Benzos

[Softball27]

Just wondering what the consensus is here on the long term use of one of the benzodiazepines such as klonopin, Ativan or Xanax for anxiety and depression. If you have experienced favorable or unfavorable and at what dosage. I find them very helpful but I know the threat of addiction. Any thoughts?

[blimpsgo180]

In my experience, benzos only numb anxiety and don't eliminate it. The longer you take a benzos, the more addicted you become. IMO, the sooner you can get off, the better.

[Arymretep]

I Agree with you they are very useful, but only short term, these days you are very lucky if your Dr will prescribe them, I had a bit of a meltdown last year, and I was given enough for a week only which helped me get through

[Joshgw]

I've always have had trouble with benzodiazepines. They just dont agree with me. I'm currently on klonopin but want to get off. I too am scared of I'm on it too long (6 months) I won't be able to get off. But you also develop a natural tolerance for them (like alcohol) so the longer you're on, the more you need to take.

[bethelbee]

I've been taking Ativan for a while, mostly prn, and never had a problem with it. Haven't needed any in a couple weeks. Was just in the hospital then rehab following a fall resulting in a fractured hip then hip replacement surgery. Luckily am doing really well!

[Dell12345]

I find diazapam very helpful for occasional use. It makes me feel very depressed the next day though. Has anyone else found this? Or a sedative that doesn't?

[Isinatra in reply to Dell12345]

Benzos are called “downers” for a reason. I found they can exacerbate my depression sometimes. I don’t know about any other sedatives causing depression . Except alcohol.

[Softball27 in reply to Isinatra]

I find that it calms me. Gives me my appetite back and slows down my monkey brain. Thanks

[Isinatra in reply to Softball27]

Your welcome, Dell. Lol

[Hope4me1]

This is a topic I struggle with. I have had GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) since I was a child. I was given Xanax back in the 80’s and it helped me through a traumatic time then. I really wasn’t getting the care I needed and didn’t understand how to take the meds and I think I came off of them too abruptly and suffered with increased anxiety and panic. But I managed, I was young and adapted and vowed to never take them again. During the span of 20 years or more I did well with just mild anxiety as part of my life. When my dr prescribed me Klonopin for when my anxiety was too uncomfortable to manage, I used it very little and kept a bottle of (6 ) .05 Klonopin pills in my purse handy if needed. They stayed there for years. I used very few. When we retired and four years ago, we moved to FL and I took care of my infant granddaughter for my son and daughter-in-law while they worked. I was apprehensive about this venture and after about 6 mos I was taking cut up pieces of my .05 Klonopin to sleep. I became depressed and my anxiety hit the roof when I finally found the help of a therapist and psychiatrist to prescribe it properly. I have been on Prozac for many years and that alone had always helped me. But for the last four years I have been trying to stop relying on my Klonopin. I moved back to my home state and am now still on the same dose, but I would so like to be off them permanently. I had a break from them a year ago for 6-8 months, but had a set back and started it up again. I take very little; at the most—1 1/2 of .05 dose. I was down to 1/2 of .05 pill for a while, but sometimes I will need more. But never over my med dr’s prescription dose. I don’t know if this see saw approach is beneficial, but I can’t seem to get off them entirely and I am not happy with this reliance on this drug. My med dr says not to worry, you are taking such a small dose. But I do worry just the same.

[fauxartist]

If you are pre-disposed to addiction... they are very addictive. Sadly there still are no real effective drugs for anxiety.

[Softball27 in reply to fauxartist]

I’m not someone who is pre-disposed to addiction. My problem is that the go to drug for rem sleep disorder is klonopin. I need to take it every night to prevent injury while I’m dreaming and it definitely works for that. But there are times when I also need it during the day to take the edge off. To slow down my monkey mind. To un-dry my dry mouth. To give me my appetite back. These are the physical symptoms I get when I am dealing with anxiety. It works for that too. I work through most days without it but the days I need it makes me, me again.

[fauxartist in reply to Softball27]

I totally understand that, and even if you had to be careful because of the addictive quality of some drugs, you have to take the meds that are available to us now.

I don't judge anyone ever when it comes to meds,.. I have no place doing that. If someone asked for an opinion or were asking questions, I can only comment on what I know, all of us are different and react differently to the same meds. I'm glad you have something that works for you, maybe someday we will have other options that work even better.

[Hidden]

I'm of the opinion that if a medication works for you and helps you to have a life that lets you be you, again, then you have your answer. I am wondering if taking intermittent breaks might be an option? A lot of the members here have valuable experience with various meds. Take their/my advice and think it over, but in the end, it should always be a discussion between you and your doctor.

[Softball27 in reply to Hidden]

Great advice. Thanks for sharing.

[Daveacr1959]

Antidepressants don’t work for some of us, so we need the benzodiazepines. I have tried 6-7 different antidepressants the past 29 years. And they make my anxiety worse. Tried them all one at a time in different doses. Like another person said, there are very few drugs that work for anxiety.

