Question on Valium/Tolerance - Anxiety Message Board

N8boCbo · 01-16-2005, 08:01 PM

Hello Everyone,

I have a few questions on Anxiety and Meds so I'm hoping someone could help me as I don't see my Pdoc for another week.

I wouldn't say I have a huge problem with anxiety, but I'll give a quick synopsis. I take Hydrocodone for pain and admit I've gotten carried away with it. It was also causing me to turn into quite the hermit. I never wanted to do anything anymore, just stay in the house (I'm a stay at home mom). Even going to the grocery store would be a big deal. I've suffered from depression for years and am on Lexapro 20mg and Wellbuterin XR 300mg. I'm weaning myself off the Hydro since I know I am addicted to it (this isn't the first time I've tried to do it). Everytime I do this, I get anxiety. The only symptom I get is the feeling of butterflies in the stomach. But in a HUGE way. It makes me feel horrible, just so worried and nervous. My Pdoc has tried me on Xanax first. I didn't like the way it made me feel, like a zombie. A half of a .5 wouldn't be enough, but a whole would drug me out. So next he gave me Ativan. It was ok, but after a few hours of taking it I'd get really sleepy and just crash. And that doesn't bode well when you're alone with 2 kids. So last time I was in I asked about Valium. He told me to go ahead and try it, but he said most of his patients say it comes on quicker, but doesn't last as long either. So 2 days ago I finally tried it. It was the 5mg he told me to take. While it worked a bit more than the others did, I could still feel the "butterflies" a little bit, kind of zombie-ish and it didn't even seem to last an hour. So I took another a few hours later. Same thing. So a few hours after that, I decided to take 2. It made me feel really tired. So today I went back to one and it's hardley working! It's lasting mabye 20 minutes. I don't want to keep taking it over and over as I know your body can get addicted to it. As much as I loved the feeling when I took Hydro, I really don't like the feeling of Anti-Anxiety meds. Question, how long does it take your body to develop a resistance to it? Does anyone know the max mg of one dosage? I don't want to go into any kind of overdose either, I'm worried about that as well. Has anyone else had this same problem with their meds? Any other options besides Xanax, Ativan and Valium?

Thanks for anyones help!

hry33 · 01-17-2005, 02:01 PM

as you probably know, xanax valium and ativan are all the same type of med, they all are effective for anxiety and panic attacks
generally people dont become tollerant to them but you can eventually become tollerant to the sedation effect and wrongly thing the med is no longer working and that you need to up the dose

everyone needs a different dose and you seem to need small doses, a new benzo can sedate you strongly for about a week until you get used to it, cut the tablet into halves or quarters to adjust the dose

lexapro and wellbutrin are antidepressants and these often greatly reduce anxiety and panic attacks, did they help you?

strong painkillers are also often good for anxiety and panic attacks

ask psych about a beta blocker med such as inderal, often helpful for the butterflies and other physical effects of stress and anxiety

N8boCbo · 01-18-2005, 10:10 PM

Thank you so much for answering my question! I haven't noticed the Lexapro/Wellbuterin helping, but this butterflies thing only comes when I'm trying to get off painkillers. As soon as I start back on them, zap, it's gone. Now it's a few days later and the Valium seems to be working better. Yesterday I didn't any at all, tonight, only 2 (1 at each time). I'm going to the psych Thursday, so I'll mention the beta blockers. Thank you again!