Switching From Xanax To Valium (Page 6)

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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To Chrissy who thinks she's an expert on all the reasons for panic attacks and anxiety: My daughter had pancreatitis which was misdiagnosed as "just anxiety" (because apparently some docs think that severe abdominal pain, a high white blood cell count and other symptoms of pancreatitis are actually symptoms of anxiety if you're a 26 year old female.) They sent her to a therapist who overdosed her on Cymbalta and told her she just needed a boyfriend--no, I'm not kidding. When she had the 2nd attack of pancreatitis 2 weeks later, she insisted they do some blood work which is when they discovered she actually had pancreatitis for no apparent reason (she's not a drinker.) When finally treated appropriately, the pancreatitis went away. But the damage from giving her far above the maximum acceptable dose of Cymbalta was done; she was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD by three separate psychiatrists. Essentially, she had brain damage from being overdosed on Cymbalta; the damage was permanent and she has struggled with terrible anxiety because of it for the last 9 years. It has nothing to do with being unmarried, overweight, having financial problems or any of the other causes you ignorantly claim are the reason for anxiety you say one can cure by just learning to "cope". Your ignorance is strongly evident; stop pretending to be an expert on this topic when you obviously know so little about it.

To New Day: Valium does not have a longer SHELF life than Xanax. I believe you meant it has a longer HALF life which means it continues to work longer. "Shelf life" refers to how long a product remains fresh before it becomes outdated and, in the case of medications, becomes ineffective or at least LESS effective.

To Berry: There are no "seratonins;" there's just "serotonin." It's a single chemical-- there aren't several kinds of serotonin!

To All Those Arguing about Xanax vs. Valium vs. other anti-anxiety meds: My daughter suffers from PTSD and SEVERE anxiety. Valium has absolutely NO effect on her, Xanax helps her somewhat but only in high doses which she can't get outside of being hospitalized and all the other anti-anxiety meds (e.g., Klonopin, Buspar, Paxil, etc.) give her either severe serotonin syndrome or seizures.

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I need help. I've been on xanax for years and due to all the opiate od's in my hometown the drs are not prescribing any types of narcotics. I've been to 5 drs in 4 months trying to get my meds and people who need them cannot get them. ANY HELP

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Xanax is ten times stronger than Valium. 10 mg. Valium did help provide relief when I was withdrawing from Xanax. Try the Valium, but I don't think the dosage the doctor is offering you is going to help because 1 Xanax equals 10 mg. of Valium.

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I recommend valium for Panic Attacs!
I take both I check my blood pressure if I feel like I'm getting Zaidi I take Xanax I feel like my heart is pounding I take that I am where it all depends on your symptoms and I've taken go to the same time but I took a very low dose half a Xanax it's a 2.5 or five and I've taken a half a Valium like a five or 2.5 even it will stop and you can have it under your tongue and it does Work faster believe me that valium
am works faster! Takes 45 minutes for Xanax to work it takes 20 minutes for valiant to work again for having a real bad attack I take half of one and half of the other five Valium and a half of the five Xanax and an aspirin

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I recommend valium for Panic Attacs!
I take both I check my blood pressure if I feel like I'm getting Anxietyi I take Xanax I feel like my heart is pounding I take valium I am where it all depends on your symptoms and I've taken go to the same time but I took a very low dose half a Xanax it's a 2.5 or five and I've taken a half a Valium like a five or 2.5 even it will stop and you can have it under your tongue and it does Work faster believe me that valium
am works faster! Takes 45 minutes for Xanax to work it takes 20 minutes for valiant to work again for having a real bad attack I take half of one and half of the other five Valium and a half of the five Xanax and an aspirin

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Take the five Valium half a Valium keep a blood pressure machine around check your heart rate if it's your heart rate going fast then you need to take a Valiumalso get you something to pulse also get you pulse oximetr you put it on your index finger and it tells you what your heart rate is and what your oxygen level is whenever you can get enough oxygen to your heart that's when your heart*squirrel fast you have an attack OK so heart rate is over 100 you need to value more even close to hundred I don't wait until it's 100 enough you still having Zaidi knows your heart rate is OK but you have air anxious then you take the Xanax I know because I've had it for years

