Benzos

[gypsylee]

Something that has surprised me on this forum is how many people are on benzodiazepines. I used them on and off for a long time (20 odd years) but I gave them up - partly because they just became so hard to get.

Here in Australia doctors generally won't prescribe them anymore. Even for severe anxiety. Is it different in other countries?

[Emilym80]

Same for beta blockers. My therapist suggested them to manage my physical symptoms, but my dr was shocked by the suggestion (apparently they're very dangerous without a pre-existing heart condition). Wouldn't go near anything other than SSRIs for me, either. I think in the US both of these kinds of medication are much easier to acquire... not sure about anywhere else.

[JohnC]

Hi gypsylee, I have been on benzos for 14 years daily too. It concerns me that i may have a very hard time stopping them as it can actually cause heart attack if you quit cold turkey. They are doctor approved prescriptions but the thought that i always have is, when will i NOT need these anymore?

[Enduronman]

Same for beta blockers. I think in the US both of these kinds of medication are much easier to acquire.

Beta blockers are awesome at blocking the physical manifestations of a panic attack.
I don't really consider them as being "unsafe", and neither do the doctors here either.
They are used to block certain chemical reactions in the body, in our case, the possibility of the adrenaline dump into our systems.
They work well. And the side effects are minimal if any.
I also take Xanax too. By far the most amazingly beneficial medication ever created, IMHO.
I've taken it for years as well. Yes, they're both easy to acquire here, year after year as long as they help the patient.
Have a great day friends!

E-Man :)

[gypsylee]

Are you in the US E-man?

As far as I know, beta-blockers aren't as hard to get as benzos. I got given them once but I didn't take them for very long.

I gave up benzos pretty much cold turkey but I seem to be able to do that without too much drama. It's not recommended. I think they're useful if one is able to use them sparingly (which I am not) :)

Now I just stick to SSRIs.

[Dahila]

I was taking benzos in Europe too. I can not take any SRRI meds, and I am on beta blockers too and like Eman I do not see side effects, I am on it for ten years already. Benzos; I will take benzo rather than panic attack any time
John you are like me on very small dose and do not worry. When you ready you go off slowly and you will be ok. I do not think I will go off my clonazepam not with my daily stress. I kind of calm enough not to take (sometimes I forget) but night will be sleepless when I do not take it. Benzos are not evil not more than Alcohol. They safe life literally

[JustaGal]

I was surprised that I told the doctor I did not want to get addicted and she wrote me a script for 3 refills of Atavan! I am not impressed with that. I moved to Buspar, and the very small dose of the occasional atavan. It does make me feel like my old self, even temporary relief is welcomed.

I am in California...

[Dahila]

Hm Ativan makes me like zombie, so I stick with clonazepam small dose once a day

[JustaGal]

Hm Ativan makes me like zombie, so I stick with clonazepam small dose once a day

I take 1/2 or 1/4 of .5

Yes, very strong.....

[gypsylee]

I was taking benzos in Europe too. I can not take any SRRI meds, and I am on beta blockers too and like Eman I do not see side effects, I am on it for ten years already. Benzos; I will take benzo rather than panic attack any time
John you are like me on very small dose and do not worry. When you ready you go off slowly and you will be ok. I do not think I will go off my clonazepam not with my daily stress. I kind of calm enough not to take (sometimes I forget) but night will be sleepless when I do not take it. Benzos are not evil not more than Alcohol. They safe life literally

I agree they are safer than alcohol. This is what annoys me - doctors won't prescribe benzos even when they know the patient has a history of alcohol abuse. I understand that they don't want to add to the problem but I've been in situations where I'm extremely anxious and desperately trying not to drink. It's almost like they'd rather you go to the bottle shop than have the responsibility of prescribing a benzodiazepine. SSRIs do help me but everyone knows they take ages to work and make you feel worse to start with.

Obviously it's best not to use either to deal with anxiety but sometimes alcohol is pretty hard to resist. Especially in a country where drinking is like a national pastime and there are bottle shops literally everywhere.

[Kuma]

I don't think benzos are safer than alcohol. But I guess that is just a matter of opinion; there's not really a "right answer." One thing is for sure: they can both be abused, and the results are not pretty.

