Posted by Quintal on December 20, 2006, at 9:53:25
In reply to What Do You Do If You Develope A tolerance to Benz, posted by Phillipa on December 19, 2006, at 22:28:14
Tolerance to benzos can happen in as little as two weeks for some people so it would be surprising if you hadn't developed some degree of tolerance after 35 years. Tolerance occurs regardless of whether you abused them - compulsively raising the dose is called addiction. Tolerance occurs when your brain opposes the action of the benzo to restore its equilibrium, so the usual dose of the benzo has less effect. When I quit Klonopin cold turkey one time I felt as if I'd taken a huge dose of amphetamine - a rush of energy and exhilaration followed by a crash. This was probably because my brain had been fighting the depressant action of the Klonopin and having that suddenly removed my brain went into overdrive until it managed to restore its natural balance.
Have you considered Lyrica (pregabalin) as a benzo alternative or to help you deal with the anxiety while you lower your dose of Valium? You may find that Valium is doing little, if anything, to help you now - perhaps making you feel sleepy for a while at night. It could also be contributing to your depression and fatigue more than you realise.
Xanax isn't the most appropriate med for sleep. It has little hypnotic action and is short acting. The 0.25mg is equivalent to 5mg Valium. That's weaker than the average Ambien and Lunesta doses. Those two meds would be more appropriate if you could find a doctor to prescribe them.
Q
poster:Quintal
thread:715139
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061217/msgs/715198.html