Combinations - Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Alcohol (

[SubInfo]

SWIM knows that mixing any benzo and alcohol increases there effects. Does anyone know if you take Prozac and xanax together, will the xanax not be as strong as if it were taken by itself. Some say the Prozac cause more xanax to be released into the blood stream. But other sites say the opposite, that it decreases the levels. What do you all think??

[kareena]

From other forums I've visited (can't/won't name them but they're all over the net) I've seen a lot of evidence of US psychiatrists prescribing both antidepressants, such as prozac, in combination with benzos, such as xanax, to patients. Often, it's only a short benzo prescription to get the patient over the initial anxiety hump that a lot of ADs cause in the beginning but many patients appear to remain long term on both types of meds if the AD is taking care of depression but a benzo also long term if still needed for anxiety/other problems.

So to answer your question this suggests that an AD will not affect a benzo's efficacy too much as it seems a common and effective practice for many patients treated medically. Maybe an AD has a slight affect on the efficacy of a benzo (either potentiating the benzo or not, I don't know) but I'd doubt it's a significant affect. SWIY could test it out with a small quantity of benzo if concerned.

And you're most certainly correct about alcohol and benzo's potentiating eachother. Take it from a SWIM who knows. Not pretty in large quantities. Usually very ugly.

[BobTheGreat]

prozac affects your serotonin receptors and benzos affect your GABA rececptors so the drugs themselves should have no interactions. However, side effects of prozac are anxiety and panic attacks which would make the benzos less effective.

[SubInfo]

Makes sense to me. thanks for the input.