I'm currently taking 3mg of Xanax daily for my anxiety disorder, and have an opiate addiction to OxyContin. My doctor wants to give me Suboxone to get off the OxyContin and I've heard that taking Xanax and Suboxone together was dangerous and could have adverse side effects. I was just wondering if anyone knew if it was safe or dangerous to combine the two drugs? And if so, what are the side effects of taking them together, if any?
Are Xanax (Alprazolam) and Suboxone safe to take together... are there any adverse side effects?
- Posted:
- 18 Jul 2009 by Derek23
- Topics:
- oxycontin, suboxone, xanax, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, alprazolam
Details:
Answers (38) Page 2
jkaplan044823 Jun 2011
I read several answers to this but actually this is the truth. First of all your suboxone doctor wants you to come in to his office on the first visit clean of ALL drugs not just opiates. This is so he does not have to worry when trying to find your correct dosage, that other drugs may be in your system. My doctor did not even give me a urine test. He saw the major withdrawal I was in and took my word that I had no drugs in 48 hours before seeing him. He then will ask about what your taking as far as opiates. That is the only drug suboxone will help you withdraw from. I was on 120 mg /day of Kadian (morphine sulfate) for pain and was on them for many years. I also was taking 3mg/day of Xanax for anxiety as well as high blood pressure meds and 100 mg transadone for sleep.
jessika71...16 Jul 2011
Hi,
I'm on 1mg Xanax 4 times a day for major anxiety and I'm doing just fine being started at 18 mgs of suboxone and 1mg Xanax 4 times a day,i'm down to 4 mgs of suboxone and the zanax is helping me get through the withdrawal systoms..Just be careful not to take over 4 Xanax a day,everybodys bodies are different in handling different medications,I hope this helped..
2 Aug 2011
taking any type of benzo is dangerous if you are on suboxone, I used to be on xanax and when I started taking suboxone I learned that the xanax lessens the effect of the suboxone, and in my opinion, it wasen't worth taking the xanax anymore. It is not safe, and your doctor should know what the effects are.
humboldtlocal
2 Feb 2012
bs
cainon2528 Aug 2011
I am prescribed suboxone and anti anxeity medication. If you are scared i would take a smaller dose, and if that does not effect you go ahead and take your regular dose. There is a risk in everything, and if you are gonna start coming off of your oxycontin you are def gonna need your xanax,Trust me.
BrentDT
28 Sep 2011
My doctor gives me 8mg of Suboxone and 2 Mgs of Xanax per day. When I started Sub (this time) I was RX'd 6mg of Xanax already. He kept me on te same dose for 15days and brought it down every 15days until I got to 2mgs. Now he is talking about going down until I get to 0.5 (only when needed), and I am scared to death. In 2008, coming off a LONG methadone maintenance program (rapidly) & cold turkey stopping months of 10-12mgs of Xanax &/or Klonopin... I had a seizure on day 12. Ever since then... I have been prescribed Benzos. I rarely abuse them anymore, mostly due to the fact I have such a high tolerance and just having a bottle keeps me from panic (for the most), but if I don't take any for 3 days... I feel WD for SURE! I believe that legitimately benefit from Benzos... about 80% of the time. I have had a few times where I saved up 2-3 bars, took them all at once and did something stupid, but for the most part...
21 Oct 2011
I have been on suboxone for 4yrs... I have horrible anexity and my Dr prescribed me klonopin( never can spell that rite) I was on 1mg 3 times a day for yrs before I got on the suboxone... But I still find the xanax still help better. I personal have had no side affects but yrs everyone is different. I'm ok it works for me so I wuld just ask ur doc... If u r serious about getting the suboxone. If I didn't have both it would be bad for me... So ya just explain. I no what ur going threw and I'm here if u need to talk. Jess
9 Nov 2011
i have been taking <dr. prescribed> 8mg- 12 mg of buprenorphine,which is the generic for suboxone for almost a year, and sometimes i take 1-2 mg xanax to help with sleep and appetite, and ive had no problems. i have a friend who sees a suboxone doctor, and he actually prescribes him xanax along with his suboxone every month..i dont see why a dr. would presribe the two together if there were underlying mixture problems. the key is too not over-do it .
countrygi...4 Dec 2011
Today is my first day of taking suboxne im taking 1 8mg strip under the tongue for 5 days then 4 mg pill form for 5 days then 2mg for 3 days then 1 mg for 2 days. Hopefully after that i will be clean and free of drugs I have been on oxycode 30mgs 240 mg or more a day for years. I plan on taking my 1 mg xanax at sleep time like I always do. Wish me luck that this works out. I have read many of your stories and i guess I just dont understand the point in taking suboxene for long term I just dont get it.
humboldtlocal
4 Dec 2011
The reason people stay on subs for a long time is because you have radically changed your brain chemistry and it takes a long time for it to get better. I'm one year into suboxone treatment with a planned two year total taper. Along with groupwork and therapy every week I am getting somewhere finally.
When you are addicted to opiates your brain creates many extra receptors, many more than a normal person would have. WHen these are empty you feel sick and feel cravings.