[Softball27 in reply to Daveacr1959]

I have been on at least 10 different antidepressants. They don’t work for me. I just left my doctor and she put me on .50 klonopin daily. I have to trust her

[Dell12345 in reply to Daveacr1959]

Did you ever try an SNRI like venlaphaxine, or try an antidepressant with an antipsychotic like abilify or quietipine? Apparently augmentation of SSRIs with low dose antipsychotics is supposed to be quite helpful for many people.

[Daveacr1959 in reply to Dell12345]

I have anxiety related high blood pressure. Can’t take .. s n r I ., raises b p ..

[Dell12345 in reply to Daveacr1959]

Oh that's difficult. I'm sorry to hear that.

[designguy]

Of all the meds I tried for anxiety, Klonopin was the only one that actually helped, it didn't eliminate the anxiety but made it manageable. I was on it for a while and then my prescriber wanted me to get off it so I quit. I tapered off without any problems. At the time there was a study that had come out that longterm use could cause dementia. I found a copy of the study and learned that the participants who developed dementia were also alcoholics, i'm not any where near being an alcoholic. I fired my med person and found another one.

Personally if I found that taking Klonopin was required for the quality of my life, I would still be taking it. The problem here in the States is that getting it prescribed is increasingly difficult and it may even now be classified as a controlled substance. Supposedly it can be quite addicting but I never had that issue but we all react differently.

[Hope4me1 in reply to designguy]

I agree! Very hard to get it prescribed. Once your dr knows your history and trusts that you don’t abuse it, it’s easier to get. He says he loves his talks with me; it’s refreshing for him not to have to be “the cop”! I take only as needed and even less if I can manage. But it does serve a purpose for my anxiety. Helps me manage😊

[Daveacr1959]

Yes we have to trust. I have been on klonopin since 1993 and have never abused it. I know I am dependent on it. But I see these people go off thier antidepressants and face the same thing. I take .05 mg 3 x a day. Cardio exercise helps alot, it’s the best thing a good hard workout. Proper sleep is important. And for me aggressive breathing exercises help. And here is one you will think is weird. But people have been doing it along time. A5-10 minute cold shower or bath or plunge. Search you tube for cold shower therapy for mental health. Cold plunge for health benifits. Cold water swimming, wild swimming. One guy I email with calls it natures Valium. And I am so calm after I do it daily too. Start out at 70 degrees and work your way down a few degrees per week.

[Pineapple1986]

Please do not take them for prolonged periods. These drugs are only meant to help in the short term. I found SSRIs being much more helpful long term to treat my depression and anxiety. As more you use benzos as less effective they will be when you really need them. From my standpoint, a month is a top time you should rely on benzos. It would help if you started looking into permanent solutions such as different types of medications meant for constant use AND, most importantly, finding a good psychologist because being prone to mental illnesses is one thing. Depression is not a mental disorder so is anxiety. There is a way to subsequently help yourself change how you perceive and react to situations. You have to be willing not to try and patch your problems with meds but put a lot of work into fixing your perceptions. I support medication, but I do not believe that it is something that will significantly improve your life. Your life changes will. Good luck!

[AuntBee]

My sister-in-law has been on Klonopin for over 20 years. Im not privy to the dose but I know she has attempted to adjust it herself from time to time when she feels she needs more. She has memory loss, very shaky hands, and a shaky jaw. The dr says they are permanent issues due to long term use of Klonopin. When she had surgery she had to stop all medication for 3 days and she was a wreck. She begged for her Klonopin. I believe she became severely anxious in the hospital.

[Softball27 in reply to AuntBee]

I hear what you are saying but I have to take klonopin at bedtime because of rem sleep disorder, which makes you act out your dreams and in turn causes injury. I stopped klonopin for a month and tried melatonin, within that month I dove out of bed causing an injury to my neck. I take .50 mg and decided not to take it during the day for anxiety. So that’s a partial win for me. Thanks for your feedback.

[guynfl2chat]

I have been on xanax for years as needed. I do not take alot but when I need it I take it. My doctor is very understanding and will not over prescribe the rx. I try not to count pills because it just makes me crazy to think of a number. However, I believe if they help and you take them as needed.. they can provide relief. I still live life and deal with day to day problems but when its really noisy-- it calms down the sensations.

[CL3V3R-G1RL]

I was using mine clozapram as needed. When I was a teenager it was in combination with Lexapro. I was so proud of myself when I was able to get my anxiety controlled enough were I didn't need it. The clozapram was only prescribed as needed for uncomfortable situations like airplanes . I would take a .5mg before and day of the flight.

Now I'm ashamed that I was put back on it 2x a day for anxiety cause of this thyroid medication. I worry about being on them long term. I don't want to be. I worry about wearing out their usefulness. So far I've been on them since the end of March. I'll ask my psychiatrist if I can ween myself off of them again. Go back to as needed.

[Hidden]

Hi Hope - I have been taking Ambien for 6 months at night and 1mg of klonopin during the day. My sleep doctor doesn’t want me to get dependent on Ambien? Is it hard to stop?