Anyone have any experience on switching FROM benzos to things like Buspar?

[Ruins]

I've been on LIbrium for many years, Xanax before that and Ativan before that. The Ativan and the Xanax quit working so we switched to Librium. I see a PNP now instead of a PDOC because my old doctor fired me when I lost my insurance.

 

The PNP is pretty anti-benzo and wants me to start tapering off and (3x25mg from 4X25mg) switching over to Buspar until I get off the benzo completely. She thinks that it is making me cognitively impaired...and I have been for the past year or so but I also got dx'd with hypothyroidsm and chalked it up to that. I've been on Levothryoxine since June and I can see it working in some areas but cognitively I couldn't take a class in college because I am not all there cognitively.

 

Could she be right or is she just some anti-benzo nutjob and I should ignore her because Librium helps? Anyone have any experiences like this?

I'm not sure what my dx would be for the anxiety - probably a mix of gad and sad although I do get panic attacks if there is a big enough trigger and I've had one that just happened for no reason.

 

I really don't like changing my drugs when they work so I'm not sure if this is a step back or a step forward.

[Sloane]

Yes, I have experience from switching from Clonazepam to Buspar. Although my reasons were quite different, I might have some helpful information.

First off, Buspar is nothing like Benzodiazepines.

Clonazepam, for me, hit me with a great feeling of ease and then slowly smoothed down my anxiety. This is because it enhances GABA in your Central Nervous System, calming anxiety. This is also why it can (read...can not will) be addicting or cause dependency in some people (which is what happened to me).

Buspar doesn't work that way. It deals more with Serotonin, and is supposed to bind and activate 5HT1A thus leading to Anxiety relief. The thing with Buspar is that it doesn't work for all people. It's less sedating which is a plus, but works a lot less on mental anxiety and a lot more on keeping your heartbeat down, and from sweating and shaking when anxious (which in-turns helps anxiety).

On 1/27/2016 at 7:36 PM, Ruins said:

Could she be right or is she just some anti-benzo nutjob and I should ignore her because Librium helps? Anyone have any experiences like this?

Cognition issues can come from medications or illness. And unfortunately the only way to really tell is riding the med-go-round.

If your anxiety treatment is not Benzo exclusive, it might be a good idea to try her suggestions. If you have severe/uncontrollable anxiety, I would strongly suggest therapy to piggy-back Buspar. 

My anxiety was severe, but I had no choice but to get off Clonazepam. Switching to Buspar was my own choice, because I started Therapy and wanted to be on less medications. I felt a huge difference in the two, Clonazepam being more 'obviously' helpful. But Buspar helped my physical anxiety during my Therapy.

[HAL9000]

I wanted to add agreement  to that statement.  I "think" (amateur opinion time) Buspar has little to no baggage and is well worth trying.  I think in my case it keeps a normal day with the average expected triggers and anxieties in check (Life made doable)  If you have some sort of use as needed Benzo?  I think thats a very good combo.  Knowing you have an as needed Benzo is sometimes all I need.   Do I want to take that Xanax?  Maybe save that for if it gets worse?  Ahhh... never mind... I'm ok.

On the other hand - just spent 2 hours on hold heard someone pick up and hang up on me for the 3rd time in one day!  Or getting mega triggered by something and I'm just shaking like a leaf in the wind?  Good to have a back up plan. 

Try asking your Doc what she thinks about that as a solution?  Let her explain her attitude about Benzos.  My GDoc was truly horrified at that study that Benzos = Alzheimers and Dementia.  And frankly I was concerned as well.  The problem with all these studies is wait a month and a new one comes out that contradicts the other.  And one persons problem with addiction is not another persons problem at all.  If that makes sense.