Please help, terrible anxiety/agoraphobia.

A quick bit about me. I was prescribed Diazepam (Valium) at 20mg a day for anxiety/agoraphobia over 18 years ago. 9 years ago I had a relapse after my dog died so my Dr put me on Clonazepam (Klonopin)as well at 1mg per day. I am also on Citalopram (Clexa) at 40mg per day and been on this for just over 18 years. In 2012 I started to taper my Diazepam. It took just under 6 months and I managed to get to 10mg with not that much troubles.  Then I started my Clonazepam taper in late 2015. I am almost off Clonazepam now, taking a micro dose at 5pm every evening.

 

Just over 4 weeks ago I was walking my dogs when I had a terrible panic attack. I rushed home and since then I have been housebound and lost 18lbs in 20 days as my appetite has gone.

 

I cant even drive half a mile now. Walking, well I can walk maybe 30 steps away from home and then I have to rush back, so maybe 15 seconds walking away from home. It is not easing and I really dont know what to do. The Dr came to see me the other week and gave my Mirtazipine-spelling?  I am too scared to even take one though. The other one he suggested was Aimitriptiline-spelling?

 

Should I try another drug to try and ease these symptoms?  I feel so awful. I am a 6ft male, 42 years old, used to have a very well paid job in construction.....Now I am in a bad way, cant really leave my home and living off benefits.

 

Any help would be fantastic. Thanks in advance.

Leolion: Our nervous system is so sensitive during the healing, and it doesn`t tolerate chemical substances. Sometimes not even vitamins. I got my SSRI raised during the withdrawal, and I got terrible symptoms for several weeks. So unfortunately only time and distraction work. Hope you soon feel better!

totally understand the phobia i have not left the house since october 2017    im on 1.625mg of ativan n holding steady on it  the panic attack scared you so bad it made you create your house as a safe zone  as it did to me last fall  my advice to you is to stop the taper n hold  see if you get any better  and if not you can always go backwards n add more valium  or kolonpin in lil doses till you stablize  because you do not want to end up like me my fear is constantly there since your just happend try to over come it even if its small steps  at one point i didnt come out  of my room  for bout 3 weeks  to use the bathroom shower n eat n right back into my room  n a benzo buddies helped me through it by telling me each day try n spend a little more time out of your room n im good on it now i can go all around the house do anything go outside do yard work n even get in my car n drive around the neighborhood  still cant go to far but im working on it day by day

Thanks greatly for the helpful replies.

 

So is it a case of just time, kind of like having a bug, takes time to feel better again?

 

These dizzy spells are just awful. Also so scared of having a panic attack, the amount of 'What if's' that go through my mind.

 

I have about 4 weeks worth left of Clonazepam and my Dr wont prescribe me anymore, but he has given me a load of 2mg diazepam tablets. For some strange reason, I am scared silly over taking the diazepam instead of the clonazepam. I take 10mg diazepam as soon as I wake up, so about 7.30am. Citalopram at 12 lunch and Clonazpem at 5pm.

 

Current dose of Clonazepam is this......

 

A 0.5mg Clonazepam tablet weighs 0.0200g on digital jewellery scales. So 0.25mg = 0.0100g and 0.125mg = 0.0050g. My current dose is 0.0005g. So equivalent in diazepam terms is most probably around quarter of a mg, so a tiny dose.

 

Why am I so scared of switching to say just 1mg of diazepam instead of the tiny dose of Clonazepam?

 

Also.....Will a good diet like chicken breast, veg, rice, cashew nuts, oats, milk, eggs etc help anxiety or does diet not really matter?

 

Thanks greatly once again for any replies.

I've found gluten made my symptoms worse. Sticking to a keto diet made me feel 100x better. quitting smoking also helped my anxiety. Eat as healthy as you can. Chamomile and peppermint tea do wonders for anxiety. Switch to Valium if you can. I made the mistake of not switching and just jumping from xanax. I had a very hard time in the beginning. The anxiety isn't totally gone but instead of having panic attacks everyday I have them probably 2 3 times a month now. I also became extremely agoraphobic in the beginning when I had a couple of extreme panic attacks outside. The memory fades and you will be able to get over the agoraphobia once you start healing. Now I have days where I throw myself outside.

 

Oh yeah the dizzy spells are the worst. There was a time I was bedridden for two weeks because the anxiety was so bad. MY heart felt like it was going to explode if I got up. Those days are thankfully over.

