Re: For Jeff Again or Anyone Else Who Can Help

[Guest guest]

hello Deb:

Sorry to hear that you are having such a rough go of it. Usually lex

is the easier one to come off but as we all know....different people

react differently. I used to call what you are going thru " mushroom

head "

I will offer you encouragement....it WILL stop.

I would definately ask her about the withdrawal associated with

Effexor! it has a much shorter half life and can be a

bear....however, not with you hopefully! With Effexor, even if you

are late with a dose, it can bring on withdrawal in

many.....however, I must say it did wonders for me until I decided I

wanted off....then i had trouble, even with a sloooow taper.

Then I started Lex which was much less effective for me but

ultimately much easier to get off.<for me that is> God, if only we

all reacted the same to these drugs,,,,kind of like a gambling game!

Valium will make your entire body/head slow down and will usually

make you drowsey so use caution...do not drive on it. Small doses

over a short time are ok but beyond that it is addictive, caution is

indicated and do not try to cold turkey that one either!. Hopefully

it will help, and you will only need it a short while.

Plz keep us posted and best of luck....Remember...things will get

better!

Jeff

> Hey Jeff & Guys,

>

> Saw my pdoc today and told her how bad my withdraws were with Lex

(6

> days worth of SEVERE head rushes, dizziness, nausea). She told me

to

> stop it completely for 2 more days and gave me Effexor to try on

> Monday. Lord knows, I've tried Paxil, Zoloft, Elavil, you name it

> and I personally know several people who take it and love it. Of

> course, it's another personal thing. Anyway, I told her even 5

> Xanax/day isn't working so she switched me to Valium, 10 mg., 2-3

> times/day. Can you let me know how this will make me feel? I'm

> getting a little drug phobic. I didn't like Klonopin because it

made

> my head feel funny. Thanks again for any input.

>

> Deb

[Guest guest]

Hello Deb:

I'm sure you will find relief with the Valium. I know what you mean

about the addiction thing...I am 56 and am not concerned myself. I

guess if you plan on staying on something all your life, it really

doesn't matter. Benzo withdrawal can be hell on earth from what I

hear. I actually used Valium to eliminate Xanax!

I sympathize about your GAD. It is my biggest and worst enemy and I

have been fighting with it for over 15 years. I actually had about 6

months being SSRI free and not being too bothereed by the GAD (yook

Valium too)....it was the best I had felt in years but then GAD

returned getting progressively worse during the past 6 weeks.

Since I have become almost Phobic about SSRI's, I do not have many

choices left. I am currently trying trazadone. I think it is similar

since it also acts on Serazone and another brain chemical. I am not

sure if it is helping my sleep maintainance since It is only a few

days now.

I am still amazed at how my PDoc talks about SSRI's being perfectly

safe ands wonderful. I mention the Paxil and Serzone problems and he

just skips right over them.

As far as Xanax goes, you probably reached tolerance where your body

needed more to maintain the same effect.....very common with benzos

(including Valium). Happened to me too and the danger with alot of

folk is that they try to compensate by upping the dose....thus

begins the dangerous cycle, and Xanax withdrawal makes SSRI

withdrawal seem tame.

Hopefully you will find relief with the Effexor. As I said It was

the best of the lot for me. You may wish to ask your doc about

Effexor XR (I think it is called....slow release form).

Regards

Jeff

> > Hey Jeff & Guys,

> >

> > Saw my pdoc today and told her how bad my withdraws were with

Lex

> (6

> > days worth of SEVERE head rushes, dizziness, nausea). She

told me

> to

> > stop it completely for 2 more days and gave me Effexor to try

on

> > Monday. Lord knows, I've tried Paxil, Zoloft, Elavil, you

name it

> > and I personally know several people who take it and love it.

Of

> > course, it's another personal thing. Anyway, I told her even

5

> > Xanax/day isn't working so she switched me to Valium, 10 mg.,

2-3

> > times/day. Can you let me know how this will make me feel?

I'm

> > getting a little drug phobic. I didn't like Klonopin because

it

> made

> > my head feel funny. Thanks again for any input.

> >

> > Deb

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello again Deb:

There is a direct relationship between the 2 meds and what equals

what. If I remember, I was taking .25mg Xanax 4 Times per day and

the Replacement my doc put me on was .5 mg valium x 3 times per

day,which is not the standard " protocol " (I made me so tired I

changed it to .25mg valium x4 per day....doc approved...Funny since

my SSRI tolerance was high!

There are references....do a Google search for Ashton Protocol for

more info on getting from xanax to valium...it is one of

her " approved " methods although i find her a bit conservative.(That

is not to say that my doc was correct either, but I had very little

feeling of eliminating the Xanax!)Usually it is more Valium per mg

then of Xanax. If memory serves me, the valium dose sounds in bounds

for the amount of xanax you were on (actually without a calculator,

it sames like the same ratio)....also depends on how long you were

on it! DO KEEP YOUR DOC APPRAISED SHOULD YOU FEEL ANYTHING OUT OF

SORTS

10 mg of valium should make you pretty drowsey, so lay down on the

couch and be ready for a snooze. it may take a while getting used to!

