[wushuduck]

If you build a tolerance to one benzo, for example valium, do you also become tolerant to the other benzodiazpines such as Xanax and Klonopin?

[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by Twigg

If you build a tolerance to one benzo, for example valium, do you also become tolerant to the other benzodiazpines such as Xanax and Klonopin?

In my experience, yes. Although both Xanax and Klonopin are stronger than Valium. Basically it means that you'll still feel their effects, but just not as strongly as say someone who had never taken a benzo.

[wushuduck]

Originally Posted by willowbrook

In my experience, yes. Although both Xanax and Klonopin are stronger than Valium. Basically it means that you'll still feel their effects, but just not as strongly as say someone who had never taken a benzo.

Thanks

My experience has been the same as Willowbrook's.

[gayleggg]

Originally Posted by willowbrook

In my experience, yes. Although both Xanax and Klonopin are stronger than Valium. Basically it means that you'll still feel their effects, but just not as strongly as say someone who had never taken a benzo.

I had never asked before but always assumed Valium was stronger, especially since they rarely use it anymore. I take Klonopin and don't seem to find it as strong as Xanax but it does seem to keep the level of anxiety more even. I did know they all have addictive qualities and have heard it's really hard to get off Klonopin but haven't had to try yet.

[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by gayleggg

I had never asked before but always assumed Valium was stronger, especially since they rarely use it anymore. I take Klonopin and don't seem to find it as strong as Xanax but it does seem to keep the level of anxiety more even. I did know they all have addictive qualities and have heard it's really hard to get off Klonopin but haven't had to try yet.

My understanding, combined with personal experience, is that Valium has a longer half life, but Xanax and Klonopin, although shorter acting, both produce a stronger effect or 'high'.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by Twigg

If you build a tolerance to one benzo, for example valium, do you also become tolerant to the other benzodiazpines such as Xanax and Klonopin?

Probably not,,not the same chemical compounds. What does your pdoc say?

Some of the replies, leave me wanting to ask my pdoc, why I can only tell xanax is working by relieved physical symptoms...yeah doc, why can't I feel it's effects???

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[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by healingme4me

Probably not,,not the same chemical compounds. What does your pdoc say?

Some of the replies, leave me wanting to ask my pdoc, why I can only tell xanax is working by relieved physical symptoms...yeah doc, why can't I feel it's effects???

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You can't feel the effects of Xanax, because you've developed a tolerance of it and the fact that it relieves physical symptoms also means you are physically dependent on it. They might have different names, different chemical or molecular structure (producing slightly different effects and/or half lives), but essentially they are the same medication. Valium is a Benzodiazepine like Xanax is, in the same way that Codeine is an Opioid narcotic the same way Morphine is.

Do not stop taking your Xanax, if you are physically dependent on it (and from what you've said it definitely sounds like you are) you could go into withdrawal, which can be unpleasant at best, and dangerous at worst. Speak to your Pdoc if you have any concerns.

[gayleggg]

I agree. Where is my high? They all just make me sleepy.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by willowbrook

You can't feel the effects of Xanax, because you've developed a tolerance of it and the fact that it relieves physical symptoms also means you are physically dependent on it. They might have different names, different chemical or molecular structure (producing slightly different effects and/or half lives), but essentially they are the same medication. Valium is a Benzodiazepine like Xanax is, in the same way that Codeine is an Opioid narcotic the same way Morphine is.

Do not stop taking your Xanax, if you are physically dependent on it (and from what you've said it definitely sounds like you are) you could go into withdrawal, which can be unpleasant at best, and dangerous at worst. Speak to your Pdoc if you have any concerns.

oh my. Ten a month, is qualifying for dependency???

I don't feel I am.

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[healingme4me]

I want to add. I get physical anxiety symptoms, thanks to multiple sclerosis. The xanax pill, stops heart palpitations. Heart palpitations lead to fatigue. Fatigue is a neurological thing about my neurological illness, that is debilitating.
I have spoken to my pdoc, who works with and next to my neurologist, about what is dependency of this substance. He stated, the long term script he is providing, is far from dependency making. He would talk to me, about any concerns in how i refill my med, if he had concerns.
My MS is in Remission. It's been benign for years, thanks to attending to all aspects of my health. If a little xanax,, is beneficial to having this life long illness, then so be it.

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[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by healingme4me

oh my. Ten a month, is qualifying for dependency???

I don't feel I am.

