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Anxiety Community

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Just prescribed Nivaram (same as Xanax) need advice please!

by AngieBaby77, Mar 26, 2007 12:00AM
Tags: xanax, Anxiety
Doc told me to take .5 mg Nivaram (same as Xanax I'm told) twice daily.

I am scared to because I know this stuff can be highly addictive.  Can I just take it as needed? Or maybe only at night to help with sleep?  I really, really don't want to become dependent but I want to deal with my anxiety disorder.

P.S. I am also on Lexapro 10 mg daily.

Thanks!
Angela
Member Comments (3)

by holliexox, Mar 26, 2007 12:00AM
To: AngieBaby77
I would talk to your doctor or Pharmacist about this. but i take klonpion and its not that far off from Xanax ,there both are highly addciting but im not a MD so i dont know much about that. you can also google it and read about it, but really you shouldl talk to your doctor or Pharmacist like i said. good luck & best wishes :)

by RCA7591, Mar 26, 2007 12:00AM
Alprazolam (aka: Niravam, Xanax) is the worst possible choice for the management of anxiety states. Used daily (and in particular, mutliple doses daily), you will form a dependency rapidly (within the first two weeks to one month of treatment).

The drug has several negative characteristics, one of which is its relatively short half-life. Due to the short half-life, the drug wears off quickly, giving a sort of "rollercoaster" effect in between doses (known as interdose anxiety).

Xanax is the best PRN (as needed) drug, as it will eliminate a panic attack very quickly. But the effects of the drug are short lived, making it a poor choice for maintanence therapy. Xanax should only be used sparingly, to stop a panic attack. By sparingly, I mean no more than 2 to 3 times a week.

For the maintanence or management of anxiety states, a longer acting benzodiazepine will prevent interdose anxiety, and the "rollercoaster" effect as described above. Amoung the choices are Librium, Valium, and Klonopin. Klonopin is the most popular, as it is both potent and long acting. One dose lasts a minimum of 12 hours, and when used twice daily, a steady-state blood plasma level is developed, blocking the effects of anxiety and panic. Librium and Valium are typically dosed TID or QID, where Klonopin is usually effective BID (twice daily). This makes Klonopin more attractive.

If you have not yet taken the Niravam, I would discuss Klonopin with your doctor.

There is an extended release form of Alprazolam known as Xanax-XR, but the withdrawal phenomenon is greater for this drug when compared to Klonopin.

To answer your question: Yes, you can take the Niravam PRN (it was intended solely for this purpose). But if you need treatment long term, I would discuss the Klonopin with your doctor. The target dose for Klonopin is 1/2 mg BID.

-Ryan

by gkuche, May 14, 2007 12:00AM
To: Angiebaby77
Angie,

Are you still on this board? If you can, please contact me. My daughter has all the same symptoms as you and according to her MRA, she may have a small (1.5 mm) aneurysm. We have to wait 2 more weeks (have already waited 2) to talk to the Neurosurgeon and the Neurologist. She has the headaches and hand and feet tingling and falling asleep. She is only 20 and her friend died from one of these 6 months ago and my mother (her grandmother) passed away from one at the age of 53.

I would really like to hear from you if you should happen to get this.

My personal email address is: ***@****

Thanks a lot!!

Gina
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