It can be VERY sedating and there will be no " pop " like Xanax.(at

least with me)It will also take longer to come on...but when it

does....zonk!

HOWEVER you will NOT have the PEAKS and VALLEYS of Xanax since

Valium has a much longer half life and will treat you smoother!!!!

Xanax can have a very nasty withdrawal (almost like a depressive

mourning feeling if not done properly so be aware....However, it

sounds like your Doc has it well in hand and you will probably be

just fine!!!

Note: after a few months on Valium, it began to poop out for me. I

switched to the same dose of Klonopin and do not think it is

effective with me....bummer!

Regards

Jeff

> > > Hey Jeff & Guys,

> > >

> > > Saw my pdoc today and told her how bad my withdraws were

with

> Lex

> > (6

> > > days worth of SEVERE head rushes, dizziness, nausea).

She

> told me

> > to

> > > stop it completely for 2 more days and gave me Effexor

to try

> on

> > > Monday. Lord knows, I've tried Paxil, Zoloft, Elavil,

you

> name it

> > > and I personally know several people who take it and

love it.

> Of

> > > course, it's another personal thing. Anyway, I told her

even

> 5

> > > Xanax/day isn't working so she switched me to Valium, 10

mg.,

> 2-3

> > > times/day. Can you let me know how this will make me

feel?

> I'm

> > > getting a little drug phobic. I didn't like Klonopin

because

> it

> > made

> > > my head feel funny. Thanks again for any input.

> > >

> > > Deb

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Deb:

Sorry to but in but.....I recommend you follow your Doc's

recommendations to the letter....Withdrawing from Xanax is nothing

to fool with!! So big deal...you fall asleep (no driving!). PLEASE

BE CAREFUL! I personally experienced MINOR Xanax withdrawal for a

few days....it was horrendous!The Valium did the trick!

BTW: if today is Sunday, I am really in deep doodoo (if you are in

the USA)...here it is Saturday! <grin>

Regards

jeff

> Thank you once again, Jeff! I think I'll try the 5 mg. first and

see how I feel. Thank goodness it's Sunday, my food shopping is

done, and don't have to do much.

>

> Deb

> Re: For Jeff Again or Anyone Else Who Can Help

>

>

> Hello again Deb:

> There is a direct relationship between the 2 meds and what

equals

> what. If I remember, I was taking .25mg Xanax 4 Times per day

and

> the Replacement my doc put me on was .5 mg valium x 3 times per

> day,which is not the standard " protocol " (I made me so tired I

> changed it to .25mg valium x4 per day....doc approved...Funny

since

> my SSRI tolerance was high!

>

> There are references....do a Google search for Ashton Protocol

for

> more info on getting from xanax to valium...it is one of

> her " approved " methods although i find her a bit conservative.

(That

> is not to say that my doc was correct either, but I had very

little

> feeling of eliminating the Xanax!)Usually it is more Valium per

mg

> then of Xanax. If memory serves me, the valium dose sounds in

bounds

> for the amount of xanax you were on (actually without a

calculator,

> it sames like the same ratio)....also depends on how long you

were

> on it! DO KEEP YOUR DOC APPRAISED SHOULD YOU FEEL ANYTHING OUT

OF

> SORTS

>

> 10 mg of valium should make you pretty drowsey, so lay down on

the

> couch and be ready for a snooze. it may take a while getting

used to!

> It can be VERY sedating and there will be no " pop " like Xanax.

(at

> least with me)It will also take longer to come on...but when it

> does....zonk!

>

> HOWEVER you will NOT have the PEAKS and VALLEYS of Xanax since

> Valium has a much longer half life and will treat you

smoother!!!!

> Xanax can have a very nasty withdrawal (almost like a depressive

> mourning feeling if not done properly so be aware....However, it

> sounds like your Doc has it well in hand and you will probably

be

> just fine!!!

>

> Note: after a few months on Valium, it began to poop out for me.

I

> switched to the same dose of Klonopin and do not think it is

> effective with me....bummer!

>

> Regards

> Jeff

>

>

> > > > Hey Jeff & Guys,

> > > >

> > > > Saw my pdoc today and told her how bad my withdraws

were

> with

> > Lex

> > > (6

> > > > days worth of SEVERE head rushes, dizziness,

nausea).

> She

> > told me

> > > to

> > > > stop it completely for 2 more days and gave me

Effexor

> to try

> > on

> > > > Monday. Lord knows, I've tried Paxil, Zoloft,

Elavil,

> you

> > name it

> > > > and I personally know several people who take it and

> love it.

> > Of

> > > > course, it's another personal thing. Anyway, I told

her

> even

> > 5

> > > > Xanax/day isn't working so she switched me to

Valium, 10

> mg.,

> > 2-3

> > > > times/day. Can you let me know how this will make

me

> feel?

> > I'm

> > > > getting a little drug phobic. I didn't like

Klonopin

> because

> > it

> > > made

> > > > my head feel funny. Thanks again for any input.

> > > >

> > > > Deb

> > >

> > >

> > >