Bad reaction to Xanax can I take Ativan?

Recently diagnosed with anxiety. I took 1/2 of a xanax the other day and had a bad reaction. It made me feel horrible and crazy. I felt insane after taking it and started having horrible thoughts and the whole next day I bad anxiety. Will I have this reaction to all benzos? I also have Ativan but have never taken it. I got the Xanax from a doctor in urgent care and my psychiatrist prescribed me Ativan, he told me to try both to see which one I liked better (not on the same day of course). But now I am terrified to try the Ativan after the way Xanax made me feel. Will it have the same reaction? Are they basically the same med or will they affect me differently?

[silverberg]

WOW that is unusual reaction to xanax, it saved my life! or should I say gave me my life back, allot of people with tell you about the addictiveness of xanax, which is true, but It is a GOOD drug for short term or as needed so one can work on reasons for Panic. hope you have better luck with the ativan. keep us posted.

[Cherie762]

They are two different medications that should have a calming effect, it is quite unusual the reaction you had to 1/2 of a xanax, are you feeling anxious or parinoid over taking anti anxiety drugs?

valuim, ativan, xanax areall basically similar everyone has their own opinion as to which works best,

Even if you had a whole milligram xanax, snapped it and took.5 mg thats a low dose  for an adult, I have a feeling your reaction was more psycosematic than chemical

[Brenndy]

It reasons to me that you had not taken enough of the Xanax to help = panic can be quite intense, at times, to the point of debilitating.
I wouldn't consider that a reaction, per se.....
Nonetheless, it's all about the chemical composition of the 3 drugs you listed.  If you Wikipedia them, you can see their photos and then understand their mechanism.
Check it out......

[ILADVOCATE]

Out of the benzodizepenes Xanax is the most short acting and when it runs out gives a person a return of anxiety symptoms. It is not meant for long term use on a daily basis. Ativan is somewhat longer lasting and has less of this potential. Klonopin which I take has the longest half life (amount of time it remains in the body) and is generally the safest for long term daily use and has the least potential for a person building up a tolerance to it though it is a risk factor with all of them. Make sure you didn't have an adverse reaction to it. It is rare but occasionally these medications can cause personality changes. Ask your psychiatrist exactly what happenned. But from its general prescription usage even if works and there are no specific side effects, its not meant for long term everyday use but for occasional anxiety attacks.

[greenlydia]

Some of the side effects of Xanax are anxiety, confusion, tremors, stimulation, depression.............it is a very potent medication, but most people have no problems taking it and the main complaint is the sedating effect, which goes away once your body adjusts to it. But for you to have had such a severe reaction to what I'm guessing was a dose of 0.05mg, (1/2mg) you may indeed have a hypersensitivity to benzodiazepines. Personally I would not take another benzo until you consult with your psychiatrist.
Please know, just in case you wondered, that your negative reaction to Xanax did you no permanent harm.
Let us know how you're doing, OK?
Peace
Greenlydia