Xanax Vs. Buspar (Page 2)

Yes-what is the major difference between these 2 meds? I have taken xanax for several years. I'm thinking abt. changing to Buspar. Can you switch meds like these without tapering off the xanax. Does Buspar help w/ Panic attacks?

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I enjoyed reading you feedback. I love m&m's too, the new pretzel kind are my fav.

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i agree, it shows that the general population of doctors don't in fact believe in the very thing they are trained to work with, medicine. xanax was designed to help people in desperate need and to treat their patients as potential druggies is horrific! truly mindful doctors do exist, but unfortunately you never know who you'll get....go see a mental health doctor, even if tout anxiety is caused by hormone imbalance...don't settle for derisive doctors! it's your life you have to survive and want to enjoy, not them!

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Leah, how old are you? I'm only 32 going on 33 and I'm hoping that I'm not in the beginning stages of mentopause. I noticed a few changes in my body about 2 yes ago that make me worry that I am. My hair changed in texture a bit, I started getting bitten by Mosquitos (hadn't had one bit in 15 years), and the anxiety. I really hope it's not mentopause bc my husband and I just got married and would like to have children. Just curious of what age you were. Thanks!

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Hi, I am 55 going on 56. Your age sounds young to be going through menopause. However, if your Mom is still living ask her when she did. It's a good indicator. I am so sorry about your anxiety. I wish I could help you. I am suffering myself right now. I try so hard to stay busy with work, which is over whelming because I have my own business and do it ALL myself, and exercise. I love to run/walk and do Classical Stretch with Miranda on PBS. I hope I come out of it soon. I did last year. I am taking zanex .25 and buspar right now and can't say they are a big help. Unlike most people, I really hate zanex. I don't like the way it makes me feel. Good luck with your life decisions. I have two boys both in college that I wouldn't trade for the world! But raising children is extremely high anxiety. You don't get out of this life after having them without some kind of worry. It's life. The good times for me are GREAT. I enjoy my boys when I don't feel like I do now. My husband is loving and understanding. I don't want them to see me like this. I want a better image, if you know what I mean. There is no real bad stuff in my life it's a chemical disorder. I think of all those poor people all over the world struggling and still can't put things in perspective. I know it's the bad chemicals in my brain that need to be balanced. I have an apt. with an HRT expert on the 28th of this month. I truly believe it's all hormonal. I guess you can be out of balance at any age so if you want to pursue HRT with your GYN just to make sure by having some tests it may be a good idea. Again, my best to you. It's amazing how many people are suffering with anxiety.

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Thank you Chuck! I totally agree with you. It is so hard to get xanax because of all the pill head abusers. I have REAL anxiety and panic attacks I also suffer from agoraphobia there are many days that I can not leave the house. Xanax helps this very much and has gave me a chance at living an actual life. Unfortunately my Dr is against it and has put me on buspar to try once again even though it didn't work before. Antidepressants increase the anxiety. I don't know what I'm going to do she is going to take the xanax away. Ive been suffering with anxiety and severe panic attacks since I was 5yrs old I have been on one med after another & yes even klonopin, xanax is the only med that has worked for me. I'm 42 why can't they just leave me alone and let me have my xanax? I never take more than 1mg 2x a day I don't want to be immune to it so that I can get relief when needed and I am careful with the xanax because I am NOT a drug addict & actually need it for a real problem. I have no sympathy for drug addicts anymore they ruin it for those that really need these meds including people who need pain med but can't get because of all the damn pill heads that play around with this stuff, party with it and get addicted. Boo hoo. I don't feel sorry for them they get no pitty from me not even the dead ones because of them many people have to suffer me being one of them.

