Anxiety - Finding Relief Through Medications

I had several medical issues in a short period of time: Prostate cancer, duodenal cancer, spinal stenosis, regular kidney stones, and basal cell carcinoma. It started with prostate cancer and within 3 months a deodunal cyst. The severe anxiety began & followed with the others mentioned above.

I had 4 different psychotherapists that did little. Other than Cognitive Behavioral Therapy I did get help, but not completely.

I tried several ssri's & snri' - too many to mention, that caused more problems.

Finally my psychiatrist prescribed anti-anxiety medication that did the trick for me. Currently, I take Diazepam regularly, and it keeps my anxiety problems manageable.

If I had to continue to read the negativity of Benzodiazepines I'd be a goner; as far as anti-depressants go, it may help some but didn't do it for me!!! It took weeks to see if it works, & if not, try & try again, not to mention suicidal tendencies!

I'm now able to handle my life without being addicted as most like to point out!

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Hi Johnny you sure had a lot on your plate to deal with. I have a similar situation, too many things going wrong piling up on me. I don't like anti-depressants. I take Xanax 3 times a day and temazapam at night for sleep. It gives me a lot of ability to deal with all my medical peoblems. I don't care if I'm addicted or not at this point. I'm not high in any way and can function. Don't pay attention to who says you're addicted. They don't have a clue how depressing a lot of medical issues can be.

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Johnny,

I agree, nobody has walked in your shoes. If people say you are addicted, they need to keep their mouth shut, after everything you have been through. I am not saying you should do this, but I would point out, oh, your having a cigarette, your addicted to nicotine. You're having a drink, you must be an alcoholic. There is a support group for that, "AA". Wow, a piece of pie? Did you know they have a support group for over eaters? - it's called "OA". Wow, you have 3 kids, you must have a sex addiction. Since you all think I am addicted to my meds, there is a meeting for that too, (I forget the name, Alanon?) lets all go talk about all of our problems.

If they refuse tell them...they haven't walked in your shoes, and your doctor and yourself have everything under control.

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Hi
It sounds a really rough and bumpy time, in your life. I am a therapist and recommend the Palouse Meditation (body scan by John Kabot Zin) for nearly all of my clients. After using it to help greatly with insomnia, a couple of years ago, I began to notice that it was easier to turn my own thoughts away from the distortions that most of us do. I believe that our brains run amok (in a negative direction). Scientists theorize that it was necessary for survival when humans were just beginning to exist. If we do not train them, they will decrease our quality of life.
You might want to consider doing this and learning to rely less on the meds and more on your innate ability to heal and change. I wish you much smoother travels through your time on this planet.

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You need a good antidepressants , I take 40 mg. In morning a day . And take valume dizpam 10 mg. Twice a day . Celexa works great for me it will take about 2 weeks and then amazing no more depressing moment s . It been about 4 months for me and I'm great. Good luck my friend sincerely Francis M .

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Good for you Johnny, I am so tired of people demonizing benzo's. Not only do they help ANXIETY but they also got me through terribly neuropathic pain when I was going through cancer treatment. I am so glad you are better!

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I am so sorry for your situation. But here is the naked truth and I hope it helps. Diazepam has been demonized more for political purposes and for the abuse potential and the fact that those who abuse it in high amounts can become violent. However it has a low toxicity and is almost impossible to overdose on. Diazepam has helped millions of people to have quality of life... it has probably saved countless people from suicide, it is one of the most effective medications known to man. Modern equivalents such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors have awful side effects, it is being discovered they also have awful withdrawal symptoms. They have not been on the market long enough to gather long term data... yes..... we are all test subjects when it comes to recently introduced medications and that means going back 10 to 20 years. Diazepam is a tried and tested medication and I find it awful that many people have difficulty in obtaining it because others have misused it. So many people are suffering and doing without a medication that could literally save their lives. I took my fiancé off SSRI's and put her on a very low dose of Diazepam to avoid dependency. She is now happier and able to cope with her high stress executive work which caused her problems. Diazepam is awful to come off from high doses but with proper treatment stopping them is not a problem. The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, I presume certainly in your case. I am glad it works for you, I have never met someone it does not work for. I wish you the best of luck and hope you find the peace you so rightfully deserve.

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Johnny -- I have three forms of anxiety and was prescribed Clonazepam many years ago. It helped tremendously and I never had any problems with addition. But, my last two psychiatrists limited my access to it, because they believed the potential for addiction outweighed the very real benefits that it provided. My anxiety disappeared several months ago, but has recently returned. Luckily I was able to stockpile some and have been able to function when the panic has sunk in. My psychiatrists both new my history with this medication but chose to ignore it in favour of statistics. Professionals who do this do a tremendous disservice to their patients.

