Posted by yxibow on January 15, 2007, at 1:32:18
In reply to Xanax, posted by Cynthia_Greene on January 14, 2007, at 15:36:47
> I was reading at another website that Xanax is more similar to an anticonvulsant than any of the other benzos, since it's more powerful.
>
> So, does that mean that if I'm taking a medication that regular anticonvulsants or barbiturates can interfere with, can Xanax also possibly cause a drug interaction?
>
> If it helps, I don't use the Xanax more than 2x a week, and I also used to take Valium without getting any drug interaction problems. I'm just really worried about what I read from the other website.
2x a week is about right, because as I've said before Xanax is best used, as you're taking a PRN (pro re ne, or as needed) benzodiazepine.All benzodiazepines are anxiolytic, sedative-hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and antispasmotic. They just vary in how much they bind to the GABA-BZ (GABA-A) receptors.
Xanax binds more to the anxiolytic subreceptors as does Ativan somewhat. It is less of an anticonvulsant and is not ususally used as such in an ER setting. Valium and Ativan are used to fight seizures more in an emergency use. Klonopin is also more of an anticonvulsant but its uptake is slower than Valium or Ativan. Xanax's uptake is fairly rapid but it is more of an anxiolytic.
Versed, Restoril, Dalmane, are more hypnotic (sleep or hospital sedation agents.)
As for drug interactions, all sedative and CNS depressive agents can multiply each other. Alcohol, Kava, Benadryl, propranolol, etc. can magnify the effects of a benzodiazepine (sedative/CNS depressant) and due caution until one is sure of how the benzodiazepine works is best.
-- tidings
poster:yxibow
thread:722248
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070113/msgs/722428.html