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Anxiety Over Anxiety Meds

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Posted 7/31/2014 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
I swear, this has been an issue since I started these pills.

Have to take more of the klonopin my Psych prescribed because.. Well, the amount wasn't working (I only went up from .50 to .75) and lately I need to take it twice a day.

Called the receptionist asking if the Doc would renew my script sooner as I am going to run out before I see him again.



A question for my HW friends on SSRI's:

Do some of you who are on SSRI's still need benzos and does your Doc prescribe them without hassle?


It feels like I am always on the edge of having them take them away from me, and it makes me very anxious.....
Posted 7/31/2014 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
I'm prescribed lorazapan had the same bottle for 6 months and only have taken two. I'm afraid to get addicted to them cause I heard it's hard to get off them.
Posted 7/31/2014 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
I've been taking lorazapan while I am starting Zoloft (started on July 11). I've needed 2 mg a day but they've made me so tired so the dr wants me to cut down while upping the Zoloft to 75mg. I'm nervous about weaning down because I've read it's hard. I'm waiting for an answer from the dr about if I need to wean or just stop.
I understand the feeling of being nervous about not having the meds when you need them.
Posted 7/31/2014 9:23 PM (GMT 0)
I don't feel benzos are "addictive" in the traditional sense.

People want them, because they work!!!

They take away the anxiety, and for me, the depression too. I ONLY ever take them, when I need to, but I need to most every day. Some days, not at all.

So, no "addiction".


Saraj, I started prozac myself recently, so I'm curious if that takes away the "need" for benzos. I hope it does, I mean, isn't that the whole point of getting on these SSRI's?



On a side note:
My Doc called and he did give me more klonopin, which was such good news. I've had to take them twice a day lately, something I rarely do. That helped my anxiety over anxiety meds!
Posted 7/31/2014 9:36 PM (GMT 0)
You feel they aren't addictive because you are only taking a small amount. Some people are on a high dose and are physically and psychologically dependent on benzos. It took me about 2-3 years to reduce the dose (lorazepam). Just saying...lol
Posted 7/31/2014 10:56 PM (GMT 0)
My dr wants me to take them less which is why he increased the Zoloft. I've been ridiculously tired and he thinks it's the lorazepam. I can deal with a little extra anxiety if I have the meds when the anxiety gets overwhelming. I think the SSRI is starting to work on the anxiety so I shouldn't need the benzo. But that 4-6 weeks for full effect is a long time.
Posted 7/31/2014 11:03 PM (GMT 0)
Years ago I was taking Xanax 2mg 3 times a day, I ended up losing my insurance and although the generic form of xanax is reasonable, the doctor visits were not so I had to get off of them cold turkey, the withdrawals were horrific! I know Klonopin is similiar to xanax, I have actually heard people say klonopin is harder to get off of, not sure if that is true.

So you have to weigh the good with the bad, even though I started xanax again there is always that fear in the back of my mind of the withdrawals, but I know everyone's experiences are different.
Posted 8/1/2014 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
Cold turkey off anything you're dependent on is going to be difficult. Someone recently mentioned to me the difference between dependence & addiction. There is a difference. My BFF was in 4 Percocet & 4 Valium DAILY (4x/day) for Fibromyalgia pain. She recently went off of both (at different times) with directions from doc to titrate off of them. She had no ill effects or withdraw issues. It took her one month. (She's now on Baclifen and swears by it. Says helps her more than Percocet or Valium ever did)!

Anyway, MyAnxietyLife, I did not have to continue on any benzos after the right AD worked. I always kept them (Xanax)in my purse "just in case" & there were times throughout the years I could have taken one but I toughed it out. I had 3 rogue pills in my purse for YEARS & when I opened the container when cleaning out purse once, it was just a poof of powder lol.

Don't be upset about depending on them right now. Likely you will only need prn as things start smoothing out. That was my story anyway. Right now I'm still to take .25 Xanax twice/day.

Hugs!

Lisa
Posted 8/1/2014 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Cold turkey off anything you're dependent on is going to be difficult. Someone recently mentioned to me the difference between dependence & addiction. There is a difference. My BFF was in 4 Percocet & 4 Valium DAILY (4x/day) for Fibromyalgia pain. She recently went off of both (at different times) with directions from doc to titrate off of them. She had no ill effects or withdraw issues. It took her one month. (She's now on Baclifen and swears by it. Says helps her more than Percocet or Valium ever did)!

Anyway, MyAnxietyLife, I did not have to continue on any benzos after the right AD worked. I always kept them (Xanax)in my purse "just in case" & there were times throughout the years I could have taken one but I toughed it out. I had 3 rogue pills in my purse for YEARS & when I opened the container when cleaning out purse once, it was just a poof of powder lol.

Don't be upset about depending on them right now. Likely you will only need prn as things start smoothing out. That was my story anyway. Right now I'm still to take .25 Xanax twice/day.

Hugs!

Lisa
Posted 8/1/2014 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
Anyway, MyAnxietyLife, I did not have to continue on any benzos after the right AD worked.

lol@"poof of powder"


Thank you!! This is what I was asking.

Only a few weeks into prozac, and it sort of, kind of, seems as if it might be working a little bit. I hope!!!

Second morning without any benzo. For me, that's fantastic!

Post Edited (My Anxiety Life) : 8/1/2014 8:12:22 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/1/2014 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
Are you having any withdrawal symptoms? I cut in 1/2 my benzo dose before bed, woke up several times feeling anxious, took 1/2 of what I normally do in the morning and just don't feel right. Maybe I need to go slower.
Posted 8/1/2014 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Saraj...

