Benzodiazpine Withdrawals
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I do want to warn everyone that is taking Benzodiazepines. Xanax, Clonazepam, Klonipin, Ativan, Valium, etc.. THIS IS A PSYCHOTIC DRUG! ONLY TO BE USED FOR 2-4 WEEKS. I was put on them for yrs. I had terrible anxiety... the more anxiety I had, the more the doctor was upping my dose! It was the Clonazepam causing it. I went to a detox, they cold turkey'd me ~ TAPER SLOWLY. You will have the worst withdrawals and they are not like an opioid withdrawal! it takes weeks to over a year to go through the withdrawals. Trust Me I was a victim of such. READ UP ON THEM. See sites like benzo.org.uk then join a benzo group. They should be treated like an opioid. They can be worse than them.

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Re: Happy187 (# 41)

Well I’ve been on Xanax for 15 years and never had a problem. I am not young and for two years I was given 5 mg oxycodone 15 a month but just when I really needed it. I have serious chronic pain. I no longer take those. But to label people as “pill heads” is an insult to me and others who need their pain medication and don’t care if they take them rest of their lives if a senior. I disagree. If a doctor asked me which one could I live without I’d choose the Oxys but never the Xanax. And I will take them and not give a rats ass about it. If you are young different story.

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So what is the best non drug way to deal with anxiety?

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I have been on Clonopin/generic for years. I was put on them in the hospital because I refused to take seizure medication. Only reason I refused is because the rest key coming back negative & my mom was an RN @ the time she saw my heart monitor & noticed I was having irregular heart beats not anxiety or seizure. She told the nurse & doctors this but they ignored her. So after being told which seizure meds they wanted to give me I refused unless it was an anti-anxiety as well because when my heart would skip beats or pause just to return to normal an he later I was always asleep when this happened . I was put on 1mg a day at night fast forward 20yrs later I am now at 3x a day. I tried to get off them with doctors help when I was still on 1x a day only after a heart doctor diagnosed the correct problem. I did fine until the last day of 1/4 of a pill then done I collapsed from a really bad headache & went to ER where they just started me back in them. Instead of treating the headache & be fine with them for good. I was mad. The reason I am replying is all most of of the ones you named are also anti-seizure medications so if you are on them for that reason I don’t recommend going off of them because it can cause seizures again & with out help from your doctor can also make you have seizures if you only had anxiety. So you are some what correct on how the meds are hard to get off of but if the person has seizures & reads this & decides they want off it will make them return & people who don’t have them & take it for anxiety can also. So it it is horrible to get off of for anxiety but can do more damage if it is not done right. One last thing they are NOT short term medication unless if used only for anxiety.

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If u think benzo wd's are worse than opiate wd's, u have never been an addict! I've been on clonazepam, xanax, & valium over the past 10 years on and off and the worst part is headaches and maybe diarrhea and it lasts for less than a week. Any true "pill head" out there will agree that opiates are far worse to get over. You physically can not do anything when going through opiate withdrawal, it's the flu x1000000! And I'll go up against anyone who thinks otherwise.

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Re: Optimistic (# 38)

well, over 7000 people will have to disagree with you. I couldn't believe it myself, my Doctor ran so many tests for so many symptoms that came up. I do not have anxiety any longer, I only had it when I was put on the Benzos. Ativan, Valium, and Klonipin. Some tolerance symptoms and withdrawals symptoms are all part of the horrid medication that we get hijacked on

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Re: Optimistic (# 38)

I don't have anxiety, I did while I was on them, and I was when I first got cold turkey'd off of them. That's the thing, the more I was given the worse I got. And like over 7000 people I know, are going through the most horrific withdrawals not recognized by the medical community. I had no idea for a yr. what was wrong with me, they did test after test, until I was invited into a support group, and they had every symptom I had plus so many more.

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Re: Lydia J (# 5)

No way they last for years. You’re probably experiencing symptoms of anxiety now that you don’t have anti anxiety meds.

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Re: Bella (# 35)

Also, I did not use the Klonipin for my Gallstones or arthritis as I can see you are very uneducated, just saying if you want to list health issues here we go. So get off my butt, I am Warning people the effects of at least 7,000 people that I am aware of that are in misery from this medication, seems like you are too, for one of the side effects is aggression and depersonalization.

