Opinions - Switching Buspar (Buspirone) Prescription to Xanax (Alprazolam)?

[Mike177]

Ok well i have been on a number of diffrent perscripion pills for depretion and anxyaty disorders (paxal, seroquil, depacote, zoloft, buspar) I have been prescribed 15 mg's of buspar twice a day and I need to know what exactly I need to tell my doctor in order for me to switch my prescription to xanax, but I would like to know what to say to him to prescribe me xanax before I go in there and make it seem like I just want them for recreational use.

[t3h_1337]

Originally Posted by Mike177

Ok well i have been on a number of diffrent perscripion pills for depretion and anxyaty disorders (paxal, seroquil, depacote, zoloft, buspar) I have been prescribed 15 mg's of buspar twice a day and I need to know what exactly I need to tell my doctor in order for me to switch my prescription to xanax, but I would like to know what to say to him to prescribe me xanax before I go in there and make it seem like I just want them for recreational use.

I think its more important that you use your doctor to deal with your depression and anxiety disorder. If you are looking to be happy in life you should deal with your problems rather than use drugs to temporarily avoid them. Life will get much better once you get over your depression and anxiety problems and it will be even more enjoyable to use drugs for fun rather than an escape.


His chances of giving you any benzodiazepine (including Xanax) are very slim, unless he is a really crappy doctor. Xanax is only approved for 30 days of use in the US (although I think it is only voluntarily guidelines for doctors). Most benzodiazepines are used only temporarily. If you tell him that you have panic attacks, maybe he will give you something like Xanax or Klonopin (which in my opinion is better).


He will probably want to keep you on BuSpar for 6 weeks before making a decision to keep you on it or try another drug. BuSpar takes awhile to start working.


I don't see why people go to all this work to get Xanax. You can buy it on the streetsfor like XXX per bar (2mg) and avoid having to deal with doctors and all that copay.

[aMorphius]

I have had RX's for both buspar and xanax. The buspar finally worked
after about 6 weeks at max dose. Switching to xanax was great untill I
realized that after about 6 months, the xanax didn't do shit! but quitting
it was a withdrawel nightmare! On the other hand, quitting buspar was a
piece of cake!
So beware of switching from bispar to xanax!

[sickbitch]

If I were you I would try telling your doctor that your anxiety is unbearable (can't leave the house, loss of interest in personal/social life, don't want to pick up the phone or return calls because of it, the thought of doing anything that gives you anxiety gives you anxiety) and that it is majorly affecting your everyday life, and that you can't wait the 6 weeks or however long it takes for the buspar to start working. That you just want to be able to go on with your life and live like a normal human being. And then ask him if you could get something that would be effective more immediately and that you have a friend that recommended Xanex. Even if it's just until the Buspar starts working. You could also tell him you have in fact been experiencing panic attacks. Describe your panic attacks. (In my experience they go something like this: you start to get an icky sinking feeling, you start to sweat, you may start to hyperventalate and your chest feels like its going to cave in, you can't breathe, you might get wierd tunnel like vision, and I personally hyperventalate and sob at the same time, and they last about 10 minutes total, you start breathing more normally before that though) And tell him that you can't pin what sets them off they just seem to come out of the blue. It should get him to give you the benzo. However, I personally would also recommend either ativan (lorazapan) which is my favorite, or klonopin, my other favorite, not only because they both work better than Xanex (really, they do), but because Xanex has an awful unbearable bitter taste, so if you need it to work quickly (and more effectively) you really can't take it sublingually (let it disolve under your tonge, and it absorbs into those two giant veins under there). Technically you can, and your doctor will tell you this, but he will not warn you of the taste. The first time (and the last) I tried it with xanex I ended up swallowing it anyway and trying for 2 hours afterward to get the taste out of my mouth. Then I called and complained about it to the doc and he switched me. The Ativan and the Klonopine both have a sweet taste, and when taken sublingually start working immediately, so you don't have to wait the 10 or so minutes it takes to work when you swallow it as a complete wreck. They also both seem to be a bit stronger than the Xanex too. Oh, one more thing about the benzos though. Before you decide thats what you want, just know that the withdrawals you experience getting off of them are no joke. You'll get worse anxiety than you had to begin with for up to 6 months afterward (usually a month) and if you don't ween off you can actually go in to seizures. If you read the label on the Xanex one of the side effects mentioned is anxiety. Your anxiety might not only be worsened when you try to get off the medication all together, but also in between doses. The stuff can actually start a vicious cycle. And that goes for all of them, not just xanex.


As for this person who thinks that any doctor who will prescribe benzos is a complete jackass and a sucky doctor, well, that's a load of crap. And I don't think its their place to pass judgement or tell you "you should deal with your problems rather than use drugs to temporarily avoid them," nor does that answer the question asked. Not to mention the contradiction that poses to his earlier statement about using the doctor to deal with the depression and anxiety disorders. The point of going to the doctor is to get the meds for these disorders, which is what Mike seems to be doing, opposed to this persons recommendation of getting the meds off the street which is not only more expensive, but illegal. Back to my point that not only sucky doctors will prescribe benzos... Although benzodiazepines can be addictive, and can have some wicked withdrawal symptoms, not everybody who takes them ends up addicted, and they can work wonderfully on many people. They aren't for everybody. However this person is correct about one thing. Xanex is only approved for 30 days of consecutive use in the US, but normally is not prescribed that way. That's more of a recommendation if anything.

Reputation Comments on this post:

We don't tell people how to decieve doctors so they can get drugs.

[bosch man]

When you say it's a bitch to quit Xanax what doses are you talking about as my dog is about to take .25 3 times a day for anxiety if he never upped the dose would he ever get problems long term stopping?

[soma]

My dog says never mention a brand name "Xanax", my dog told his psychiatrist that BuSpar wasn't working, and could we try something else. In the US, phychiatrists prescribe benzos ALL THE TIME, its half of their business. No benzos = no clients.