 

Everyone is different and the healing time is different for everyone. I know your pain and know how much of a struggle this is. Just remember not everyone will get what you are going through and don't expect any empathy. Just wiring this because it gave me alot of heartbreak and anxiety in the beginning once I realized how alone I was while in recovery and still do at times. But it gets better I promise. This is a great support group and we'll be here whenever you need us.  Your dogs are also going to be a big help!

I understand all of these symptoms. I have lost 20 pounds in a short time.  The agoraphobia and dizziness  takes time. Remember things are all messed up and need to be repaired. Some things I have tried are cbd, 5 htp, L Theanie and gaba supplements. I eat all natural non gmo rfoods and no caffeine. Everyone has different results. I have had good luck with cbd and L Theanine the most. A good reference is the Anti Anxiety Food Book by Trudy Scott. A well respected nutritionist in the field of amino acids and how foods play into things.

Agoraphobia is a real bitch. It show up often after a bad panic attack,

 

just like the stink shows up after a gurgly fart.

 

I've beaten it twice, and when it's gone, I have said, " Cured ! never again ! I can go anywhere ! "

But alas, with anxiety, it can come back, and has. Yet it becomes easier to deal with

as time goes on. .. . but you must deal with it, work through it.

 

Dr. Claire Weeks really helped me over the last 2 years. Her CD, "Pass through panic" has a whole section

on agoraphobia. I think all her stuff is on youtube now, FREE.

 

Set a goal each day, pushing your world back out, a bit each day. even a walk down to the corner and back.

Reward yourself with a bit of choclaate or whatever, each time you succeed.

 

As Benzo wirthdrawal symptoms ease, the agoraphobia eases up as well, but never completely unless

you put in some work, and keep expanding your world, as the agoraphonbia tries to shrink it !

 

I'm not preaching here, I have lived through this crap.

good luck,

-Justaman

 

 

 

Hello Leo Lion,

 

first  be strong. 

 

the secret is  :  "no avoidance" 

 

remember:  Our body is wired  and all the connections end in our brain,  and the brain is now just scanning all day what happens in our body and mind.  do not take any pills.

 

The pills help to disconnect the wires from your brain,  instead use distractions  and "no avoidance"

 

the wires end in our brain, the brain needs to learn no to have fear of those body sensations and thoughts,

 

BE STRONG TO TEACH YOUR BRAIN: 

 

write what are your triggers to feel that, then go after them every day, look for them until your mind got tired, 

 

it wont happen overnight, it will be slowly,  but  you will feel the progress.

 

DISTRACTION IS A MUST,  but need to be outside your house,  baby steps. 

 

best distraction:    clean your house, dishes without dishwasher,  wash your car,  wash your cloth manually,

go to the most scary place that you dont like, feel the real danger,  ride a bike  with funny dress. 

 

best shot:  stop stranger and make a prank, feel the different reactions,   

 

hope it helps,

 

Manny

 

 

 

 

Food or diet doesn't matter??,  yes It does,  foods are triggers of body sensations,  but It does until  your brain is trained,  after that you can eat anything, drink anything.

 

eat everything except lactates at  night,  chew very well all your food , then after 15 min drink mineral waters, the best "Topo Chico"  its a Mexican natural mineral waters,  or  Sprite,  not dark drinks,  NEVER  coffee,  try not to drink pure water,  put a bit of something in your water always.  do not eat too much fruits.  ( all this is related to your current situation only).

 

Manny     

 

Some people do well to avoid gluten, some don’t. My advise...don’t go down the OCD rabbit hole concerning food. Try and eat the best you can, and think simply. Veggies, Whole Foods and water are good for you...going any further than that can overwhelm an already overwhelmed brain.

I don't have any advice, leolion, just compassion.  I'm trying to make my own way through this thing.  I actually don't even know some days what helps and what hurts.  I'm sorry for the loss of your dog and your career, plus everything horrible you're going through.

Boy can I relate to this. I am not working now either and spending a lot of time at home - but I refuse to be in this state for too long. I feel we need to retreat, heal and relax a bit then

back at it again slowly building up confidence. I have been in and out of agoraphobia to varying degrees for a while.

 

It is the fear and memory of panic that hold us back I think. Once we become more confident and our brain starts to expand our safety zone we will heal.

You have been out there before and I think you can do it again.  I read some old posts re: agoraphobia and was pleased to see almost all the posters were healed in their signatures.

 

Can't wait to cheer you on at the finish line!

OP,

 

I was in your shoes several years ago. Two things helped me and continue to be of help even today: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (I'd still be housebound if I didn't seek out this treatment) and Claire Weekes' book, Hope And Help For Your Nerves.

 

You can and will get better.