Benzodiazpine Withdrawals (Top voted first)

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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These are NOT Psychotic medications, these are anti anxiety medications! Anti Psychotics include such as: Thorazine, Haldol, Mellaril, ect... totally different.

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They are treated like an opioid these days.
Read EVERYTHING the pharmacy gives you with the meds. None of what you wrote is hidden information . . . you should report your doctor for not properly tapering you off them. Benzo withdraws can kill you.
That being said, I have had a prescription for them since 1998 & only experienced slight withdrawals from switching types once. I take them as needed, which isn’t regularly.
Antidepressants and allergy medication and many meds will cause withdrawals when you stop taking them suddenly.

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Been taking them for 20 years. 1 mg Xanax to sleep. I have nothing but good things to say about it. I’m also older and some people can’t handle it in today’s world. People freak out if it’s prescribed to them today because today doctors take you off everything once you get use to it. It’s sad. Years ago nobody cared because it wasn’t a problem. As for me I can never go off them and I’m just fine with that. Best of luck.

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Re: Lydia (# 15)

I don’t need to Google anything I am comfortable. I’m good. I don’t care. Why does this bother you so much? IDGAF. CNN is fake news. And I’m done answering you apparently you’re paranoid and should not be on anything.

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Re: Lydia (# 12)

Having chronic anxiety before I sleep or any other part of the day is why they are prescribed. You don’t know me. I am in my 60’s. I have no worries. Rest of my life I don’t care. It’s people like you that put scare tactics in others that should not comment. Either say how they were to you and that’s that.

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Re: Bella (# 2)

Thanks Bella... We and I include myself when saying this are quick to judge medication often labelling one bad without exception...... Its about using your medication responsibly and doing your homework by researching all medications pros and cons along with honest conversation with the doctor. In this case I see no harm for you taking 1mg Xanax at bedtime you are obviously following your doctor's orders and know what works for you.....thanks again.??

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Re: Bella (# 17)

Lydia sounds like her Anxiety issues have not been resolved. It shows how she keeps repeating herself in this forum. Anyway doctors including mine in the 90's & 2000 prescribed Benzo's with Anti-Depressants to help take the edge off getting used to the Anti-Depressant over the 6-8 week adjustment period. This means I was on Klonopin .5 - 1mg. for more than 8 weeks. not being told then that it could become addictive. He even told me when I asked, "Are these addictive?" "No" he said, "You're on a very low dose".15 years later I tried to get off Klonopin & ended up suicidal and admitted to rehab. I felt I was on my way only to give in to going back on Benzo's & Anti-Depressants. It stabilized me for the last 2 years & am now living a normal life at age 65. Had I known back then I would become addicted, I would have looked for alternatives. Too late now. Those few months of withdrawal were horrible & I never want to go through it again. Again everyone is different. Some will have no problem getting off Benzo's. I wish the doctors would have been more responsible back then.

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Re: Bella (# 14)

Thanks Bella... We and I include myself when saying this are quick to judge medication often labelling one bad without exception...... Its about using your medication responsibly and doing your homework by researching all medications pros and cons along with honest conversation with the doctor. In this case I see no harm for you taking 1mg Xanax at bedtime you are obviously following your doctor's orders and know what works for you.....thanks again.??

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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: Bella (# 7)

NO Pharma company is cutting your meds with wood... I can assure you that!! Now, if you buy off the black market... all bets are off.

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Re: Lydia J (# 11)

Not true. You are Fake News just like the CNN you watch.

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Re: Lydia J (# 10)

You go ahead and think whatever, do what is good for YOU, and BY ALL MEANS; Do NOT JUDGE anyone else for what they need to do for them... I took Klonopin for years ( daily) , and then stopped- I did NOT have any withdrawals ( shocked but true) - now if it would have Xanax or Valium I'd have had to go to detox.

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Re: Bella (# 2)

So true I'm a baby boomer, we new what we wanted and usually enjoyed it,I'm old enough to be my drs granfather he thinks he can play god with my pain ,yet if it wasn't for computers he would be lost , sometimes I wonder if he knows anything about pain relief..thanks

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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: Bella (# 9)

I'm sorry they are not that controlled. there are so many different fillers that can cause malabsorption.

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Re: Bella (# 14)

I was prescribed them for anxiety. It caused more anxiety. I was cold turkey'd off of them, (didn't matter, tapering to fast is bad as well). I suffered, tinnitus, agoraphobia, night sweats, cold sweats, heightened anxiety, tremors, insomnia, balance problems, derealization, depersonalization, overstimulation, depression, I can go on and on, it lasted 18 months, only 2 windows the whole time. My Dr did all kinds of tests before I found out what was going on.

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Re: Gigi (# 21)

I went to detox. They do not know how to deal with benzo withdrawals, they in fact rapidly withdraw you, thus cold turkey you, and send you on your way. Benzo withdrawals are by NO MEANS the SAME as opioid withdrawal. For over a yr. I had symptoms the doctors could not even relate to. They are not schooled in benzo withdrawals. Thus, neither are detox centers. I am glad you were able to stop without problems, but for those who have fatigue, anxiety, night sweats, tinnitus, suicidal thoughts, insomnia that won't go away for months, and I can list so many more that happen within a month of getting cold turkey'd off of benzos. Heightened anx. is one of many symptoms, yet the doctor feeds them more of what is causing the anxiety to begin with. Over 5,000 ppl that I know of are so ill, that some, like Chris Connell take their lives. Stevie Nicks, suffered for over 3 years when she got off. Read her story. Thank you.

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Re: BuffaloBill (# 19)

Gosh so you know how horrid these drugs are. It took me 18 months of the most horrific unrecognizable symptoms one could ever go through. Yes some ppl do commit suicide Thank God you did not go there. I only knew what happened to me when I joined FB 2 yrs ago. My Doctors had no clue what was going on with me. I fired my psych doctor as soon as I knew what the Hell he did to me. I begged him to get me off of this stuff, thus, went to a detox, only to find out later, they have no clue how to safely take one off. They treat it like an opioid withdrawal, which is so not what we go through. Thank you for your testimony.

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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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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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