Coming off benzos, ugh!!!

Sometimes what Dr did is not always correct. Like for weaning of benzodiazepines, you really can’t do it abruptly. I myself was on lorazepam from 2001-2014, it took me 6 months to taper 3 mg. Then my panic attacks rebounded and I was sent to the hospital . Now I am on 15 mg Valium . I know I am a dependency but I just can’t function without them . 

Can wean off but under medical supervision , Ashton Manual.

Thank you for understanding! I agree that Drs should give out medication if it's needed!! A lot of meds are addictive in some fashion, yet they can't give out benzos, I don't get it! Glad you feel better!!

I successfully weaned off 5 mg diazapam under supervision in three weeks. The Aston Manual is definitely helpful. I tend to do it slowly in terms of detoxing. 

You would be dependent on them as you say but not addicted pur say, if you know what I mean ? the medication is helping, it is doing what it is designed to do.

coming of benzo's especially in yours and my case can take up to 2 years sometimes longer and should always be around a 1/4 at a time over a certain time frame. I have been on them for 22 years and like you my life is back to the panic/anxiety and agoraphobic state without them, there is a place for this medication, the main points are correct supervision by GP and not some hierarchy in the PBS (that's what it's called where I am from) deciding whether or not I should be on them, never abuse them as you well know they are life savers.  if you are unlucky to have to get a new GP and is dead set against addictive drugs and takes you off them even if you have cut down to taking you off cold turkey when they know that they should be cutting you down further first, I was down to 1 and a half tablets daily for 6 months, new GP comes along and says that's it they aren't writing scripts for anymore is really unprofessional, they should of reduced that 1 and a half down to one and a quarter, not cold turkey.

Do you mean that after you came off the benzos ypur panic attacks came back ? 

Three weeks is not slow. Sorry. 

The drs can prescribe benzos but only for 2 to3 weeks at a time. This is good news because benzos are vile drugs.

So you mean I should give it more time ? 

Yes, after the rebound anxiety settled, full blown panic attacks and agoraphobia returned, well I shouldn't say full blown this time as I was only off the Alprazolam for 5 days, I had to take 1/2  of a 1 Mg to take the edge off, no good, had to return to original dosage. I am now back to a reasonably life again after being back on them for 4 days, anxiety has now gone, I can now get out of the house again and do my daily work around the house, I am on a pension so don't work.

Exactly, this medication can take anything up to 2 years to be taken off correctly, especially long term users, and then there's also a lot of other major withdrawal effects, convulsions is the biggest one, however I did read the incident rate for convulsions are relatively low.

I always tell myself that panic attacks are uncomfortable but they are not dangerous. I hope you feel better soon as I know how it feels. I have to admit that benzos are harmful to our brain but in the same time they quickly relieve our discomfort . So very contradicted . Hang in there ! 

Not really, they have saved my life, not in the sense of suicidal, in the sense that I was able to get rid of the panic/anxiety, I did overcome the agoraphobia but had a relapse, although this time I wasn't restricted to the house, just frightened to go out or travel alone, several years ago the agoraphobia was worsened as I had a heart attack, cardiac rehab told me this is a natural and common occurrence in a lot of heart attack victims. Benzo's are the only way to treat anxiety as that is what they are designed for, not anti depressants , unless you are unlucky enough to have depression with your anxiety, well then the anti depressants have their place in that department, well that's just my opinion and only some of the medical professions , as we all know the Benzo's are addictive and doctors steer clear of them for that reason, I'll give you another reason as to why they steer clear of the Benzo's …. paperwork and having to answer to the relevant authorities as to why you are still on them after 3 months, doctors hate filling out that paperwork, it's far easier for them to taper you off as they see fit and try you on a new medication.

Thankyou for your thoughts .

I am back to normal thanks to the Alprazolam, the only exception is still the agoraphobia, unable to travel alone, other than that sticking point I'm back to normal. I forgot to mention that everything you learn from the    psychologists and psychiatrists are also an integral part in recovery, cognitive behaviour therapy, exposure, breathing and relaxation techniques along with medication.

I wouldn't say harmful to our brain, it hasn't fried mine, thought patterns haven't changed, maybe slowed a little due to old age , apart from a couple of other health issues I'm just as healthy as the next person for my age. you want to talk about medication destroying our brains …… keep well away from Lyrica and Cymbalta amongst quite a few others, they are really bad news.

Omg .. I am on Lyrica which the dr prescribed to me since this April . 

what is the dose may I ask? Is it for epilepsy? This drug was never researched.

 

I take 75 mg in the morning and 75 mg at night . According to my private psychiatrist, Lyrica has an off label effect on anti-anxiety and he said such drug is not addictive 😑

Can I offer some advice ? please …. please research Gabapentin and Lyrica, it's extremely hard to get off and it is also being used for a recreational drug in the UK. It has no effect on anxiety, sure it may help for the first week, after that , not nice.