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Re: Bella (# 35)

If ppl were educated on their meds, why use this forum??? Glad you will not reply, you are using ulgy words and are just a miserable old lady with a closed mind.

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Re: Lydia (# 33)

I think people are pretty educated at this age about their medications we don’t need you who is paranoid to explain it. Benzos have nothing to do with RA... if you read the post correctly, it states I only take Benzos and I won’t take anything for RA...gallstones? Please... have your gallbladder out like I did. I’m done talking to you. Not going to comment again. Good luck.

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Re: Gigi (# 28)

Hang in there Gigi, so so sad and it's so disheartening to hear how you were treated growing up. Dang, I do hope whoever did those things to you is in prison for life. I am just trying to warn ppl there is another side of what this medication does to people. I wish I knew when I was misdiagnosed and they started giving them to me, listening to my Dr thinking he knows best. only to realize they don't at times.

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Re: Bella (# 32)

sorry you a so naive, I am warning people of the effects of this dangerous medication, and I am glad to read more and more Doctors know how this medication is addictive, physically more than mentally, and that they try to have their patients seek therapy and not rely on popping pills to solve their problems. BTW I too have arthritis, gallstones, and I just had major spinal cord surgery, 2nd in a year. If you want to compare medical issues, and BTW what does a Benzo have to do with RA?

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Re: Lydia (# 30)

Well if you’re sorry then get off them. I guess there are substitutes. With me, I just don’t care and when you don’t care, that’s when you can relax. Different mind frame here anyway... it’s the doctor's fault for starting you and everyone else on them, without knowing you cannot get off because it is addictive. Then they decide they will take things away because it’s not in your best interest believe me, but their fear of malpractice. Well same goes for addicts who are addicted to pills who doctors gave out knowing they would become dependent on them. They take them away only to find them turning to Heroin etc... Doctors have much more control over your body than you do. I also suffer from RA and refuse to take anything for that. I guess I don’t want to give in to anything else that can cause harmful side effects. Doctors give you a pill, then side effects from that and you’re given another, and the list goes on. My friend takes so much meds including three THREE stomach pills? And her belly hurts every day! Why three? But she trusts doctors while I do not.

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Re: Gigi (# 28)

I did not know true benzos can stay in our bodies for 7-10 yrs after. OMG is there something I can read about that? I am in a support group that would love to know this, as we still suffer. I am so much better, but I do believe I get some setbacks still.

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Re: Bella (# 29)

I also am in my 60's my dr . tried to convince me I too would be on them the rest of my life, only to find out, ones body gets so dependant on them, and the doctors have no clue how to get one off. I am sorry to have to be on them the rest of your life

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Re: Lydia (# 26)

Where is my mean answer? Some of us know how to take our medications while others do not. Hence the paranoia of the drug. Like I said I have been taking Xanax for 20 years. As needed. That doesn’t mean all day and night. Mostly at night vaguely during the day. It depends. Don’t insult me when I suffer from chronic anxiety. You must be abusing it. And in my mid 60’s I don’t care if taken forever however long that is. If you feel comfortable calling me an addict then so be it. But because my doctor told me I can never get off them I’m glad he said that and I’m comfortable. You must be really young... or on something else. Respect others who are in control of their medications.

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Re: Lydia (# 22)

I don't need to read Stevie's story; she is my cousin on my dad's side, so we watched her live it! I did my certification in a detox/addiction center, plus I have 10+ years clean (pain meds, heroin, and cocaine); I am very aware at the sloppiness/ignorance/UNCARING of our medical care when dealing with addiction - So sorry you have to deal with that!!! Yes, true Benzo's stay in your system (can) for 7-10 years after that last pill. I do understand about the symptoms you described; I have PTSD/Anxiety/Severe Depression, I am a Survivor of Child kidnap and torture/Domestic Abuse and I have Cancer -- so do NOT give up and do NOT allow these Doctors to put you down or make you more sick! God Bless...

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Re: Ginger (# 25)

They should, its a very powerful, addictive medication, that should only be given out for 2-4 weeks.

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Re: Bella (# 17)

your answer is mean, just giving solid true information. I hope you do not go through the horrid withdrawals, if you start feeling awful and need more drugs to get the same affect, you are an addict

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I have been on benzos for decades for sleep. No other option. Sorry you had this problem but I have never had a problem taking them as prescribed. Now the FDA treats benzos like opioids making it very difficult for me to get it. I need to be able to sleep

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