Sent from my LG-MS910 using Tapatalk 2

Oh, okay, then no I'd say probably not. On average it takes around 2-3 weeks of daily use, even at therapeutic dosage levels (ie not abusing them), for physical dependency to occur. The reason why I thought that was what was happening with you is that you said you had physical symptoms that were relieved when you took Xanax. I was working from the assumption that 'physical symptoms' meant physical withdrawal symptoms.

Did you mean more along the lines of you feeling physical effects when you're having a panic attack, and the Xanax helps with that, but you don't get anything else out of it - like feeling really relaxed, or sleepy?

[willowbrook]

Originally Posted by healingme4me

I want to add. I get physical anxiety symptoms, thanks to multiple sclerosis. The xanax pill, stops heart palpitations. Heart palpitations lead to fatigue. Fatigue is a neurological thing about my neurological illness, that is debilitating.
I have spoken to my pdoc, who works with and next to my neurologist, about what is dependency of this substance. He stated, the long term script he is providing, is far from dependency making. He would talk to me, about any concerns in how i refill my med, if he had concerns.
My MS is in Remission. It's been benign for years, thanks to attending to all aspects of my health. If a little xanax,, is beneficial to having this life long illness, then so be it.

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I replied before you posted this. So sorry to hear about your MS and the symptoms it's causing you. I totally agree that if Xanax is beneficial, and you've spoken about it with your Pdoc and been given the all clear, then keep taking them.

[Yoda]

Yes, developing tolerance to one benzodiazepine can result in tolerance to other benzos.

In fact there is a condition known as cross-tolerance that can result in tolerance to a different drug class.

There is cross tolerance between alcohol, the benzodiazepines, the barbiturates, the nonbenzodiazepine drugs, and corticosteroids, which all act by enhancing the GABAA receptor's function via modulating the chloride ion channel function of the GABAA receptor Benzodiazepine dependence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As a RN I have seen this effect in alcoholics. People who had habitual use of alcohol required higher (in some cases much higher) levels of anesthetics to sedate them. I once had an alcoholic go into delirium tremens and in the duration of my shift I gave >100 mg of intravenous Ativan. That much IV Ativan would kill an average person. It was not a pretty sight and not much fun for either of us.

[Lauliza]

From what my doctor has explained, valium and especially Xanax have the shorter half lives and and much more addictive. Ativan and klonopin are longer acting. I feel a bigger "high" for lack of a better term, from Xanax and Ativan and much less from klonopin. In fact valium ive only used for sleep and Xanax can make me sleepy too. Klonopin works the best by fa for me for anxiety, very little for sleep. It must be different for all people.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by willowbrook

Oh, okay, then no I'd say probably not. On average it takes around 2-3 weeks of daily use, even at therapeutic dosage levels (ie not abusing them), for physical dependency to occur. The reason why I thought that was what was happening with you is that you said you had physical symptoms that were relieved when you took Xanax. I was working from the assumption that 'physical symptoms' meant physical withdrawal symptoms.

Did you mean more along the lines of you feeling physical effects when you're having a panic attack, and the Xanax helps with that, but you don't get anything else out of it - like feeling really relaxed, or sleepy?

Thanks, sometimes, I am tired, several hours, after taking one. To me, there's no effect other than, if I am having a panic attack, a physical reaction to anxiety, that to take the pill to stop the anxiety, is what is most effective. Yes, there must have been confusion about what I meant about physical symptoms of anxiety. I'll have to reread my words, again, to see, if it's the way I wrote, to alleviate further confusion with anyone else.

I am not sure, why feeling sleepy would be 'getting anything else' out of it?

For intents and purposes, with semantics, could there possibly be a better word to describe benzos, other than 'high'? If anyone has some better solutions to the word usages as far as getting a little more sound words, due to stigmas involved, kwim?

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by willowbrook

I replied before you posted this. So sorry to hear about your MS and the symptoms it's causing you. I totally agree that if Xanax is beneficial, and you've spoken about it with your Pdoc and been given the all clear, then keep taking them.

It is what it is. Sorry, for seeming a little reactive. My exh used to call me a pill popper, due to his knowledge of my having a script for Xanax. This is a rather, sensitive topic for me.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by healingme4me

Probably not,,not the same chemical compounds. What does your pdoc say?

Some of the replies, leave me wanting to ask my pdoc, why I can only tell xanax is working by relieved physical symptoms...yeah doc, why can't I feel it's effects???

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^^^snarky, why don't I feel 'high'? Otherwise, I feel Yoda, answered it, with citations.