Benzodiazapines

[Holykimura]

Does anyone take these? I used to take Lorazepam up to 4 mg a day but mainly managed with 2mg a day. I really wanted to come of them. So I went to seek help from my old GP she was not very supportive and always cold I changed doctors and gladly she was much more supportive. She started to substitute my dose with equivalent doses of diazepam and eventually I came off it. Within 6 weeks I went back to see her and told her I was doing very well and had come off it. she congratulated me but she told me to return all the surplus amounts back to the pharmacist. My partner who know's me well decided it was best to keep them just in case. It was a good idea that she did because I have found my self back on the diazepam taking 8 mg a aday. Does anyone have success stories of coming off these?

[Zaf]

Sorry, I've never taken it

[Got]

I have had to take lorazepam and diazepam. If you don't mind me asking, why have you been prescribed enough to allow you to take them for so long? I know that in the long run, benzidiazapenes make anxiety problems worse, and so they arnt usually prescribed for long periods of time unless they are really important.

They are clearly addictive, and I have never been addicted to them, although I know people who have been. One guy gradually lowerd the dose then stopped althogether, although he found it hard. If you keep the tablets in the house you are going to end up taking them.

[Holykimura]

I have had to take lorazepam and diazepam. If you don't mind me asking, why have you been prescribed enough to allow you to take them for so long? I know that in the long run, benzidiazapenes make anxiety problems worse, and so they arnt usually prescribed for long periods of time unless they are really important.

They are clearly addictive, and I have never been addicted to them, although I know people who have been. One guy gradually lowerd the dose then stopped althogether, although he found it hard. If you keep the tablets in the house you are going to end up taking them.

Hi Stevie, I was prescribed them to last over a certain amount of time, but I came off them earlier than what I expected, I then felt the need to take them because of poor sleep and anxiety. You are right about keeping them in the house but I am trying to ween off again

[Got]

The thing is, they chill you out, remove anxiety and do help you sleep, but when you stop, the anxiety comes back, the sleep problems begin again because you havn't learned to deal with these problems without the help of a bezodiazapine.

My advice would be to try to quit them, and learn to stop talking them. Learn techniques to deal with anxiety and sleep problems. Benzos are good for severe anxiety, but they are massively habbit forming and can just prolong the root problem. Are you on any other medication?

Steve

[cornish]

i take at least 16 mg a day and im on diazepam pretty much permanently, i had a dosage reduction due to addiction / abuse  and bloody hell that was hard, i really feel for you coming off them, i cant imagine how bad that is, just lowering my dosage to what im suppose to take was hard enough

gotta agree they are highly addictive and you can form a habit/abuse them if your not very strong willed, thankfully im stubborn and got my addiction under control, even thought im fairly sure i need more but the med specialist is skeptical after my history of abuse 

[Holykimura]

Stevie yes I'm on 300mg of venlafaxine and 600 mg of quetiapine, and I am going to see my consultant on Thursday for a review of medication.

Cornish, don't take this the wrong way but I'm happy to know that I'm not alone in finding it really difficult to come off them. Tonight is the first time this week I'm going to try and sleep without taking them, I'm really scared but if I don't try I won't know. I wish you luck in your attempts should you ever wish to try and come off them.

[cornish]

i wouldn't take it the wrong way, i know what you mean,  im glad that diazepam is a class c drug, the potential for abuse is so high, as i know    and its VERY addictive     im not worried about coming off them, i will always need either diazepam or something similar

[Holykimura]

Trying to come off the diazepam is more difficult than I thought! Working in a school with teenagers is stressful, so i have had four days where I managed without then by Friday I felt like I needed some so took 4 mg it took the edge off things, then I had another 4mg today and hopefully that will be it until I feel the need to take again. I spoke to my consultant on Thursday who said that I shouldn't try and stop cold turkey and that progressively is the best method. But at least I'm on 4 mg and not 8mg anymore  />.

[Raven]

Huge congratulations for getting down to 4mg. I've had short courses of Diazepam when my anxiety is really bad, and I am on Temazepam but I don't take it every night. Your achievement is massive. Well done.

[lou]

hi i take a really small dose of clonazepam and have done every night for the last 2 years.i shall be on these forever and my dose will just increase. but i have heard that they are highly addictive and habit forming, even though i have been prescribed these by a consultant i have had difficulties getting them put on repeat prescription and have been quizzed when i have ran out earlier than expected! so i guess theyre something they dont like to prescribe very readily.
good luck coming off them and well done :)

[Holykimura]

Well I did manage to get down to 2mg of diazepam until Friday when feeling overwhelmed with things led me to taking more so I gradually increased to 6mg today, I'm a little bit cheesed off about it and the fact that I am dependant on them, but I try and stay positive and use reminders where people have said if you had a broken leg you wouldn't be able to walk without crutches, so I suppose I need more use of my crutches!

[Got]

Just be very careful, its highly addictive and long term use wont cure anxiety, just cover it up. Unfortuantly, with anxiety, we need to learn to deal with it ourselves> Diazepam should only be prescribed for bouts if severe anxiety

[Holykimura]

Thanks stevie, I know it's very addictive however right now it's helping and the plan is to try again to come off it gradually. I think I tried to come off it too quick in the past, and I am suffering now as a result.

[lou]

just been prescribed 6mg of diazepam , haven't taken any yet. i think i'm a bit scared to what do you think? "£$