For me, Xanax can be extremely helpful. But I am VERY cautious about it. I take the smallest available dose, and only a couple of times a year. But it is good to have it around, just in case....

In the States, docs' views vary about prescribing benzos. Some won't do it, or at least won't prescribe xanax. Some will do it, but sparingly. Others do it more freely. I guess it depends on the doc, and also on the doc's perception of the patient (does she need it, are there "safer" alternatives, is she likely to abuse it, etc.)

Docs seem less concerned about prescribing beta blockers. But some docs do not know that they can be useful in treating certain symptoms of anxiety.

[I am not a medical professional, and nothing I write on this forum constitutes medical advice]

[Two One]

Benzodiazepines should be the only pharmaceuticals prescribed for anxiety. The reason some psychiatrists are reluctant to prescribe benzodiazepines are because they're old drugs, and because doctors receive commission for prescribing certain drugs. There's a reason there has been a huge industry push to use SSRIs as first line treatment for anxiety disorders. They are newer, more expensive drugs. Pharmaceutical companies make a lot of money off of SSRIs, benzodiazepines not so much. Benzos are old but effective the problem is -- they're extremely cheap. I have a prescription for 0.5 mg of Klonopin, I only pay $5 at CVS. My first psychiatrist prescribed me 10 mg of Lexapro, which costed me about $31.

SSRIs are not the way to go when treating anxiety, I'm sorry, they're just not. Serotonin has very little involvement in anxiety disorders, anxiety deals largely with GABA and epinephrine. SSRIs come with various cons, including the fact that they can take up to a month to work, they also increase your anxiety initially and create a lot of awful unwanted side effects. The "chemical imbalance" theory has largely been dismissed as the cause of anxiety disorders, that's not to say it can't cause anxiety, but it is also possible that an increase in anxiety can affect your neurotransmitter levels.

Benzodiazepines have become criminalized due to their dependence and addiction risk. Well, SSRIs are not much easier to come off of, but psychiatrists will not tell you this. It is referred to as SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome, whereas for benzodiazepines it's called Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome. The risk of dependence and addiction for benzodiazepines is not that great if you take them responsibly. I take Klonopin and it is a Godsend, all of my physical symptoms are gone within an hour and a half, the tension in my muscles is released nearly immediately, and I feel so much calmer and normal. I don't feel high, I just feel normal. I also feel the anti-anxiety effects of Klonopin for at least three days after I take it, I do not feel compelled to abuse it at all. Benzodiazepines work, and they work quick but that's not the direction the industry wants to go so psychiatrists and pharmaceutical companies push SSRIs on people.

Psychiatrists receive commission for promoting/pushing and prescribing SSRIs. They also make more money from the repeated visits that SSRIs warrant, so the reason benzos are difficult to get is because there is a huge push by the mental healthcare industry to use SSRIs. I'm not against SSRIs, I believe they can be useful in treating depression but they are not the way to go when it comes to treating anxiety.

[1Bluerose68]

" Well, i suppose if your Hot your hot and if your Not then you are Not?"
Something that has surprised me on this forum is how many people are on benzodiazepines. I used them on and off for a long time (20 odd years) but I gave them up - partly because they just became so hard to get.

Here in Australia doctors generally won't prescribe them anymore. Even for severe anxiety. Is it different in other countries?

[gypsylee]

Benzos are way more addictive in that you need to take more to get the same effect. I've been on both long term and SSRIs are heaps easier to manage. I agree that in the short term benzos are more effective but they aren't sustainable (if you have any tendency towards addiction).

I actually think anxiety can be managed without any medication and I'm only on a small dose of Lexapro atm. But it takes big lifestyle changes and most people's lives are geared towards anxiety in our society.

[Kuma]

A lot of what Two One says in his/her post above is inaccurate. I do not have time right now to rebut each of the points, but I did want to advise people here not to take the Two One post as if it were accurate -- because much of it is not.

If you want advice about medications, talk with a psychiatrist or another qualified medical professional or potentially a pharmacist. Don't get your medication advice from anonymous people on the internet.

