Switching From Xanax To Valium (Page 3)
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PLEASE HELP! For the past 7yrs I've been on 1mg Xanax (3x) per day for anxiety and panic attacks. I take my dosage of Xanax as prescribed by my Dr unless I have a severe panic attack, then I may take an additional (1-2) 1mg xanax when I'm actually having a severe full blown panic attack to stop it. I've been on other Benzos before but Xanax seems to be the only thing that stops the panic attacks when I'm having them.
Recently my Dr decided to switch me from 1mg Xanax (3x) per day to 10mg of Valium (2x) per day because he says Valium is "stronger" and has a longer half life than Xanax. He says the Xanax isn't working for my anxiety anymore. From what I've read on the Internet about Xanax vs Valium is that Xanax works better than Valium for panic attacks. I like to mention I have a phobia of taking new medications. I stressed my concerns to my Dr that my anxiety isn't as much of issue for me as my Panic Attacks. He said not to worry cause the Valium is stronger. Then I asked him what if while I'm taking the Valium I suffer a sever panic attack? What do I do to stop the panic attack? His responce was that I could take a 1/2 of a 10mg Valium tablet to stop the panic attack. I wanted to tell him that from what I knew, Valium is slower acting and that I didn't agree 1/2 of a 10mg is going to stop my panic attacks but I didn't want to question his professional expertise over my Internet findings. I know he's the Dr and the Dr knows best right? So I guess to finally get to my point is I'm terrified to start the Valium because im afraid that when I have a panic attack and I say WHEN and not IF cause it's only a matter of when I will have a full blown sever panic attack what would I do to stop it? From reading up on Valium I know it wont help stop my panic attack like the Xanax will. I asked my Dr before I left his office that while I'm on the Valium and I have an attack could I take a Xanax to stop the attack? He said absolutely not! He said if I have a panic attack while on valium I can take a 1/2 of my 10mg Valium. I didnt say this to my Dr but I know from what I read about Valium is that it won't stop an attack as fast as Xanax will. I dont know what to do? Im so scared and I feel helpless cause I feel like my Dr isn't getting what im saying. My panic attacks can last as long as 2 hours or more. I know because my longest panic attack was while I was driving through the desert and realized I forgot to pack my Xanax. 2 hours in to my attack after trying breathing techniques and what not I had to taken to a hospital by ambulance cause my heart rate went up way to high and so did my blood pressure. My panic attacks can lead to an ambulance ride to the hospital. I feel like my Dr is focusing on treating my anxiety more than my panic attacks which are of greater concern to me at this time. I read on line that other people have been prescribed both Xanax and Valium to be taken as needed. Valium for anxiety and Xanax for panic attacked. I spoken to 3 pharmacists who tell me that I can take the Valium and if I should have a major panic attack I could take a Xanax no problem because they're both Benzos but only on the occassions when I'm having a bad panic attack. Why couldn't my Dr just say that? I know some of you may read this and say that I just have an addiction to Xanax. Honestly that would be further from the truth. If I knew that Valium would stop my sever panic attacks I would switch in a heart beat but from what I'm reading I know Valium won't help with an attack as fast as Xanax will. I'm not looking for the Xanax "kick" some people love to feel or to have a feeling of Ephoria. I just want a reliable medication to treat my disorder. I want to trust that my Dr knows what's best for me but only I know what my body and mind is going through and I somehow can't get him to understand! If anyone has had the same problem as me or can offer any support or advise I'd love to hear what you have to say. Has anyone ever taken both medications in the same manner im suggesting or together at the Sametime? How did it make you feel? We're you able to cope and how? Please anything will help. I know there has to be other people out there experiencing or have experienced the same thing. Thanks.

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You are entirely correct. When my doctor switched my medication I felt much better. Xanax did nothing for me. I would have panic attacks almost every day. Once I got off Xanax I was much better. I rarely have attacks any more.

