Valium Withdrawal

[MrKlown]

Hello, I would like to first say that this may be the wrong forum since I never did abuse this medication. I was given this medicine about 1 year ago and was prescribed as needed. As needed turned out to 1 5mg valium per day and has been that way for an extremely long time.  Anyone have any suggestions on quitting this? I tried to drop down to 2.5mg per day and I got so extremely shaky that I thought I was going to have a seizure. My panic disorder was hitting me super hard on the 2.5mg dose too. I am so confused and want help and have even considered a detox center but afraid of them because my friend went to one that was addicted to a benzo and he was completely yanked off of them and even had seizures. I don't want this to happen to me. Any advice?

[MrKlown]

That is sound advice.

[luppygirl]

I would recommend going to the ER if you are ever in the situation were you run out.  They know the risks involved with benzos so I am sure they would help you out.  After all that is what they are there for.  I know the Er has helped me out when it came to needing help with my pain and they didn't give me any problems.  As long as you are honest with them and explain your medical conditions they are pretty good at helping.  Try not to think about the what ifs because those cause alot of stress and stress is not good for anxiety it makes it so much worse.  

[MrKlown]

Yes I did try seroquel, viseral, geodon, zyprexa, and many other type of anti-psychotic medications. Seroquel caused sleep paralysis which caused panic attacks, geodon caused heart palpitations which caused panic attacks, zyprexa made me see creatures which caused panic attacks the viseral did nothing period. I do think I need to talk to a doctor about Klonopin though because it has been proven to work long-term and while I know that is switching one benzo for another at least it would be safer in the long run. I don't mind living a life with a benzo as long as it is managed. The fear of not knowing when I will run out for good is what is scaring me and I wasn't lying about my friend at the detox place. He was taken straight off of benzos and went into multiple seizures and while your place may not do that, his did. I don't want to risk that.

[mtgoat911]

mrklown, i have only read your post, so if someone has already said all this, i appoligize, i work at a detox, we do not pull people off benzos without giving them some type of comfort med
i also wanted to let you know that you do not need to abuse your medication to become and addict
your body has formed an addiction to this drug, so you have 2 options, take it for the rest of your life or get off the benzos
i doupt you will be able to collect ssi without being on other medication, i agree with you, sri/anti-depressants can exagerate anxiety in many patients
have you talked to your doctor about ptsd medication? for the problems you described on your thread, the identity stuff, and debilitating panic seroquel would probably work well for you, i would not suggest this drug for typical panic attacks, but you stated that anti-depressants do not work for you and that your life is so unmanageable you cannot work, the next drug class your doctor will probably visit is an anti-psyc....at one point in my life i took seroquel for pts and vistoril for panic....i did gain a ton of weight, then i joined a gym and the weight came off, i also attended 12steps meetings, na, ada, ea
i had to stop the benzos in 04, i could not deal with the affects that comes with using narcotics...hey you never know, you might change your meds around and decide you are ready to go back to work

[luppygirl]

Having dealt with anxiety disorder for a very long time I know a few things about it.  You living at your parents is definitely a trigger for panic attacks.  You might not realize the stress of them not accepting you for who you are is causing you anxiety and causing you to have panic attacks.  Not everything that triggers panic attacks is obvious sometimes you don't even realize that something is stressing you out.  The society we live in is so filled with stress people have gotten used to living with stress, most people probably don't know what not being stressed feels like.  Things that cause panic attacks can be really obvious sometimes but most times it is some underlining thing that is causing it.  You must do what you have to do to try and get rid as much stress as possible or you will always be getting anxiety and panic attacks.  I know easier said then done.  I am still a work in progress, but i keep trying.  I take Lorazepam for my panic attacks.  I don't really know all the difference between drugs but I think it isn't as strong as valium, but if I am wrong someone please correct me.  You can get them starting at .5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg not sure if it goes higher because i have never seen it but that doesn't mean anything.  Is there any type of group you could go to to discuss your issues about your homosexuality that you are having with your parents.  Talking with people who know what you are going through can work wonders for anxiety.  They must have some place you could go to talk to people.  You have to get rid of the stress I can't emphasis that enough.  I don't know if I was any help but I wish you the best and keep on posting ( you probably can get some of your stress out by venting on here)

[MrKlown]

Yes I know what I need to do. Regardless of this all I still have panic attacks even while on valiums and I've been told Klonopin is a safer alternative but for some reason they don't work on me either. I'm even going as far as attempting to apply for disability at age 25, it's quite embarrassing. Panic attacks have caused me to quit numerous jobs and not perform very well and it leads people to thinking I am just some lazy bum and hope the disability people don't think that. The thing I found odd was I went to my brother's house yesterday and I was not anxious one single bit which is something I find odd. Is it possible that living here with my parents is causing my anxiety/panic attacks? I love my parents but I do know them not accepting me as a human being and denying my homosexuality completely is causing some of my mental problems though they don't mean to because they do love me.I am just so confused right now.