Benzos and long term use.

I am a long time panic disorder sufferer and like many others, I have tried different medications ...such as SSRI's, SNRI's and even some of the old trycyclics.   There has been some moderate success, but only with Celexa in the past, but it seemed to lose it's effectiveness over time.  Through all my trials with different meds, I have always been on Klonopin....sometimes .5 mg per day and there have been a few occassions where i have needed 1 mg.  My question is, are there many of you out there that have been using benzo's, i.e. Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Diazepam,  over the long term ?

It seems that through my bouts of panic and when things get bad....Klonopin is the only medication that has consistently been able to be of benefit.  My pscychiatrist says that there are many people who take these meds regularly.  As Panic sufferers, many of us are worried about Benzo addiction, including myself.  I recently posed the question to my psych....."Could my using Klonopin for such a long time ( about 2 strait years ) be damaging my system.\?"  His response was that at my dosage, I don't need to be worrying.  He did say, if I was taking a very high dosage, such as 3 mg per day or more that is might be a good idea to address the issue and see about tapering back.   Over the past two years, I have never taken more than 1 mg per day, but sometimes in the back of my mind, I wonder what long term use of these types of meds can possibly do to our system, such as brain function, liver function etc.  I guess if it helps me to feel better, I should probably try not to worry.  But, worry is a big part of the problem I guess.....kind of goes along with the disorder. 

It would be good to hear other peoples experiences with Benzos if you would like to share.

Thanks,

Ed

Hi Ed...I have severe Crohn's Disease & in '05 was diagnosed w/ a rare eye cancer. Following 6mos. of topical (thankfully!) chemo, I went into another hospital for what was supposed to be a 'temporary' ileostomy'...not to be, it's permanent. Approx. 10yrs. ago my anxiety/panic became overwhelming. I called my therapist & told her that if I couldn't 'get it together' that I would lose my job. I had been taking Xanax (alprazolam) for a few yrs. at this point & following my call, she prescribed Klonipin (clonazepam). I believe that it saved my job & my life. I've been on these drugs for years & had the same fears that you mentioned. My therapist & psychiatrist are both always telling me that I should be taking more of the drugs. The highest dosage of Klonipin that I take is 3mg. daily & I take up to 1.5 mg. Xanax, as needed. The Xanax wears off quickly & tends to leave me w/ a hangover type feeling so I use it mainly for help w/ falling asleep & when I feel that a panic attack is coming on. I was afraid that if I took too much of these drugs then the therapist would take me off, for abusing them. She's assured me, like yourself, that I take such a small dosage that I don't need to worry. Also, she told me that many people take these drugs for life. I also suffer from depression & have tried 14 different anti-depressants...while several made me feel like my old self again, I physically can't handle any of them. This is my first visit to this thread & I'm hoping to find people who've overcome anxiety/panic using holistic treatments such as accupuncture,, yoga, meditation. I'm currently on disability & therefore, can't afford to try many options but still want to know if people have beat this debilitating illness. Lastly, 20/20 did a story about people dying or suffering from permanent side-effects from the use of Xanax...I'm not worried because all the people were using EXTREMELY high dosages such as 15/20mg. plus other substances...no comparisonto our situation. Lastly, I was a heavy drug user/drinker in my late teens/early 20's & I'm able to handle these drugs without becoming addicted. Well, that's my story...thanks for listening & hopefully, we'll both find the mental freedom that we're seeking!

Just wanted to pipe in. I have been on Klonopin for 2 years, higest dose would be 1.5 mg per day. I also have had severe anxiety about taking this anti-anxiety med (how ironic) I also have tapered sucessfully and unsucessfully many times. I know I do have some physical/psychological "attachment" to it, basically because it has worked so darn well for me in the past. I also have the same attachment for coffee and chocolate :) But at times I do feel like an addict :(

I think I have come to the conclusion just not to suffer anymore, and If I need to swallow a few pills to do that its OK.

I have been off it for as long as 6 months, so it is possible to taper off. I would be dead without it.

Best wishes!

Add me to the list, 24 years approximately and I am not worrying about getting cured now even thow my Pdoc thinks it would be good. I use them is smaller amounts now but without them I am thrown into anxiety attacks.
Kitt

I have been taking xanax for18 years. Small dose for five years which did not help me. Now 1mg 3 times daily and an extra dose if I get an attack which is rare. I too was worried about long term usage but my doc said the benzos are safe. I used to see it as an addiction but now I see it as something that makes my life here bearable. Those first 5 years were no joke. I have resigned myself to taking it for life beacuse whats the sense of livng if my quality of life is in the unbearable without it.
Gt

I've taken Xanax for about five years. I take it as needed. When I had surgery I took about 1 mg a day to help me with anxiety and pain and being overwhelmed. If I have a panic attack I might take .5. If I'm going through stress, I might take a .25 a couple times a day for a week or so. When I got depressed I took Xanax, along with all my psych drugs to calm me down.