If you are talking about Lyrica, it is used for epilepsy, yes, research into neuropathy and neuropathic pain was falsified and the researcher was jailed for 9 months I believe in the USA

Lyrica is  very addictive and  abused.

http://roguemedic.com/2010/06/scott-reuben-m-d-sentenced-to-6-months-in-prison-for-fraud/

 

Not   true.also very  addictive

There was another researcher found guilty, I'll try and find his name, it was a foreign name but a citizen of the USA

Actually it is, if you are talking about Lyrica, extremely hard to come off and destroys the brain, amongst other organs. It is used as a recreational drug, why no one understands but is a common street drug in the UK and just starting in the USA, a lot of doctors are starting to refuse prescribing Lyrica now because of it's horrendous side effects.

So sorry I got myself mixed up there, with my last comment towards you, my apologies.

Yes I already know. Lyrica and Neurontin damage brain synapses.

Yes as I said I got myself mixed up with my comments, Sorry. Lyrica damages a lot more that just synapses

Yes,indeed.

Sorry how do you mean give it more time? Benzos are very nasty drugs ro be avoided at all cost.

Your shrink is misinformed. I suggest researching each and every drug suggested or prescribed before taking it.

It is up to the patient what pills they take because it is their/our body. sorry

lyrica and its sister drug Neurontin are unresearched drugs and are originally prescribed for epilepsy. They have very nasty side effects including cortical myoclonus and long qt syndrome as well as suicidal ideation, suicide, severe depression and anxiety, chest and urine infections, neuropathy, ear problems, the list is endless.

samuels I don't know why my reply is being moderated. I agree with you that lyrica and Neurontin are nasty drugs. I got cortical myoclonus and long qt syndrome from lyrica. Both drugs are prescribed for epilepsy but as per usual now being rx for all sorts of things. More profit for Big Pharma.

https://www.migrainetrust.org/about-migraine/types-of-migraine/other-headache-disorders/medication-overuse-headache/

 

I wouldn’t be on it 17 years ago if I actually know there are so many problems with it. At that time I was still very young and knew nothing about it. 

Thank you for your kind suggestion. I don’t understand why you have to be so enraged against patients who are taking benzodiazepines and Lyrica. I guess everyone on this forum under this heading , “Anxiety”, are just trying to get some advice/reassurance/support here or even just to vent out. Your attitude is very stern and harsh, sorry to say. 

Exactly and that's why I refused Lyrica, Cymbalta and any anti depressants

No they aren't if taken as instructed, how would you heal a person with a rather complex nervous system condition ? when all medication to treat the nervous system has been tried, CBT, rapid eye movement, relaxation, blah blah, the last line of treatment that is left is a strong Benzo, it works and has worked for ages, you would rather take a patient off them and ruin their life again and suffer the horrendous withdrawals ? You never mess with a medication that is working, that is just plain ignorant and stupid. We both know why doctors want their patients off the Benzo's, less paperwork, can't be bothered calling for an authority number to fill a prescription and what the newest generation of doctors are taught at Med school, also  governmental  pressure !!

Hi With respect you really do need to research the drugs that you mention. I am conveying scientific FACTS. 

​drs are now realising the dangers of benzos, anti depressants etc. U n4rd to read the NICE Guidelines. I note your dr rx anti depressants during pregnancy???????

Me too. Lots of people feel cheated as well. Thing is to discuss weaning off with a dr. Pls research the benzos .

​Drs are not allowed to prescribe benzos for more than 2 to 4 weeks now.

I am not 'enraged' as u put it against pple taking benzos and lyrica. Have u suffered at the hands of these drugs? I think you need to research these drugs before passing judgment on other people and making subjective comments.

Untrue. Benzos are detrimental irrespective of if taken as instructed or not. Sorry. Pls research benzos as pple may be misled into thinking they are safe when nothing could be further from the truth. Take care.x

Sorry don't follow your logic.

Drs are now aware of the dangers of benzos and ad so less inclined to prescribe. Nothing to do with pressure, can't be bothered etc. This is grossly inaccurate of you to criticise drs like this, benzos take ages to wean off and also the many wd signs and symptoms can take two years or more to go away. Pls research to confirm what I am writing.

6 months actually license revoked, fined. Pfizer made billions out of lyrica an unresearched drug drs continue to prescribe itLOL!!!!!!

I do not know how one would treat a person with a complex condition. I was only commenting on the known and acknowledged dangers of certain drugs. Take care.

Yes I am suffering now . Sorry to misunderstand you . 

No it's the truth, whether you like it or not ! It's not grossly inaccurate. If you have been on the strongest Benzo group for 22 + years it can take up to 2 years to be completely weaned off of them( at least you appear to agree on that one- 2 + years to be weaned ) I suggest you have a very good long hard talk with your psychiatrist, not your GP but your psychiatrist.

I also recommend you research this medication a lot more, I don't and have never claimed to know everything about this drug and I still don't, I do however know for a fact that if it helps and long term sufferers have been on them most of their lives you don't interfere with it unless they are 99.9% the new medication is going to work better than the particular Benzo a patient is on.