I never had an addiction to benzos as far as I know. I never was prescribed them that long to *get* addicted. Only had them prescribed sporadically until very recently.

Going without has never been a problem for me, except if I feel anxiety and don't have any to take.

Are you also taking any SSRI's?
Posted 8/1/2014 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
I also your clonazepam as needed 0.5. Although I tend to not use them as I don't want to get addicted or have to depend on it. I try and deal with my anxiety instead. (really hard) Although there are times when I will take them due to it being that bad. Usually those are they days where my anxiety is so bad that im debating on going to the hospital or not.

Anyways I wish you the best of luck and hope you feel better soon! Anxiety sucks be we all will find ways to deal with it one way or the other! :)
Posted 8/1/2014 3:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Kalman.

I tried so long without meds....

Finally I said: Bring it on!!! I tried dealing without meds, all that happened was.... Life sucked lol...

I hope you feel better too. :)
Posted 8/1/2014 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
I am on Zoloft but was told to take the lorazepam as needed until the Zoloft started working, which is usually 4-6 weeks. I think I need to cut my doses more slowly since I don't know for sure if the Zoloft if working since it's only been 3 weeks.
Posted 8/1/2014 6:45 PM (GMT 0)
My Psych told me to keep taking the benzo (as needed) until the SSRI "kicks in" THEN taper off the benzo, which makes sense so we can see if the SSRI is working.
Posted 8/1/2014 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
So how do you know the SSRI is working? You just don't feel the need for the benzos anymore?
Posted 8/1/2014 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
So how do you know the SSRI is working? You just don't feel the need for the benzos anymore?
Posted 8/1/2014 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
Ahhh good question!

That's what I am assuming, but I don't know for sure since this is my first time at all of this.

I'm guessing that this is how it should work. If the SSRI works, then I won't be feeling the almost daily anxiety. Hence, no need for benzos.
Posted 8/2/2014 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, I agree, I have been taking zoloft 100 mg for panic/ anxiety for about 17 years now and recently, having horrible attacks, once ended it up in ER because didnt know it was panic attack, started on xanax low dosages, than didnt help, go up to 1 mg a day, probably could keep going a lot higher dosages if I let it, but now, I am doing my best to tamper down and go off, which is last 0.125 mg taking, I started to have panics coming back, so, I dont think zoloft helps me at all. P.s. Withdrawals from xanax was horrible too..still does with lowest dosages.
Posted 8/2/2014 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
I don't like to contradict anyone, and hate for someone to think I was "addicted" to xanax but the longer you take them the harder it is to get off of them, anyone that has taken any dose of xanax for any length of time and did not have withdrawals after completely stopping them has a very special chemical make-up.

It was one of the worst withdrawal I have ever been through in my life and I am a recovering alcoholic sober for almost 4 years. I am hoping if I am weaned off of the xanax that there will be little to no withdrawals, I never want to go through that again,
Posted 8/3/2014 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Brenda- going off 6mg Xanax/day cold turkey must have been horrific. I can't believe you weren't titrated. Generic is so cheap. Sorry you went through that, yuck x 100!

4 years sober? Brenda, that is beyond wonderful. I know that getting sober and learning to live sober is not an easy thing to do. My hats off to you for your will and desire for health. My neighbor who I've become good friends with is a recovering alcoholic, sober for 30 yrs I think (she's 68). She said AA saved her life all bc one member who welcomed her at her first meeting came up to her, hugged her and said "you're in the right place. We're going to love you back to health."

I wish there were 12 step meetings for people like us struggling with depression/anxiety issues. I can't believe there isn't :-/

At any rate, hope you all are having a pleasant weekend.

Lisa
Posted 8/3/2014 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you lesweet, I actually used alcohol to self medicate, and it did the complete opposite of course, I would never want to go back to that deep dark place, at least now when I wake up I have no regrets as far as drinking goes.

October it will be 4 years, I have not once took a drink, I do have to say recently the thoughts have ran through my head, just because times are incredibly rough for me right now, but my worst day sober is better than my best day drunk, so I have to shake the thought and know drinking is not the answer.

I too wish there was a 12 step program for depression and medication, maybe therapy is a start. I didn't go to AA, I just quit cold turkey because I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror any more, literally despised myself, I hit my rock bottom, and am glad I stopped when I did.

Thank you so much!
Posted 8/3/2014 4:29 PM (GMT 0)
Brenda I'm sorry to hear you had such a challenging time getting off xanax. Congrats on the sobriety!

My Psych had me switch to klonopin, said it wasn't as addictive because it has a longer half life, and it was better to take. So far so good.

I'm really hopeful the prozac works. I'm even a little excited. A lifetime of depression... That's a heavy rock to carry, so maybe, just maybe, I will finally find some relief. I'm assuming it will take away the anxiety too. What a joy it would be to simply feel... "OK"!!!!
Posted 8/3/2014 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
My Anxiety Life-

When AD's worked for me, I definitely did not have to take Xanax/benzos except a rare prn. Even then, I didn't. But like I said, I kept them in my purse for years for "just in case" until they disentegeated into dust.

I wasn't plagued with daily anxiety. It would come, (AD's aren't THAT perfect,darn lol) but it was so rare that it wasn't on my mind at all. And usually it was situational anxiety which I can get on a "good day" like waiting to board an airplane, etc. That's my story though, we're all different but that's the goal is to find what works.

Hugs!
Lisa
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