I will also go days, weeks, and even some months without taking any. My psychiatrist gives me enough to take two .25 per day and he just gives me the proper refills every time I see him so I have quite a stockpile so I am happy that way.

I'm curious what would be considered a high dose to take of Xanax.  Would 1.5 to 2 mg be considered a high dose?  If you go off of it can you have seizures?  Wondering because I don't want to take something that would be harmful but suffer a lot from panic. Which is worse to suffer from panic and not be able to go out and feel like you're going crazy or take the meds and possibly get addicted?  Klonopin never worked for me.  Thanks for any replies.

Thanks for the input fuzzyw
Doc's should be monitoring all your meds especially pain and sedatives or SSRI's IMHO.........
Like you with the xanax I took enough Valium yesterday ( really bad day and I swear it did nothing but I am sure it would have knocked over a horse ...still within the amount I am allowed to take if needed when under severe stress)
Take care ....LYN

Just wanted to add a funny story, I as I mentioned have taking Klonopin on and off for a few years and last summer went into hosp to have a birth defect corrected in my heart. Before the surgery I was terrified, crying, etc. They THOUGHT thy could give me some midazolaim (sp) a valium derivitive to calm me down. Although I don't remember much, the nurses and Dr.'s were astonihed at how much to took to have affect on me. They said I was talking and awake through the whole thing and had gone through the max amount allowed and I was still agitated! So, I think it speaks to the fact that the more anxiety you have to begin with the more tolerance you have. As my psych said, if you are a 10 on the anxiety scale, it just takes 10x more drug to have the same effect.

Hi All...I had a similar hospital experience...after spending several hours in the ER, following a diagnosis of a serious rectal abcess, the doctors made the decision that the abcess could be safely excised w/out surgery. Personally, I was hoping for the surgery as I'm not keen on needles & pain. Anyway, the next morning I was wheeled down to the basement area & I was the only patient (note: this was at Brigham & Women's, a major Boston hospital & I felt like I was in a Robin Cook medical thriller...creepy!). I was freaking out but so glad when told that I would be given Ativan. So, they get ready to infuse the drug & state that they're giving me 1mg! Needless to say, it did nothing. They added another mg. & guess what? Finally, I'm given a 3rd mg. & am told that that's the max! They may as well have given me a placebo. Fortunately, I was injected w/ alot of Lidocaine (ugh...hate that stingy stuff!) & the rest was painless, thankfully.
Question: I'm an insomniac (although I could sleep all day) & had been prescribed sleeping pills. Like anti-depressants, I was unable to handle the side-effects. My therapist has suggested that, rather than take my 3rd dose of Klonipin, at bedtime, that we replace this with Seroquel (generic name: Quetiapine). This drug is an anti-psychotic used for Manic-Depression & Schizophrenia & has numerous side-effects. She told me that I would be put on a minute dose & not to worry about these effects. While I don't have either of these illnesses, my mind tends to race w/ thoughts (often negative) when I try to go to sleep. Has anyone had any experience w/ this drug or another type of anti-psychotic?

Fuzzy-

about the Seroquel, my Dr. suggested it as well.  I also have had major sleep issues but decided to try Lexapro first.  It has tremedoulsy helped my sleep, as opposed to other Anit-depressants I have tried which make insomnia worse!  I also could not tolerate sleeping pills (Ambien, Lunesta).

However I would try Seroquel if the Lex no longer works, there is emerging evidence that it is useful in very small doses for anxiety and insomnia.  My Grandmother takes it and she says she has no ill effects at a low level (12.5 mg I think)

Tootie, Hi I am Kitt and so glad to see you here in the A & P Forum. I totally agree with you. If it works and you need the med to live a productive and happy life then use it..........

I think I have been on one kind or another of benzo for 22 years. Feeling like I cannot leave home or crying all day is not the choice Iwould make so the meds won hands down for me.

Of course each person is entitled to their rights and believes.
Again welcome
Kitt

Thank you Kitt for the welcome. Is always nice to meet someone who is going thru something similar. I usually post in the Fibromyalgia forum as I was recently diagnosed with Fibro, which adds to the anxiety and panic. But I have been suffering from panic attacks and anxiety since I was 13 and am now 58. Didnt recieve help until I was almost 40. So a lot of years I suffered because I was to embarrassed to tell anyone.

What a waste of years, but now I believe that these meds are made for a reason, and if they help them AMEN to that.
Will be visiting this site often, and thanks again Kitt