[1Bluerose68]

You sound like a great features writer for a health magazine written by the people and for the people of the world of Mental Health. keep up the good work. SF Examiner.com is always looking for expert writers on various medical controversy. This is our freedom of expression. Way to go pal. You ought to expand your audience and try online features writing. They even pay, pennies, but then you are allowed a nice online portfolio of article work for free, too.


"Two-One" that is, who I intended this to be expressed to.....That name is like the "Twilight Zone" ha? 2,1,0.....!!!?

[1Bluerose68]

Hi Kuma,
I just saw your response to 2-1 and felt like it was a bit on the defensive side of reactions. This is a Forum for Everyone. Most people here have been on many MH meds. Some people share their opinions of past experiences as well as hang-ups too. I think he did nothing wrong and was only Expressing his self and doing it quite well too. There are sites like Web.MD.com where professionals do respond to laymens querries of various med problems as well as med ?'s . But, it is a Free Country and it is an Open Web Site to very specifically persons suffering from MH issues such as Anxiety and any feelings, and side effects shared from the MH meds. That is totally ok to compare and contrast how a specific med feels to 1 person Vr another type of MH med. Perhaps you might benefit from a more professional web site where ONLY the REAL Dr's answer and provide feedback. But, on this web-site, as long as we can help it, will continue to do so for the people and by the people of MH suffering and anxiety issues. So, get a clue.......

[Ahlstrom]

Very easy to get in the U.S.
In Mexico and Latin America they sell them over the counter.

[1Bluerose68]

Thank you.

[Im-Suffering]

GABA is a neurotransmitter that blocks the neurons from firing. Counterbalancing glutamate. One is calming (blocking the activity of neurons) the other excites, or fires off impulses. So in a sense the poster who mentioned GABA as a main transmitter in 'controlling' anxiety is correct.

Benzodiazepines imitate GABA. In a sense it's much easier to prescribe them over another type of re uptake inhibitor because the psychiatrist does not know the proportion of the so called imbalance. In that context benzo's are preferred overall because they act like a blanket. No matter the neurotransmitter or hormone imbalance which often is guesswork on the practitioner, raising GABA levels artificially immediately has a calming effect. Regardless of the other hormonal actions. By blocking the neurons from firing any transmitter, you have immediate sedation, including HR, respiratory, cognitive, and so forth. The individual can think clearly, assuming no overdose.

Hospitals know the truth. Should you visit the ER with classic signs of anxiety, or racing heart, etc. first things first IV Ativan. The poster above who suggested GABA is closely related to anxiety was correct however I differ on epinephrine, I would make the case it is not adrenaline but noradrenaline which stimulates fight or flight and the associated muscle aches and stomach issues. Adrenaline fires only after its triggered by norepinephrine. Of course GABA would prohibit any transmitter from firing, so even in a real emergency one would still be sedated. In that context it inhibits ones natural functions in times of real danger. But most anxiety sufferers experience very little 'real' flight scenarios.

When one is sensitized and fearful already, glutamate has prevailed and GABA has taken a back seat. In the fearful mind of anxiety norepinephrine levels are always at peak, just under flight levels, just a small trigger will send firing coupled with glutamate you would feel 'out of your mind' and experience the physical sensations.

I am making a case for benzo's as well, to treat the physical symptoms by mimicking the neurotransmitter GABA while at the same time the person or patient would explore reasons mentally speaking for the condition.

This does not take into consideration if the glands themselves have physical issues, tumors, etc, but that is less than 1% probability.

[Kuma]

Bluerose - If someone expresses a view that, for them personally, Benzos have worked better than SSRIs, then I respect that view. I know that, for some people, Benzos work well. For others, SSRIs work well. And for yet others, neither work -- or both work, although they may serve different purposes. So I have no problem with people expressing their personal experiences or opinions, if they are stated as such.

But when someone states what purport to be facts -- and those "facts" are in reality not true -- it is entirely appropriate to point that out, because writing misinformation as if it were fact does a disservice to readers of this forum. For example, if I were to state "medical evidence shows that it is a great idea to take Xanax and Single Malt Scotch together" -- that might be my opinion, but in reality it is not true -- and saying it on the forum is unhelpful and dangerous.

