Benzodiazepines.

originally posted by: NthOther
You just have to stop and endure the consequences. There is no magic pill that will help--in fact, isn't that the mindset that got you into so much trouble in the first place?

I know it's not what any addict wants to hear. But you must walk the path of discovery through the torment which seemingly besets you on all sides

There is a way to make this hell much easier to bear, but most addicts don't to hear it, either:

Get on your knees and pray.

Oh the man upstairs has been helping me survive this entire time.

He's here now, and he'll be there on the other side.

Good advice though, I've never just broken down like that, never lost faith either though. I just don't have it in me, something has to trigger all my emotions to show up. Otherwise it's all just mostly bottled. Don't quite understand. I can keep moving though because I know if I make the right decisions, good things will follow.

And no worries I own my addiction no denial or justification here. I am so incredibly sick of this crap ill be the most elated individual on earth when I feel that click, that sudden feeling of realizing it is all over, ive won, and I am myself again.

Benzos are bastards.

Studied them and been on them.

Managed to come off just as I was developing dependence. Felt like # for a month.

Better to just take a certain herb.

Its not just benzos. I was put on painkillers many years ago for an whole host of health problems. 240mg of dihydracodeine (8 a day). One weekend I ran out of them and I have never been so ill in my life, just no way of explaining. When I got to doctors they told me it was withdrawal. I was furious as I was given these from early twenties and had been on them years. If I had known what I now know I would have put up with the excruciating pain.

I find GP's are very good at giving out tablets but then when it comes to trying to get off the bloody things there is no help. My GP said the withdrawal is rathet like what an heroin addict goes through. This upset me more than evet because I would never go near anything like that. The difference is heroin addicts have methadone and help.

Even after all this they have repeatedly tried to get me to take diazepam for muscle cramps but I wont touch them.

So I do understand to some extent what you are going through!a reply to: GoShredAK

originally posted by: anxiouswens
Its not just benzos. I was put on painkillers many years ago for an whole host of health problems. 240mg of dihydracodeine (8 a day). One weekend I ran out of them and I have never been so ill in my life, just no way of explaining. When I got to doctors they told me it was withdrawal. I was furious as I was given these from early twenties and had been on them years. If I had known what I now know I would have put up with the excruciating pain.

I find GP's are very good at giving out tablets but then when it comes to trying to get off the bloody things there is no help. My GP said the withdrawal is rathet like what an heroin addict goes through. This upset me more than evet because I would never go near anything like that. The difference is heroin addicts have methadone and help.

Even after all this they have repeatedly tried to get me to take diazepam for muscle cramps but I wont touch them.

So I do understand to some extent what you are going through!a reply to: GoShredAK

Thanks for sharing yet another account of these practitioners displaying zero care for the person they're treating as a guinea pig.

Good job saying no to the diazepam, that is so wise of you, the withdrawals will rival the opiate withdrawals if the dependency takes root. It's different though you kind of loose your mind and get trapped in there, it's awful and lasts far too long.

At last doctor visit I asked for a painkiller I have gotten before for an old skateboarding injury and she opted to give me something called tramadol. They were presented to me as something like a strong Tylenol or other mostly harmless pill.

I get home and research tramadol and find all kinds of fun facts! It lowers your seizure threshold, you must never take over 400mgs, it has an SSRI element to it that messes with you serotonin. They can become addictive, and they apparently have a very nasty anti depressant like withdrawal if stopped cold turkey.

Wow! I went there to get off benzos and get my
Ankle checked.

I was ripped of benzos, prescribed buspar which I don't want and then some trippy SSRI/painkiller.

Sounds like a cocktail to screw me up even worse.

As I said my mum got off Ativan so it can be done but it took 2 years and her crushing into dust nearly. She just dropped a miniscule bit each week. She was only on a low doss and said herself it was hell, she said if it had been an higher dose she doesnt know if she could have coped.

Be strong (easier said than done I know). Just think people do get off heroin and stay off. Take each day at a time and try and think of the end goal on a bad day. Good luck xa reply to: GoShredAK

originally posted by: rickymouse
a reply to: GoShredAK

You have given some thoughtful advice Rickymouse, however I disagree with the following

SSRIs may have been a better choice for the stress than the benzos.

They are just as hard to come off of and can lead to a worse depression then what they were taken for.

I was on them for several months and told my dr I wanted off as I felt okay. He said reduce for 3-4 days. I knew that was wrong so worked out a titration plan by gradually decreasing SSRIs and substituting trycylics (tricyclics are an old antidepressent that actually replaces the seratonin). Took it to a pharmacist for an opinion and was told the plan was good but needed to be extended about a month longer (I had it worked for six weeks). It worked. Only 1 bad day.

GoShredAK

Also have maintained a script for Clonipin for 11 years. However, never took it regularly...just when needed and never the dose prescribed...quarter to half a milligram so never had a problem. Listening to you I am very glad. I think I would never come off if I had to go through what you describe now.