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Christine, I totally agree. I just reponded to smothered post but it went through as a post rather than reply? If you'd like read my thoughts on xanax in post # 27

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Buspar and Xanax are very differnt medications. Xanax is a benzodiazepine and buspar is in a class of its own. To answer your question about going right from xanax to buspar without tapering off the xanax. This is not recomended. after you have taken a benzodiazepine for more than a few weeks, you need to taper it off slowly to avoid withdrawl symptoms. You should always consult with yor physician before making any changes to your meds. What I do know is that Buspar does not provide immediate relief for your anxiety symptoms like xanax does , so your doctor would most likely start you on the buspar while he is tapering off the xanax. The buspar takes up to 2 or 3 weeks to reach its theraputic potential. Unfortuatly as far as I know buspar is not an effective medication for panic attacks. I do know that xanax works well for panic attacks. The only drawback to xanax is that it is habit forming, while buspar is not. I have been on both xanax and buspar and I would recomend as long as you are not an addict or an alcoholic if your looking for a medication to treat your anxiety and panic attacks you ask your Dr about Klonapin. Klonapin is also a benzodiazepine like xanax but it has a longer half life and I have found that taking one millagram of Klonapin twice a day to be the most effective treatment for anxiety and panic disorder. Remember medications effect everyone differntly, this is only a suggestion. I am not a doctor. I do have empathy for you and I hpe whatever changes you make to your medications are for the better.

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I just started taking BuSpar and honestly, I don't know what these people are talking about how it doesn't help them. Just in the 3 days that I have taken it, and it's half of 15 mg a night, it makes me feel weird but in a good way and then I get tired and sleep sooooo good. I haven't slept so good in so long! I have such mellow dreams and wake up nice and refreshed. It's also helping me quit smoking because if I smoke after I take it I feel horrible. Anyway, these first few days have been really nice! It really does make me feel stoned like some people say, but very mellow.

I have severe anxiety, can't drive, can't work, constant panic attacks to the point of passing out sometimes due to breathing problems. My heart pounds so bad that I can't sleep, I always have to stay up until I just can't go on anymore. Concentration is IMPOSSIBLE.

So far Buspar has helped me immediately, and I can tolerate things now, I mean I still have problems but not nearly as bad in just 3 days! So I can not waiiiiiiit until it really works which I was told takes a couple of weeks to a month to be clinically beneficial. Well, whatever! It's helping now... so unless I start having some horrible awful side effects I'm completely happy with this.

Just so you all know, I was addicted to xanax for over a year, and started having terrible muscle pains... so I had to get off it with a strange taper with diazepam. I got off diazepam and xanax... ever since then I've been scared to take anything due to being addicted. Well I lost so many jobs because of my anxiety issues. I've tried working with a nutritionist, now I only eat meat and under 40g of carbs everyday, I work out at the gym 3-5 times a week... but I still can't seem to get rid of the anxiety. So tuesday I got in with a psychiatrist who told me to try BuSpar... 3 days in... so far so good.

Anybody who is worried about this drug shouldn't be, honestly... it does make me feel a little stoned, and puts me to sleep. I'm supposed to take it twice a day, but I've only been taking it before bed... half of 15mg. After 5 days I'll try the whole 15... but this is zonking me out so... we'll see.

Anyways, I feel a lot better. If you got prescribed this medicine and you're worried about it, just try taking it before bed. It's a good sleep, and a good feeling the next day. I can't imagine taking it in the morning, but I may need to get used to it. Who knows.

Hope this helps anyone who was worried about it.

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This is an update to my quest to be anxiety free...
The zanex didn't work for me. If I took enough to stop the anxiety I would become depressed. I am not a depressed person, just extremely high strung when chemicals are out of balance. So I started taking a low dose of Ativan. It cuts the anxiety to the point I feel almost normal. Also went to a HRT specialist who is a SottoPelle certified GYN. He inserts (after blood test of hormone levels) a custom blend of Estrogen and Testosterone into the hip area so it's in my system 24/7. I immediately felt more productive with this treatment. He also wrote a script for a progesterone made by a compound pharmacy. It's like a green mint placed under the tongue at bedtime. I started taking a good multivitamin with minerals, fish oil, D, C, and B complex to help with suspected adrenal fatigue. Results are... I am functioning at my pre anxiety level, sleep much better, and certainly more positive. However, I am not yet able to get off the Ativan. The anxiety comes back when I don't take it but it doesn't seem as bad. So I don't know exactly what's working but suspect the combination of all. I am hoping to get off the Ativan as soon as possible. Good luck to all suffering with anxiety. It's a terrible disease that makes life almost not worth living. I hope this helps some of you to try new paths of recovery. We are all different so what works for one may not for another.

