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Benzos Xanax

Esley said:
I've been on a 3x a day 10 mg. diazepam treatment personally, because I felt it suited me better than other benzos. This was purely because of what I had to say to my Dr. He never suggested a benzo, and I'd only brought them up after he'd prescribed 2 other antidepressants, which had negatives far outweighing any positives they could provide, and wasn't open to any other form of anti anxiety/depression treatment carrying serious medical risks, even if it worked, which the others had not at all (rather exacerbated several). The drugs I'd tried i can remember for any inquiring minds were buspiron and bupropion I believe. Point being; mention things to your Dr. say what you feel is a good fit for you, because everyone is slightly different. If you truly NEED these drugs this stuff should just come to you, and I was most certainly nervous out of my skin bringing it up, thinking he'll just think I'm seeking drugs, or some nonsense, but if you're right, they'll come around. Mine wanted to put me on lorazepam first, but fortunately I'd been around enough to know what I needed. Talk I say, and good luck.
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I also take Welbutrin for depression 200mg (1 pill 1x a day) (Generic is bupropion I think). Is lorazepam the generic of Lexapro? I am not sure.
 
Do not know if it matters but alll together I take the 1 mg of Zanax (but now I am doing the .5 6x a day) and seeing how it goes, I take wellbutrin 200mg 1 pill a day, Topermax (started that the same exact time as Zanax) I take 1 pill a day 25 mg. I like the fact that the Topermax can help lessen my appetite and the wellbutrin also. But I think the Klonapin even lessened my appetite more. The Zanax I read is different for different people. but I never heard of benzos having women gain lots of weight. I know that zoloft, Celexa, prozac, and a few others in that class you can gain a lot. I used to take Lexapro and that I heard does not make women gain a lot but my friend said she gained a lot on it.

I need these medications really bad right now because of a bad crisis, but I am a bit overweight from stress eating so I made sure to research meds with no weight gain and something even that may cause weight loss and my psychiatrist was also with me on the idea. I never got as heavy as I got. But now when I started some of the meds I lost a good amount.

Klonapin I read causes appetite loss, weight loss I think not 100%
and Zanax I read in one section causes weight loss and loss of appetite and in another section weight gain so maybe it depends on the person. I am not sure what it meant. I was confused. Different sites said different things.

Sorry for rambling.
 
LisaSue2015 said:
LOL- I was putting on my note that I type up for her "half life" and my husband was like No, No don't tell your psychiatrist half life. I am like why? I cant be smart and have learned from BL etc. I want to ask her about Zanax XR and see what she says.
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you married a good guy then.
 
pillman1224 said:
i know what they mean but talking about half-lives will only make you shitlist yourself.
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It's pretty silly that being knowledgable about the prescriptions you are recieving puts you on a shit list. Knowledge is power and will keep your from having idiot doctors luring you into a benzo dependency or something of that nature, which is a shithole to get out of.

But doctors will just see the drug seeking aspect, a druggie infront of them, because they think they are above all there patients and know everything, when in reality, most doctors are fucking clueless.
 
Have any of you ever taken Xanax 1 mg 3x a day? I am taking the .5 now every 3 hours 6x a day and it feels similar to the klonapin. As I explained in previous posts when I was taking Klonapin 3x a day 1 mg it got too week for me and I know longer felt relaxed etc.

Now with the Xanax even how I am taking it now, I am still feeling nervous, crying etc. I just got the Xanax 1mg 3x a day on August 6th. When I was taking the 1 mg 3x a day, it was horrible it lasted like 3 hours then for the few hours I waited for the next pill, I was nervous, anxious like I was on nothing. It was not good feeling. Then I sneezed about 30x and my arms were itching.

I wanted to try to wait it out and go to her next month and mention to her about the Xanax xr or see if she mentions something else. But I may go sooner. I have to see. I also have major things going on at home so it is not helping and now another major thing came along that will last for a year that I do not want in my life.

On top of that I just found a letter from my gyn that was never given to me that I was supposed to take a certain test and the office I paged and they do not know if I took the test and I called the lab and they said they have no record that I took it. So I probably have to take that real soon also. And it is a pretty big deal test.

What is the average Xanax that patients take? I just cannot understand how it can last for such a short time. It really lasts like 2 - 3 hours so a person would need say that start 7 am in the morning about 6 1mg pills a day if they go to bed at 10:00 a.m.

I had a neighbor that used to come here. She moved and she had depression and major anxiety. She was on disability. Anyway she was on Xanax ans she talked good about it. But when she was at my house for a long time she ran out of my house every 2 hours telling me she had to take another Xanax but I did not think anything of it. I mentioned that to my psychiatrist just out of talk and she said that is abusing it.

The XR sounds like it makes more sense but I am sure there are things with that also.

I do not regret changing but this in not the answer for me either.

