Diazepam vs Anti-Psychotics

[Alabasterlyn]

Jimbo I'm glad you decided to swap from the benzos and go for something else as it did sound from your first post that you were beginning to use them more and more often. The addiction problem with benzos is something we are all aware of, but the other worrying part about benzos is the tolerance we can develop, which in itself can actually cause the symtpoms we are taking the benzo for.

I'm glad the new meds you are on seem to be working out for you

[Jimbo]

I agree, I was getting very tolerant to them and they weren't having much effect any more. I didn't have any problem stopping them thanfully.

The quetiapine actually seems to work a lot better than diazepam, and has also solved a lot of other problems I had.

Jim

[Jimbo]

Thought I'd post again as I'm finding recently that my sleep is getting progressively worse again. I'm only sleeping for a maximum of 4 hours in a row and usually waking up every 2 hours.

My doc suggested increasing the dose to 100mgs in the evening, which I might try. Has anyone else been on this sort of dose?

I thought these sort of things weren't addictive so why do I seem to be developing some sort of tolerance to it? Is this normal and would I have to keep incresing dose for them to be effective?

Jim

[happyone]

Jim it is so funny that you should post this as I have been getting a bit concerned about my level of quetiapine (seroquel). I was taking 50mg and having a great sleep but more often than not I am now taking 100mg as I had started having trouble getting to sleep (unless I had alcohol which increases the effect, but I am trying to keep away from it on a regular basis) Shrink says this is ok, but I have found myself wanting to take more.
Last night for example, I was really down. I feel on the edge of a down time and at 6pm I thought to myself 'I could take 150mg of them and it would knock me out really early' as I just wanted to shut out the world.
I am worried I am beginning to abuse them but I can't face nights without them or something.

Sorry I haven't been much help eh?

happyone
xx

[Ellen70]

Hi Jimbo and everyone,
I posted on the first page of this thread that I thought the Quetiapine was great but I had only been taking it a couple of weeks then.

Since then the doc has upped my dose to 100mg at night and 25mg twice a day. Even at 100mg I no longer sleep and the day dose is doing absolutely nothing for my anxiety. I have dizziness and a constant feeling that I am going to fall over and my mind is foggy, even though I still have racing thoughts.

So I am now an ex Quetiapine fan. I am seeing my shrink on Wednesday and am telling her that I am no longer going to take the Quetiapine.


Ellen

[Jimbo]

It's a bit of a pain as these really help a lot. But insomnia is the worst thing for anxiety, it makes things 10 times worse when you haven't slept in days.

I guess on a possitive, some of my more disturbing symptoms like seeing and hearing things have completely stopped while on them, which has reduced my anxiety loads. Which still continues, but they don't solve my general anxiety and stop me panicking.

I really wish they would invent a non-addictive valium, as they are the only thing that completely cured my anxiety.

Let us know how you get on Ellen, often you don't realise how much these things are helping till you stop. Good luck,

Jim

[joy]

I am on Risperidone an anti p for about 3 weks or so, it seems to be helping the anxiety but I have no brain. Its really affecting my memory. Do you think this is a side effect and will it get better

Love Joy

[Jimbo]

I tried Risperidone for about a week at 0.5mgs 2xday but it didn't agree with me. Gave me really bad headaches, felt very strange, detached and didn't sleep a wink. It actually made me feel more anxious, but maybe that was because of the lack of sleep and I wasn't on it for long enough to give it a chance.

My GP told me it's the most common anti-p prescribed in small doses for anxiety. So it might work for some people. I think with these things they effect each person differently. I seem to be one of those people that's very susceptable to side effects.

From what I understand they are pretty much instant acting and don't take a while to get into your system like AD's so I doubt things will change much. Some of the side effects might diminish over time, but I'm not an expert so I would go check in with your GP / psych and explain the problems.

Jim

[joy]

Seeing the psych on Wed. I agreed to try Risperidone combined with Duloxetine. Really I want to change meds but agreed to try the combo first. Actually I've started sleeping on Risperidone after being on Sleepers for a year so I suppose thats good at least

love joy