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Hi, I am so sorry to hear what happened to you. I have suffered from panic attacks for 21 years now. I do understand how terrifying a attack is. I have been transported to the hospital on many occasions. But, when I was taking Xanax my attacks were so bad. I couldn't control them at all. It occurred often. Always calling the ambulance. It took doctors about 6 years to diagnose me with severe panic disorder, anxiety, & depression. Before that, I was a mess. But, sadly the Xanax didn't help much. I went to another doctor many years ago, and he prescribed me klonopin.I have not once went to the hospital since. Klonopin are time released, so your brain is constantly receiving medication throughout the day. I take 3 per day. I am so grateful to this doctor. He helped save my sanity & life. Maybe, you could ask your doctor to let you try this medication, if you haven't tried it before. If he doesn't help you, maybe it is time to look for another doctor. I would of been making appointments already. Panic attacks are to terrifying for me to live with without proper medication. I feel for you & I will pray for you to get the best help you can.

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I can hear you are in an anxiety state worrying about the meds..I was the same way a few yrs. Ago. Try the Valium. After so long of being on a med they don't work as well. I was on .05 mil. Of Larazapan which helped me get over my panic & anxiety.It took only 6 months to get better. It took a long time to get into this state so cure doesn't com quickly. There is an end to this state you are in. First of you have to get pisitive, positive thoughts, talk to yourself in positive thoughts. Increase your self as teem and self worth. I found writing my feelings out helped and then saw how my negative thinking got me where I was.loose all fear and take the so what attitude.panic & anxiety is telling you that you need change..I quarentee you will be a much stronger person in the end and you can handle anything.Give yourself a hug!

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I've been thru a very similar situation. I was on the same amount of xanax u were and switched to valium but my Dr. says 3/1mg xanax 3/10mg valium. I made the choice to switch myself, and it wasn't an easy decision for me to make, but I did it bc I have severe anxiety and I too would have to take an extra here and there and there were a couple times I ran out a few days early...which u don't want to do so take the valium bc xanax is very strong and leaves ur body the quickest. valium and xanax have differ greatly in their half life. that's probably part of why he switched you. that and the good old DEA breathing down their necks. things are getting stricter. what stands out the most to me is u didn't mention.."Does he have u on any other medication for ur panic attacks??? If not I question whether he's really hearing/or believing you or not. I'm sorry for that,truly. I very much know exactly where ur coming from and I know it's awful, and I find it insulting. take the valium for now before u start feeling the xanax wearing off. its not fun but valium will definitely help.I had a little headache or felt at ad bit anxious until the xanax loses ur system which won't take long. research meds that have been proven to help w panic attacks!

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I agree. I have a lot of experience in the past w panic attacks (which i now know my spikes of Low BP mimic) & meds. You toootttaaallyy had xanax wd not reaction to valium. And you mention generalized anxiety disorder & medication phobias /fear of new strategies/fear of what it may feel like/bad reaction etc. Xanax for as needed is stupid--you develop tolerance & its shortness causes rebound anxiety. Klopin really is best of both worlds. Valium "would" work if you weren't tolerant and if you took scheduled dose 3 times per day etc. ativan is worthless. but as the other poster said you are going to have to beef up the self talk & coping skills. I was a basket case fear of driving on bridges all kinds of crazy shoot when i was young--the real prob is i was married to a closet homo/closet psychopathic attorney & emotionally neglected/isolated. I got a dog, a "race car", a lover, a job, & a life because after years of the panic attack bs (they are very real I mean the BS of dealing with the others not wanting to hear about it and then realizing I was self isolating to avoid panic attacks as much as being emotionally isolated by my ex) YOU must decide that pan attcks etc are bs way to live. Find new coping skills, push yourself to beeee uncomfortable & for me i "decided" im only going to allow "one thing" & would self talk & pray myself through the rest . For example, i would say "i have panic attacks or am having a panic attack" that is what i am taking medication for (1 allowed thing) but i will not have panic attacks, take medication AND avoid whatever it was! If that makes sense or if i didnt (phobia or panic attack fear) want to go somewhere or do something i would again use the self talk of ok going to take this & go to office party...this amount " works " for others & if it doesnt "control" my panic then that is Just the BS anxiety & lack of coping taking control of my body & my very real physical symptoms are creating mental panic attacks--any navy seal /fighter pilot whatever -- and you can read the techniques they use to control it -- essentially have anxiety attacks but they don't call it by that name they call it an adrenaline dump ! And it triggers the same fighter flight they talk and breathe their way through it!

