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Question: valium and xanax addiction
| Gavmed
- Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:29 pm |
I was on xanax for Anxiety last year. I developed a dependance for .5 mg a day.
My doctor switched me to 10mg valium and dropped the dose by 1mg every week.
This worked very well and I had no problems at all. Would it be possible for me to use valium or xanax again ?
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| Dr. Anthony Solomon
- Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:47 pm |
Both medications belong to the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines.
These drugs are indicated for the short-term relief of severe Anxiety but long-term use should be avoided. Treatment for Anxiety should be limited to the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time. Dependence is particularly likely in patients with a history of alcohol or drug abuse and in patients with marked personality disorders.
In response to your question, the advice of the Committee for the Safety of Medicines (CSM) is as follows:
1. Benzodiazepines are indicated for the short-term relief (two to four weeks only) of Anxiety that is severe, disabling or subjecting the individual to unacceptable distress, occurring alone or in association with insomnia or short-term psychotic illness.
2. The use of benzodiazepines to treat short-term "mild" Anxiety is inappropriate and unsuitable.
Dr Anthony Solomon
MB BS DTM&H DIP.
VEN FRSM
Consultant Physician, Tropical & Genitourinary Medicine
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| SmokeOak
- Tue Aug 30, 2005 8:22 pm |
| medicare wrote: |
In response to your question, the advice of the Committee for the Safety of Medicines (CSM) is as follows:
1. Benzodiazepines are indicated for the short-term relief (two to four weeks only) of Anxiety that is severe, disabling or subjecting the individual to unacceptable distress, occurring alone or in association with insomnia or short-term psychotic illness.
2. The use of benzodiazepines to treat short-term "mild" Anxiety is inappropriate and unsuitable.
Dr Anthony Solomon
MB BS DTM&H DIP.
VEN FRSM
Consultant Physician, Tropical & Genitourinary Medicine |
:oops: Oh! ! Dr. Solomon!! I'm so glad you posted that. I had a feeling my doctors had me on Xanax much too long. I am not prone to psychological dependence but unfortunately because I have suffered from what is probably complex PTSD triggered by a car accident 3 1/2 years ago they have had me on Xanax since about 6months out when the emotional numbness wore off and I started to have Anxiety attacks. Recently I have been worried that my dosage was too high (6mg/day) given 1. I felt taking it for more than 2 or 3 months would cause a physiological dependence 2. I'm not sure but doesn't Xanax actually over extended periods cause Depression to get worse even though it eases temporary acute Anxiety? 3. I am taking Topamax for migraine prevention & Gabitril for insomnia & muscle relaxers for Neck pain & I'm concerned about CNS drug interactions because I've had difficulty breathing but my Psychiatrist doesn't buy 4. When Neurontin went to generic my insurance stopped coverage so my Dr. switched me to Gabitril & I noticed that at around 20-24mg it helped my Anxiety (because my insomnia was better I dropped the dosage and the Anxiety came back :wink: )
To sum it up. My Neurologist is the one who put me on Neurontin for Insomnia because he felt like it is such a safe non habit forming medication. Since Gabitril is basically the same chemically and is so benefical for my Anxiety would it not be better to ditch the Xanax and control my mood and Anxiety with Gabitril? It seems much more safe to me but then I am no Dr. & Gabitril is expensive.
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