I quick taper will help with moderate withdrawl but will leave your brain chemistry in a vulnerable place, you still have tons more receptors and most people don't have the will power to deal with it, nor should anybody be expected to, brain chemistry is powerful, and after years on opiates I you are going to have incredible cravings are your brain will likely manipulate you into relapse because you haven't taken the time to let your brain chemistry repair.
pugsby11 Feb 2012
To my knowledge suboxone is tightly controlled by the FDA. There are intermittent drug tests that go along with taking this medication. When you take xanax with suboxone you run the risk of being taken off of the suboxone. just wondering how all of you people can continue to take suboxone with benzodiazepines without any repercussions?
humboldtlocal
1 Feb 2012
This warning refers to INTRAVENUS use of benzos. While this issue does relate to use of pills in a milder way, the warning is for INTRAVENUS, like when you get put in the hospital on subox you gotta let them know not to give you a big dose of intravenus benzos. sorry for spelling.
Ummm... becuase there is no ill effect. In fact xanax has helped me lower my subox dosage and I'm on a taper plan. Maybe recreational abusers take opiates for the anxiety relief in additional to the dodging of relity. Obvious trading one for another is no good, but I will taper the xanax once I reduce the subox to zero.
Btw, my subox taper is a two year plan made with me and my doctor. Subox just puts addition in remissions. It take a lot of therapy and work and self realization to deal with the underlying issues that led to abuse.
12 Feb 2012
I take 4 to 6mg of xanax a day and im prescribed 16 mg off suboxone. I only take 4 to 8 mg of the suboxone it is very strong it takes away all withdrawel symptoms. Its an amazing drug!!! Im fighting for my son with a jugde that doesnt approve of any meds so Im gradually weening off of both meds. The interaction of these meds has no no negative impact on me. In fact it has surpressed my appitiate and has made me need less of the xanax without feeling sick. I would recommend that you switch to suboxone and get of the oxy. You will feel alot better. promise!!!
SoggDogg3 Mar 2012
One of my sub doctors said that taking the two together can cause death and would absolutely not ever prescribe both of em. He told me either one or the other. But had another doctor that prescribed me 32mg of subs and 4mg of xanax a day. He never said anything to me about them being dangerous when you combine them... And there where no side affects that I could tell, well except for the forgetfullness and the blackouts when I drank. But dont think that had anything to do with the subs.. Xanax and alcohol = instant blackout.
weecharme...8 Mar 2012
I currently am taking xanax depending on my anxiety, normally its 3 x's a day. but most its been 5 x's a day. I was on oxycotin due to my back pain( which i stopped because its pretty much herion, and the withdraw symthoms are feeling like u are dying, so i perfer u get off it! im sure you know how it feels when u dont have it. ,if u dont need it) I was put on suboxone, and btw. its hard to find doctors that will help you get off of opiots its like t hey want you to stay on them forever. due to my condition i will be in pain for the rest of my life. I choose to get off of it all together!! u should too. There are other pain meds ( not opiot related , that can help you) doctors pretty much want people to be on it, its a goverment thing. anyways. the answer to your question is, u can take it. but not at the same time. Give a distance, ( a few hours between) while taking these. And the only way its dangerious is if you shoot it up.
subb197623 Mar 2012
i am on 3 mg of xanax a day.along with 16mg of subs a day,and i have no adverse reactions at all.The people who would be in danger are people who arent tolerent to both opiates and benzos.so if you have been takeing both then you will be fine.i also take a barbiturate for headaches,and keppra and celexa.all of them slow your breathing.i have been on this for 3yrs now and i wake every morning.even my sub doc knows i take all this and he is not worried.so yea you will be cool .good luck
Anonymous 4 Apr 2012
i currently take both meds and have for 5 years now. down to 8mg a day on the subs and up to 8 mg a day on the benzos. everyone is different; and im no doctor(although ive filled more scripts than walgreens in my old life) im currently doing a slow taper on the benzos because years of more than 4mg is a very hard habit to break. next month im dropping to 4mg of sub and only 3 or 6mg xanax. they also tell you if you take opiates you will get violently ill if subs are on board. not true in my case; the old me had to try just wasted money and days of sobreity. good luck my friend; im jeremy and i am/ was a junkie. b4 you start the subs you gotta be dopesick; sorry but thats the only way it works right without adverse effects. id suggest stopping thursday and starting the subs on monday. they should start you on subutex(w/out naloxone) just in case you didnt follow instructions; but thats only the first dose.
15 May 2012
I have currently been on Suboxone 8mg/2mg sublingual strips, one every 12 hours. I had a lengthy battle with Vicodin, Percocet, Roxys, any painkiller I could get my hands on. Suboxone is a miracle drug. It immediately, and I'm talking within minutes, took my withdrawals away from painkillers, yet left me feeling very good as almost as if I was high. I take 0.5 xanax, 3 times daily, and it is has never interacted badly with the Suboxone, if ANYTHING, the only thing it did was make me doze off during a movie or something, thats all. It all depends on what you are doing... if you are at a carnival lets say for instance, you might not get tired because of your surroundings. Keep active.
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Hey doc, thanks for your post. Im 34yr old 8months on 16mg subox after years smoking oxycontin. Im warry of being on benzos and so is my doctor but I feel like I need serious help dealing with the trauma and anxiety. After an easy six months life has gotten so much harder. I know if I want to use benzos with subox my doctor will support me if its the right treatment. How do you weigh the need to just function in your life versus risk of another addiction? If you feel like sharing the feelings behind your decision to take benzos and how its helped you id appreciate any inisghts you may have. Thanks