Anxiety is crippling dry heaves and valium usage

[Shaun patterson]

Hi, I am new to this forum and just hoping that someone can give me some advice. I have suffered with anxiety for years but this last 6 months have been the worst ever and seem to be getting worse as I have at to go on sick at work for the first time. I feel constantly nauseated to the point where I dry heave a lot and shake and have no appetite all day but worse in mornings. I am currently on 5 mg diazepam twice a day which I have been for years on & off but this is not working now and I don't want to increase the dosage although I really want too. My doctor as advised me to take 3 a day . I am due to see a psychiatrist in 2 weeks and hopefully he can look at my medication but not sure if this is the way forward. Everyday is the same and I just wish sometimes that I wouldn't wake up as everyday is a battle. As anybody else came of valium after years and found something better that suits as really don't know what to do as when I look on the web all I see is negative comments and valium is harder to come off than diazepam. Please can somebody reassure me that there is good medication out there if it suits and does anybody else dry heave with nerves and have no appetite. Thanks shaun

[Annie0904]

Hi Shaun
Diazepam is Valium (valium is the old name for it). Loss of appetite is very common with anxiety and it is best to eat little and often and foods that go down easily. It maybe best to wait until you see your psychiatrist to review your medication as he/she may offer an alternative. Have you had CBT at all?

[clio51]

Hi

yes I used to dry heave,and did so for weeks! I had no appetite at all. I would go all day with just something like toast.
Eventually it did get better doc gave me anti-sickness tablets. I to had diazepam 2mg, but was also on cipralex(which id been on for 4 years) this eventually was changed to venlafaxine by psych.

I would say as annie says see what the psych says they have more knowledge and access to more meds than doctors.

regards eating, try something like soup,cereal,toast,bananas,yogurt,fish. something lite.
I know its hard to eat especially mornings but when it settles down try something lite.

[nataliewoods88]

hi there :) i really feel for you, anxiety is very hard at times and can seem like a endless struggle. One thing i can say is whilst your waiting on medication try and use your own thinking to tell yourself you are safe, anxiety is just a thought try and not rise to its threats.

[Shaun patterson]

Thankyou for the replies its good to know I'm not alone.
As anybody else been on low doses of diazepam for years and weaned of them ok as all I see on the web is very scary stories that its very hard to come off them.
I have had this anxiety for years now but the last 6 months have been terrible , I can hardly eat and feel shaky all the time from the minute I wake up. My doctor has told me to increase the dosage of diazepam for the time being but I am very scared too as I will just want it more and more. What is the best substitute for diazepam that is not so addictive and will just calm me down without coming dependent on them.
Sorry for the long post but really don't know what to and I am scared that when I see the psycaritrist he will just give me more tablets and take me of diazepam altogether. I recently went on holiday for a week to Spain with my family and spent most of the week in my apartment.

[rachelsk]

I've been on diazapam for 9wks and only had 36 tablets in that time but I am paranoid I will become addicted the most I've had is a 5mg tablet in a day and I break the tablet into quarters and take it that way,I'm also on 40mg of fluoxetine daily and 15mg mirtazapine at night plus beta blockers,feel very tired and alienated today not sure if this is the fluoxetine and mirtazapine or the anxiety ! I also wake up soaked in sweat n feel shaky most mornings and have a poor appetite I have lost 35lbs in 9wks due to the anxiety:shrug:

[Justin1973]

When you do see your psychiatrist ask them about anxiety management, stress control courses, CBT (cognitive Behavioural Training). That's once you've to the meds sorted and they are helping you. Then, you can do these programme to teach you how to manage anxiety.

I thoroughly recommend them. They've helped me a lot, especially when I'm anxious about something. I find although I'm anxious and feel uncomfortable, I'm able to control it better and not feel as half as bad as I did.

Get your meds sorted and push for some therapy or the stress control courses.

Hope this helps :)

[rachelsk]

I have had cbt and have seen councillors over the yrs no physchiatrist as yet but am working with a mental health worker but that's not often,do you think I'm ok with the diazapam still ? Or. Do you think I've taken too many ? And will be addicted:ohmy

[Shaun patterson]

Hi that's a short time to be on diazepam and very low dosages at 5mg per day in quarters. If you can get away somedays without taking any that would be better but at that dosage It would be unlikely that you are dependent on them. Are the other tablets helping as I think my psychiatrist will try and wean me of diazepam for something not do addictive but its hard as the diazepam is helping but after time you will need to increase the dosage like I need to do to get the same affect. I have tried cbt but wasn't in the right frame of mind to go all the time so maybe when I get my meds sorted I can try again .

[flori]

Hi Shaun.
I have taken 5mgs diazepam for years for anxiety/panic attacks, although not on a daily basis. 28 mgs usually last 8-12 weeks. If your doctor says it is ok to take them and the diazepam are helping, I wouldn`t worry.

--------------
I have just seen your other post Shaun. I know I have not been on the high dosage you are on , but I never had to increase diazepam to get the same affect.

[rachelsk]

Yes Shaun the mirtazapine 30mg is sedating and helps sleep plus it's a good anti depressant so is the fluoxetine I was on it years ago and have been back on it for 6wks had some bad side effects but that could also have been the anxiety,weight loss,feeling terribly sick,not been able to eat etc

[Shaun patterson]

Hi I didn't think that 5mg twice daily was a high dosage. My gp is happy to up the dosage but I don't think that's the right way. The most I have in 1 day is 10 mg which I think is still low and not a high dose

---------- Post added at 20:33 ---------- Previous post was at 20:27 ----------

Rachelsk, the one thing I don't want to do is make things worse than they are. You mention bad side affects with them meds which include weight loss and feeling sick which are my symptoms at present ?

[rachelsk]

Maybe that's your anxiety causing the symptoms I know it has been that way for me,I don't think diazapam alone would be enough for me ,fluoxetine I have been told is good for anxiety once it starts working and not everybody gets side effects I've had a mixture of side effects and anxiety which seem to mimic each other