I take total 1mg Xanax 3x a day (but .5 6x a day), Wellbutrin 200mg) Toperamate 25 mg (this I started same time as Xanax) And with all this I am still always crying and anxious.

I hope that my dr. can help me find something that works. But not any pill with weight gain.

I feel this Xanax may even be worse than the Klonapin but it may be because of the news I found out the other day.
 
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Maybe try asking your doctor about Valium (aka Diazepam)? IIRC it has the longest half life of any benzo currently on the market, and it sounds like you need a benzo with a longer half life than Xanax.

If you take benzos every day, they will lose their effectiveness. Plain and simple. I wish there was a way around this, but if you really feel like you need benzos to function, then I'd reccomend taking a day off from them every week or two so that they remain effective. If this is too difficult, then maybe take half your daily dosage for one day, every week or two. Abstinence is the only way to get around tolerance, and yeah it sucks, but welcome to benzos. Lol

I'd look into incorporating natural means to help your anxiety/depression. Countless scientific studies have shown that exercise, meditation, and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be extremely helpful. They work, trust me. However, if you still feel like psychiatric medication is necessary for you, I'd reccomend Diazepam (Valium) over Clonazepam (Klonopin) and/or Alprazolam (Xanax) any day.
 
I B Profane said:
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Maybe try asking your doctor about Valium (aka Diazepam)? IIRC it has the longest half life of any benzo currently on the market, and it sounds like you need a benzo with a longer half life than Xanax.

If you take benzos every day, they will lose their effectiveness. Plain and simple. I wish there was a way around this, but if you really feel like you need benzos to function, then I'd reccomend taking a day off from them every week or two so that they remain effective. If this is too difficult, then maybe take half your daily dosage for one day, every week or two. Abstinence is the only way to get around tolerance, and yeah it sucks, but welcome to benzos. Lol

I'd look into incorporating natural means to help your anxiety/depression. Countless scientific studies have shown that exercise, meditation, and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be extremely helpful. They work, trust me. However, if you still feel like psychiatric medication is necessary for you, I'd reccomend Diazepam (Valium) over Clonazepam (Klonopin) and/or Alprazolam (Xanax) any day.
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Thanks :) How about something with extended relief like Xanax XR or maybe even my doctor will know of something else. Or something with a longer half life. I cannot say the half life thing to her though. I wish I could.

When I was taking the Klonapin I really thought when I was taking the 1mg 3x a day that she should of just gave me a 4th or told me to take 1 1/2 3x a day. My husband was taking 1 mg 4x a day like about a year back different doctor though. I had written Xanax on the bottom of my notes and she saw it and said what is this. I told her I heard this is stronger. So she just wrote it up. When she wrote the 3x a day 1 mg I had a feeling something was off. Previous posts said it is almost like she gave me withdrawal effects from previously taking klonapin 1mg 3x a day.

I never wanted to go on benzos. Never.

But I desperately needed something. But I just did not want weight gain with those other class drugs like zoloft, prozac and some others I heard. My friend gained a lot on lexapro. I took lexapro coming off it was hell. Sorry if I am repeating things I said already.
 
LisaSue2015 said:
Thanks :) How about something with extended relief like Xanax XR or maybe even my doctor will know of something else. Or something with a longer half life. I cannot say the half life thing to her though. I wish I could.

When I was taking the Klonapin I really thought when I was taking the 1mg 3x a day that she should of just gave me a 4th or told me to take 1 1/2 3x a day. My husband was taking 1 mg 4x a day like about a year back different doctor though. I had written Xanax on the bottom of my notes and she saw it and said what is this. I told her I heard this is stronger. So she just wrote it up. When she wrote the 3x a day 1 mg I had a feeling something was off. Previous posts said it is almost like she gave me withdrawal effects from previously taking klonapin 1mg 3x a day.

I never wanted to go on benzos. Never.

But I desperately needed something. But I just did not want weight gain with those other class drugs like zoloft, prozac and some others I heard. My friend gained a lot on lexapro. I took lexapro coming off it was hell. Sorry if I am repeating things I said already.
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Despite what a lot of people in this thread have said, I don't think mentioning half-life is necessarily a bad idea. Every psychiatrist is different, I'm lucky enough to be working with a psych who is both comforted and relieved to be working with a patient who has some idea of what he's doing. Then again, if you want to be cautious about it, just say that you need something that lasts longer than Xanax. There's no real need to mention half life, but doing so won't be the end of the world like some folks on here are claiming.

I would definitely ask about Valium before asking about Xanax XR. In my experience, Xanax will induce a lot more amnesia, weight gain, and rebound anxiety. That's just me, though. Also, weight gain is a very common thing with all benzos (since they stimulate appetite) so I guess just be mindful of your eating habits. I think benzos are more likely to induce the munchies than Lexapro (and other SSRIs/antidepressants), but everyone's different.