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Since my post Matilda & Rusty S. have both posted rather interesting views. Now as you know, or those who see me regularly on questions concerning anxiolysis, panic, OCD, related conditions, & my other great affliction of chronic pain do - I never write anything which is beyond either my knowledge or my personal experience (which on this platform is probably the most important as we are giving opinions which could influence peoples' medicine choice remembering that the PIL must ALWAYS be referred to for cautions, interactions and contraindications) & neither do I ever speak "with forked tongue" to any writer - in my case with the exception of Verwon, who riles me regularly by his US-Centric comments on many things which he often uses badly, forgetting that the US pharma industry is the most corrupt and self serving in the world, charging huge prices for cheap substances, and even self regulating to the extent where the FDA actually permits a variation in API content of pills from the original patented brand, I have heard of 10% & 20% from different sources; the precise same tablet being sold with different imprints at wildly differing prices (Watson are most guilty, Norco and '853' being identical as are Fioricet brand and their 'generic' acetaminophen/butalbital/caffeine tablets; in ANY other country that would be so illegal that the resultant fines could probably put companies of that size out of business! And do not forget that the ONLY generic alprazolam in the USA which would be acceptable in Europe, Greenstone, as well as their triazolam, are identical to branded Xanax/Xanor/Tafil and Halcion respectively; I found out that not only do Pfizer OWN Greenstone, they actually make both in the same factory, and reading the PIL contain exactly the same proportions of excipients, suggesting that they break that same 'identical tablet, different imprint, far higher price' nonsense as Watson! Every other generic alprazolam made there would n3ver make it to a European pharmacy due to the absolutely dreadful quality and the variations in strength - Sandoz GG2499, the largest selling alp in the US, would never get a licence here because of its awful quality and low potency, meaning that the majority of Americans using generic alprazolam would never know what hit them if they were dispensed U94 Xanax/Xanor, Egis Frontin or even the EuroGenerics (EG) generic... Verwon tends to insist that US meds are the best but jote that almost every one of his posts are direct quotations from manufacturer or FDA (that should have been NOTE!) papers or US Industry approved websites which customarily hide their racketeering self regulatory and price fixing policies...

The ONLY benefit I can see of diazepam over alprazolam is indeed half life. Its active metabolites are nordazepam and oxazepam, both available as drugs in their own right, the former having a half life of well over 100 hours, whereas alprazolam is somewhere between 6 and 12 hours dependent on one's metabolism and benzodiazepine tolerance. Now I MUST stress that I have never said diazepam is no good, in fact as a substitute for others when reducing dosage or quitting, it is second only to medazepam (Rudotel, Nobrium) as the best to use due to that half life. However there is absolutely no doubt that the dosages prescribed to the OP are silly and that the doc concerned has blatantly lied about potency and efficacy in panic disorder. Diazepam is primarily a sedative BZD which is, when compared with alprazolam, virtually useless for acute panic. There is also a huge mistake - the onset of action of diazepam is in fact faster. Witha slower curve up to peak plasma level, but alprazolam takes only 15-20 mins longer to begin working. It is however far faster in reaching its peak level and the plateau longer. Just because half life is so much shorter does NOT mean duration of action is. The usefulness of diazepam, as long as you are dispensed Valium or a very good make, is certainly NOT in the field of panic disorder control. It is an ancient BZD which unlike the later triazolo-BZDs does not target GABAa receptors specifically but all GABA receptors more or less equally. Medazepam has an almost identical profile but is considerably less sedative, allowing the patient to live bormally while taking it. The big problem with diazepam is that sedation which can be disabling enough at a medium dosage of 20-25mg to prevent the user from working, and causing ataxia which is not the case with alprazolam in a dosage equivalent in potency to twice that of the diazepam!

I agree that diazepam may be used in lower dose for keeping GAD in check but must repeat that for acute panic attacks, it is useless and 5mg is hardly enough to stop a panicking MOUSE! I repeat that a far better combination would be clonazepam 2mg tds with alprazolam always there for the worse times and in sufficient dosage for acute panic attack. My attacks are thanatophobic, meaning that I am sure I am in the process of dying, taking my last breath, my heart not beating properly, and it does not matter that anyone reassures me or not I am 100% convinced that I AM dying, until the alprazolam fixes that. As I said, a large dosage of Lysanxia (prazepam) or Lexilium/Lexotan (bromazepam, which is the benzodiazepine I find "chills one out" better than any other) must in my case follow along with an e tra Rivotril (clonazepam), & I return to normal within around 45-60 minutes. My attacks can last anything from 10 mins to an hour or more so ensure I ALWAYS carry at least half a dozen 2mg clonazepam, 10mg alprazolam and a strip at least of ten x 6 or 12mg Lexilium/Lexotan in my pocket at all times. I am terrified every time I leave home that I will have an episode. It rarely occurs since I started clonazepam but I MUST carry those with me as well as my oxycodone and other opioids like dipipanone and dextromoramide. Auralis brand freeze dried 100 or 500mg diamorphine powder vials are great for instant analgesia when insufflated in the dose to which one is accustomed, as I will not use needles. My doctor knows I insufflate it so prescribes 3 x dosage for inj. I believe they don't prescribe heroin hydrochloride at all in America, saying that this essential drug has "no clinical use" - something which we here simply can not understand as it is probably the drug which is clinically the best by far for severe pain and especially heart attacks, as it is about the only opiate which does not interfere with the electrocardio system - proof is easily found in the statistics showing that where diamorphine is first line treatment death rates from a myocardial infarction are much lower than where they do not give it.

