopy' zombie like characteristics of Klonapin though.
I haven't had a serious panic attack in a long time... especially since the lithium has started to work. What triggered me having these in the first place? I don't know. It happened second year at college and I came home and it was a nightmare for like 5 months.
But for I was in the steam room (150+ degrees) the other day at my spa (no homo), after working out pretty heavily, and having eaten a big steak & cheese right before going (dumb), I don't know if it was a combination of dehydration, overheating, the Lithium or what.... but I started having that horrible 'losing touch of reality,' 'heart beating fast' panic attack for the first time in like 3 months. Thank god I had brought some Xanax IRs with me, took a 2mg and got in the cold shower, chilled out and felt much better.
That's why in the end, although Xanax seems the most dangerous, for someone like me who can actually manage not to abuse it, it literally is a life saver. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has tried the XR version. It seems almost kinda rare... most people I've talked to haven't even heard of them.
Sorry for posting so much, had a lot on my mind.