The reason I responded in the way that I did is because Two-One made assertions that are simply untrue, or at best are grossly misleading. For example, she (he?) said: "Benzodiazepines should be the only pharmaceuticals prescribed for anxiety." That is an absurd comment. Even if you accept that Benzos have a role (which I do), beta blockers and SSRIs also have a role, as do certain other medications. Similarly, Two One stated that "Serotonin has very little involvement in anxiety disorders." She states this as if it were a fact, but in reality there is, at a minimum, a very credible position that Serotonin levels have a role in anxiety. See, e.g., http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11110013; A. Rex and H. Fink, Neurotransmitter and Behaviour: Serotonin and Anxiety ; M. Briley and P. Chopin, Serotonin in Anxiety: Evidence from Animal Models, available at http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192620118.003.0015. Two-One also stated, in her post, "Psychiatrists receive commission for promoting/pushing and prescribing SSRIs." This is, as a general matter, not true. Indeed, at least in the United States, it is unlawful for a pharma company to pay a commission to a psychiatrist to "promote" or "push" SSRIs. And her comment is dangerous to the extent that it could cause patients to assume that their doctor's recommendations are based upon the payment of "commissions" rather than upon their best judgment as to what medication will help the patient. She also stated: "Benzodiazepines have become criminalized due to their dependence and addiction risk." This is also stated as if it were a fact, but is in reality untrue, or at least misleading. Benzos are not "criminalized" if they are prescribed and dispensed appropriately. It is of course a crime to deal Benzos on the street, without a prescription, but that is true of other prescription meds too. Finally, she says "the reason benzos are difficult to get is because there is a huge push by the mental healthcare industry to use SSRIs." Again, this is asserted as if it were a fact, but it is, in reality, at best, an unsubstantiated opinion. To the extent benzos are difficult to get, it is because doctors make judgments about what medications are most safe and effective for their patients.

You are right, Bluerose, that people are allowed on this forum to say whatever they want (within reason). But when someone says something that is untrue -- and that could be dangerous if others read and believe it -- then it is appropriate for others to point that out. Just because we are not a professional or expert forum does not mean that anyone can say any sort of nonsense they want and expect nobody else to respond and correct it.

I will not tell you that you should "get a clue" because that would be silly and immature. That is the sort of thing 15 year old kids say on the high school playground to each other. But I do wish that you would be more thoughtful in your responses. Just because this is not a professional website does not mean that it should be a source of reckless disinformation.

Best wishes, Kuma*

[I am not a medical professional, and nothing I say on this forum should be taken as medical advice]

[1Bluerose68]

I use only pm. It's great for REM sleeping and graphically wonderful dreamz too.

[1Bluerose68]

Right, and that's just my point too. I absolutely agree. But according to Luke, he is right in his own Element. All we can do is Listen and empathize with someone who is adamant in their own world of drug of choice. He makes quite a good argument for an essay practice in comparison and contrast. Many of our gov filibusterers do the same darn thing.....Just to distract and stall others for some odd Reason.....Now if this was a class discussion on drugs, and we all were pre-versed equally on the differences I can see how that would be very upsetting, esp before an exam. But I'm NOT in school, and I'm happy to read that a person has such a diligently believable way with pursuasion and tact. And the knowabouts in how to argue a side. This is government, believe it or NOT. He is a genius.....

[Two One]

Apparently I can't quote your post because I'm not allowed to post links yet.

Kuma,

I apologize if my post offended you in any way. I was not trying to pass my post off as a factual abstract that posters on here should follow as medical advice. That post was my opinion, and was largely influenced by my experiences. I suppose I should have clarified my post at the end. The purpose of that post was to inform that benzodiazepines are not the dangerous drugs the industry and several doctors have made them out to be; similarly SSRIs are not the holy grail of treating psychiatric illness. In no way was I telling posters how they should manage their anxiety and trying to instill mistrust with their psychiatrists. Serotonin does play a role in anxiety, but it is not as prominent as GABA, ephinephrine, norephinephrine, and glutamate. There have been various studies suggesting SSRIs are as effective as a placebo for quite a few people, but if they work for people then great. The fact is, however, that there has been an industry push to use SSRIs in the treatment of anxiety and there is a reason for this. But I did not join this forum to argue so I will let it go. Once again, my post was merely to inform people that benzos have essentially been wrongfully criminalized because there's a few junkies out there that get a high off of them. It was not a factual medical abstract, and I did not pass it off as one. So again I apologize.