I never wanted to be on benzos either. When I started taking them, I really didn't know the full extent of what I was getting myself into. I use them very responsibly (exactly as directed) these days. Benzos are a band aid - they treat the symptoms without addressing the underlying cause. That being said, it's a pretty damn good band-aid for those that need it.

Have you tried daily meditation and/or exercise? It sounds almost trite and/or cliche, but that's because it really really does work if you put the work in. If you do this every day consistently for a month straight, I think you'd be amazed at the improvements you see. I used to be in a very bad spot regarding benzos, taking up to 10mg of Xanax per day. I now only take 10mg of Valium per night, which is not even as strong as 1mg Clonazepam. If I go a few days without it, my anxiety is definitely heightened, but it's nothing compared to the maniacal meltdowns (screaming and crying fits) that inter-dose Xanax withdrawals would give me. I think that with benzos, it's important to take only what you need and not any more. If you went from taking 3mg Clonazepam to 4mg Clonazepam per day, you'd feel slightly less anxious for a week or two - but after that, you'll be right back where you started, except with a stronger dependency.

Feel free to PM me with any questions, I've been taking benzos daily for 5 years (give or take) so I'm no stranger to their positive and adverse effects. Ah, benzos - a tricky, double edged sword if there ever was one. I wish you the best of luck.
 
Benzos again

I would also like to also like to ask the rest of you if you know of any benzos that work well and do not cause weight gain?

Xanax I have to get off soon. I was thinking of switching back to Klonapin. But is there another benzo that you know that has a longer half life and work okay.

I feel more safe with Klonapin.

I hope that I am allowed to ask for this advice? I am not pill shopping. I just need help. I do not want to leave it up to my doctor. I need to do my own research.

I am so glad I found out Xanax XR causes weight gain.
 
I was in a similar situation last year, taking klonopin 1mg 3x a day, until it stopped working. I was lucky that I moved and something to take my mind off it because it really helped me (amazingly) get in a better state of mind. I understand your concerns about weight gain. I was also put on seroquel, which caused me to gain 60lbs--I still have 20 more pounds lose a year and a half after stopping it. However, even with weight gain, that medication saved my life. Sometimes, a few more pounds is worth it if you will live more comfortably. I'm now only taking Xanax 2.5 1-2 as needed for my anxiety. I would recommend that you talk to your doctor honestly because you'll feel much better admitting what's happening and she'll have the best knowledge of what may work best. You should even talk about your concerns about weight gain.

(Also, lorazepam is the benzo Ativan, not lexapro.)
 
Lucy Bookit said:
I was in a similar situation last year, taking klonopin 1mg 3x a day, until it stopped working. I was lucky that I moved and something to take my mind off it because it really helped me (amazingly) get in a better state of mind. I understand your concerns about weight gain. I was also put on seroquel, which caused me to gain 60lbs--I still have 20 more pounds lose a year and a half after stopping it. However, even with weight gain, that medication saved my life. Sometimes, a few more pounds is worth it if you will live more comfortably. I'm now only taking Xanax 2.5 1-2 as needed for my anxiety. I would recommend that you talk to your doctor honestly because you'll feel much better admitting what's happening and she'll have the best knowledge of what may work best. You should even talk about your concerns about weight gain.

(Also, lorazepam is the benzo Ativan, not lexapro.)
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Thanks. I was just at my doctor on August 6th and it looks like I am going to have to go back really soon. This upcoming week I am swamped with appointments but after that maybe. I do not think I can wait the full month. She knows about my weight gain concerns. I just cannot understand why she did what she did with the Xanax just working for such a short period and she knows the Klonapin lasted so many hours and gave me the same exact amount 1mg 3x a day.

I know on this board my husband said they know so much so that is why i tried to come here first. But ultimately I will ask my psychiatrist.

I need to find the rules if I am allowed to ask for advice on what antianxieties are good, bad etc.?

I do know I am not doing well on this Xanax even on the .5 splitting it.

Thanks very much.
 
I B Profane said:
Despite what a lot of people in this thread have said, I don't think mentioning half-life is necessarily a bad idea. Every psychiatrist is different, I'm lucky enough to be working with a psych who is both comforted and relieved to be working with a patient who has some idea of what he's doing. Then again, if you want to be cautious about it, just say that you need something that lasts longer than Xanax. There's no real need to mention half life, but doing so won't be the end of the world like some folks on here are claiming.

I would definitely ask about Valium before asking about Xanax XR. In my experience, Xanax will induce a lot more amnesia, weight gain, and rebound anxiety. That's just me, though. Also, weight gain is a very common thing with all benzos (since they stimulate appetite) so I guess just be mindful of your eating habits. I think benzos are more likely to induce the munchies than Lexapro (and other SSRIs/antidepressants), but everyone's different.

