Cycling Between xanax and valium

[nycrosshairs]

I have done extensive surfing and still would like to ask opinions on...

I take xanax once or twice a week. Yesterday I went to my doc and got a script for valium to be taken once or twice a week as per my request (the switch). I done this because i maybe thought cycling between the two will help prevent a certain amount of tolerance towards the xanax. (even though i shouldn't build much tolerance towards xanax cause i dont take it daily)

I know theres a certain amount of cross tolerance (or so i believe). I was only on xanax for maybe 8 months (remember i dont take it daily and don't really abuse it. Most i may take at once is maybe 2mg, not often though).

Do you guys think this cycling between the two is a good idea? Also i tried valium last night, taking 10 mg then 5 mg about an hour later to see if i felt any buzz ( i should hav just taken them together) but i didn't feel too much.

For me to get a small small buzz from xanax i might need around 1 or 1.5mg so would i need to take around 20mg of valium to replicate the same feeling? And i am aware i could react differently cause i read the threads and different benzos produce nicer affects then others for different people.


ALSO - I don't really take 2mg of xanax cause i get rebound anxiety. I don't get it the day after i get it the day after that (if i take 2mg on saturday i feel the bad affects on monday. I still feel rather good on sunday). I never hear people complaining about this and some people take like 4mg at once. Does anyone suffer from this rebound anxiety?

Thats why i can't really abuse this medication because i pay for it dearly (i usually feel crap from taking anything though due to my anxiety condition).

Thanks for whoever responds.

 

[sonic]

Switching between the 2 isn't going to do much because the drugs are cross tolerant. Since you're only taking benzos a couple times per week then it's not a big deal. Just take whatever works best for your anxiety.

 

[jayslapmc]

im no expert at all but i would expect that if u had a tolerance to xanax u would also have a tolerance to valium.

i have no idea if u would need 20mg of valium to get the same feeling as 1~1.5mg xanax or that the feelings you would get could even be comparable. personally i have only tried xanax 2 times first was a 2mg and that just knocked me out(first benzo experience for me ever), second time was 0.5mg and i didnt feel any effects.

i do however have a low tolerance to valium as i take 4mg per day at the moment, but when i take it for recreationaly 20mg of valium does shit all unless i start drinking alcohol.

i would assume that rebound anxiety would be expected, because thats what u take it for right?? when the drug is no longer in your system its anti anxiety properties also go away, i think most people would just take another pill at this point. if you dont want to be taking the pills every day i would suggest just moving over to valium on a full time basis due to its longer half life.

ALSO - in the interest of harm reduction, its a bad idea to abuse prescription drugs prescribed to fix your medical/mental conditions...... even though i do :D

 

[GenericMind]

Switching between the 2 isn't going to do much because the drugs are cross tolerant. Since you're only taking benzos a couple times per week then it's not a big deal. Just take whatever works best for your anxiety.

Agreed. The Cross-tolerance is too strong for switching to make a lowering impact on tolerance to either. Throwing your body curve balls like that by switching the meds, as infrequently as you take them, would make them even less effective at curbing your anxiety than if you were to stick with just one IMO.

 

[Jamshyd]

^ I have to disagree with both of you.

I've been cycling between 10 or so different benzos over the past 4 years. I take benzos daily, and in multiple doses.

This has certainly done a lot to keep my tolerance at bay. I can still get relief from the equivalent of 20mg valium after 4 years of near-constant benzo use.

 

[nycrosshairs]

i would assume that rebound anxiety would be expected, because thats what u take it for right?? when the drug is no longer in your system its anti anxiety properties also go away, i think most people would just take another pill at this point. if you dont want to be taking the pills every day i would suggest just moving over to valium on a full time basis due to its longer half life.

ALSO - in the interest of harm reduction, its a bad idea to abuse prescription drugs prescribed to fix your medical/mental conditions...... even though i do :D

Yes i take it for anxiety. As for the rebound anxiety i just get it from higher doses. I could take it everyday but thats not the answer. For days when i don't have to do anything its pointless for me to be on a benzo. Yes i may feel better but tolerance is very common with benzos so its not worth it.

Agreed. The Cross-tolerance is too strong for switching to make a lowering impact on tolerance to either. Throwing your body curve balls like that by switching the meds, as infrequently as you take them, would make them even less effective at curbing your anxiety than if you were to stick with just one IMO.

The cross tolerance is certainly an issue but i believe the two drugs are different enough that its slightly more beneficial then using the same one for years. This curveball affect might be a problem if i was cycling them everyother week or something but I was planning on staying on one for alot of months before going back. Not arguing with you btw.

^ I have to disagree with both of you.

I've been cycling between 10 or so different benzos over the past 4 years. I take benzos daily, and in multiple doses.

This has certainly done a lot to keep my tolerance at bay. I can still get relief from the equivalent of 20mg valium after 4 years of near-constant benzo use.

