Anxiety? or Benzo withdrawal? Or just mental/anxiety?

[cnote]

27 male. Anxiety sufferer. For 3 years I have taken ativan on and off as needed for anxiety spells. Some spells last days, weeks, and some even a month or so. But I always wean off the ativan (usually .5mg, sometimes 1mg if severe)

This year I was doing fine, then had a really bad anxiety spell, that was just a huge downward spiral... my ativan wasnt even working. I had to take three .5mg tablets one night just to relax. I called my Dr. who unfortunately was out of the country for 2 months! So, I had to go see his assistant Dr. Which I can't stand! He threw me Lexapro, but first asked me what I wanted!!!?? What Dr. does that!? My Dr. would NEVER ask me what I thought I needed.

The Lexapro made my anxiety worse at first, so bad, I was a quivering mess! I made an appt. to see my therapist, he prescribed me Klonopin, and thought that's all i would need.

I took Klonopin, and Stopped cold turkey on the ativan (I know I shouldnt have done that, but these 2 dudes, didnt tell me anything). I didnt have any ativan withdrawal issues though! Probably b/c, if I was having them, i didnt know it b/c the Klonopin was in me and I was cool. I took .5mg to .25mg of klonopin for 2 months almost. I only took it once a day before bed. This therapist of mine didnt even tell me how to take it. It was frustrating! But I was feeling pretty stable for a while on the klonopin and lexapro 10mg.

But then anxiety peeked again, after a panic attack, and I just thought to myself, "I don't want to be on pills EVERYDAY. My anxiety episodes are sporadic." And I really wanted my primary Dr. to get back into the country ASAP, so him and I could work on a regiment together! I just felt like these 2 other quacks I was desperately seeing, while he was out of the country, just didn't know me/care about me like my primary did. My primary is amazing, and he is a naturalist. He doesnt just listen to you for 4 minutes and hands you pills. He tells me what to do naturally, and doesnt think the ativan is a bad choice for me, and I don't abuse it.

Well, anyways, my Dr. finally got back into town, I saw him, told him what's been going on, he said to Wean off the Lexapro, (b/c it was making me feel very fatigue after 6 weeks) and he wanted me to wean off the Klonopin. I weaned off the Lexpro and Klonopin for about a week and a half? I didnt think 2 months worth would be that bad to come off of. And realistically, it wasnt.

My Dr. prescribed me ativan .5mg, and said I could take it up to 2 times daily, WHEN NEEDED.

So as I was weaning off the Klonopin and Lexapro, some nights I was very anxious, and I'd take either .5mg or a half of that to help with my nerves.

Now it's been about 2 weeks since I've completely stopped the Klonopin and Lexapro, and the issues I'm having is nervous stomach (which isnt bad, I can deal with that without benzos), also I've been experiencing major sleeping issues, I'd call it insomnia, but I've never had insomnia... So I don't want to label it that. And I've had this sinus pressure feeling in between my eyes near the middle of my nose for about 2 weeks. But I have no sign of allergies. I tried zyrtec for a few days, with no release of pressure. It doesn't hurt per-say, but its pressure, and it's annoying, and makes me feel tired in the eyes. Also for about 5 or 6 days now, I have developed pressure around my head! Mostly in the back sides, above my ears and back some. It is not a pulsing headache, it feels like pressure, like rubber bands pulled tight around my head.

My neck has also been stiff and sore, and shoulders.

I lay in bed at night and just close my eyes, and day dream, but I do not sleep!!! It's terrible. I finally had to break down and start taking ativan every other night this week just to get some Z's!!! I hate doing this! But the no sleep/insomnia, tight band around the head feeling, and nose pressure and some ocassional dizziness has driven me back into some anxiety!

I have to have sleep! Otherwise I feel terrible, and my Dr. said no sleep can cause more anxiety.

So my question is... I'm SO FRUSTRATED.

Do you think these symptoms of head pressure, nose/eye pressure, sore neck and shoulders, insomnia... are these all withdrawal affects from the klonopin? I did take it for 2 months at night, and I slept great! Now it's like my body won't sleep! And ativan barely helps! Plus I don't want to take ativan for sleep. But again, I'm having anxiety, so I take it sometimes.

Lastnight I had to take 2 ativan b/c the night before I didnt take ANY ativan before bed, and only slept 2 hours. And I was paying for it big time yesterday at work... I felt so tired, nauseous and SO anxious.

Is this insomnia all mental? b/c im not taking anything before bed? I've never had insomnia issues before. Is the head pressure and stuff just anxiety related? or is it withdrawal related?

Thanks guys! I will make it through this! I know I will. :)

I want to be benzo free very soon. Even though I feel better I'm off completely of the Klonopin and Lexapro.

And Ativan doesnt scare me to come off of... but insomnia does scare me. =/

Frustrated - Cnote -

[TkcAknC]

I know this was written in 2010, but just so you (and anyone else who has read this) know, Ativan and Klonopin have the same properties. They are both Benzodiazapines! So when you go from one to the other, unless you are dealing with a dosage drop, there shouldn't be any withdrawals.

[cnote]

I must add to my last post... that I have had this feeling of the brain feeling a few times last week too. Scary stuff...

[cnote]

Okay, so NOW I'm freaking out! I'm at work, and so far today hasnt been too bad. And all of a sudden I'm working and I feel like my BRAIN does this thing, that... I dunno how to explain it... but it just feels VERY STRANGE AND SCARY for like 2 seconds then stops... but then leaves me in panic...

What is this!? Klonopin withdrawal? Lexapro withdrawal!?

It's been like 10 days since I've been off the Klonopin and Lexapro! And I'm barley taking enough ativan, I would think, to not give me any withdrawal symptoms...

Or is it typical to have symptoms after 10 days of my last bit of klonopin/lexapro!!?? I weaned off slowly over a week and a half or 2 period. And was only on the stuff for 2 months... is that long enough to have this crap!?

It's seriously causing rebound anxiety and I HATE IT!

I was doing GREAT over the Christmas break tapering and stuff! What the heck!?

Part of my anxiety is telling "Go to the Dr. again! Tell him what's going on and you need an MRI, you could have a brain tumor!"

But RATIONALLY I KNOW I DONT HAVE A BRAIN TUMOR!

This is the anxiety doing its thing!

I HATE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!