It will work!!! I cant believe the bs life i lived in fear of pa & gad! I was not depressed btw. Praying helped --i still get what feels like pa because of my low bp (real prob) & i will do the fighter pilot "gag" thing & pray myself "home" if out on walk or whatever. I am also hypothyroid and extremely fit because i also use the gym to release anxiety. If you focus on yourself and rely on medication it will not solve your prob & your tolerance will grow ( and some biological so it will happen) & xanax is absolutely preferred by addicts ( i'm not saying you) but i am saying you may paint yourself into a corner / find yourself "blacklisted" or cut off at some point if you demand Only Xanax & will eventually need outrageous doses! Then what? Btw telling a doctor "only xanax" and only certain doses "translates" to drug seeking behavior. What happens if dr says No more xanax? Only other benzos! ...are you going to change to a dr willing to prescribe xanax?

You'll find that attachments to certain drugs or fear of new ones is identical to the ritual portion of other addictions & also part of gad, pa, & phobias. Use more coping skills, more self talk & call yourself out ie "check yourself" if you chAnge meds and have a pa ...so what? Are you performing a life saving operation on a child today? Chances are you just dont want to feel the panic. Also, so what if your worst or most embarrassing fears come true w/ pa attack--no one gives a dang! Or oh, someone may have to call emt ---guess what you already are taking yourself to the ER! Same thing--pa are like learned helplessness --you start doing to yourself the same thing at one time the pa caused!

Im not being judgmental, im saying I've been there, done that & i know how real pa are! I also know once you decide they are bs and if today is the day you are going to die --maybe death by panic attack is preferred to death by stabbing etc--once you take the bs power away of pa (panic attacks) you will get better ---but now you are benzo dependent & that qualified under my bs plan of only allowing myself one prob! Because now you have 2 --pa & benzo dependence! And wd (3 probs) when you tried switching Then more probs when you went to hospital (like bills, anxiety, annoyance to others or fear in others etc) and you still have the main prob of whatever caused the first panic attack (Bad marriage? Overweight? Unmarried? Whatever!). Pa is a Natural result of Not dealing with something that is emotionally upsetting. Its the body trying to discharge the stress some way (as opposed to psychiatric break) so sooommmeeething is bothering you & if you dont Practice & use coping skills u will always have pa & many more problems! And intellectually knowing what coping skills are or breathing or other adrenaline dump techniques and knowing them is not the same thing as practicing them which builds new neural pathways in your brain!!

Im sorry for the length but I feel like you really need help and panic attacks are really a normal reaction to emotionally not dealing with something.

Good luck & start with reframing the idea that pa is nothing more than an adrenaline dump (at a perceivably incorrect time) & if navy seals & fighter pilots learn to control with practice these dumps & same physical & mental symptoms without drugs in the most critical situations & under extreme pressure!!! So can you!

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I have been treated for Anxiety Issues for 35 years. I've had both Xannax & Valium. I choose to use Valium becuz they last longer. And THEY DO stop Panic Attacks. I take them regularly & have better results than I do with Xannax. Don't be so sure that Valium won't work. Give it, and Your Dr a chance. All the Best

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Wasn't it Xanax withdrawal that put you in the hospital? Valium might have saved your life.

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What state are you located in? I have generalized anxiety and panic disorder. My 1.5mg a day helps a little. The Zoloft has helped but I still have the attacks! And I only take them as prescribed.

