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Withdrawal from Diazepam

Posted , 8 users are following.

davepc621
davepc621

Hi, my wife has been on diazepam for the past forty years. Our doctors in September last year stated that national guidelines stated she had to be weaned off them! No consultaion only a sheet passing on the way to be weaned off or any possilbe withdrawal effects. Does anyone know where i can see a copy of the national guidelines please? nearly a year on I am still struggling with my wife of 47 years, mental health and lack of support. I was led to believe the withdrawal was for users of 3/4 weeks?. Before being weaned of this drug my wife, myself and my family led a pretty normal life as we took in account what my wife could or couldn't do. since then, for nearly one year she has cancelled out patients for her arthritis and has virtually lived in the bedroom. Desperate husband needs answers please...

3 likes, 44 replies

44 Replies

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  • pat97152
    pat97152 davepc621

    Posted

    Hi Dave ..how is your wife? How did it go with the psychiatrist?..have been  thinking about you all ...these pills rule out lives 

    regards Pat 

    • davepc621
      davepc621 pat97152

      Posted

      Hi Pat, no further on really, I have requested a copy of the national guidelines re Diazepam. No reply from doc's. As regards psychiatrist, wife has to stay on new tablets for 6/8 weeks to see if there's a change.

      Regards

      Dave M

  • pat97152
    pat97152 davepc621

    Posted

    Sorry to hear that Dave.What tablets is she on? Do you have any help from other members of your family ? ...what does your wife say about how she feels ?I do wish I could offer more suggestions..would they not consider putting her back on Valium thereby giving you all your lives back? For what purpose is she going through this hell ?...it makes me so angry to think of your situation .Please let me know.

    Regards Pat 

    • davepc621
      davepc621 pat97152

      Posted

      Hello again Pat, wife on 100mg Sertalin for 6/8 weeks. Family all working but I've asked for help re caring for the carer. Need a small break.

      Cheers

      Dave

    • nicola10405
      nicola10405 davepc621

      Posted

      Dave,

      I'm so sorry to hear that, I'm on 100mg Sertaline it's a ant-deppresant, I find it quite good but can take 4-6weeks to see any results but i'm still on Valium.  I hope she is feeling better?  Although I fear she is not.  I feel the same as Pat, It's just so so wrong they have done this to your wife, you and family.  I would imagine Re: you and Pat living in close proximity she's the one that knows best in regards of help.  You probably have but I would keep trying to get a new Doctor or Phsychiatrist that has expertise in this field, you really have to push and not give up.  Must be so hard for you both.  How is she doing?  I wish I was closer, I would physically try to help you get better care in this regard.  Have you looked up on the net, Doctor's who deal with Benzo tappering?  Your prob at your wit's end.  I really feel for you.  Things have too look up soon.  Many Blessings.  Nicola, Down Under. A thought that helped me a lot,  Don't no if you have it in the UK, there is a over the counter medicatiion for sleep called Restivit or generic Sleepwell, is quite strong for people who have not taken that kind of med before, it would help her sleep & calm mind, your chemist will advise you.  Also Phernergan 25mg, a antihistamine for allergies but also for sedation, they even give it to babies and has been used for a long time so very safe, all instructions on the back & non addictive, all are sold over the counter here and Aust drug laws are pretty tight, so, I imagine you would probably have them in the UK.  Even something with codine in it, over the counter, that would be rather short term use.  They have one here called Mersyndol.  May just be the thing to help her get some sleep and calm her down for a while. All above board, not meant for long term use but hey, sleep deprivation is no joke.   I SO hope you can get these and they WILL help her.      Thoughts are with you, Nicola.

  • jessie51
    jessie51 davepc621

    Posted

    Hello Dave,  my thoughts are with you and your wife.  After 30 + years on Diazepam I was also taken off them,  it is 8 months since my last dose and I am still going through this hellish nightmare of physical and emotional pain.  NO SUPPORT from my GP ( I also live in Carlisle Cumbria) being told to come off them came out of the blue,  no discussion and no follow up / checkup on my welfare.  I live totally alone, no family to go through this with me.  At times I fear for my sanity, and life is not worth living.  I also have arthritis through my body and this has been made so much worse with regards to the muscle spasms,  cramp started to affect me badly to the point I drank my tea through a straw for a long time, making the tea was a major task to start with, I will not go into all the details here, I just wish to offer support and sympathy, and yes take some kind of solace in that we are in the same city under the same 'blanket'  .  I struggle with the right words to express myself and ask your indulgence here.   What this has done to me is very hard to put into words,  to say I don't know myself anymore seems silly, I am a pensioner and I am lost.  Your wife needs you more than words can ever say.  I wish you well and hope  one day a normal life will resume.
    • nicola10405
      nicola10405 jessie51

