Posted by ed_uk on April 13, 2005, at 8:50:35
In reply to Re: Doing ok now, posted by sukarno on April 12, 2005, at 19:23:21
Hi!
>I'd like to get off Xanax someday as long as there is something else there to stop the panic attacks.
Apart from Valium, Tranxene and Xanax, which medications have you tried so far? (for the panic) I imagine you've tried many of the common drugs such as the SSRIs.
>Xanax didn't seem to "cover" for the Valium.
That's very interesting, I've heard of people having problems switching from Xanax to Valium but never vice versa.
I once tried Xanax but it didn't seem to help- I think I'll stick to Valium!
>I've been on Xanax daily since October 2002 at 1mg 4x/day by prescription from a psychiatrist, and now just see a GP.
When you were on Valium, what dose did you take?
What dose of Tranxene did you take?
Which benzodiazepine did you find the most effective?
Which drug caused the most side effects? (including cognitive effects)(sorry for all the questions LOL)
>I've read Dr. Heather Ashton's website on Valium substitution and am giving that some thought.
Yes, you could cross-taper onto Valium and then taper the Valium. 1mg Xanax = (approx) 10-20mg Valium.
>Conversely, switching from Xanax to Valium is worse. I noticed muscle cramps all over my body and a sense of paralysis along with severe anxiety (and that was from being on Xanax for only one week). I raised the Valium temporarily and then all the withdrawal was gone, except for some muscle cramps that were mild.
Perhaps you'd need to substitute 20mg of Valium per 1mg of Xanax to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
>Have you heard of her? I think she is popular in the UK.
Yes, I like her withdrawal guide. I do think she tends to be overly negative about benzos though. They can certainly cause very severe withdrawal symptoms but they do have their uses!
>I don't like the cognitive effects and they persist. Feeling like everything you've done is a "dream".
I know what you mean! I can't 'function' if I've taken a benzo. I tend to need quite high doses and I can't concentrate or remember anything. Valium makes me feel quite introverted and I don't pay attention to my surroundings- I'm not quite there! I only take diazepam occasionally though, I don't know what I'd be like if I took it regularly.
>I thought about going back on imipramine even though it really raised havoc with my heart.
What did it do to your heart? Did you have an ECG? Imipramine commonly causes a rapid pulse (sinus tachycardia) but serious arrhythmias are uncommon. It often causes orthostatic hypotension as well, and resulting dizziness on standing up.
I take a tricyclic myself: lofepramine, my heart rate is 100 beats per minute at rest- it has been 100 bpm for the last two years! It's reassuring to remember that the chronically elevated heart rate that tricyclics so commonly cause isn't related to any of their serious cardiac side effects. Have you tried any of the other tricyclic antidepressants?
>I hope tianeptine can control the panic disorder.
Me too :-)
>Thanks for listening.. I think I've rambled on and on. hehheh.
It was a nice post :-)
Kind regards,
Ed.PS. Are you from Indonesia or did I just imagine that?
poster:ed_uk
thread:474445
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050413/msgs/483659.html