Hello, I have been diagnosed with severe generalised anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, depression etc.
I am very scared as i write this as i don't think I am going to survive much longer.
I was taking 30 ml citalopram and taking 5 ml diazepam when required.
I managed to ween myself down to 2.5 ml of citalopram over a period of 6 months and then I started to stop taking the diazepam.
I had stopped taking the diazepam for almost 13 days, when all of a sudden, just before tea time 2 weeks ago I had the mother of all panic attacks. The strange thing was, unlike a normal panic attack ( hyperventilating, weak limbs, convinced i was going to die etc) i had this unusual sensation in my spine, as if all the nerves were excited and it was getting more and more intense. I started shaking uncontrollably. My girlfriend phoned for an ambulance and in the meantime i took 10 ml of diazepam with no effect.
I went to the hospital, they tested my blood pressure, blood glucose and heart but all was fine.
I came home a few hours later, but i was still feeling unwell so i too another 5 ml of diazepam.
I didn't sleep much that night and i went to see the doctor the following morning. She suggested that i start taking escatalopram.
I must say the escatalopram has definitely had an effect on my mood in a positive way but the anxiety hasnt let up for nearly 2 weeks now.
Up until last Saturday i had taken a total of 55 ml of diazepam in a 10 day period. I stopped taking the diazepam for 3 days and then yesterday at around 5pm the mother of all panic attacks returned. I had this horrible exitement along my spine, i was shaking, I thought i was going mental and that i was going to have seizure or something, it was really awful.
It got so bad that i ended up taking 15 ml of diazepam again, it took ages to work but i was finally calm enough to go to sleep.
I woke up in a panic several times before i dropped off but i finally fell asleep.
Ive woken up this morning, and i still feel quite weak and very scared that something else is wrong with me.
My question is, could the sporatic use of diazepam over thr last 5 years be causing these episodes? Especialy the sensations in my spine which are more frightening than the anxiety itself. Do you think that the 2 week abstinence from the diazepam was a shock to my system?
I forgot to mention that when i was in hospital the nurse mentioned that i went kind of grey and that i was possibly in shock.
Thanks for listening, please help me.