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Don't listen to anyone. Your body will tell you what it needs. Klonipin is supposed to be half the strength of Xanax and last longer. ADD medicine is similar to speed and will only make you anxious again or more.

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Nate, I take amphetamine and zanax almost every working day, and have for a long time. I am fairly certain I am better educated on the subject than you are and so are 3 different doctors that had no problem prescribing both meds at the same time. Your stupid opinion does nothing to help people who have ADD and are anxious about their work performance, or a million other things. exercise and talk therapy are best but some folks need to stop a tail spin and others need a life long maintenance dose. If you cant handle it, don't take them. It's not a ying yang thing.

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I feel you dude

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Chris wrote on Saturday, 12/3/2011: ""Look if you really need Xanax for anxiety, take it, but be aware its addicting and is said to have worse withdrawals than heroin. Please go in thinking about how your life will be affected. I never once thought i would end up this dependent on Xanax. I get 90 2mg a month and still happen to have an empty bottle on 19 days after my refill. I only came across this post looking up things that would help this anxiety that wont go away.""

Xanax (alprazolam) is a short-acting benzodiazapene. It is very effective, and because it is so effective as a GABA-receptor agonist, it causes downregulation of the GABA receptors in key areas of the brain's various neurons especially those affecting mood and in the limbic system (fight or flight - panic response) which means it literally causes receptors to be uncoupled and rendered inactive. This is the method by which the drug has less of an effect over time (and which means a greater strength, or dose, is required to achieve the same effect). The benzodiazapene class of drugs is The Fastest in terms of causing tolerance and therefore dependence.
Xanax 2 mg should never be prescribed for regular use, let alone for 6 mg per day. This is a guaranteed way to develop both psychological and physical dependence and eventual addiction (not possible or likely; GUARANTEED) And yes, withdrawal can be lethal and is more dangerous than opiates or opioids including heroin. This is because withdrawal (especially from dosing of 6 mg or more daily and still "running out" before refill time) will lead to what's called "delirium tremens" which is fatal in at least 1/3 of cases when left untreated.
My recommendation for someone on this level of dosage is changing, at least for the short term, to a major tranquilizer such as Risperdal (risperidone) or Seroquel (quetiapine).
A slightly safer benzodiazapene option is Klonopin (clonazepam) or Ativan (lorazepam) which are in the category of "long-acting" benzodiazapenes which mean they take much longer to be metabolized and removed from your system than does Xanax. The therapeutic advantage with these longer-acting drugs are that they will not cause the relatively sudden and severe withdrawal that does Xanax because they more gradually taper off in blood plasma concentration.
Xanax should be used as an emergency abortive for panic attacks only. It is absolutely not intended as a regular and total solution to anxiety.

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Zanax & valium !! I've been on 5. Mg of Valium when I was in a car accident to deal w neck spasms w surgery on cervical disc didn't help.12 yrs later I almost lost my rt. lower leg fr knee down . I had a rod w screws inserted & the capsule that holds the muscle ligaments & tendents bursts so now the muscle that's supposed to b on outer calf is in front of leg under my knee . I also had minuscus surgery that didn't help. I think I need a raise in dose its my driving leg, w I drive the muscle swells fr the movement .my dr won't raise my dose or give me anything more than the 5. Mg I started w 15 yrs now since b4 I almost lost my rt leg 5. Mg doesn't work well anymore what would help? I was on fentanyl taffy that worked & I could stop using w pain was better but my Medicade won't pay what w help ? Taffy were great cause I could use anywhere w no water ? Med w help?