On a side note, I am a male and my username is a reference to my old high school football jersey number. My number was 21, but my close teammates and I adopted the trend from the show Friday Night Lights of saying each number separately. Hence -- two one.

[1Bluerose68]

Benzos-enzos-nzos-zos-os-sssss(oops--"-too much of 1 letter, is Not a good thing.....) .

"everything in Moderation, is better."

I am quite sick and tired of Not being able to sleep Naturally. I hate having the munchies @ night, after i go to bed. Then I must up my benzos to conquer the night binging and to sleep in lieu of eat my way to some decent zzzzzzzzzz's. This is a current issue for me. I hate it.....I think it's Anxiety Inspired too...


Anyone out there have night eating and trying to self medicate w/ bennys to sleep instead of eat ???

Sorry, my bad---I must be illiterate or someting???I'm real...really hungry at night....".Like an Ox, for the very 1st time...La ,tee,dah..."

And No teenager , either...

But I feel like I never left my late 20's. Thats when most the trauma in my life ALL hit at once....And ,"I lost my heart in San Francisco." To be specific, at THE local Basta Pasta Bistro, on some spaghetti noodles that i almost choked to death on,aaarghhhh!!!!!

From then on I seemed to always get choked up over pasta, but always eat tons of it anyhow.

How ironic ha?????


!Bluerose68

[1Bluerose68]

I hear ya.....It's good that you are expressing yourself. This is a good thing. Keep up the excellent writing.

[Kuma]

<<I apologize if my post offended you in any way.>>

Two-One: No worries at all. I just think, when discussing medication issues, it is very important to distinguish between "personal beliefs" or "personal experiences" and "medical facts."

For example, if someone says "For me, SSRIs do not help but Xanax helps me a lot" -- then I understand that is their personal experience. And, as a reader, I can give that personal experience whatever weight I want.

But that is very different than saying, for example, "SSRIs are totally useless for the treatment of anxiety; the only drug anyone should take for anxiety is Xanax, and if you are given an SSRI by your doctor it is only because your doctor is getting paid off to prescribe it." That sounds like a statement of fact. And it is, in all likelihood, an untrue "fact." So it has the potential to mislead.

Especially in the area of medication and psychopharmacology, we need to be very careful not to mislead people. When it comes to medication, there is an enormous amount of false information and bad (and even dangerous) advice floating around on the internet, often masquerading as fact. That is why I advise people to get medical advice from qualified professionals.

But, no offense taken -- and I wish you all the best.

[Fear2]

Same for beta blockers. My therapist suggested them to manage my physical symptoms, but my dr was shocked by the suggestion (apparently they're very dangerous without a pre-existing heart condition). Wouldn't go near anything other than SSRIs for me, either. I think in the US both of these kinds of medication are much easier to acquire... not sure about anywhere else.

That is ridiculous of your Doctor, beta blockers like Propranolol have been around for decades and are safe, especially at a very low dose. I take 10mg Propranolol for palpitations and it has worked really well, to suggest that beta blockers at low dose are dangerous is nonsense, they are not very dangerous at all, sure, it would probably be unwise to be on a hefty dose but that isn't what I am on nor would I see any reason to be, a low dose merely helps stop the palpitations, without it my anxiety would be far worse.

[Chiliphil1]

It's hard to get benzos here in the US. Doctors do not want to prescribe them. The DEA made new rules last year and if they feel that a doctor is prescribing something un needed or over prescribing something they will come and yank the doc's medical license. It is absolutely ridiculous that the government is telling doctors how to treat people but they are. You can't really get pain meds or anything anymore, all of the doctors are too scared to do it.

