Benzodiazpine Withdrawals (Page 2)

I do want to warn everyone that is taking Benzodiazepines. Xanax, Clonazepam, Klonipin, Ativan, Valium, etc.. THIS IS A PSYCHOTIC DRUG! ONLY TO BE USED FOR 2-4 WEEKS. I was put on them for yrs. I had terrible anxiety... the more anxiety I had, the more the doctor was upping my dose! It was the Clonazepam causing it. I went to a detox, they cold turkey'd me ~ TAPER SLOWLY. You will have the worst withdrawals and they are not like an opioid withdrawal! it takes weeks to over a year to go through the withdrawals. Trust Me I was a victim of such. READ UP ON THEM. See sites like benzo.org.uk then join a benzo group. They should be treated like an opioid. They can be worse than them.

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Re: Lydia J (# 10)

You go ahead and think whatever, do what is good for YOU, and BY ALL MEANS; Do NOT JUDGE anyone else for what they need to do for them... I took Klonopin for years ( daily) , and then stopped- I did NOT have any withdrawals ( shocked but true) - now if it would have Xanax or Valium I'd have had to go to detox.

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Re: Gigi (# 21)

I went to detox. They do not know how to deal with benzo withdrawals, they in fact rapidly withdraw you, thus cold turkey you, and send you on your way. Benzo withdrawals are by NO MEANS the SAME as opioid withdrawal. For over a yr. I had symptoms the doctors could not even relate to. They are not schooled in benzo withdrawals. Thus, neither are detox centers. I am glad you were able to stop without problems, but for those who have fatigue, anxiety, night sweats, tinnitus, suicidal thoughts, insomnia that won't go away for months, and I can list so many more that happen within a month of getting cold turkey'd off of benzos. Heightened anx. is one of many symptoms, yet the doctor feeds them more of what is causing the anxiety to begin with. Over 5,000 ppl that I know of are so ill, that some, like Chris Connell take their lives. Stevie Nicks, suffered for over 3 years when she got off. Read her story. Thank you.

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Re: Bella (# 2)

So true I'm a baby boomer, we new what we wanted and usually enjoyed it,I'm old enough to be my drs granfather he thinks he can play god with my pain ,yet if it wasn't for computers he would be lost , sometimes I wonder if he knows anything about pain relief..thanks

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Re: BuffaloBill (# 19)

Gosh so you know how horrid these drugs are. It took me 18 months of the most horrific unrecognizable symptoms one could ever go through. Yes some ppl do commit suicide Thank God you did not go there. I only knew what happened to me when I joined FB 2 yrs ago. My Doctors had no clue what was going on with me. I fired my psych doctor as soon as I knew what the Hell he did to me. I begged him to get me off of this stuff, thus, went to a detox, only to find out later, they have no clue how to safely take one off. They treat it like an opioid withdrawal, which is so not what we go through. Thank you for your testimony.

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I have been on benzos for decades for sleep. No other option. Sorry you had this problem but I have never had a problem taking them as prescribed. Now the FDA treats benzos like opioids making it very difficult for me to get it. I need to be able to sleep

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Re: Bella (# 17)

your answer is mean, just giving solid true information. I hope you do not go through the horrid withdrawals, if you start feeling awful and need more drugs to get the same affect, you are an addict

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Re: Ginger (# 25)

They should, its a very powerful, addictive medication, that should only be given out for 2-4 weeks.

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Re: Lydia (# 22)

I don't need to read Stevie's story; she is my cousin on my dad's side, so we watched her live it! I did my certification in a detox/addiction center, plus I have 10+ years clean (pain meds, heroin, and cocaine); I am very aware at the sloppiness/ignorance/UNCARING of our medical care when dealing with addiction - So sorry you have to deal with that!!! Yes, true Benzo's stay in your system (can) for 7-10 years after that last pill. I do understand about the symptoms you described; I have PTSD/Anxiety/Severe Depression, I am a Survivor of Child kidnap and torture/Domestic Abuse and I have Cancer -- so do NOT give up and do NOT allow these Doctors to put you down or make you more sick! God Bless...

