Hello again !

[stuck2long]

Hi again,
I have been housebound (still am ) with severe agoraphobia for 14 years.
I have been on Diazepam for 28 yrs, tried to reduce last year (another attempt of many ) it has left me worse than before ( there were things I could manage before trying to reduce )
Dr. has told me to stay on them but I have read somewhere that they can cause fear/make fears worse when used long term. In my case I had my first panic attack when I was 13, I was agoraphobic for about 3 yrs, 28 yrs ago when my ex hubby left us for someone else. I have since re married but in 1985 I 'lost' a baby who was born dead. My agoraphobia returned around that time and I have not been able to overcome it so far. I'm getting older and worry that I may never overcome it. I would like to get better but don't know how, I don't receive any support from anyone or encouragement and I'm my own worst enemy.
Any advice would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance
stuck2long

[eeyorelover]

hi there and welcome -
I'm sure that you will find support and encouragement here. I know what it is like to feel like you'll never overcome it since I have had panic for about the same amount of time as you.
If you feel like chatting I will be around. looking forward to getting to know you.
your friend,
Sandy
eeyorelover

[~Mary~]

Hello, I'm so sorry you feel like this. I know kind of what its like. (and im also very sorry about your baby) Im 16 and I was just "officially" diagnosed as having agoraphobia. Ive had it for a little over 2 years now, and it comes and goes. But right now its at its worse. Its prevented me from starting my junior year of highschool! [V] I do not know what Diazepam is. I just started taking zoloft again as it helped quite a bit last year until i was taken off of it. I also take xanax especially right now, since I've never felt this bad.

Everyones advice to me including doctors is to force yourself to go places, just a LITTLE at a time. I hate to hear that too. Becuase they dont know how hard it is. But I know that they're right, its just a matter of finding enough strength to do it. I wish I had some wonderful advice for you but that about all i got. [:I] And im sorry to hear that you dont recieve support from anyone... thats not fair to you. This website really is great tho and ive only been here for a few days! So remember that I and everyone else is here for you!

~*~MaRy

[carlin]

Hi there,
sorry you are having a rough time right now, i can't advise on any meds. but what i would say is, if your doctor has advised to stay with them for a little longer, it may be a good idea, and then when you are feeling a little stronger, maybe then reduce the dosage? I truly understand what you are going through, as do most people here. It is not easy and nothing can change over night. It can be done and with the support and advice you will find here, i'm sure it will help. sorry if i have no offered any sound advice, but just to let you know you are not alone and people do understand.

[Piglet]

Hi there,

I can relate to the agoraphobia part. It's been a prob for me much of this year. I can just about get out if I've got my kids with me or my friends but not on my own.

I have registered for the cbt telphone course with NOPANIC which you can link to off this site to hopefully get a little more support with it.

I think as has been said it comes down to baby steps at first then you have something to build on, even if this just means standing on the doorstep at first.

I can't comment on the meds as I'm no expert here other to say my mum has been on valium everyday for the last 30 years (she's 75 now) and I think will probabaly keep doing what shes doing as she feels she's never been agoraphobic, always gone on hols on her own, worked full time etc etc. However my doctor said even at mums age if she wanted to come off she could, it would just have to be a very gentle process and take plenty of time - the important thing here is it can be done at any age if you want to.

Hope you find lots of support on here, I'm sure you will!!

Love Piglet:)

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

[Meg]

Hi Pegi

It is inevitable that many of your issues are now about valium -benzodiazepine addiction.

What sort of dose are you on and what sort of tapering/weaning regime did you go on and how far did you get ?

It is never tooo late but it will be tough work but it is achieveable if you really want to get off.

Have you done much reading about Benzodiazepines ?

Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

[stuck2long]

Thank you everyone for your welcome advise.
Meg, I am on 10mg daily total.
I did a very minimal taper 16 months ago and sufferd very badly, not something i would do again in a hurry : (
I had a counsellor at the time for this purpose only, getting off meds, her eyes rolled when she learnt of how slow and minimal my taper was and said I shouldn't be having so many withdrawal symptoms at that rate. My Dr. on the other hand said that he was not surprised that i had a rough time considering the amount of time I'd taken them. I have been back on the origianl dose for 16 months and nothing is as it was before. I have fears now that didn't exist then.
I have read all there is to read about the Benzos. I know it's never too late Meg, but I'm achieving nothing from these failed attempts only more problems. What i need is to be able to literally take one step at a time with overcoming the agoraphobia, I get severe anxiety when I try so it has to be slow. I've given up of ever trying to come off the meds, I don't think it's possible and even if it was it would be a long drawn out process that would probably take many years, I would be too old by then.
Hope this makes some kind of sense, I have too much to try and overcome with both problems.
Thanks
Pegi aka stuck2long.

[Karen]

Hi Pegi

Welcome to the forum.


Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

[pinkscrumpy]

Hi Pegi

Just wanted to welcome you to the site

MANDIE XX

Will I ever escape this?
Will I ever be free?
Wake me up from this nightmare.
Please just give me the key!

[trac67]

Hi Pegi,
Welcome to the site, you'll get a lot of help here and make a lot of new friends.
Take care
Trac xx

its "just a thought"

[seh1980]

Welcome aboard!! :D

"Life is too important to take seriously" Corky Siegal

[jill]

Hi Pegi

WELCOME TO THE SITE

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXXX

[Barb]

Hi Pegi

Gosh it is like reading my own story. I have been on Diazapem for 23 years and have tried many times to get off but the withdrawals are just too bad especially when you have agoraphobia, which I also have and havent been anywhere on my own in years and years. I take 5mgs now after a year of hell, before that it was 3.5mgs. With the help of this site and mentoring wit No Panic I am finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

Feel free to PM me any time for a chat or support

Barb xxxxxxx

[pips]

Hi Pegi,

Sorry you are suffering so. May I give you a BIG WARM welcome to the site and I do hope you find it helps you.

Take care,

Love PIP'S X X

[sueiamnew]

Welcome to the site Pegi.

[curlybird]

Hello Pegi and welcome.

Hope you find the support you need. This site is a huge help :)

Lots of luv
Curlybird
xx

[stuck2long]

Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome.
Pegi : )