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Hi im FIona and i have suffered with anxiety since i was in my early teens im now 55 i have been on zanax since in my early 20s but only took them when i really needed them i tend to avoid a lot of places anyway i found they really helped me my doctor has told me zanax is not being discriped anymore so i have just been given paroxtine 20mg which i have to take every morning and also diazepam 5mg i must admit im a bit worried about taking both so i hope the diazepam works i see some of the posts i have read are quite old im from australia so is zanax also not being discriped where you live

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I have perscribedvalium 5mg twice a day,for years I,v been on 1mg 3 times a day I,m afraid to change ,I suffer from anxitity and panic attacts plus vertigo,dr says valium is best,plz help

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Thank you so much for sharing your story. You have helped me immensely. My panic attacks felt like I was going to pass out. I know people who feel as if they are having a heart attack. That must be awful! I mean what if the person was having a heart attack and assumed it was panic. Thank you again, Dee

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So I have been on xanax .5mg 3x a day for many years but just lately my anxiety has been extremely bad so my doctor switched me to clonazepam .5mg 2x a day and it's been awful. I don't feel it works well for my anxiety and it also makes me very drowsy. No way I would be able to work after taking one. My doctor had me see a psychologist today and she switched me to valium .5mg at night and then a half a pill 2x a day if needed and also put me on Zoloft which she said helps with anxiety disorders. Has anybody gone through the same thing? I'm wondering what to expect. From what I have read it sounds like the dose of valium she has me on is a lot less than what I have been taking with the clonazepam and xanax?

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This post is from 2012. Are you reposting?
I'm just the opposite. The valium works better for my anxiety and panic attacks. Xanax I never felt anything....it seemed to take a long time for me to tell I took it. Valium is stronger.

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You get a higher dose of Valium 10mg is like 1mg Xanax so 20mg is more than your 1mg zanax

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I'm so sorry what you are going through Xanax works better than Valium it did not help pain attacks for me ! So my doctor switched me to Xanax.

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Priv8guy
Did you take xanax and valium at the same time? or just switched over to valium, because that's what my psychiatrist wanted me to do makes me very nervous because of xanax withdrawals ..
Ugh hate this.
I still haven't switched over because I'm scared but I want off xanax so bad.

Now my panic attacks are getting worse after they found a lump in my breast and need surgery.. this is triggering me bad

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I would say Valium is a much better medication to use for anxiety. If I ever become stressed due to lack of sleep, work, etc and I can imagine it turning into some type of panic attack situation then I will take valium for 3-4 days in small doses. It is a psychological virus more or less. Don't quote me or go looking for references.. If I think about a panic attack, or situation where I was inside of one then it can create the onset of one. If this continues because of the scenario then a small dose of valium helps through the thought process of facing the event. Xanax is bad for this because it's half life is too short, and will ensure you need to take more rather than less.

I've given this advice with positive results to a few other people already. I'd suggest discussing it with your doctors and definitely not quitting Xanax cold turkey as I did. However, I think Valium as a mechanism for working through an already existing panic attack until you are able to think about the memories without having one is not an issue whatsoever. I'd used this technique to overcome any lingering attacks I've had from whenever I did take Xanax, etc...

Good luck.

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Great advice.. I believe that facing the issue will 9 times out of 10 solve the equation... :)

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Thank You Adam because no offense to Syrus but reading that post was a trigger whoa! I also have been told I have a rare extreme case of panic disorder. I have a minimum of 6 attacks a day, I even have them in my sleep. I have been on xanax for about 15 years xanax has damaged my liver and does a number on your brain as well. My choice is to get off xanax anyway it no longer works for me. My doctor has switched me from 1 MG of xanax 4 times a day to 5 MG of valium 4 times a day (at one time I was on 2 MG 4 x day) my dream is to get off all meds. I have heard stories from people that xanax withdrawal is awful, but like you say it depends on the person I have a friend who stopped cold turkey when she found out she was pregnant she slept it out for about 2 weeks. she also told me she still has attacks but they are not as bad as they were while she was on xanax (by the way she took xanax for almost 20 years and very high doses sometimes 4 MG at a time.

I also have noticed my attacks got worse through the years on xanax. With xanax causing me liver damage I want off of them, I hate the doctor who put me on xanax years ago but than again don't think doctors knew what a dangerous drug xanax is back then.

I see this is such a old post and I hope to hear from you. I would love to have someone help me with this. My plan is switching from xanax to valium then weaning off valium as soon as I can. I want to get off these pills and yes I am aware i will probably still have attacks but I will just have to deal with it if it is true like my friend told me that once she was off xanax her attacks were not as intense and not as frequent.

Thank You for you post.

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Yes did help! Valium works faster

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