Multiple Benzodiazepines

[ensignoftheunit]

Is it uncommon for a VA pysch to perscribe a long acting benzo like klonopin and a short acting, quick onset one like Xanax for an as needed basis?

I'm having the time of my life trying to get my Doctor to realize that the Klonopin is fine for most days, but doesn't touch a panic attack. Thus far she has been dead adamant against Xanax. It really doesn't need to be Xanax, just something with a much quicker onset time than Klonopin because if I take my entire daily dose (4mg) of Klonopin during a panic attack I might as well have taken a placebo because by the time it kicks in my mind is spinning so fast that I can't think straight.

[john999]

From my experience the VA is afraid of this class of drugs because of OD's in the past. My pain management doctor was dead set against my use of clonazepam. They believe that I will kill myself by accident. If I asked for xanax along with clonazepam they would slap my face because I take pain meds as well. I can understand why you want to take xanax for panic. I would never tell them I take four clonazepam at one time. In their minds they see you mixing the two drugs and ending up dead. Then they see their jobs in jepardy which is what they care about in reality. No drug is evil. It is the abuse of the drug that causes problems. The VA sees us all as drug abusers who are only being restrained by VA doctor's eagle eyes.

[Pete53]

The VA is not afraid your Doctor is. I have had a prescription for xanax since 1991 and also tried clonopin. Not really helpfor for my problems. Am I addicted probably so but I have never taken more than my prescribed dose.

There are plenty of other meds the VA gives you that can kill you.

[john999]

Pete

You bet! Methadone is one of the worst and they prescribed it to me as well as morphine, and fentynal. The pain clinic doctors at my VAMC were the ones who hated all the benzodiazepines.

There is nothing wrong with Xanax. I have been getting clonazepam and valium and narcotics from my VA for years. I am not dead yet. I am careful with them because they make my apnea worse. Also, I hate rebound insomnia when I start to taper down if it start to hit the maximum dose. There is a difference between dependence and addiction. Most of us are dependent but not addicts.

[chinavet]

I did 14 years on Klonopin. It was the only thing that stopped the panic attacks.

By accident my dose was halved by the druggist. I was a raving maniac for a week or do before I figured it out. The pills look identical in Hong Kong.

I decided I would try to get off the benzos. It took over a year. I only use them PRN now but my memory is shot.

The klonopin kept me pretty depressed: I tried suicide a couple of times on Klonopin. It's not a good OD drug unless you mix alcohol with it. Dont! And mixing Benzos is a terrible idea.

The shorter the half life of the drug the more addictive it is Xanax is very short.

Research shows panic attacks can increase up to five fold after only 10 straight days of short term benzo use. Stay away of you can.

Haven't had a full blown attack in 18 months since getting off high Klonopin dose.

[john999]

Paxil is a good long term drug for panic. It has other side effects people don't like but compared to panic attacks they are probably worth it. If you are afraid to go out of the house due to panic try Paxil for six weeks and see.