Another Benzo question/concern...

[Sarah11212]

I posted a few days back about Benzo's as I was not familiar with what they were and got a lot of responses.
I just discovered that the migraine medicine I've taken for years, is a Benzo. It is called Maxalt.  
I do not take them on a daily basis, only as needed.
I took one this afternoon and then realized as I was browsing the net, that they are a Benzo.
Should I not take them anymore???

[bmdad]

As they say, it's always better to be safe than sorry! You can never be too careful when it comes to addiction.

[Sarah11212]

"and"

[Sarah11212]

You all are correct! Sorry.
I just saw the "Benzo" part ant went into panic mode.

[bmdad]

I guess Maxalt is Rizatriptan Benzoate. Maybe she saw the "benzo" in Benzoate and assumed it was a benzo.

Scriptnomore....when people refer to "benzos" they are referring to benzodiazepines.

[hellc@mst]

Ooops! Too slow.

[hellc@mst]

Really? I dont think Maxalt is a benzo at all. Isnt it a triptan?  I wouldnt worry about it.

[my_mayberry]

maxalt is a triptan.....it is not addicting at all.

[vicki595]

Maxalt is not a benzo. Where did you read that?

[Sarah11212]

I have never felt anything from them other than relief from a migraine.

I do find it interesting though that I took one this afternoon and my anxiety is no longer there.

I only take these maybe 4-6 times a month.

[bmdad]

If you only use them for migraines, and you don't get them all the time, I don't see a problem with it. Normally benzos are prescribed for anxiety and stress and addicts tend to keep reaching for the pill bottle anytime they are stressed and it can become quite the habit. A migraine is a migraine so there's definitely a right time and a not so right time to take your Maxalt.

If you think or are worried about it becoming a problem you could check into a different kind of migraine med. I'm sure there are quite a few out there.

I was prescribed xanax one time during withdrawals. I took them for just shy of a month, quit them ct and never had the desire to take one. I never really suffer from anxiety and rarely stress about anything so that may be the reason I didn't feel like I needed to reach for them.

I wonder too if the chemical makeup of the Maxalt is different to where it doesn't give you that "relaxed" feeling?

This is just my opinion but this is what I think I would do if it were me. I would probably try a different type of migraine med to see if it works just as well but if I only had to take a couple a month I probably wouldn't worry about. If I had to take them more often, and there's even the slightest change they are addicting, I would definitely try different types of meds.

Besides the relief of your migraine, do you feel anything else from them such as a buzz or a relaxed type feeling?

Hopefully someone who knows more about Maxalt will post. I'm sure Vicki has an idea of what it is and if you need to be concerned.

Best of luck to you.



Brian