      Posted

      Hi Jessie,

      With the way you are feeling I will not go on.  Just want to wish you the best, I've been through and still am going thru it to.  Words can not explain.  Thoughts are with you and Dave and his wife.  Nicola

    • jessie51
      jessie51 nicola10405

      Posted

      Hi Nicola

      Thank you for the reply,  I started taking diazepam for the relief of spasms - caused by a problem with my spine,  as far as I knew I had to come off due to my age and the risk of falls and osteoporosis,  I had no idea the withrawal was so widespread in population,  I do wonder if it still being prescibed to new patients.  It has it's place like all drugs, and I was grateful for the pain relief I got from them,  I have been given another drug in it's place for the spasms but it is  not as good as diazepam.  I wish you well.

    • nicola10405
      nicola10405 jessie51

      Posted

      Hi Jessie,

      Yes, it does have it's place if used in the correct way & although there is wide spread addiction etc with this drug I have known people to use it, AS NEEDED and not become addicted.  I think in general most GP's are not really prescribing anymore, they try other drugs of non addiction, like you have said but does not work as well.  A Psyciatrist on the other hand would probably be more likley to prescribe once you have told him or her your story and history.  In my case I have a good Psyciatrist and we did go for quite a while with him not prescribing for me but he can now see that I do need it, just not all the time.  He is my only prescriber and monitors how much I have.  It has given me my life back but not like it was before I was on them at all.  I really wish I'd never been given them and been kept given them telling me to take quite large amounts over 7 years ago when they did not no the withdrawals were so bad.  I wish  you luck and all the best, I'm in Australia.  If I can help with questions I'm here for you.  I understand.  Nicola

    • jessie51
      jessie51 nicola10405

      Posted

      Thankyou for your reply Nicola,  I have started a new thread about diazepam as I feel as though I am hi-jacking Dave's thread and do not wish to take away any support from him.  

      My thoughts are with Dave and his wife and I wish I could offer some positive advice,  reading how he feels I guess there is maybe a good side to having no one,  you don't affect anyone's life but your own.  

      Best wishes for  future both of them - and yourself.

      Jessie.

    • nicola10405
      nicola10405 jessie51

      Posted

      Dave would not mind, I feel for them also.  Yes you feel like your ruinning every life around you, so I'm alone now too hurt no one else.  Jessie, isnt it so hard.  People can't understand unless they have been through it, fair enough.  We should be given proper medical care and there are medicines out there that can help with withdrawal (non addictive)  we are swept aside.  My thought's are with you all and we will keep in touch. OK  You can message me anytime to scream, cry whatever you feel.  Im here for you.  Nicola
    • davepc621
      davepc621 nicola10405

      Posted

      I've screamed at doctors and the NHS for not listening to me. My wife was in hospital recently and they said she needed CT scan and to see gyne. I asked it be done whilst in hospital. Discharged. Letters through post for scan etc. Wife had not left her bedroom for four weeks now so how the hell dol they think she will get to hospital. Appointment cancelled!!!!
  • nicola10405
    nicola10405 davepc621

    Posted

    Ohhh Dave,

    How utterly un empathetic, unprofessional and FRUSTRATING.  When I was in hospital after a huge seziure from them just stopping my Valium, they knew why!  They did not treat me or show any caring at all because it could probably open them to litigation.  In the US, many people are now suing pharmacutical companies, and so should we but how do we go about this when we are too sick to walk or think and then there is the money.  They look at me and your wife plus the rest of us a little like drug addicts thus we get no care. 

    Now, im 42 and nearly died from it.   Your wife would be older I assume and they are not listening to you.  Did you say you lived in Carslile UK?  I'm sure your at the end of your teather and have tried to contact anyone you can too help.  I'm happy at this end to look at any treatment over your way, if I have where you live correct.   This makes me so frustrated to hear your going thru this.  Personally at this stage of the game, if I were you I would call an ambulance, she would have many symptoms, and you as a husband cant get her out of her room plus she needs a CT scan.  They did that to me, a CT scan, they refuse to believe it's a problem they have attributed too therefore they dont talk about it.  My CT scan came up clear so did my MRI EEG etc it was withdrawal!  they new it.  How is she actually feeling is she able to tell you?  let me know what you can and exactly where you live.  I can't promise anything but ill try my hardest. 