I did have an advantage in knowing drs over prescribe doses, mainly due to pharmaceutical companies inadequate testing and dose recommendations. They also give 'one size fits all' doses once you get past 12 yrs. Being a small person I already knew from experience to cut back on whatever they recommend and work my way up if needed. Plus, I dealt with this when a nurse in post anesthesia.

Your post is a great warning for people, whether benzodiazepines or other meds, esp psycho active ones. You have done a service. I hope you have support at home to help you through this.

a reply to: GoShredAK

I can relate to everything in the OP. I started taking Zopiclone 20 years ago for insomnia as it is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic and was marketed as a non-addictive designer sleeping drug. It has now been shown to be as addictive as benzodiazepines. It was not prescribed as I lived in a country where it could be purchased over the counter.

I am in the process of a slow wean. I calculated that I had been taking the equivalent of 50-70mg diazepam a day. It has taken 18 months and I am now down to equivalent diazepam dose of 8mg. I have read that the last 5mg is the hardest. I tried large dose tapering initially which caused derealization. I found this frightening and incapacitating.

My motivation has increased since learning that Zopiclone is classed as one of the Z-drugs which are known to be carcinogenic and also have an adverse effect on the immune system. It is not available in the US but the precursor is under the brand name Lunesta. I would advise anyone to avoid it like the plague. Zolpiderm (Ambien), another Z drug is supposedly given to US troops prior to combat missions in war zones to aid sleep. I have read this on several websites although I have no idea if this is true.

What I find very wrong is that it's extremely easy to get prescribed benzos yet extremely difficult to get that same doctor to take you seriously and taper you off the drug far too rapidly.

You might find this interesting.

Rapid withdrawal and misprescribing of a benzodiazepine leads to £1.35m settlement for Luke Montagu, CEP co-founder

a reply to: liveandlearn

Also have maintained a script for Clonipin for 11 years. However, never took it regularly...just when needed and never the dose prescribed...quarter to half a milligram so never had a problem.

Clonipin is the most potent benzodiazepine. 1mg is the equivalent of 20mg diazepam.

a reply to: GoShredAK

Run like hell from these.
Benzos are deadly.

See Here:

Benzos Linked to Dementia And Death
www.abovetopsecret.com...

A recent study found that taking benzodiazepines for three to six months increased the Alzheimer’s risk by 32%.

Taking the drug for more than six months increased the risk by 84%.

Massive study of 100,000 people finds evidence for long-suspected danger of anxiety and sleeping drugs.

Like many drugs, those prescribed for anxiety disorders, like diazepam and temazepam, have a number of known side-effects like daytime sleepiness, falls, an increased risk of dementia — and they are also addictive.

It found that taking anti-anxiety drugs (like diazepam) or sleeping pills (like zolpidem/Ambien) doubled the risk of death.

If you are having panic attacks and anxiety, you may simply have an adrenal problem. TOPROL / Metoprolol blocks the adrenaline rushes without mental impacts. Costs less than $10 bucks a month as well. Some places have generic metoprolol for $4 a month.

Problem solved for many people.

Something you check out because doctors love to give you so called anti-anxiety drugs when you have a Real Physical Problem that they don't want to bother testing for.

a reply to: pl3bscheese

Yep, what cheese said. Messing around with the GABA receptors is tricky, and not fun. I've know people who aren't even the same person anymore from taking them for a few years.

originally posted by: anxiouswens
As I said my mum got off Ativan so it can be done but it took 2 years and her crushing into dust nearly. She just dropped a miniscule bit each week. She was only on a low doss and said herself it was hell, she said if it had been an higher dose she doesnt know if she could have coped.

Be strong (easier said than done I know). Just think people do get off heroin and stay off. Take each day at a time and try and think of the end goal on a bad day. Good luck xa reply to: GoShredAK

I'm glad to hear she got off of the Ativan, it takes strength and courage to kick any serious dependency.

That was exactly how I weaned myself off of pristiq. What a nightmare, they design it so you can't stop too it seems.

The smallest dose is a 50mg capsule that is said not to be split. However in order to avoid the nightmare withdrawals I had to ignore that crap and gradually taper down to a
Little piece, roughly mgs. Once I figure that out I got off pristiq fairly quickly with zero withdrawals. Haven't touched another med since, besides the occasional pain killer for arthritis, and of course benzos.

a reply to: GoShredAK

benzos are a great tool if used right and supervisvised by a comitant doctor.


thay have saved me no B.S years of sleepless nights. i have mild to mod. PTSD so its nice to not be looking at people hands and going to 4th of july. and just having that moment of calm.

all medication comes with side effects.

originally posted by: crazyewok
Benzos are bastards.

Studied them and been on them.

Managed to come off just as I was developing dependence. Felt like # for a month.

Better to just take a certain herb.

No all pharmaceuticals are safe and created with care to protect us.

I know of an herb that turns otherwise normal young people into homicidal maniacs, this is due to paranoid delusions.

Also healthy food has nothing to do with your health, and we all need more flouride.




Honestly though, good job toughing that month out. It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do, especially this time. I've been through this twice before.

I've been prescribed both Alprazol (Xanax) and Lorazepam (Ativan). I didn't particularly like either one.

