Anyone else had to come off benzodiazepines? It is awful. I was on ativan for 6 months and now trying to come off. I've had panic, sweating, etc. Really bad. All my feeling are coming back about losing my mom. Any advice?
I was on Ativan 3 mg before and it took me 6 months to wean off. It was awful. I had severe panic attacks. You need to do it very slowly otherwise the withdrawal symptoms will be really bad. Ask you Dr to prescribe you Valium to replace the Ativan as it has a longer half life.
I agree with the other person. Please read the Ashton Manual and show to your dr. Sadly the withdrawal is bad better than staying on a benzo as they lead to damage and can take up to 2 year to heal. I have PM a link to the Ashton Manual.
I was taken off Alparazolam last week, this time no tapering, I went to get my usual authority prescription and my new GP said she will no longer be prescribing them for me, that comment gob smacked me, no further weaning, she gave me 10 tablets and said come off them how you see fit, within 24 hours I was in withdrawals, they are horrendous, I had been taken off them several years ago by another doctor, she followed the Benzo protocol but the same happened even with the aid of Diazapam (Valium) this had no effect on me for relieving withdrawals.
now the thing is with Benzo's, they are designed for panic/anxiety and agoraphobia and not depression, the 2 work on different receptors, anti depressants work on the serotonin, which in my opinion has nothing to do with panic/anxiety ( serotonin) where as the benzo's work on the gabba receptors which help us regain great control over our panic/anxiety. Dr's are extremely reluctant to prescribe benzo's because of abuse and addictiveness, if used as directed it is a wonder drug. 6 days off alprazolam,not completely to be honest, I took 1/2 of a 1mg tablet at night but did nothing, 2 trips into our emergency department due to the horrible withdrawals, I was able to track down one of my old GP's and explained what my new GP had done, GP just shook his head , got an authority for me, am now back on alprazolam, into day 2 and my life is back to normal again, I'm not housebound and the panic has gone and I can also go to town, local shops etc etc again.
I have been on alprazolam for 22 years, without them I have no social life, I get housebound and of course the rebound panic attacks. I would love to stay off them but unfortunately I can't function without them, by that I mean, yes sure I was dependent on them, addicted if you will, but hey look at all the other medications out there for other health conditions, they are addictive or you have to be weaned off them, some examples, certain blood pressure medications ( calcium channel blockers ) anti depressants , Lyrica, the list goes on.
In your situation I would suggest you touch base with your GP or mental health team in regards to your situation, in your case I think the benzo's are only a short term solution for you, but hey I'm not a psychiatrist or psychologist , if they think that's the medication you need to be on, so be it. Hope this has made sense to you and has helped you in some way.
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.