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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by software guru on June 5, 2003, at 8:16:39
How long should one wait before switching from one benzo to another, such as from Ativan to Xanax? Is there a danger of any interaction or multplying effect if the two drugs are in your body at the same time? Would 25 mg a day of Zoloft have any effect on this?
Thanks.
Posted by Kathii on June 5, 2003, at 14:41:32
In reply to Xanax and Ativan interaction, posted by software guru on June 5, 2003, at 8:16:39
> How long should one wait before switching from one benzo to another, such as from Ativan to Xanax? Is there a danger of any interaction or multplying effect if the two drugs are in your body at the same time? Would 25 mg a day of Zoloft have any effect on this?
>
> Thanks.hmmm, your pdoc should have told you when to start taking the new drug. You could try the pharmacy (or the drug fact sheet online) and find out what the half-life is, or it may even say how long it lasts in your system.
I have taken both (not at the same time), from experience I would think that as long as you weren't on a high dosage you could take the new drug within a day or two...the Zoloft shouldn't make a difference.
Posted by paxvox on June 5, 2003, at 18:03:36
In reply to Xanax and Ativan interaction, posted by software guru on June 5, 2003, at 8:16:39
Guru,
If you check elsewhere on this page, or do a search from Dr. Bob, you will find a benzo comparison chart that gives relative strengths of each med as well as the half-life. Xanax to Ativan would not be a problem at all unless you are taking a very high dose of Xanax (>2mg) more than twice to three times daily. Xanax is about 10 x as powerful as Valium, I do not remember the equivalence to Ativan, but that information IS on this page. Zoloft should not have any effect on either of these meds. I have taken about every benzo you could name at one time or another, and I have switched between them w/o any problems. The BIG problem comes when you stop taking benzos w/o slowly reducing the dose, now THAT WILL cause you some major problems!PAX
Posted by stjames on June 5, 2003, at 23:55:14
In reply to Re: Xanax and Ativan interaction » software guru, posted by Kathii on June 5, 2003, at 14:41:32
The half life of these 2 benzo's is the same,
so you can keep the same frequancy of dosing.
If you dose on Xaxax every X hours you do the same on the Ativan. Over time you may need to
adjust a bit but for starters, one leaves the body
at close to the same rate as the other.Keep in mind that benzos are not millagram for
millagram equalivant, so do not be conserned
that you took X mgs of Xanax but now you take a different strength of Atavin. There are standard charts for doing this conversion, however you may find a need to adjust a little either way to get the same
control of whatever you are treating.
Posted by software guru on June 6, 2003, at 7:11:32
In reply to Xanax and Ativan interaction, posted by software guru on June 5, 2003, at 8:16:39
Thanks for the answers guys. I'm not on a regimine or anything, I just had an old unused Ativan prescription that I had been given for sleep a few years ago. Due to some bad anxiety attacks I started taking .5 or 1 mg a day for the last week or so as needed. My general doctor prescribed me some Zoloft and Xanax, and I was just worried that the Ativan had maybe built up in my body or something and would interact. Thanks again, I'll check out the comparison post on this site.
Posted by judy1 on June 7, 2003, at 11:56:39
In reply to Re: Xanax and Ativan interaction, posted by software guru on June 6, 2003, at 7:11:32
I don't remember the chart, but I do remember substituting xanax for ativan (at pretty comparable doses) and the xanax worked much better for panic disorder then ativan did. I've also take 2 different benzos at times- xanax and klonopin- and have no problems (maybe a little more sedation depending on the dose). take care, judy
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