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From xanax to valium. Not by choice. Scared!!

Posted , 5 users are following.

bellal2
bellal2

Ok so i need some advise/encouragement.

I have been on alprazolam 2mgs a day for severe panic disorder where all other treatments have failed for approx a year, have never abused my dosage however the PBS now wont approve my authority to prescribed anymore. My poor GP couldnt do anything and watched me crumble in the room. She prescribed me valium 5mg tablets to keep my disorder at bay. I did some research last night and ofcourse Dr google scared the s#*t out of me.. im so terrified i will suffer from withdrawal from alprazolam as i have had to come off cold turkey and am petrified of seizures etc.. i am hoping the valium will help me combat some withdrawal symptoms.. i took my first valium this morning and 5mg is a small dose as 40mg is equivelant to the amount of alpraz i was on and i feel calm yet super drowsy... will my body have to get used to this like it did with alpraz? Has anyone experienced anything similar to.mine?

Thanks

0 likes, 21 replies

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  • samuels
    samuels bellal2

    Posted

    Ok, the PBS are cracking down on all S8 drugs here in Australia, that's the reason, however in saying that, what's the relationship between you and your GP like ? I have had this happen to me twice in 3 years due to the law change, and doctors being dead set against drugs of addictiveness, if your doctor is really good and understanding he/she should have no problem keeping you on the alprazolam, they may have to haggle, by that I mean reduce you from 2 Mg to 1 Mg but very slowly. I have been on this medication for 22 years so they can't take you straight off it, they have to wean you with the assistance of Valium (Diazepam), which is measured by the amount of alprazolam you take daily, body weight, etc. I was able to track down my original doctor that had moved on and he simply rang the PBS and authority given straight away. 

    I dare say because you have been on 2 Mg's a day they have reviewed your dosage, hence the refusal to authorise, but a letter should of been sent out to your GP explaining this, and your GP making you aware of the PBS plan or at least offered some alternative , like dropping to the 1 Mg tablet. 

    • samuels
      samuels

      Posted

      I should of added, because you have only been on the 2 Mg alprazolam for one year this is probably why they have done this, even so they should of sent a letter of their concerns and  recommendations to your GP to discuss with you.
    • bellal2
      bellal2 samuels

      Posted

      Yes i sent a rather large email to the PBS about my dissaointment in being unauthorised and having to go cold turkey. I am now day 5 without alpraz and just the valium.. the first 3 days were hard. I didnt feel real.. i felt i was living in another world. Im now not as drowsy and have gotten through work without a panic attack and even attended a meeting which causes me severe anxiety. Im starting to feel much calmer however im rather dissapointed in how everything was handled and how i wasnt weaned off this drug. And the reasons why my authority was not granted was not specified. Im going back to.my doc next week and am going to ask her to call. However ive come this far without it.. is it worth going back on them?
    • magmag1116
      magmag1116 bellal2

      Posted

      I suggest you to stay with Valium since you have gone cold turkey on Xanax  for a few days and you got it through ! Well done ! For me, I can’t live the day without Valium . 😭

    • samuels
      samuels bellal2

      Posted

      Hi,

      Look in all honesty, if you are feeling much , much better and you can handle the anxiety I would stay away from the alprazolam , you can always go back on them if it begins to worsen like when you first diagnosed with panic/anxiety.

      I think you will find your GP or therapist may of had a role in why the PBS is denying you an authority, yes they monitor the drug and in real time, they will write to your GP asking questions as to why you may still be on them, sometimes they will suggest that a patient comes off them, but I personally haven't heard of the PBS denying authorities flat out, someone has to trigger the denial off.  the PBS knows how to go about weaning you off them, it's their job as well as your GP's to know how to do this.

      A doctor can still write you a script for alparazolam but they won't call for an authority, they will place a cross in the PBS square, so then you will have to buy the medication at full cost not the subsidised cost, no authority needed in this scenario, however the doctor is limited to how much he/she can prescribe.

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