Anyway I wanted to say that even though I disagree with a couple of your points such as the 'fact' diazepam is a good drug for acute panic, you both do make some interesting and valid points. Just remember that US made generics are not absolutely equivalent in potency to brand name, so unlike in Europe, the patient dose depends not only on the doctor's opinion but on the make disoensed - or your income! What a shame Obama's attempt to make your healthcare more like Europe failed miserably, showing the power lies not in the Oval Office but in Boardrooms, which in medicine can be dangerous. Not to say financially bad for the vast majority of patients no matter what is wrong with them... And Verwon, please stop simply quoting from American literature funded by these thieves who run your healthcare. I have a letter to write to Sylvia Burwell, Health Secy in the Cabinet, which I promise will include a plea to make it easier for the ordinary American to get the same level of treatment as those who can afford the best. It simply does not work that way anywhere else in the world and I feel so soory for US citizens who fall ill or have conditions like anxiety and severe panic disorder.

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@mitilda...chillax...do whatever u/ur daughter need to do to control ur anxiety.
I am in "expert" in "my anxiety" and used a combo of meds And coping skills?
You pointed out a Huge prob though which I experience myself my hypothyroidism was kicking off tachycardia and palpitations and cortisol and reaction to the stress intern keeping that feedback loop going -- i'm sure your daughters on diagnose pancreatitis was sending her heart into it tizzy as well !
Nothing wrong w learning coping skills and controlling anxiety... Good enough for Navy SEALs and fighter pilots I think it's Goodnuf for the average person !!! Sure u may need benzos too but people unwilling to look at drug free alternatives At all often indicates addiction... Kind of like the person who has pain but refuses physical therapy when applicable !!!
So do whatever works for you!!!

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1Mg. Xannax = 5 Mg Valium. 2 Mg. Xannax = 10 Mg Valium

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Xanax is very addicting, I spent 3 months in rehab to get off of them, they are faster to take away a panic attack but only last 3 hours to let you sleep. I would get off of all the benzos and take an anti-depressant for panic attacks, they are not addicting, eventually you WILL GET ADDIDTED TO XANAX, I know from personal experience, and I went through hell to get off of them even after rehab. It took me over a year to feel like myself, but I took them for a long period of time. I took 2mg. 4 x's a day, and trusted my doctor t prescribe that much. Xanax are not legal in England, and I am not from England. Don't take them unless you have to they are very addicting. I was in a coma, and on life support, lucky I lived, I had a seizure because I didn't take enough. Get off the Xanax and all benzos, you will get addicted.

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Was on xanax for years......hands down safety issues ect....valium for me is 100 percent better for me....i have a script for 3 per day but usually one at night and morbing work..i see no difference in reaction time other than the valium last longer and make me ,uch more level with far less attacks period...even when life throws a major curve ball..xanax just didnt keep my head level...actually made me more needy of the drug instead of level...and if u are alchol prone from stress valium tends to curb,that i need a drink syndrom

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I've been on 2-3 mg of xanax per day off and on for thirty years. I have continuously taken a 2 or 3 mg per day non-stop since 1996. I don't even know what a panic attack is or if I have had one, but it's probably what happens to me when I misplace by bottle of xanax. The more I read, the more I think that xanax would not be as effective for me as valum. I don't talk so much to my doctor about the meds I take, because I'm afraid that if he finds out i'm addicted that he might stop my xanax. I'm also afraid that if I switch to valium, and it does not work on my xanax withdrawal that I will be stuck with a medicine that does not work, and that then I would lapse into worse panic attacks (working without a net scares me). Should I say all this to my doctor, I guess he must know I'm addicted to xanax?

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I have read thru all the post here. I have used xanax as needed for over 3 yrs only .5 to 1 mg. I got dizzyness and anxiety from menieres disease. Instead of treating anxiety on onset i have chosen to switch to valium for longer lasting effect thus preventing attacks from starting. I have heard this one is better over another but everyones body reacts differently. As i have had multiple surgeries using pain killers that some love just keep me awake and gift me pounding headaches. I had to switch doctors for insurance reasons. Like pulling teeth to get a new drug.