This is what i believe. I think people may be prevented from doing this because some benzos don't provide the required coverage for their anxiety and can't use them.

Thanks for your opinions guys i know little on the subject so its all IMO.

 

[GenericMind]

^ I have to disagree with both of you.

I've been cycling between 10 or so different benzos over the past 4 years. I take benzos daily, and in multiple doses.

This has certainly done a lot to keep my tolerance at bay. I can still get relief from the equivalent of 20mg valium after 4 years of near-constant benzo use.

Are you sure your lack of tolerance buildup is a direct result of cycling? I people who have been multi-dosing the same benzo daily for a similar length of time and they still get relief from the same dose they started with.

 

[sonic]

^ Good point. It is somewhat common for your tolerance to plateau out after long periods of use. Especially with benzos. I've experienced it before. I have a feeling that Jamshyd's tolerance would stay roughly the same whether he switched between 10 different benzos or not. That's just my personal opinion though. Everyone reacts differently of course.

 

[beatology]

I'm not sure how it works with other benzos, but I am prescribed lorazepam (ativan) and it's really easy to build a tolerance - like, 2 or 3 days. I don't even feel a buzz anymore but it works for my anxiety. If you're taking the benzos for anxiety, they should work at the same dose you started on - for the anxiety. The buzz that you might have gotten from them will eventually wear off though. To the OP: do you live in NYC? Just asking from your name.

 

[sonic]

Lorazepam IS a benzo. It's true that after a little while you are less likely to get recreational effects from a given benzo, but you can sometimes still get therapeutic effects from taking a consistent dose over a long period of time. I don't condone using benzos for a long period of time, I'm just saying that it isn't always necessary to continue to increase your dose as you continue to use.

 

[MrMoss]

Switching between the 2 isn't going to do much because the drugs are cross tolerant. Since you're only taking benzos a couple times per week then it's not a big deal. Just take whatever works best for your anxiety.

Exactly.

Don't fuck with your Meds for a mediocre high at best.
I prefer low dose xanax combined with low dose diazepam due to it's longevity thus anxiety is far less pronounced and rebound is far less likley having Dizzies in me.

Less is more.
Good Luck

 

[nycrosshairs]

I'm not sure how it works with other benzos, but I am prescribed lorazepam (ativan) and it's really easy to build a tolerance - like, 2 or 3 days. I don't even feel a buzz anymore but it works for my anxiety. If you're taking the benzos for anxiety, they should work at the same dose you started on - for the anxiety. The buzz that you might have gotten from them will eventually wear off though. To the OP: do you live in NYC? Just asking from your name.

I am currently in suffolk county my good man.

^ Good point. It is somewhat common for your tolerance to plateau out after long periods of use. Especially with benzos. I've experienced it before. I have a feeling that Jamshyd's tolerance would stay roughly the same whether he switched between 10 different benzos or not. That's just my personal opinion though. Everyone reacts differently of course.

As none of us actually know the complete truth here shouldn't we turn to what we do know? Theres many threads here that claim each benzo holds a slightly different recreational affect. That alone shows they contain different properties to produce these different affects. Cycling between these properties might just slightly prolong any tolerance. Just an idea however.

Exactly.

Don't fuck with your Meds for a mediocre high at best.
I prefer low dose xanax combined with low dose diazepam due to it's longevity thus anxiety is far less pronounced and rebound is far less likley having Dizzies in me.

Less is more.
Good Luck

Are you taking xanax and valium at the same time?

 

[MrMoss]

Are you taking xanax and valium at the same time?

Yes .. always!

 

[sonic]

Just because every benzo feels slightly different, I wouldn't go as far as saying they each have their own "slightly different recreational effect." They all feel similar in a lot of ways as well. Some last longer than others, some are more sedating, etc. but they still work on the same receptor. I find that some benzos have absolutely no recreational value, but they still work fine for anxiety, insomnia, and maintaining a benzo habit.
Trying to maintain some kind of recreational effect from benzos is a really bad idea. If you're going to take them daily, do it for therapeutic reasons. There's no reason to get addicted to benzos just because they can be somewhat recreational.

 

[MrMoss]

^ Amen .. again

 

[beatology]

Hehe, I'm a girl, just so you know...for next time. =)

 

[nycrosshairs]

Just because every benzo feels slightly different, I wouldn't go as far as saying they each have their own "slightly different recreational effect." They all feel similar in a lot of ways as well. Some last longer than others, some are more sedating, etc. but they still work on the same receptor. I find that some benzos have absolutely no recreational value, but they still work fine for anxiety, insomnia, and maintaining a benzo habit.
Trying to maintain some kind of recreational effect from benzos is a really bad idea. If you're going to take them daily, do it for therapeutic reasons. There's no reason to get addicted to benzos just because they can be somewhat recreational.

Yea thats understandable. And no i don't abuse them. But when i do need them its nice to still feel alittle buzz when i take em

Hehe, I'm a girl, just so you know...for next time. =)

Yes ma'am!