Xanax made me even more psychotic than usual. For whatever reason it appears to have suppressed what little self-control I have left when dealing with humans.

The Ativan works okay in limited circumstances. I take them when I need to put the darkness back in its cage. About 1.5 mg knocks me cold.

At one time, as part of my med load, I was supposed to take 1 mg of Ativan per day. But I didn't like the sedative effect. So, I opted for a more natural herbal solution.

Best of luck to you kicking in kicking this part of Pharmaco-America out of your life.

-dex

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
a reply to: pl3bscheese

Yep, what cheese said. Messing around with the GABA receptors is tricky, and not fun. I've know people who aren't even the same person anymore from taking them for a few years.

Very tricky, and not something that can be reversed quickly.

I was pretty terrified I may be forever changed with some permanent symptoms, possibly never feel enthusiasm any more. Such a depressing thought.

Fortunately after recently going about ten days without them and actually feeling the withdrawals subside, and now even though I shouldn't have picked them back up Im on very low doses of klonopin and feel pretty normal.

Hoping I dodged the bullet.

I took the last little shred just a bit ago, this is supposed to be the final jump, we will know in a few days what kind of trouble Im looking at.

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: GoShredAK

Run like hell from these.
Benzos are deadly.

See Here:

Benzos Linked to Dementia And Death
www.abovetopsecret.com...

A recent study found that taking benzodiazepines for three to six months increased the Alzheimer’s risk by 32%.

Taking the drug for more than six months increased the risk by 84%.

Massive study of 100,000 people finds evidence for long-suspected danger of anxiety and sleeping drugs.

Like many drugs, those prescribed for anxiety disorders, like diazepam and temazepam, have a number of known side-effects like daytime sleepiness, falls, an increased risk of dementia — and they are also addictive.

It found that taking anti-anxiety drugs (like diazepam) or sleeping pills (like zolpidem/Ambien) doubled the risk of death.

If you are having panic attacks and anxiety, you may simply have an adrenal problem. TOPROL / Metoprolol blocks the adrenaline rushes without mental impacts. Costs less than $10 bucks a month as well. Some places have generic metoprolol for $4 a month.

Problem solved for many people.

Something you check out because doctors love to give you so called anti-anxiety drugs when you have a Real Physical Problem that they don't want to bother testing for.

Well I was, about ten years ago, I also had such bad anxiety I had convinced myself I had a bad heart. Dwelling on this Manifested all the symptoms you could expect from a heart condition.

Crazy how powerful our minds are.

I may never know why they were happening so frequently then. These days I still have a very anxious mind but I recognize it and it does not rule me like before.

My problem is I haven't been sober for longer than a few months since I was fourteen. Started with alcohol. Somewhere in there I abused benzos like I had a death wish and that landed me in this vicious cycle.

Lots of good advice in here.I take .5mg 2x daily of Clonazepam for depression.One time I ran out and felt the boom for three days.I've resigned myself to taking this for the rest of my life.I would rather have lived with my depression than to be hooked on these pills.Take them As a last resort.My 2 cents.

originally posted by: Morrad
a reply to: liveandlearn

Also have maintained a script for Clonipin for 11 years. However, never took it regularly...just when needed and never the dose prescribed...quarter to half a milligram so never had a problem.

Clonipin is the most potent benzodiazepine. 1mg is the equivalent of 20mg diazepam.

Wow. Thanks for the info. I didn't know that. Maybe that is why I never needed the full dose.

My last prescription is from May 2014 and I still have half of a 30 pill prescription left, so I really think I am okay.

Really appreciate the information though. Seems I need to do a little more research. Next anxiety attach will definitely go for only 1/4 a mg first.

originally posted by: DexterRiley
I've been prescribed both Alprazol (Xanax) and Lorazepam (Ativan). I didn't particularly like either one.

Xanax made me even more psychotic than usual. For whatever reason it appears to have suppressed what little self-control I have left when dealing with humans.

The Ativan works okay in limited circumstances. I take them when I need to put the darkness back in its cage. About 1.5 mg knocks me cold.

At one time, as part of my med load, I was supposed to take 1 mg of Ativan per day. But I didn't like the sedative effect. So, I opted for a more natural herbal solution.

Best of luck to you kicking in kicking this part of Pharmaco-America out of your life.

-dex

Xanax is hardcore and may be the fastest acting most potent one.

Ativan was my first benzo and oddly I didn't feel them at all. Also quit CT no problem.

I've found Librium, and Valium to be the most gentle, that's for me anyway.

I can't believe I was once prescribed 90 1mg Xanax, with refills for simple anxiety, which I basically self diagnosed myself with and met zero resistance getting the script.

I'm thinking that prescription should be for someone who needs to be sedated at all times, like the Incredible Hulk or something.

Not an addiction prone, otherwise healthy young guy who really just needed to learn to cope naturally.

a reply to: GoShredAK

Yep.

I was prescribed klonopin for two years. Didnt aeem to help my issues at all. I noticed for the first 2 or 3 weeks after stopping i would get random twitches and was fairly irritable due to it.

Wasnt fun.