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Re: Lydia (# 26)

Where is my mean answer? Some of us know how to take our medications while others do not. Hence the paranoia of the drug. Like I said I have been taking Xanax for 20 years. As needed. That doesn’t mean all day and night. Mostly at night vaguely during the day. It depends. Don’t insult me when I suffer from chronic anxiety. You must be abusing it. And in my mid 60’s I don’t care if taken forever however long that is. If you feel comfortable calling me an addict then so be it. But because my doctor told me I can never get off them I’m glad he said that and I’m comfortable. You must be really young... or on something else. Respect others who are in control of their medications.

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Re: Bella (# 29)

I also am in my 60's my dr . tried to convince me I too would be on them the rest of my life, only to find out, ones body gets so dependant on them, and the doctors have no clue how to get one off. I am sorry to have to be on them the rest of your life

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Re: Gigi (# 28)

I did not know true benzos can stay in our bodies for 7-10 yrs after. OMG is there something I can read about that? I am in a support group that would love to know this, as we still suffer. I am so much better, but I do believe I get some setbacks still.

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Re: Lydia (# 30)

Well if you’re sorry then get off them. I guess there are substitutes. With me, I just don’t care and when you don’t care, that’s when you can relax. Different mind frame here anyway... it’s the doctor's fault for starting you and everyone else on them, without knowing you cannot get off because it is addictive. Then they decide they will take things away because it’s not in your best interest believe me, but their fear of malpractice. Well same goes for addicts who are addicted to pills who doctors gave out knowing they would become dependent on them. They take them away only to find them turning to Heroin etc... Doctors have much more control over your body than you do. I also suffer from RA and refuse to take anything for that. I guess I don’t want to give in to anything else that can cause harmful side effects. Doctors give you a pill, then side effects from that and you’re given another, and the list goes on. My friend takes so much meds including three THREE stomach pills? And her belly hurts every day! Why three? But she trusts doctors while I do not.

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Re: Bella (# 32)

sorry you a so naive, I am warning people of the effects of this dangerous medication, and I am glad to read more and more Doctors know how this medication is addictive, physically more than mentally, and that they try to have their patients seek therapy and not rely on popping pills to solve their problems. BTW I too have arthritis, gallstones, and I just had major spinal cord surgery, 2nd in a year. If you want to compare medical issues, and BTW what does a Benzo have to do with RA?

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Re: Gigi (# 28)

Hang in there Gigi, so so sad and it's so disheartening to hear how you were treated growing up. Dang, I do hope whoever did those things to you is in prison for life. I am just trying to warn ppl there is another side of what this medication does to people. I wish I knew when I was misdiagnosed and they started giving them to me, listening to my Dr thinking he knows best. only to realize they don't at times.

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Re: Lydia (# 33)

I think people are pretty educated at this age about their medications we don’t need you who is paranoid to explain it. Benzos have nothing to do with RA... if you read the post correctly, it states I only take Benzos and I won’t take anything for RA...gallstones? Please... have your gallbladder out like I did. I’m done talking to you. Not going to comment again. Good luck.

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Re: Bella (# 35)

If ppl were educated on their meds, why use this forum??? Glad you will not reply, you are using ulgy words and are just a miserable old lady with a closed mind.

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Re: Bella (# 35)

Also, I did not use the Klonipin for my Gallstones or arthritis as I can see you are very uneducated, just saying if you want to list health issues here we go. So get off my butt, I am Warning people the effects of at least 7,000 people that I am aware of that are in misery from this medication, seems like you are too, for one of the side effects is aggression and depersonalization.

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Re: Lydia J (# 5)

No way they last for years. You’re probably experiencing symptoms of anxiety now that you don’t have anti anxiety meds.

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Re: Optimistic (# 38)

I don't have anxiety, I did while I was on them, and I was when I first got cold turkey'd off of them. That's the thing, the more I was given the worse I got. And like over 7000 people I know, are going through the most horrific withdrawals not recognized by the medical community. I had no idea for a yr. what was wrong with me, they did test after test, until I was invited into a support group, and they had every symptom I had plus so many more.

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Re: Optimistic (# 38)

well, over 7000 people will have to disagree with you. I couldn't believe it myself, my Doctor ran so many tests for so many symptoms that came up. I do not have anxiety any longer, I only had it when I was put on the Benzos. Ativan, Valium, and Klonipin. Some tolerance symptoms and withdrawals symptoms are all part of the horrid medication that we get hijacked on

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