    In the mean time, call an ambulance and tell them whats happened, it's very serious and tell them that her GP took her off her meds and how long she was on them and since then she's been like this and worse, she would also be dehydrated which is a big deal to the Ambulance people.  Ambo's are usually pretty caring souls and they have a duty of care not to leave her there unless there is nothing wrong.  Is she sweating, not eating, hearing noises?  Let me know also.  write them all down.  It sounds like it's got really bad Dave!  Force them to check her, they have liquid valium that can help, I think they would know straight away whats wrong and yes it can affect the brain, she could have a seizure.  Before I had a seziure in front of them they had been waiting too see how I was reacting, why would you go to hospital and make all this up?  as the antibiotics they can give you when your really bad are very expensive esp MIDAZOLAM, I had one very caring nurse and she pushed and pushed and fought with the surgeon and they did give me this huge course of drugs took hours as all IV., the hospital has to pay not you.   I felt a little better but the drugs in themselves take a toll. They sent me home, thats when my mother called an ambulance, they did not give me anything else but when they saw me have a 10 min seziure all doctors came running and they actually knocked me out for 1.5 weeks so my body and brain could rest.  Again I'm in Australia so I dont know the medical profession or ambulances with finances work over there.  Your wife is the most important thing.

    I'm not saying your wife is as bad as I was I was on alot more but not for as long.  I'm not tryng to scare you I want you to scare them.

    And there is no way your wife could make it to a appointment.  Once I was out of hospital I felt like her, hid in my room and what's going on in her head I can only imagine from my experience.  How old is she?  Usually if people have been on them that long and she's getting older they can wave this rule and she can go back on them.  You just need someone educated in this field to listen.  I just feel for you both so so much.  PLS send me any info and I'll look up what I can.  Here for you 24/7.   I'll let you go but please seriously think about what ive said Re Ambulance and me helping you.

    Love too both  Nicola.  THINKING OFF YOU BOTH.  I told you about other med's over the counter, once she has proper help we can talk of that but Doc's really need to asses her NOW.  LOVE NICOLA,  Perhaps PAT, who I think lives near you may be able to give me some info.  If you dont mind.  Tell me to butt out if you want to.  I know your her only support at moment as family is busy.  It takes a huge toll on you as a carer.  So I worry for you too Dave.

  • nicola10405
    nicola10405 davepc621

    Posted

    Sorry Dave, my reply came up twice? dont no why.  Your not going mad Only read one.  Cant seem to delete the other one.
  • pat97152
    pat97152 davepc621

    Posted

    Dave have a look at the web page Benzo org....profs Malcome Lader and Heather Aston are the top experts on Valium.also I googled government guidelines ....if you read Wikipaedias answer you will get lots of information.

    I think Nicola May be right in saying to call an ambulance ...see if this will speed up things for you ..you also need to tell them you cannot cope anymore..they would nit want to have to deal with your wife alone ...I do feel for you both ..you say very little ...could you tell us what your wife says about how she feels and acts .

    regards ..Pat

    • davepc621
      davepc621 pat97152

      Posted

      Hi Pat. I have a copy now of the guidelines and from page one to nineteen there's things the doctors didn't do. There's cause for neglect of care. My wife wasn't asked if she wanted to come off. They should have asked. She should have been assessed before withdrawal. Didn't happen. There's a number of guidelines they didn't follow. I've been assessed today for caring for carers. That's a positive for me. Thanks for your input re advice.

      Regards

      Dave

    • pat97152
      pat97152 davepc621

      Posted

      So glad you have finally seen the guidelines..AND that you may get care ..you deserve it ...if you have a moment I would be grateful if you would jot down the relevant things I need to know if my new doctor forces me off my tabs.Also where did you get the guidelines from? ..great work ...Would your wife take to me if I came up for the day ? ..she may find it easier to know I take Valium ..I would gladly come up to Carlisle ..great excuse to see the Lakes again ..you now need a strategy to go forward with you feeling better and your wife too .

      keep in touch 

      kind thoughts for you both ..show your wife these messages 

    • nicola10405
      nicola10405 pat97152

      Posted

      Pat,

      That's really nice of you to offer to go visit, I think they need it.

    • nicola10405
      nicola10405 davepc621

      Posted

      So glad to hear to are getting somewhere.  Shame it's taken this long just never give up.  Hopeing all goes well,  let us no if you can as I think of you both alot.
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