Valium longterm

[Chronic911]

I know these drugs are best if not used longterm but what if your anxiety is so severe that nothing else seems to help? I have tried all the non drug things. I have also been thru 2 horrible benzo detoxes...xanax and klonopin. I took klonopin for over a decade and xanax for 8 or 9 years i think.

My question is ....is there anyone here who has been on valium longterm? You don't have to warn me about all the dangers of benzos. I know all about tolerance and the addiction. I simply wish to know is there anyone here who has opted to use valium longterm on a daily basis and what has the experience been like for you.

Thanks for any responses.

[shadowstriker]

i was on diazepam for a year they say it stops working after a while and you need more and more to get the effects but if its a low dose it doesn't really lose effect was on 5mg twice a day for a year only med to help my anxiety.

[Magic]

I am on long term libriam , I have tried antidepressants, diazepam and other stress
related drugs. but none of them helped me. only libriam taken when needed.

[teej]

I have also been thru 2 horrible benzo detoxes...xanax and klonopin. I took klonopin for over a decade and xanax for 8 or 9 years i think.

They're all benzodiazepines ... why would you face putting yourself through detox again?

[freefee]

I have been on valium for over thirty years now, I am totally dependant, I generally take 100 mgs a day, but I run out before my prescription can be renewed, withdrawal is hell, avoid regular use as anxiety becomes less of the problem and you basically become a drug addict

[Chronic911]

They're all benzodiazepines ... why would you face putting yourself through detox again?

Problem is I don't but I have tried everything known to mankind (non drug approaches) to control my anxiety and everything has failed. No one wants to take drugs. I hate them and have only taken them when I felt I had no other choice. It is not so easy as just saying avoid all drugs. Benzos, longterm, are bad news but so is doing nothing and just suffering day in and day out too.

---------- Post added at 16:40 ---------- Previous post was at 16:33 ----------

I have been on valium for over thirty years now, I am totally dependant, I generally take 100 mgs a day, but I run out before my prescription can be renewed, withdrawal is hell, avoid regular use as anxiety becomes less of the problem and you basically become a drug addict

I feel for you freefee. I make no judgments. We are all just trying to get thru this life with as much joy and peace as possible and as little pain as possible. When you started valium, how much did you start out taking and for what reason if you don't mind me asking. Thanks for responding and sharing.

---------- Post added at 16:42 ---------- Previous post was at 16:40 ----------

i was on diazepam for a year they say it stops working after a while and you need more and more to get the effects but if its a low dose it doesn't really lose effect was on 5mg twice a day for a year only med to help my anxiety.

Are you on any meds now shadowstriker?

[SarahH]

Chronic, Try looking into Pregabalin

Sarah

[freefee]

when I first started taking valium 15mgs would get me through the day with ease, I would be able to have a relatively normal working and social life, I suffered from extreme panic attacks, and valium did the trick, but as the years went on I needed more to get the same benefit, so now I find myself virtually housebound and I need to take at least 100 mgs plus alcohol just to leave the house for a few hours, I did try it all when I was younger, cbt therapy, relaxation techniques and hypnotherapy just to name a few, I even tried ect, but maybe I accepted valium as my cure, if I could go back then I would do things differently, drugs can be a good short term fix, but in the long term I believe they can ruin your life, as in my case, so my advice to anyone would be use prescription drugs when going through a really bad time in your life, but always stick to non drug therapies to cure your problem in the long term, if I could go back to my younger self, then this is the advice I would give, my drug addiction is as big a problem as my panic attacks now, probably greater, I hope my advice can help other people who may see drugs as the easy option, because in the long term they really are not.

[hanshan]

I agree with Sarah, that pregabalin is a long-term alternative to benzodiazepines. My worry is that it won't give people coming down from a benzo addiction the rapid stress-out they are used to from a benzo drug. They need to be prepared to live with the changeover for some time.

[dezy numb fingers]

I've been on Diazapam for almost 2 years now and need it to get up in the mornings. I hate it, but I don't know how I'd cope otherwise. I do want to stop, but am very scared of going back to the way I was - although this is nearly as bad.