anxiety depression. and diazepam

[benson14]

on and off ive been taking 2mg of diazepam just at night sometimes cutting them down to half or to a quarter .now doctors are telling me they need me to stop taking them .i suffer anxiety depression im worried of withdrawel symtoms which i couldnt cope with .anyone else just stopped taking them .isuffer ill health .past strokes/ heart and diabetic type 2 i live alone and panic at 77

[Hidden]

Hello benson 14

I also take diazepam at night when I get severe muscle spasms . The dose of 2 mg is very small, how many do you have left?

The reason I ask is it depends on how frequently you take them, what you have been doing is very sensible by slowly reducing the dose . Breaking them into halves and quarters then slowly reduce down to a quarter, the key is not to increase your dose again.

It’s true they are addictive yet not everyone becomes addicted to diazepam.

Sometimes medications can have the opposite effect expected, perhaps the diazepam is making your anxiety worse.

Try and chat to your pharmacist about it and he/she can help with your reduction.

Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your medications and concerns

Best of luck

Love and hugs 🤗 XX

[ben16 in reply to Hidden]

thank you for responding .it means a lot as ive said i live alone and do get really scared as i suffer a lot of dizzy spells .so dont go out very often .i just feel so out of breath .feels if my legs wont go .seems silly i know but its exchausting .

i will discuss it with the pharmacy .re my tablets.i wished id never started them .having said that they did help when i had my breakdown .

thanks for taking the time to respond do appreciate it .xx

[Hidden in reply to ben16]

Morning ben 16

I understand how the dizzy spells can knock your confidence, I have spells like this from time to time and yes it’s scary, especially when there seems no reason for it. And I agree it really is exhausting, especially if you’re not sleeping well either.

Turns out mine are because of my blood pressure, when I suddenly stand(now I’ve not been able to do that for ages even if I wanted to) or turn my head after say standing still at the sink or in the shower or even getting out of bed, now I take my time and slowly move, it makes them less bothersome. Just wondering if you take blood pressure medications , sometimes you can get a dip in blood pressure when you’ve been sat down for a while it remains low when you suddenly stand up making you feel dizzy.

Ps there are much better medications for mental illness, diazepam is useful short term for various reasons. I need to speak to my doctor about my mental health feels like I can’t deal with any sort of stress without losing the plot.

You can personal message me if you want to chat more frequently and yes please talk to your pharmacist, you may have to ring up and make an appointment and they may ask you to bring your remaining prescription for diazepam, would help if you go to the pharmacy where you get your prescriptions .

Lots of luck

Love and hugs 🤗 xx

[grandmama16 in reply to Hidden]

Hi....kinda hit home about stress and anxiety. Lately have been stressed due to our funeral plans filled out but outdated so have to change some things. Hubby's bro in law died in April and wife has had a heck of a time getting papers done. She's my best friend too. I just don't know what to do about Living Will and such either. How do we know now about what will happen later? For anxiety I take Xanax just at night. I tried diazapan years ago for Vertigo, didn't work, but Meclizzine did...thank goodness. I guess I am dependant on some other meds....Cymbalta and Norco but haven't increased them over the 20 years or so. My Pharmacist is great at answering questions. Bye for now....M.A. in USA

[Hidden in reply to grandmama16]

Morning grandmama16

You sound like you have a good grasp of your medications, and happy to see your pharmacist about any problems which may arise. As you point out some meds work for one person but not another, trial and error finding what works for us personally.

Living Wills are becoming more popular here in the UK, not sure about the details but I think you nominate someone to have power of attorney over your possessions and money. Best to do this before you are incapable of making that decision. I would definitely take legal advice about it.

As for how things pan out, if you should develop a terminal illness or severe mental impairment it may be best to sort it out early on.

I do hope you never have to face this.

So sorry to hear about your best friend and her loss.

Sending you both love and hugs 🤗 xx

[benson14 in reply to Hidden]

hi how nice to hear from you with similar conditions.as i do get sometimes .that im the only one.with being reliant at times on these dreaded pills .

i know its a small dose .and since i ran out of them 2 weeks ago .ive not taken any ..ive felf a bit edgy at times .but think how much is it coming off them or is it me being anxious .

i do take paroxetine i daily 20mg been on them for 20 plus years after losing my young son .i can neveer see me coming off them .gp told me recently patients thats given these are suppose to be short term .as they are very addictive .yet they are on my repeat prescription.

its took me a while to answer as didnt know how to receive my post .but now i hope ive got it right. so i can stay on tjis site it really does help .thank you for your reply god bless .

[Hidden in reply to benson14]

So glad you feel able to respond to me or anyone else. So sorry to hear about your loss and pain. Loss is very personal and can last for a long time, I know I cannot imagine losing a young child but I’ve had several failed pregnancies which left me feeling very low, death of anyone is hard to bear.

Best way to deal with your feelings is to talk to someone close or your regular doctor who can recognise the difference. Sorry you’re feeling edgy, are you eating and sleeping well? Hope so.

Please don’t hesitate to send a reply to chat specifically or generally.

