Stopped diazepam 18 days ago. Need some support .............

[pulisa]

Of course it's a personal choice, Phill and if your doctor is happy to prescribe them there are no problems. I suppose it's down to getting that regular prescription.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I'm sorry to hear you are having such a terrible time. Doctors in the states won't even prescribe this drug due to its addictive properties. Stay strong, you will get through this.

They have a bizarre stance on benzos since they will prescribe harsher drugs to withdraw from that are in the same class e.g Xanax (the NHS won't prescribe this), Ativan, etc.

[pulisa]

Yes I was surprised to hear that US doctors won't prescribe diazepam but are happy to prescribe clonazepam, Xanax etc...Doesn't make sense.

[Autumn4]

I am still taking 4mg & am just starting to actually feel better than I have for a long time. I actually am getting up earlier without having to drag myself !! I had a tumour on my thyroid removed just under 2 years ago & take Levothyroxine. I also have Hashimoto all of which hasn't helped with anxiety & other symptoms. I am now thinking about reducing to 3mg however its a difficult decision as I feel good now.

[Phill2]

I am still taking 4mg & am just starting to actually feel better than I have for a long time. I actually am getting up earlier without having to drag myself !! I had a tumour on my thyroid removed just under 2 years ago & take Levothyroxine. I also have Hashimoto all of which hasn't helped with anxiety & other symptoms. I am now thinking about reducing to 3mg however its a difficult decision as I feel good now.

IMO if you're feeling good why change?

[Autumn4]

I don't want to get to rebound on 4 mg so think the only way is gradually tapering.

[Chronic911]

Well done Pulisa on being drug free too xx
To be honest my scary experiences on paroxitine/seroxat, venlafaxine/Effexor and now this bloody poison I've been taking daily for 7 years I'm scared off Meds. It really has made me have a phobia about these sorts of medications. I keep saying to my teenage daughter please promise me you will never take antidepressants/benzos. I really hate to see anyone suffer such soul destroying symptoms when it's time to come off!!! Maybe I'm just one of the unlucky ones who has the genetic disposition to find these drugs harder to come off. I don't know. I think I've had a lot of damage done to my CNS from these drugs and now I just want to feel like me without any drugs. I spoke to my gp about my insomnia since tolerance and subsequent withdrawal and she was going to suggest another drug to counteract this. I said noooooooooo

Michelle, I feel for you. I am currently trying to detox valium. I have been on these type meds for 30 years. You are correct. These meds are brain toxins. They should never be prescribed to anyone more than 2 weeks max. I just started on 1.5 mgs valium today. I will take that for 2 weeks and then stop but I know the hell that awaits me. I am having mostly cardiac symptoms and think I am going to drop dead at any moment (tight chest, heart palps, various chest pains, etc). I wish I had never taken these type drugs when my panic and anxiety began 30 years ago. I have been through 3 horrendous benzo withdrawals. I was 1st placed on xanax for almost 10 years, then klonopin for 10 years when I became tolerant to xanax, and then valium for almost 10 years. Now, I am tolerant and have horrible SX's whether I take the drugs or not. I have also been on a few SSRI's but not on any now. I can't sleep and struggle to eat just one meal per day. I don't know if I am going to survive this or not at my age. PM me if you would like. I could use a friend and some support and you probably could also. You are not alone. I am also in the midst of pure mental and physical hell.

[maccknight]

I am having the exact same problems. Was on them for 10 months and tapered down. I stopped four months ago and am struggling with the hell of the withdrawel and the continuing change in symptoms. The panic and anxiety has been hell for the last two months and this week got a lot worse. My symptoms are mainly cardio too and constantly feeling like I am dying. I wish I had never taken them and had not believed when I was told it was only a small dose - equivalent of 20mgs of diazepam!! Crossed over to diazepam for my taper. The withdrawals are far worse than the reason i was put on them in the first place

[Chronic911]

I am having the exact same problems. Was on them for 10 months and tapered down. I stopped four months ago and am struggling with the hell of the withdrawel and the continuing change in symptoms. The panic and anxiety has been hell for the last two months and this week got a lot worse. My symptoms are mainly cardio too and constantly feeling like I am dying. I wish I had never taken them and had not believed when I was told it was only a small dose - equivalent of 20mgs of diazepam!! Crossed over to diazepam for my taper. The withdrawals are far worse than the reason i was put on them in the first place

Hi maccknight, what are some of your worse symptoms? I am sorry you are struggling. I am having one hell of a time also. What benzo did you crossover to valium from?

---------- Post added at 10:21 ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 ----------

Yes I was surprised to hear that US doctors won't prescribe diazepam but are happy to prescribe clonazepam, Xanax etc...Doesn't make sense.

Yep, it is true and makes no sense to me either--

[fishman65]

Time to confess. I've been on diazepam since March 1992. I had been suffering with anxiety for 7 years and kept having to take time off work, especially in 1989 when I had a complete breakdown. I returned to work later that year but was off again the following year.

Our family GP eventually persuaded me to start taking prozac and a 2mg per day dose of diazepam. Returning to work I did well initially but through fear of being off work again when anxiety hit I upped the dose until I was eventually taking 10mg per day. Cue another breakdown in 1995 and I was off work again. I then met Mrs F at the local Mind group, I took on two children and since then I've been a carer for her while her health problems mounted.

I'm still on 10mg a day, taken on getting up in the morning. I do wish I'd never been prescribed it but am frightened of coming off them after so long. I need to be there for Mrs F as well as my daughter and 88 year old Dad. Our current GP realises the commitments I have regarding Mrs F and can appreciate that coming off the diazepam will be challenging and I can't afford not be there for her. I'm addicted to diazepam.