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A little late adding anything to this but here goes. I had a i**** Dr that left me on valium for over two years and benzos should never be prescribed for more than a month...ever. I don't care what someone's problem is they were never intended to be taken this way as they lose effectiveness over time and will cause you to live half a life at best. I made the mistake of not telling my Dr I was getting off this garbage and had good reason...this Dr would leave someone on a med for life whether it was working or not! I went through delayed withdrawals and the Dr never asked about the valium when I said I needed something for anxiety. I was concerned about the valium causing ringing in the ears after I read on a crappy website that valium can cause it. My Dr was a fool and put me on alprazolam and I got worse almost instantly and started dealing with depression because of the change. He then put me on a dangerous combo of meds and after two days I felt sick and told my fiance I needed to stop taking it. She was a freak and demanded I keep taking it and not wanting to deal with anymore silent treatment on vacation I kept taking it. Two weeks later I neatly died from a reaction and am now looking into assisted suicide feverishly. Psychiatry kills and ruins lives and the fda and big pharma should be drawn and quartered. These drugs should be banned or their use limited to two weeks max and I mean max. There's reason's why our bodies get anxious and it has nothing to do with a lack of valium or psychotropic med at all. I wish I never took a single med in my life and now pray that I fie in my sleep at the very least. After the reaction I told my Dr I stopped everything including the alprazolam and he never even thought I would go into withdrawals, after you have a reaction like I did you want nothing to do with big pharma meds...trust me. The withdrawals I experienced with stopping the alprazolam cold turkey were insane and my Dr put me back on valium but my nervous system was so damaged it made me feel terrible so I can just imagine what continuing the alprazolam would do. My life is destroyed and there's no hope at all for recovery but please don't ever take a benzo for anything, these should've been pulled off the market before their patent ran out but the fda is looking out for us and cares about us so much! Taking a benzo for anxiety is like a death sentence...don't bother starting ever and get to the root of the problem if you can...trust me on this.

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I have taken xanax for about 10 years I only take .5 a day if at all. Now I can't get script filled because my Dr.s license expired. I also have panic attacks. I bought valerean root to try. It helps but still feel in a fog can't concentrate focus etc. It's hard to work feeling like this.

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Syrus, you need a better Doctor 1 st. you sound a lot like me when I was going through my panic days, my advice from a panic disorder person is to try Ativan 1 mg and try to get on pristiq it is a antidepressant,but has taken away my panic/ phobia completely . I still carry my Ativan with me and will take it as needed but I feel normal with the pristiq 100 mg. I am not saying this will work for you but after reading your story it was so simular to my story I had to write you. 1 st seek out a better physiatrist / physician who specializes in panic disorder. I wish you well Gary

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Reference SOLID MIKE #109:

Complete nonsense. You have obviously never read an accurate equianxiolytic benzodiazepine comparison table. The standard may be found at benzo.org.uk, click 'equivalence table' in sidebar. 2mg alprazolam is equivalent to 40mg diazepam; 1mg alprazolam to 20mg diazepam and 5mg diazepam, which you contend is equivalent to 1mg alp is in fact equivalent to the lowest unit dose of alprazolam on the market, 250mcg (0.25mg). FACTS! Please check them before posting on such an important issue. If anyone were to take your equivalent dosages at face value then they may well take two or three times as much alprazolam as required and end up knocking themselves silly, should they have no benzodiazepine tolerance at all.

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I've been on valium for over 6 yrs. I take 30 mg daily due to severe anxiety. I have recently experienced what I call depression type symptoms, angry for no reason, I don't want to interact with anyone, appetite issues etc... What is going on? Do I need an antidepressant? I'm terrified my Dr. will take me off the valium and that would be a disaster. Is there an antidepressant that can be prescribed along with my valium? Thanks for any info.

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Tapering off Xanax is the hardest thing I've had to do. Starting at 1 mg 3x a day. After three months, the progress is this. I'm at 2 mg a day. Spread out through the day but I'm unable to get below this without experiencing insomnia that simply will not allow sleep. I've been on valium ...over 20 years ago, I went from 10 mg a day to 2 mg over a period of a year and finally just off. Starting Xanax for reoccurring severe panic attacks was the worst thing I could have done.

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I know how u feel. I can have a panic attack just thinking about switching meds. I was given Xanax but a while after taking it I feel awful. I don't get the nausea and blah feeling with Valium. You should try it. Valium is safer and it really does help.

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