As far as beta blockers, I was on them for about a year, I had no problems with them, it helped me through the worst time I have had. It was odd having a pulse of 30 but other than that they were fine. The hard part is stopping, you have to come off of them SLOWLY otherwise it can cause a heart attack because they chemicals which have been being blocked are going to dump back into the system so you can't just stop. Stopping also causes anxiety as the system brings itself back to normal but it stops after a week or two provided you don't have some other issue going on that's also causing it.

I am trying to stop tramadol right now and this is the worst I have seen, I have some of the highest levels of anxiety I have ever had and I can't sleep for anything. If your doctor tries to give you these, don't take them! It's funny, I don't think the ol' DEA messes with tramadol but they will block norco. I came of norco after 6 months with very little trouble, after 2 months of tramadol it's more difficult than any other med I have stopped and that includes anti-depressants, beta blockers, benzos, and opioid pain meds.. This stuff sucks!

[gypsylee]

It's hard to get benzos here in the US. Doctors do not want to prescribe them. The DEA made new rules last year and if they feel that a doctor is prescribing something un needed or over prescribing something they will come and yank the doc's medical license. It is absolutely ridiculous that the government is telling doctors how to treat people but they are. You can't really get pain meds or anything anymore, all of the doctors are too scared to do it.

As far as beta blockers, I was on them for about a year, I had no problems with them, it helped me through the worst time I have had. It was odd having a pulse of 30 but other than that they were fine. The hard part is stopping, you have to come off of them SLOWLY otherwise it can cause a heart attack because they chemicals which have been being blocked are going to dump back into the system so you can't just stop. Stopping also causes anxiety as the system brings itself back to normal but it stops after a week or two provided you don't have some other issue going on that's also causing it.

I am trying to stop tramadol right now and this is the worst I have seen, I have some of the highest levels of anxiety I have ever had and I can't sleep for anything. If your doctor tries to give you these, don't take them! It's funny, I don't think the ol' DEA messes with tramadol but they will block norco. I came of norco after 6 months with very little trouble, after 2 months of tramadol it's more difficult than any other med I have stopped and that includes anti-depressants, beta blockers, benzos, and opioid pain meds.. This stuff sucks!

God Tramadol is horrible stuff. Makes me really sick and does nothing for pain. Opiates shit on Tramadol, so if it's so addictive I don't know why they bother with it at all.

[Chiliphil1]

God Tramadol is horrible stuff. Makes me really sick and does nothing for pain. Opiates shit on Tramadol, so if it's so addictive I don't know why they bother with it at all.

Because it's classified as "low risk of addiction" and this makes the doctors feel better about themselves. They don't bother figuring in how much trouble it takes to stop it as part of the "addiction risk"

[gypsylee]

My GP is cool with opiates. He's a rare breed though. We even talked about Laudenum the other week.

[Chiliphil1]

My GP is cool with opiates. He's a rare breed though. We even talked about Laudenum the other week.

I wish mine was but he's running from the DEA like everyone else. I chose to quit the norco on my own though but if I asked for anymore they wouldn't give it to me. The darn tramadol was given to me so that I could ease off the norco but that was a major backfire.

[gypsylee]

I wish mine was but he's running from the DEA like everyone else. I chose to quit the norco on my own though but if I asked for anymore they wouldn't give it to me. The darn tramadol was given to me so that I could ease off the norco but that was a major backfire.

I'd rather withdrawal symptoms than take Tramadol seriously. I really hate that stuff.

I hope our govt doesn't have those laws. Do they even know anything about medication? This phobia of opiates is ridiculous AND irresponsible.

[Chiliphil1]

I'd rather withdrawal symptoms than take Tramadol seriously. I really hate that stuff.

I hope our govt doesn't have those laws. Do they even know anything about medication? This phobia of opiates is ridiculous AND irresponsible.

I completely agree with you. I didn't want to take the tramadol but they told me it would be fine. I know for a fact that the government has no idea what they are doing when it comes to meds. Honestly I am very conservative in my political ideas and to me I don't think they should have a say AT ALL. I think the doctor should be the one and only who has anything to do with meds. Some bureaucrat in Washington thinks he can sit there and tell my doctor what he can give to me, how much and how often.. That's BS. I ran into the same thing with anxiety meds, you need them? Too bad, you can't have them.. Someone may abuse them, someone may take them and make other drugs, so because someone MAY do that you can't have them if YOU need them.