I never wanted to be on benzos either. When I started taking them, I really didn't know the full extent of what I was getting myself into. I use them very responsibly (exactly as directed) these days. Benzos are a band aid - they treat the symptoms without addressing the underlying cause. That being said, it's a pretty damn good band-aid for those that need it.

Have you tried daily meditation and/or exercise? It sounds almost trite and/or cliche, but that's because it really really does work if you put the work in. If you do this every day consistently for a month straight, I think you'd be amazed at the improvements you see. I used to be in a very bad spot regarding benzos, taking up to 10mg of Xanax per day. I now only take 10mg of Valium per night, which is not even as strong as 1mg Clonazepam. If I go a few days without it, my anxiety is definitely heightened, but it's nothing compared to the maniacal meltdowns (screaming and crying fits) that inter-dose Xanax withdrawals would give me. I think that with benzos, it's important to take only what you need and not any more. If you went from taking 3mg Clonazepam to 4mg Clonazepam per day, you'd feel slightly less anxious for a week or two - but after that, you'll be right back where you started, except with a stronger dependency.

Feel free to PM me with any questions, I've been taking benzos daily for 5 years (give or take) so I'm no stranger to their positive and adverse effects. Ah, benzos - a tricky, double edged sword if there ever was one. I wish you the best of luck.
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I thought I quoted you before and it disapeared. I really do not want to take valium for some reason. Do you know of any experience of any other benzos that have a decsent half life with No weight gain that work ok. Not like this Xanax LOL?

I am leaning on going back to the Klonapin and just dealing with in not being so strong and doing much.

Ativan to me sounds too strong. I am leary about it. I cannot be too sedated either being I have a 12, 8, and 5 year old. But the problem is on Klonapin I continue to scream at them and have little patience. I am in therapy also. But I can not be so relaxed that I can not be fast paced like they get home from school, I have to thumb through all papers quick, photocopy get hw going etc. And this year will be rough 4th grade, 7th grade and Kindergarten. I am overwhelmed by it. And then other personal things of course also. Alone the school supply lists make my head spin. My 7th grader has over 4 pages. Then each of them get another list or more the first day. And this is public school. But anyway getting back to the anti anxieties. It would be good if I knew about a good benzo but I like to be knowledgeable and look it up and just not try anything a doctor gives me.

I know people in the other medicine class prozac, paxil, zoloft etc. and they are so relaxed almost make me fall asleep when I am around them. I wonder if those have a stronger effect than Benzos? My husband takes prozac but he takes a bunch of others also.

I told you I also take Wellbutrin, Topramax also. But just started Topramax. Thanks again. Hopefully this one goes through.
 
hm thats strange she switched you, probably cause if the max dose thing, id ask about xr never used it myself only ir so no idea how it feels in comparison, you could also get into using RC benzo? clonazolam i think its spelled is like k-pin and xanax mixed has a really long half life as well, but not sure if your interested in using RC's.

here is the bluelight page about it

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/735563-Clonazolam-(Clonitrazolam)
 
Ativan had a much shorter half life than klonopin/Xanax. People generally have a tolerance to it very quickly. It's usually the first benzo that people are prescribed for anxiety.
 
Lucy Bookit said:
Ativan had a much shorter half life than klonopin/Xanax. People generally have a tolerance to it very quickly. It's usually the first benzo that people are prescribed for anxiety.
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Actually, ativan / lorazepam has a longer half life then xanax.

Xanax has among the shortest.
 
I have been prescribed xanax and valium both.Xanax is by far the better drug for anxiety IMO,it doesn't have to be taken every day and it starts working for me within ten minutes.The valium works longer and is smoother but the xanax serves its purpose better for me.I suffer SAD and going into any crowd is a living hell for me.I have abused both but have seen xanax react very differently to different people.I have seen many people that had bouts of anger and got very obnoxious especially when drinking alcohol with them,not being able to recount what happened the night before,taking handfuls and thinking someone stole their meds.I have never taken klonopin but may ask for it next dr visit,what is your opinion xanax vs klonopin?
 
Xanax for me only works about 3 hours then does nothing and o cry and get anxious. Klpnopin lady's fore 6 hours and has a half life but is weaker but I want yo go back on kpin I am on Xanax and doing terrible on it.
 
She changed me back to Klonopin 1 mg 3x a day. and made the toperamate 25 mg 2x a day instead of 1x a day and wellbuterin 300 mg instead of 200 mg so lets see. I just took a klonapin and I feel wiped out and tired.

But I really feel the Xanax or for a panic attack for the moment. I feel the klonapins are more for anxiety on an all day basis. I may be wrong though. I mean none of these should be taken as an all day thing unless really needed. My life is a mess though. I wish I could go into my personal stuff not sure if there is a section for that and not sure who I can trust.
 
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