I've recently been experimenting with different Benzodiazipines to find the one that is best for me. I know effects can vary from person to person but I'm wondering if what I've been experiencing is typical. I've only been using them off and on for a couple weeks in average to lower than average doses, some days not at all, so while I've probably built some tolerance its not that much. I'm an 180 lbs. male if that makes a difference.

Alprazolam (Xanax - the purple bars) - Fast onset (20-30 minutes) but I really don't Notice it that much at .5mg or less, it seems like I need about .75mg or 1mg to feel any significant effects. Short acting, seems to wear off in about 3 hours.

Lorazepam (Trapax - the yellow tablets) - This stuff seems to have a really slow onset which is why I think seem people write it off as not being as effective as Xanax. It sneaks up on you. But the published equivalents is that Lorazepam is 50% less potent than Alprazolam, so this means I would need 2mg to feel the effect to the equivalent of 1mg Xanax. I've been trying the 2.5mg Trapax brand and I barely feel anything. Seems like I need to take 3-4mg to feels the same thing as 1-1.5mg of Xanax. Maybe this Wyeth Trapax brand just isn't as potent as the Wyeth Ativan brand or since I'm comparing to the more pronounced effects of Xanax, I'm understimating its actual effectiveness?

Clonazepam (Rivotril. white crisr cross scored tablets) - This stuff is suppose to be really potent, twice as potent as Xanax on all the equivalency charts. I'll take 1mg (supposed same as 2mg Xanax) of it and I don't feel a thing. And its suppose to have a fas onset. I even have the actual Rivotril brand. I think its working as I do feel just a slight bit sleepy, but very slight, It is more subtle of an effect than even the Lorzezepam. Seems liek 2mg is the threshold when I start to feel it, but that's suppose to me like taking 4mg Xanax - no way. This stuff scares me, but I here it is the best of the three since the long half life and more subtle effects are less prone to addiction/withdrawl but I would want to try coming off this stuff at 2-4mg a day!

Diazepam (Valium) - I link the effect of this stuff best. It comes one fairly quick, you can feel it wihtout taking larged doses, 10mg seems to work good for me, and it lasts pretty long, you could get by with 2 10mg a day. Only thing is the half life is huge so the matabolites really build up over time, but that is suppose to be good since this is the drug used to come off the other shorter half life benzos.

I should not, I'm not using these for panic attacks but General Anxiety Disorder. I think part of the problem was that my initial expectations were that these trugs were REALLY going to make me feel relaxed and care free. The don't really seem to do that for me at these doses, just barely. Are my expectation to high or am I taking a bit lower average doses that most people (at least what most people are willing to admit too.)

I've been altering between them trying to keep a good baseline metabolite in my system witht the valium but using the short half life ones some days to keep the valium from building up too much. I think its a good strategy. I'm most dissapointed with the Lorazepam, I though 2.5mg was going to be enough to really relax me and it doesn't I've heard the Trapax brand may be the problem.

I am aware of the slow taper process necessary to come off these.