I have been trying
Xanax (alprazolam)
Valium (diazepam) and
Ativan (Lorazepam) for generalized anxiety disorder. The widely published equivalent dosages of these drugs is 10mg Valium = .5 mg Xanax = 1 mg Ativan.
My personal experience is that the 10mg Valium = .75 - 1 mg Xanax = 3 mg Ativan as far as the relief I feel from taking these different drugs. I've been taking only one dose a day at these levels for about a month and sometimes not taking any at all so my tolerance should be low.
I've researched in depth these drugs and I really prefer the pharmacology of
Lorazepam (Ativan) over the other two drugs. It has a half life far less than Valium so there is less chance of tolerance build up, yet it has muscle relaxing properties like Valium and less chance of the rebound effect Xanax is known for.
Yet I'm concerned I have to take 3 times the published equivalent. The only thing I can think of is that the Valium is the brand name Valium (blue pills) and the Xanax is the brand name Xanax (made by Roche I believe) where has both the Lorazepam I have are not the Ativan brand, one made by an Indian company, which I didn't have high expectations for, and the other though is Trapax brand (yellow 2.5 mg pills) made by Wyeth-Whitehall in South America. Wyeth is the company that makes the Ativan brand.
Is it that I just got weak Lorazepam, or have others experience the same thing. I know Ativan as a slower onset so you don't 'feel' it coming on as much as Xanax or Valium, but even 2 hours later, I barely feel anything at 1-2 mg doses, whereas 10mg of Valium or 1mg of Xanax really hit me from about 20 minutes and last 3-5 hours.
I have the opportunity to try the Wyeth-Lederle brand which is sold out of the UK under the actual Ativan brand. Would it be a waste of money probably. I'm really trying to determine if I just have poor quality Lorazepam or the effect are just too gradual for me. I'd hate to build up a huge tolerance taking 3mg of Lorazepam everyday thinking it is the equivalent to 10mg Valium or 1 mg Xanax.