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Hi Johnny,

I feel compelled to share some info that may or may not help, but it sounds like you are searching for a better direction. I too have struggled with health issues for a decade. Not cancer, but I know this can develop so it's important to know how cells change to a cancerous state and what we can do to limit the likelihood of future problems. It took me 7 long yrs to find out why I was suffering with bizzare health problems, including acute pain. I didn't accept the label of Fibromyalgia, pain happens for a reason, always a cause. Through watching documentaries and much research, I requested a U/A for mercury, metal fillings are 50% mercury, I had 12 in my teeth. Bingo, 47 parts per million, should be 0, 5 is a high #. Lab had to report to State Health Dept, in turn was called for life style interview. State didn't want to hear my theory, due to amalgams. Nobody offered assistance, Gov. has protected themselves from liability, was on my own. Gave up on conventional Dr's long ago, had a more comprehensive analysis done by a functional MD, (not Rockefeller medicine; treat symptoms with drugs). Did a Calcium EDTA Challenge evaluation; solution by IV for 3 hours, then collect U/A at specific intervals for 48 hours & all sent to a lab and evaluated for about 20 different toxins. Did this in 2013, $300 for appt, & $300 for diagnostics, self pay but even if I had insurance, I'm doubtful any would be covered. The AMA states that if the metal doesn't present in your blood, no toxicity exists. A convenient loophole to avoid any accountability, 99% of the time heavy metals and other toxins do not present in blood, but turn up everywhere else, in organs, tissue, deposits in fat, all cells are affected. The brain takes the brunt of exposure to protect other organs.

Based on my research, the State of human health which is declining, is the result of environmental toxins, lax of protection at every level. Corporate earnings are the priority, over human and environmental safety. Health is big business, multi billions, and much is pumped back into the government. Pharmaceuticals are big money as well, and a merry-go-round which never ends. I suffer from depression as well, the drugs developed to artificially balance brain chemistry only make it worse. And long term, never fixes the root cause anyway and the side effects are sometimes worse than the problem. I must rely on pain mngnt just to function, which I don't like because I know this contributes to the depression. However, I have serious damage to my central nervous system so I have no choice for now. My humble suggestion to you; begin digging deep and doing research through The Environmental Working Group, The International Association of Toxicology, and there's so many more fighting for us, to keep us educated and legally by taking the FDA and others to court over safety issues. It's impossible to avoid all that is bad which makes us sick, but there are ways to improve our chances of remaining healthy long term. If you can't afford a Challenge diagnostic, no big deal and to be honest, every human on the planet is affected to some degree. In the end, my results didn't change anything. Due to the cancer, I strongly suggest you research "The Truth about Cancer" - Ty Bollinger has dedicated his life to exposing the truth and teaching better ways to beat Cancer. Ty's father had Cancer and sadly passed away but not due to the Cancer, rather the treatment for it....Oh my gosh so much I didn't know. Chemo lists a cancer warning on the label, that's crazy.

Both Chemo and Radiation weaken the immune system, but this contradicts the need for a strong immune system to battle the cancer. Many foods are apototic, sp?, which means if eaten regularly can actually switch a cancer cell back to a healthy cell; (organic to avoid pesticides) strawberries, celery, cucumbers, broccoli....there's so many, can research this. Avoid sugar like the plague, most Oncoligist's offer patients sweets for energy but this is the worst advice (they only know what taught), sugar feeds cancer. Best to avoid all processed foods, 4-5 Servings. each day of fresh Organic fruits and vegetables, all berries, any foods with micronutrients, from seed sprouts, all types and many, along with nuts and seeds. Good healthy fats, coconut oil, butter from grass fed beef, olive oil, certified cold water fish oil from Alaska salmon (not farm raised), anchovies, sardines & krill - the real deal certified will be pricey but will help repair cognitive dysfunction and reduce arthritis symptoms, and so much more. VIP; The World Health Organization states on website, US citizens critically deficient in iodine, needed for thyroid function & extra to battle overload of toxins. And worldwide all humans deficient in magnesium, which is critical for more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body. Supplementing with magnesium reduces pain, siffness and improves mood. I will add that much scientific evidence states that we are deficient in selenium as well, makes sense as our soil is depleted. I take liquid magnesium and selenium daily, I'm not a doctor and not advising you do the same, must do your own research and clear with your functional doctor first. In addition, I use a liquid iodine solution which I rub on my wrists, it's a yellow color. If it's absorbed quickly, no more color in an hour, I know my body needed it, but if the color is still present after a few hours I decrease and even take a day or two off from using. I am not giving medical advise, only sharing what has helped me. My biggest lesson from all on this journey, watch your own back, research any advice thoroughly before deciding what is best for you, and research, research, research! Best wishes, stay strong, stay positive!

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Aivan needs Dr long island ny forensic Agoraphobia

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I like your attitude, these doctors don't have a clue

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