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Reducing diazepam but dealing with stress

Posted , 4 users are following.

ursulauc62
ursulauc62

I am on a programme to reduce my diazepam intake, which Ive been addicted to for about 10 years. It was working really well. In the space of a year I reduced from about 25mg a day down to 2mg a day.

My GP is now managing the reduction prescriptions.   I am supposed to be reducing further soon.

I have had some recurring and some new health problems recently, which although I know they aren't serious, are quite upsetting and stressful. I had a bad sinus infection a couple of months ago, which took a while to shake off, and still have blocked sinuses, and now no sense of smell. I saw a specialist the other day who is sending me for a CT scan and may have a procedure to drain them. I get pain and discomfot and head and ear pressure, and have recently developed tinnitus.

Mof course my response in the past to extra stresses was just take some diazepam. I' finding this really difficult, and since the tinnitus started have taken more than I should have done quite a few times, so I'm going backwards. I'm on about 4mg a night now, as this relaxes me enough to ignore the tinnitus and go to sleep.  I want to reduce again, but dont really have any particular techniques for dealing with this sort of stress - a health problem which is unpleasant and may or may not go away with treatment. I know that alot of people get tinnitus and that its more common as you get older.

I dont want to drink alcohol as I have had a problem with that before, and in any case, its not advised with tinnitus as it can aggravate it?

Any ideas anyone?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • carmel91433
    carmel91433 ursulauc62

    Posted

    Hi sorry to hear you have problems with tinnitus, maybe you can try the program you can buy on the internet called Tinnitus Terminator, sounds like it might help you. I think it's worth a shot. Good luck.
    • ursulauc62
      ursulauc62 carmel91433

      Posted

      Hi,

      thanks. Yes, its worth a go.  I also bought a tens electronic pulse machine which I have read can help. 

      The trick is to think of all the ways you can reduce stress levels without just taking a pill. I have to come off them, for peace of mind and because I'll never get my driving licence back if I dont!!! DVLA will be testing me for benzos next time I apply.  

  • tonia_2003
    tonia_2003 ursulauc62

    Posted

    I have tinnitus from TMJ in my jaw. Have you always been on diazepam? How do you know how to titrate down on it? Some people can just stop these meds. I wish I could. July 2015 I was on .125mg clonazepam and my Paxil just stopped working overnight. I have gradually increased it since then. Not wanting to take antipsychotics I just kept going up on my clonazepam. I was at .5mg and a quarter of a .5mg and went into the hospital about 2 weeks ago and they upped it to 1mg because I'm titrating down on Paxil that I've been on for 15 years and going to Prozac. My anxiety is horrible. I just can't go up on my clonazepam anymore. I may just have to take a small dose of Zyprexa. I've been on the .125mg for 10 years before I raised it up this year. When I start going down on it I sure hope it's not bad. I'm going to go slow.
    • CCinCal
      CCinCal tonia_2003

      Posted

      Don't try antipsychotics. I used Abilify for 3 months for depression and ended up with cervical dystonia. My neck just rotated to the left. So now on top of everything else I've got to deal with this. Seeing neurologist, getting MRI etc. stay away from these please!
    • ursulauc62
      ursulauc62 tonia_2003

      Posted

      Hi,

      I was initially prescribed diazepam about 14 years ago to cope with doing presentations in a job I had which I found very stressful. I kept getting them on and off, from my GP and in the end couldnt really function without them.

      I am on prozac - fluoxetine. Have been for just over a year, and was for several years before, then was off it for a few years. Last year my depression and anxiety were terrible, so I had to start taking it again, and so far its been quite succesful in stabilising my mood. 

      I was put on olanzapine - which is zyprexa - several years ago, but after a few weeks I felt so weird and zombified that I just couldn take any more. I was on the verge of being prescribed it again last year and was in such a state I would have taken anything to calm me down, but I'm glad now that I didnt.

      I have TMJ as well, which was really bad last year, but after seeing a specilaist dental surgeon, I had some ultrasound therapy which he recommended, and it worked really well. The TMJ practically disappeared. It came back - though not as bad as before a few months ago after I had a nasty sinus infection.  I believe it can be related to tinnitus, although my specialist says that it isnt - so its quite confusing really - not sure who to believe.

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