God bless and look after yourself

Love and hugs 🤗 xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Ps happy 😃 birthday 🍰 on Sunday 17th June xx

[ben16 in reply to Hidden]

thank u .so much for your reply also the offer of talking to you again .

i do find it very difficult .to get on with my life since i lost david .i swear my life ended then .

all i want to do is shut myself away some days .sleep .but its a vicious circle .if i sleep during the day .i then lie awake till the early hours of the next morn. i try to occupy myself some days when i get motivated .doing bits in my garden .house .etc .but then i suffer.by overdoing it

i have heart problems among otherr things and just been put on a drug to help prevent my blood clotting .due to being told i was high risk of a stroke .again .

anyway thank you so much .

and you take care too regards j

[Hidden in reply to ben16]

Hi ben16

Firstly does your paroxetine work for you? Especially as you’ve been on them for many years.

If not talk to your doctor about changing to a newer type.

Godspeed my friend and please keep in touch with any of us, we all care about you and your sadness and pain.

Lots of love and hugs 🤗 xx

[ben16 in reply to Hidden]

hi .its been a long time .i have been really poorly .and really felt too exchausted. im sorry .

just felt i couldnt go on anymore .and found much releif by sleeping .

i also had bad news about my heart condition.although i knew i had an enlarged heart. the condition as deteriorated. heart not pumping as it should so referred back to my cardiologist. its got i cannot walk more than 20 yards before im breathless and have to stop to rest .im not big .im 10. stone 5

i hardly ever go out due to being tired exchaused and breathless.

i have been thinking of getting a s/h mobility scooter. even if its just to get out .as quiet a nice little area round here. and always someone to talk too .

anyway i want to thank you for all your kind words and thoughts .and everyone thats responded.

as i know you all have your own illnesses to bear .thats why im so thankful for people like yourselves to take that time to correspond .

i just hope you will keep in contact .and i wish you all the best .

may god bless you .lv joan xx

[Hidden in reply to ben16]

Dear Joan

Very early morning to you ben 16

So sorry you’re still not feeling well and feeling very tired 😓.

I’ve been struggling myself with tiredness and pain and finally referred to physio by doc.

Sorry your heart not working so well and you feel dreadful because of it, if you can afford a scooter get one...fresh air can work wonders.

I’m off to physio tomorrow for pain in my spine....not sure what to expect if it’s a one off or a course, probably former.

Will let you know later this afternoon.

God Bless, sleep well Meg Xxx

[Hidden]

Hi benson14 . You may be low in vitamin b12 if your anxious and breathless etc. Its a common deficiency as you get older and has various symptoms. The sprays are better for absorption.

I came off benzo drugs with the help of b vitamins and other gaba raising supplements like valerian root, l theanine and inositol. Dont worry, you will be ok. Your on a very low dose of that drug and those drugs wear off in effectiveness quickly anyway. The alternative options i mentioned are available from the internet and some health stores. They do really help me and ive been seriously ill. Good luck.

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[benson14 in reply to Hidden]

thank you for your reply .its taken me a while as i didnt know how to get my post .but think ive got it now .lol.

thanks for the advice .i asked my gp about taking vitamins .but he doesnt seem to think they do anygood .

im going to try them .as i feel so tired lacking motivation .which is so unlike me .

i.ll be 76 sunday the 17th .ive always tryed to look after myself .keeping busy .if only i had half the energy now.

ive been off diazapan now for 2 weeks .but still qet scared of any side effects .ive been on these on and off now for years .but take paroxetine .just 1 daily and been on them for 30+years after losing my son at the age of 15 .

i dont think i shall ever come off them .ive tryed but after 2 months gettting a relapse spending months in bed .back on them again .

i do have fibro .with terrible pain .

keep in touch .id like to know how you get on .thanks for responding .

take care

[Hidden in reply to benson14]

No problem at all. To be honest most conventional doctors dont know much about vitamins and minerals etc. They arent really trained on it in medical school. Its mainly just pharmaceutical drugs they know about.

In spite of this, i have had some conventional doctors, even specialists tell me that they realise that there is something in vitamins and minerals. It depends who you see and whether they have looked into that area much. One doctor told me with age that people do generally, become low in nutrients.

Im so sorry to hear about your son. How horrendous for you. I completely understand why you take anti depressants. Ive been on them during difficult times too. Im weaning onto 5htp instead now. It naturally raises serotonin, without the side effects i had on anti depressant meds.