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Oh therapy..been there done that, got the shirt, have you ever experienced a crippling panic attact that feels like you having a heart attack and can't breathe? Do you really think you'll go all zen like and analize what's up? I doubt it..I know I don't. I"ve had nut job psychiatrists tell me to take the zen path, but when you're minding your own business and one of these attacks come on out of the blue, there isn't time for meditation, only medication. Thanks anyway.

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I stressed my self with worry and other things. A few years ago, I started noticing myself getting extremely shaking and throwing up when I was nervous. Next thing I knew about six months I was having panic attacks and bouts of depression; scared me to death because I had no idea what was going on with myself. They put me on Xanax, which I did not react well with because I had such bad nightmares or the dose wasn't strong enough to help my anxiety. Anyway, I went to therapy and I ask to be put on a drug that didn't make me sleepy because I didn't want to be falling a sleep on my little angel. He put me Buspar. But I have been noticing, that I get aggravated and irritated easily. Then after getting aggravated and start to feel bad because I knew it was no reason. I get really sad and cry. I was wondering if anyone else has mood swings with Buspar. I just want to find something to help my anxiety not all this drama crap with it. I have hurt my dear husband's feelings so much and I am so afraid to I might 'bark' at my baby for nothing. I think I going make an appointment tomorrow with my therapist to change my medicine so also does anyone have a good suggestion?

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Follow up to my post. It's now July24th and my HRT and very low dose of ativan (1/4 of 1mg twice a day) is working great. I am me again. Very productive, active, happy etc. I hope all with anxiety problems find their form of medication, exercise, spirituality, or what ever works. Living live feeling well is better than anything else, except love! But even love doesn't work well with anxiety.

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This was a follow up to post of 4/14/2012 only 3 months ago I was a wreck.

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To every woman out there who may be suffering from severe panic attacks, I really encourage you to have your hormone levels checked. I dealt with this issue for months. I tried Xanax, busbar, hipnosis, and my Dr continued to try to get me to take an every day med. I kept telling her that I did not want to surpress the issue, I wanted to fix it. She kept trying to tell me it was a chemical imbalance in my brain and I needed these meds. I am 32 years old and I'd never had this issue so severly until recently, so I knew it wasn't something in my brain. I insisted on having my hormones tested bc I knew there was something different going on inside of my body, and I wanted to fix it bc I wanted to get pregnant soon. She rudely told me that I better not get pregnant any time soon bc no Dr would ever want to touch me then. After much debate, I convinced her to test my hormones, and what do you know? My progesterone level was .06, almost 0, and my testosterone level was low as well. A normal woman should be at a progesterone level of 5! But, in the few weeks while waiting on these results, I noticed that the panic attacks had become fewer and more manageable. Come to find out, I had gotten pregnant. I took another blood test the day I found out, and my progesterone level had risen to 33! From .06 to 33 in 3 weeks! I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel. Low progesterone is very common in women, and it's #1 side effect is panic disorder! Go figure! But for some reason Doctors NEVER think to check this. They think it's best just to throw pills at you and supress it. So PLEASE ladies, have your hormones tested if you are suffering from panic attacks. I wish I would have done this a long time ago!

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@Cisco, was wondering wat delirium tremuns? Were?. Also i was raging on valium, so switched to xanax one mg. Three x daily. If i dont move up will i b ok? Also was on klonopin for three years when it stoped working. So i dont rage on xanax, but find if i miss a dose i do MISS A DOSE!. Where with the valuim missing a dose wasnt so bad. So its rageing and beat the s*** outta someone or worry about severe withdrawl? Or death or whatever i dream up.....

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What are the ingredients in Buspar and do they have the same effect as Xanax? ## Buspar contains the active ingredient B...

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