I am so sick of these people trying to save us from ourselves it isn't even funny. I wish they would stay the heck out of my life and my medical care!

[Richaf]

Here in the US, my experience with benzos is that they are very easy to get.
I've been taking Clonazepam(Klonopin) daily since 1988. Is that a good thing? Probably not!
I read that there are many new anti anxiety drugs but, my issue would be getting off of the Clonazepam.

[gypsylee]

Here in the US, my experience with benzos is that they are very easy to get.
I've been taking Clonazepam(Klonopin) daily since 1988. Is that a good thing? Probably not!
I read that there are many new anti anxiety drugs but, my issue would be getting off of the Clonazepam.

Wow that's longer than I was on benzos. They wouldn't be having much effect by now? I quit Valium cold turkey and was ok after about a week but it's not recommended and Clonazepam is "stronger" (has a shorter half-life) so withdrawals are worse.

I take Lexapro still (been on SSRIs for years) but the reality is, no drugs are that effective for anxiety in the long term. I haven't tried Buspar.

Good luck :)

[Richaf]

gypsylee, how long were you on the Valium before you quit?
Did it start to lose it's effectiveness?
By what you state, "but the reality is, no drugs are that effective for anxiety in the long term" it seems that you should be switching it up every now and again?
My fear is being on a cocktailof meds.
I did post a thread in this Meds section dealing with my Klonopin use.
I have been kind of regressing and my new PCP isn't thrilled about me being on this benzo for so long. Ugh...

[gypsylee]

On and off for about 20 years. Yeah it totally lost its effectiveness and made the anxiety worse after a while.

Well what I mean is, I think other things are far more effective for anxiety in the long term like therapy and lifestyle changes. I think SSRIs are the best of the medications though.

[Richaf]

I think SSRIs are the best of the medications though.

Yeah, I have you beat by a few years and I don't believe that the Klonopin is doing the job that it used to anymore.
Seeing as how it is my new PCP that wants me to rethink the Benzos I will ask if he will willing to take on the task of trying other options(leave the shrinks out).
As for SSRIs, way back when I did try Zoloft and Paxil (as well as Imipramine and Pamalor) with no luck but, I see that there are many more out there such as Luvox, Lexapro and Celexa.
I'll have to talk to Dr about options.

[gypsylee]

What is a PCP by the way?

[Richaf]

What is a PCP by the way?

Primary Care Physician

[gypsylee]

Ohh that's the same as our General Practitioners I think.

[Richaf]

Ohh that's the same as our General Practitioners I think.

Yes, my family/general doctor.

[Blinkyrocket]

The guy who said serotonin doesn't play much of a role in anxiety is probably correct. And serotonin probably accounts for the paradoxical increase in anxiety in the first 2 weeks of SSRI use, researchers really are either stupid or greedy or desperate (it costs a lot of money to research new drugs). However, SSRI's do other things too and some people have certain imbalances that actually do benefit from mild serotonin increases, but not by very much compared to the other effects of the SSRI's. There are a few old studies about asministration of serotonin itself (not by SSRI) inducing aggression, reducing brain levels of ATP etc. I can't post them though because I haven't posted 25 times yet. Activating most serotonin receptors (at least 5HT1A and 5HT2A) actually causes a paradoxical action of reducing systemic serotonin. Good news is that metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonists/agonists look like promising new drugs. Also, apparently Pregabalin acts though GABA in a different way than benzos and isn't reported to have the same tolerance/dependance problems. Most likely tolerance only develops as a result of the patient's own enzyme that converts GABA to glutamate or that they don't have enough free glutamate to convert to GABA.

[Anne1221]

You can get Xanax fairly easily in the U.S. If one doctor doesn't like to give a prescription for benzos, there are three others that will. You just go to another doctor. I asked the pharmacist if they fill a lot of prescriptions for Xanax and they said, "yes, we have a lot of prescriptions for that particular drug."

[Butterfly88]

I was on Valium but it started giving me vertigo so I recently switched to Xanax. Both have really helped me. I'm in the US. Some doctors don't like to give them because they can be addicting.