It works but dont want to be on it! what next?

[Rooey 1966]

Hello

after 2 failed attempts at getting on SSRI's (only took short courses of ) I have developed extreme anxiety and agitation (pacing and bouncing off the walls) in the past few weeks which seems to wax and wane every other day, it seems to have been triggered by the SSRI's and the stress of not getting better quickly and some odd body jerks and movements

anyhow having taken 2 x 2mg per day of diazepam for the last 3-4 days(originally prescribed for help with sleep getting on sertraline) I feel OK and have had a normal day, I understand long term use is a problem, it's just too good so there has to be a trade off?? (addiction)

how long can i take it? My CBT guy says up to 6 weeks as I need to break my cycle of an aroused state, my doc says 2 weeks only , i feel like dropping the dose already but ive seen on threads that people take it for quite a while. Ive got 14 x 2mg left so have used approx half my prescription

as an added complication my neuro wants to start me on amitriptylene, will this increase agitation or reduce it? Can I start the ami and reduce the benzo.

is inositol also worth ago?

thanks

[steveo]

Tell me how long you've been on the different ssris for. With SSRI's there is no such thing as a short course.

No you don't want to be taking diazepam! People take them long term because they are damn hard to come off of. I started taking them in February, only 2mg twice a day. I'm trying to now come off that dose and let me tell you, it's sheer murder. Do NOT rely on diazepam. It's a VERY SHORT TERM drug only. It only took me 2 months before my body developed tolerance to that dose. For the last few months it's done NOTHING for me but give me lots of nasty side effects. Don't listen to your CBT guy. Listen to the guy who is trained in MEDICINE... your GP. Don't use them to break your aroused state. They are HIGHLY addictive.

Inositol is not really worth a go. It's a natural remedy that shows some signs of reducing mild depression when taking in very high doses (up to 18grams a day).

SSRI's take a very long time to get working. DO NOT USE diazepam as a replacement otherwise you'll be where I am now and I'm on a VERY low dose and have only been for a very short time but if you read my thread on here, you will see the hell I'm going through thanks to the poison that is diazepam.

People on here who take them long term, are doing so because it's so difficult to stop. And the longer they take it, the harder it becomes. Don't become one of those people for gods sake!!

Steven

[flori]

Stevio.
Are you talking about people taking diazapam every day long term, not being able to come off them.
I have been getting them for years but only use them when really needed. I know other people who have got a daily course for a week or two and they have been fine coming off them.
We know they are highly addictive but for many people they have been very helpful in seeing them through a difficult patch.

[steveo]

Yes I'm talking about people using diazapam every day long term not being able to come off them.

They are for short term use only, 2 - 4 weeks during a crisis or some other event such as getting on an SSRI. That's when they are helpful for seeing people through a difficult patch.

A daily course for a week or two is also fine and shouldn't cause any problems coming off them.

I'm simply trying to warn the original poster of the dangers of taking it for more than a few weeks on a daily basis.

[flori]

Stevio. I understand that. I wasn`t too sure whether you meant people who take them " as required" too.
You appear to be having a really tough time at the moment and I hope you feel better soon.
Anxiety is a horrible illness.