Hi guys,

Im out of hospital now and mostly doing ok.

Im taking 1200mg/seroquel + 30mg/abilify per day for my schizophrenia and the combo is very effective.

I am also taking 80mg prozac/day for depression and anxiety.

Lately though, since hospital, ive ben getting breakthrough panic attacks. They are horrible. None of the ususal relaxaton exercises work.

I am prescribed diazepam 10-20mg, 1-3 times per day but im finding its not strong enough. If I take 20mg 2x per day that barely covers me.

Ive been down the xanax path before and I dont want to go that way again.

Can anyone recommend a benzo that might be more suitable for me than diazepam? What is xanax xr like? Other options I can think of are clonozepam and thats about it.

Look forward to your responses.

hi. welcome back.

I've never had valium (not for lack of need, I'm pretty sure....anyway...)

However, I am on propranolol prn, and my pdoc upped my max dose of this, rather than give me a benzo. It works for general anxiety situations (like busy times at work, travelling etc) as well as bringing me out of major panic....It doesn't make all the symptoms go away, but slows me down enough to think more rationally and be able to breathe...

Hi. Welcome back as well.

I just wanted to add that I, too, take a beta-blocker (I take metoprolol) and it takes care of many of the symptoms of a panic attack for me. I don't know what your attacks are like, of course, but the beta-blocker slows down my heart rate and helps me breathe...for whatever reason, I just can't get a reasonable breath in when I'm in a panic attack...not just a deep breath, I mean like any decent breath. I find that once I'm breathing and my heart isn't racing away, the feelings of doom tend to dissipate. You know?

I don't know if this helps...maybe you need the other relaxation stuff that a benzo gives...good luck to you.

~Cat

I take clonazepam. I think it's supposed to be stronger than diazepam. You can give that a try. You can also try a beta blocker like others have suggested but that only deals with the physical symptomps, not what's going on in your head. Never tried diazepam or xanax xr myself so i can't comment on those.

Tom

My p-doc isnt a big fan of clonozepam. He is a big diazepam person.

I will ask him about the xanax xr though. Otherwise I will just have to stick with diazepam, which does work but I need fairly big doses of it (eg 20mg 2x/day).

Hey Chimp! Welcome back!

Well, my friend. I'm sorry your doc doesn't like it, but I am a huge fan of clonazepam. I take .5mg at night, and .5prn during the day. You'd probably need a higher dose, cuz I'm a lightweight on meds. But really, it works like a charm.

Croix

Hi Everyone. Thanks for your support during this tough time. I had 5 days as an inpatient when risperdal sent me off the deep end.

I am now stable again and am not as dependent on the valium as the abilify/seroquel mix seems to have stabilised and is working really well. Nearly 3 days without valium now. Yay. Might have some today though....

Glad to hear you are doing OK chimpmaster!

Tom