The natural remedies i sent you links off, have really helped keep me calm. I didnt send a link of vitamin b12 spray but its in most health stores online and in shops. I hope that you feel better soon. Yes id love to keep in touch! Take care x

[YASMINTINA FMA UK Volunteer]

Hi there benson I too went through bad anxiety this year as couldn’t at the time except the conditions I was living with , I was put on sertraline that made anxiety worse they started me on duloxtene I found this has really helped me , yes I know they like to wean you off diazepan and it is a low dose you are on , could you book a telephone slot with your doctor to get some advice he/she might try something else to help with depression/anxiety, it’s really worth talking to gp as you have other conditions to cope with. I Hope you continue to post on the forum our members are very helpful and caring do you have Fibro along side your conditions then ??? . If you would like to lock your posts here’s a link healthunlocked.com/fibromya... take care x

[benson14 in reply to YASMINTINA]

how do i lock my post .does this mean the replies ive had will be kept .

its been so uplifted by other friends on this site .so helpful .i dont feel that im the only one suffering like this anymore so thank you all .best of luck god bless .and keep fighting. like i am .but couldnt do it without your help and advice of these lovely people

[YASMINTINA FMA UK Volunteer in reply to benson14]

Morning benson yes posts to you will stay , when you go to post at the bottom you will see 2 little circles on the left it says anybody can see then the other side it says only our community can see , so tick that box x

[grandmama16]

So sorry about your past strokes. I'm 74 and Dr. just discovered a heart murmur in me. My mom died of brain bleed, her dad and brother plus my sis of first heart attacks, so maybe this is a warning. My diet is lousy and little exercise...hubby too as he has Parkinsons. Like you I battle depression, fatigue, anxiety, and of course Fibro so I tend to lump anything into that catagory. She wants to do a stress test. I want to ask....why not just a scan? My hubby's sis just had uterean cancer surgery and then her husband died suddenly of heart problem but also was dying if cancer. She's been so strong and now lives alone but a couple if her 6 kids are nearby. We're about 20 milis away and see her often. She's 78. It was good hearing from you. I pray you'll get better and feel safe. M.A.

[benson14 in reply to grandmama16]

dont have the stress test .i have had it twice .never again .i was so ill .grey when i came out .its radio active .the worse thing they never tell you the effects it as on you after .you feel sometime they are using us as guinea pigs .ive told them im not having this again .wjen a normal scan is just as good .hope you get sorted .tjinking of u best of luck x

[grandmama16]

Thank you....I'll consider that.

[paul_langton_rogers]

Diazepam is a terrible and very dangerous drug if taken long term, and I have nearly 15 years of experience with benzo's including Diazepam. I'm not here to preach, but rather to caution and share some of my findings and experience..

If your doctor wants to take you off Diazepam I would not resist that, it's for good reason and he or she is acting in your best interests. The last thing you want is to be physically dependent on it. It will eventually lead to tolerance, lose its effectiveness (even at higher doses) and will cause many health problems you never had before, and will also exasperate the initial problems you took it for (whether that be anxiety, insomnia, or muscle spasms/pain) as you go into withdrawal.

The health problems post-benzo-withdrawal can last for years, and some people never fully recover if you do your research online (many videos on YouTube). So tapering off gradually (over a period of months or even years) and allowing your brain chemistry and body time to detox and adjust back to normal functioning is essential to avoid this. Diazepam actually down regulates the GABA receptors in the brain if taken for any significant period of time. That is a physical change in the brain which takes time to reverse and it's surprising how many functions of the body are affected by GABA if your brain cannot produce it properly once benzo's are withdrawn.

So one key thing I will say, unless you have been on Diazepam (or any benzo) only for a short period of time (say a few weeks maximum) then simply stopping or doing a very quick withdrawal regime is not advisable as there's a serious risk of Benzo Withdrawal Syndrome which in extreme cases can be fatal (leading to seizures in my own case, hospitalisation, and severe lasting cognitive impairment).

It's now well established that anyone on benzo drugs needs to gradually withdraw from them on a withdrawal regime that is tailored for you personally. Unfortunately a lot of GP's are just not clued up enough and either advise patients just to stop or adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to tapering (i.e. halve your dose every week). So my advice is get a copy of the Ashton Manual (produced by the leading UK Dr on benzo withdrawal) which explains clearly how to withdraw and calculate what dosage regime and timescale you probably need, take it with you and discuss it with your Dr after he's read it.

I know it's very scary the thought of being taken off Diazepam or any benzo when you've become dependent on it. However, withdrawal if done correctly can be a relatively painless process.

And there are many newer safer drugs now, probably more suitable for the original conditions Diazepam was prescribed for (i.e. insomnia, anxiety/nervousness, muscle spasms/muscular stiffness etc). If you have muscular problems or difficulties relaxing for sleep, a drug worth discussing with your Dr is Pregabalin which has a similar action on the CNS to benzo's (and alcohol) in that it relaxes your muscles and sedates you mentally..it doesn't have all the risks and issues associated with benzo's (or alcohol) however it can lead to dosage tolerance if used daily, so it's best to take a week or two off it each month or every 6 weeks, if you can. When you're cycling off, you can try natural remedy approaches for relaxing and sleep, there's many many things you can try (such as Valerian root), which can be as effective as Diazepam for sleep I find.

[Garden987 in reply to paul_langton_rogers]

Thanks Paul. Hope you get the post below!!!

[Garden987]

Thanks for replying. Have been taking diazepam for about 2 years and yes they do help. I am 80 and my GP says 3x5mg daily isn't a high dose.n I can't take anti depressants - am not depressed!) but have a history of trauma and stress. At my age, should I worry about taking it? You certainly sound that you "know your stuff!" I have ET, multiple UTIs,Bronchiectasis. Live alone, am isolated, can't walk,possible CFS. What do you think Paul. Mary