1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Anxiety Disorders

Still not feeling ok or can leave the house for long.

Posted , 3 users are following.

chris62428
chris62428

Hi

I have been on Diazepam 2mg 3 times a day along with beta blocker, citalopram 40mg( been on 20mg for years) and a sleeping pill Zopiclone 7.5mg at the evening. I seemed to be ok for the 2 weeks. But had to take double the sleeping pill to get a any sleep.

At my last GP visit i have been reissued all the above but told to only take 1x 2mg Diazapam a day and try to reduce the Zopiclone: keep everything the same. I have tried but i am still having crazy worrying thoughts / lack of sleep and panic attacks. I have increased the the Diazapam to 2 a day and 1 and half the Zopiclone. These seem to be working. I am at the GP next week and worried that she may give me grief for changing her dosages. Does anyone know of a drug that is better than Diazapam (or less addictive). I will be getting counselling but not for a few months (NHS Counselling). CBT does not work and i have read many books plus studied counselling so i am having to wait for the Psychodynamic counselling.

Thank you ....

 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • NatCali
    NatCali chris62428

    Posted

    Have you tried an anti depressant? Instead of the benzos? The diazepam Is good as needed but bad to take everyday bc of the dependency and addictive. If your used to taking the diazepam a few a day cutting back will give you those anxious feelings. So you should just slowly wein yourself off of those. I used to take Xanax and It helped me sleep by made me feel like crap and super foggy.feeling better now but still have my anxiety. I'm now trying/taking lexapro 10mg and trazadone at night 25-50mg I have a hard time sleeping.some days I'm so so but still having bad side effects.
    • chris62428
      chris62428 NatCali

      Posted

      Hi

      the citalopram is a SSRI anti depressant. Thank you for your message. Have you ever had any talking therapy? If so did it help ?

      Thanks

    • NatCali
      NatCali chris62428

      Posted

      Well good is that helping you think? Like I said take the benzos when needed not on the daily.its goin to take time to get off then and adjust and it's going to be easy to want to take another when anxious but just know that is the drug and it will go away after time. Just wein yourself safely.I have done therapy in the past and it was ok but just started with a new therapist and she is great and I really like her. So I think it's going to help just need to put fourth the effort and do what she says. It's hard to find a good therapist but mine was referred to me by my friend so far so good. I do think it helps to talk to someone that doesn't know your friends or family, that can give you positive reinforcement, give you tools to help. My biggest thing is I quit smoking pot, and party favors. So I have nothing to mask anything anymore it's all brought to the surface now. I'm 29 and want to fix my anxiety not make it worse. It's a lot easier to party and not care but I gotta take care of myself and get my sh*t together.
    • chris62428
      chris62428 NatCali

      Posted

      Hi

      thanks for being so open and sharing with me. I am 48 and did the party life for about 10 years not really pot but everything else on the rave scene at that time. I stopped no trouble around 2000 and had therapy around 2002 which really helped but i did not link the stopping with need for  therapy at that time.  I am sure you will get alot from your therapy being so open. I just recently walked out of my Job ...it was very pressurised bit like social work. Strange that alot of organisations helping people have no time to help own staff. My recent struggle also involves other stuff but i dont want to depress you all to much. I had been drinking often for the last couple of years and to be honest must have been hiding stuff. Like you i hope i get a good therapist as the one in 2002 did some really good work with me. Thanks for the feedback mate

  • gwen1953
    gwen1953 chris62428

    Posted

    Some drugs are more addictive than others and unfortunately  diazepam,citalopram and zopiclone all come in this category. You should not take zopiclone for more than 2 weeks, and you need to be gradually wheened off the diazepam and citalopram over a period of months. It's not really down to you to change a GP's prescribed dosages - after all you go to them for help. What's the point if you aren't going to follow the instructions given. May I suggest you google Lithium and mention this to your GP and if she is happy the Diazepam is swapped for this. After taking this for a month or two your GP may suggest you reduce down the citalopram gradually. If you have been on this site before I may have missed your post but you make no mention here as to why you went on anti-depressants in the first place. GP's base a lot of their recommendations on what you tell them and it's down to you to be as open as can be.

    It's easy for me to talk as I started out on Citalopram and Propranalol and then changed to Citalopram and Lithium and everything worked out for me. The thing is we are all so different so what works for one of us doesn't necessarily work for another. I wish you well but please be open and honest with your GP in order for them to help you as best they can.

  • Llm8991
    Llm8991 chris62428

    Posted

    Has citalopram helped any of you guys? I just recently been prescribed to 10mg of it for my anxiety and right now its just making me feel numb
    • chris62428
      chris62428 Llm8991

      Posted

      Hi

      that is the lowest dose you can get. It does take a few weeks to start to get into your system and then work. Everyone reacts different to the drug and dosage. I had been on 20mg for years it was just recent events that have made me become very unstable. I use beta blockers also ....they recuse the physical states like racing heart etc. Hope it helps and you are ok with the drug. All the best .

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.