Switching benzos while tapering Vicodin, help please!!!!

[highpotency]

Hello everyone,
I'm in a bit of a struggle right now as I am currently tapering my Vicodin down from 10mg per day to 0. My problem is I have been taking xanax (.25-.5mg per day for 2 weeks) through this tapering process because I was having severe panic attacks and now I have almost run out of xanax. I have ativan and valium however, for when I do run out. My question is, if I make a quick switch from xanax to ativan for instance, while going to 5mg vicodin, will I be putting my body in trouble? I have read many people switching benzos instantly and having no issues, but not while taking Vicodin. Unfortunately this is leading to even more panic as I feel like I'm putting myself in jeopardy of dying. I do have a very high tolerance to opiates (abused for a while, easily took 40mg of oxy per day). Is there anybody out there that can direct me in a proper direction or shed light on their experiences? Will I be ok making this switch or will I OD from having a low dose opiate and 2 benzos in my system?
Thanks,
HP

 

[Alex000]

If you treat the Ativan as you are treating the Xanax, even though Ativan lasts a bit longer and has a bit of a different flavor, you should be fine. It is true that Ativan takes a little while to kick in, and does last about two times what Xanax does (maybe a little less than twice what Xanax does), but switching should be fairly uneventful. You will still feel the effects of your hydrocodone taper, but remember that 0.25 mg Xanax = 0.5 mg Ativan = 5 mg Valium (some say 2.5 mg Valium), and remember that Valium's effects last a very long time when dosed repeatedly, as the effects stack, even from day to day, so with the Valium be particularly careful with amount of Valium dosed when dosed continuously.

 

[highpotency]

Thank you so much for your reply, I greatly appreciate the knowledge. I was mainly concerned that the xanax was "building" up in my system over the 2 weeks and would combine with they hydro + ativan on switch. Yet, I am in a very very low dose compared to a lot of people I've read about lol.

 

[phatass]

It should be fine, benzos have a pretty strong cross-tolerance... use a conversion chart to make sure you use the right doses, check the half life (longer half life= no need to re-dose as fast). Switch to ativan first, or throw the ativan in the bin/toilet, in which case you can go straight to low dose valium, and taper very slowly off that...

Do you have regular benzo scripts for your benzos or buy em off the street?

Good luck, stay strong, you can do it, also there are various meds that are non addictive little or no rec. value, and help opiate tapers enormously, aspecially right at the end (clonidine, gabapentin, immodium to name a few) you can use the search engine for more in depth info on this.

 

[highpotency]

I don't have a regular script anymore for benzos but I had a bunch saved up from when I did, I can buy them, yet I hate having to do that .... I did, however, go out last night an purchased GABA 750mg was going to try this after I get off the benzos (which is going to be very soon tapering now). Another reason I have been taking the benzos is because 2 weeks ago I stopped smoking marijuana after smoking daily for 5 years (medical card holder). So as I was already tapering my hydro, the combo of getting off weed lead to really severe panic attacks. I just needed that instant relief And thank you so much for the advice. I'm thinking this GABA stuff is going to really help me recover.