Benzos Help with Xanax, Klonopin

[cw1000]

(Mods, please move this if necessary, I didn't know where to post.)

So I haven't been on any psych meds in a while but I have been on many benzos/SSRIs in the past. I was on klonopin and valium in the past at separate times, to be brief, klonopin helped while valium was way too weak. I have issues with GAD/Panic disorder.

So I scheduled with a pdoc and in the meantime I saw a local family doc to help me out. They prescribed me a small amount of 0.5mg xanax. The first 5 or so times of taking it, it helped a lot and I noticed the relief. Now after just taking one a day for 2-3 weeks, I'm finding that I need 1-1.5mg to have any relief. What should I do? Xanax only lasts like 2-4 hours for me and I don't understand how some people do so well on it and are on the same dosage for several years. I just don't know what to tell the pdoc when I see him for the first time in a few days. I feel like I need a benzo along with the SSRI to help with sudden issues, but Xanax is proving to me more trouble than help. I just don't know what to do, I don't want to take more than I'm prescribed in a day, but it seems like it isn't helping otherwise.


Thanks

 

[Pegasus]

IMO, tell him that you're not very compatible with Xanax, and see if you can get back to using Klonopin? He should be very willing to do this if you're open about the way Xanax makes you feel. I wouldn't mention that you need to take it more often though, just that it makes you feel odd and doesn't really work.

 

[soundphaRm]

Good point Pegasus! You might want to throw in there that it doesn't seem to last as long (but phrase it like, "It doesn't seem to offer the kind of 'whole day relief' for me that Klonopin did doc"). Xanax is kind of considered a benzo with a higher abuse potential anyway due to its faster initial onset and shorter half-life (which is what you are finding out now, the shorter half-life thing...), so I wouldn't see why it'd be a problem.
You might want to reconsider Valium though (it IS mg for mg weaker), as I initially preferred Xanax also, but found that the longer half-life of Valium benefited me, and felt like it bound to the receptor like Xanax did. Valium also has quite potent muscle relaxant properties too. But I found I had to use the 10mg tabs (2-3x/day), and would NEVER encourage anybody to increase their use of benzos!

 

[cw1000]

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah based on my experience being on 5mg Valium 2x/day in the past, it barely helped. But at that point, I already had a massive benzo tolerance from Klonopin, so I don't know. I feel that I'm working with a clean slate now after being off all meds for several months, so I'm open to anything. I think Valium 10mg 2-3x/day would be great, or klonopin 0.5mg twice. If I've read right, 10mg of valium is about equal to the potency of 0.5mg of Xanax or Klonopin. I have read that valium is the longest lasting, but it seems like doctors don't prescribe it much lately, but rather they prescribe Xanax instead. And I'm a 20 year old male college student, not a stressed out mother, the stereotype I commonly hear about getting Valium haha. That's kind of why I was surprised when at 18 my family doc put me on Valium, but it did me no good really.


Thanks again.

 

[soundphaRm]

If you can get by on that dosage of Klonopin, I'd do that, as it'll keep your tolerance from skyrocketing...yeah half a 10mg tab twice a day would do minimal for me, so I understand...what SSRI worked in the past? I wouldn't hesitate to ask a doctor nowadays to put you back on whatever one helped, as they readily prescribe those...
...BTW, mothers have a LOT of stress, man..

 

[monkeyemergency]

I would try and ask about switching from alprazolam to clonazepam if you found clon helped you in the past. IME benzos in general don't work well in the long term and regardless of which one your on you may experience tolerance issues, especially taking them everyday. Try taking them on a PRN (as needed) basis instead of daily, although i understand how this can be hard when you suffer anxiety everyday. IMO its very rare that benzos can work well on a daily basis for any long period of time, for myself i try to use coping methods other than benzos most of the time and save the benzos for when my anxiety is at its worst.

 

[Pegasus]

^Totally true. Great advice.

 

[monkeyemergency]

Thanks ^

 

[heavyriffer]

I sorta experienced same thing. It sucks to be nervous, restless everyday and panic. I was put on Clonazepam for about 2-3yrs then I "thought" it wasnt doing much for me. but with clonazepam you take it and it takes abit to kick in, was on 0.5 then upt to 1mg.

So they sent me to another doc and I told them perhaps they could switch me and stuff. I tried Ativan coulda worked but went on to Xanax 0.5mg. He wanted to keep it there since for him they were all the same...I ha lots of energy and anxiety so when I felt I needed one I'd take 1-2 depending. Then about 2-3hrs later I'd be nervous and shaking not good so I pleaded with him to switch me back to Clonazepam.

He said "no no they are all the same no more switching they are all the same" they are SAME FAMILY not SAME DRUG so I went see my original doc told him the situation went back to Clonazepam was goo again.

 

[cw1000]

Thanks for all of the replies guys.

So I'm going to see the pdoc tomorrow and I'm nervous because I just want things to turn out for the best. Like I said, one of these xanax pills only helps me a bit for a short period of time. So I feel bad when I feel the need to take another because my bottle says only one per day as needed...I don't want to be taking something 4+ times per day, but I just want my doc tomorrow to help me get the solution with dosing where I'm not constantly feeling like I need another (but I am not supposed to) as I have experienced with the xanax so far.

I'll be honest with him, but if you guys have been to many docs, you know just as well as I that sometimes despite their best efforts, you end up having to do some tweaking, and as I'm only seeing him once a month, I'm afraid if we don't get it right I'll have to wait another month, but we'll see. I'm just too worried that I'm obsessing over this.

Have any of you that have been on these medications had sleeping problems before you were put on them? Because I have such a horrible time falling asleep at night and I'm wondering if your klonopin/xanax/valium regimen took care of your sleep problems.

Again thanks for the help, I appreciate it!


EDIT: @monkeyemergency: Thanks for your advice, that makes a lot of sense. I don't want to gain a huge tolerance and quickly become dependent on something like this as I know can happen, so if my doctor does want to go the benzo route, I'm hoping to convince him to put me on it on a PRN basis, but my only problem is deciding when is that "right time" to take one. In the past when I was on PRN clonazepam, I ended up taking one almost every day after the first couple weeks because I would convince myself that I was anxious enough, and thinking about being anxious only made me more so, if that makes any sense. My friend is on xanax 0.5mg 4 times a day, and I just think that's a little ridiculous. I'm hoping for no more than 1-2 doses per day, and preferably as needed as you've suggested. Let me know what you think, I agree too that it won't be a long-term solution, but I'm seeing a psychotherapist and am not planning to use the meds as a crutch as I tried to in the past.

 

[soundphaRm]

Once again, you said a benzo/SSRI kind of worked for you...u might try to go back on that regimen...and yes insomnia was a problem before I was put on this class of med...part of my PTSD 'ya know...works wonders for that too!

 

[cw1000]

Yeah I've got the PTSD issues keeping me up at night too...and I forgot to mention, the family doc put me on Lexapro so I've been on that 2.5 weeks now, slight difference, but I'm on the lowest dosage, it takes a while for them to kick in fully.