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NEED HELP..ANXIETY INCREASING THE LONGER I'M OFF KLONOPIN..MISERABLE DAYS


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I am over 6 months benzo free....and also free of all medications.

 

I was on Klonopin for 2 1/2 years for generalized anxiety...also took Ambien and drank alcohol.

 

Lately, my anxiety has been increasing..yesterday I felt physically ill because of the anxiety.

 

I am wondering if this is still benzo w/d, or if the original anxiety is coming back.

 

Also, been wondering if maybe I need to be on and SSRI for the anxiety....I have read that Zoloft is a very good one for that.

 

Please....need some help.....I am getting very worried that this ordeal is never going to end and I'm going to be like this forever...a most depressing thought.

 

Percussion  aka Tish

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Hey percussion,

 

  I don't have much experience yet, just recently off the meds, but from what i heard a lot of people get a spike in there symptoms when they the 6-10 month mark. I can not tell you that going on an SSRI would be a good idea for you or not, but if it were me i would hold on for awhile longer, and see if the symptoms don't subside some. I'm sure someone with a bit more experience will come along, and give you better advice.

 

 

Hope you start feeling better soon,

Dane

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if this happens to me when I am off the benzo I would try a SSRI and make sure I picked one that was the easiest to get off of. Good luck I know how much anxiety sucks.
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Thanks Dane and Sun.....always great to hear from benzobuddies when times are really tough.

 

I plan to look into a possible SSRI...not right away...and will proceed with GREAT CAUTION!!  YOU CAN BE SURE OF THAT!!

 

One that is easy to come off of....good point, indeed.

 

Been a real hard day...do feel like my brain is just not right.  With there were a doctor who really knew what he was talking about. 

Frustrating.

 

Thanks.

Percussion

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I don't see why people bvelieve that SSRIs are any better to get on.  Maybe a little, but they're still all hard to come off of, you still ahve to taper, they have horrible effects from day one unlike the benzos, and they're never proven to work in many people.  Then to top that off almos every person on them at all automatically MUST raise dosages or change to a new med within ghr first year or two and then every year or two after that.  It's almost the same as the benzos, only maybe not as long to get effects out of the system.

 

Your anxiety could be your normal anxiety you've had before or from the benzo withdrawal.  That's what sucks about all of this is it's so hard to even know what's causing something so then we have to wonder if there's something to work on in our thinking to change it or if it's something unrelated to thinking and truly a physical effect.  I'm tired of anxiety personally.  Hopefully yours gets better soon too.

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Hi,

 

It really is tough..even at six months out to know if it's your underlying anxiety...or benzo withdrawal...from what I have seen here....it certainly is possible that it can be....others have had it that long....so you may be experiencing the same thing..I think it is a smart idea to maybe give it some more time...

 

I disagree with Midnight on several points...I am not a fan of SSRI's...or any of this medication to be honest...and I have no direct experience with it...but....I don't believe they are worse than benzos....in fact...the upping of dosage...generally happens more in benzo withdrawal....than with SSRI's....I have never heard of tolerance w/d with SSRI's..it may exist....I am not sure..but I am certain it exists with benzos....I am not telling you I would puruse that route....because I would not..but that is an option to consider in the future...if you feel that strongly I would explore all options out there....and then make the best decision you can...

 

You beat benzos....which many say are harder to beat than heroin...and from what I see...I truely believe this...you won a major victory..be very proud of yourself....:) and give yourself more time to heal...

 

Take care..

 

TC

 

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Hi Tish,

 

6 months seems like a long time, but you're not there yet.  Please don't lose hope, it's going to take a little longer for you to get to where you need to be.

 

I have to comment about Midnights post, I've not heard of tolerance to SSRI's either, I was on the same dose for 11 years.  I stopped my SSRI cold turkey and suffered no ill effects, it was nothing like my cold turkey from Klonopin!  I never suffered any ill effects while on it, and suffer none now that I'm off of it.

 

I'm not advocating the use of an SSRI, but I wanted to give you my experience.  An SSRI as an anti-anxiety agent seems a bit off label to me, since many experience an increase when they first go on it.

 

Pam

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Hi Tish,

 

Hope you anxiety has calmed down somewhat?  Did it just suddenly come back or has it been there ever since your taper?

 

I also have to disagree with Midnight's post.  I too have never heard of anyone going into tolerance w/d from using A/D and having to increase their dose.  Many years ago I was on an A/D and it worked extremely well.  I only had to use it for a year, never reached tolerance and came off of it without any problems whatsoever.  I only wish that I had tried something similar all these years later instead of taking the benzos my doctor gave me.

 

As Pam & TC said, I am certainly not telling you that an SSRI or any other A/D is the answer to your prayers or recommending that you use one.  I just wanted to tell you about my A/D experience and that it was nothing like my benzo nightmare.  But of course we are all different.

 

I hope you find some relief soon.

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Hi Tish,

Definately understand what you are talking about with the anxiety.  I have been off the poison for 4 mos now and the anxiety is pretty rediculous and seems to have kicked in full force again.  Most of the extreme anxiety that I feel , I did not have prior to benzo's.  Honestly, whatever really crops up now symptom wise either physically or psychologically I attribute to benzo's.  Otherwise I would be living in the doctors office.  I know that one of our great fears is that we will always be like this or that this is what we are "really" like.  I think that is just the fear talking to us.  I try everything to alleviate the anxiety, no caffeine, walk 3 miles a day, no stress, etc.  nothing really seems to help as it is organic anxiey due to benzo withdrawl syndrome. If I look at it that way, somehow it makes it a bit easier to deal with.  I look at myself from 6 mos ago when I was tapering and I am alot Better.  My taper was beyond horrible.  Unfortunately, time is the factor here.  I think that the roller coaster ride will ease up or be over for you soon.  I did get on welbutrin for the depression well into my taper and it definately revved my anxiety symptoms up in the beginning and then subsided. Welbutrin is not typically used for anxiety though.  I know that there are several ssri's that help with the anxiety/  .  Keep believing that this roller coaster will end one day.  It wil.        Ginia

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Hi Tish

As someone who was prescribed the benzo for anxiety in the first place, I too am battling away with anxiety at eight months out.  I had a major rev up of symptoms at five months but they seem to have calmed down again - panic attacks, foggy brain, sensitive eyes, nightmares.  Yet at the same time I wasn't under any more stress in my life, there had been no major changes to rev the stress up.  Seems like the benzo monster wasn't done with me yet.

 

I guess we have to remember that the benzos aren't a cure for the condition we had prior to going on to them, so it is quite possible that the original anxiety could return.  But because our nervous systems are in overdrive with withdrawal and beyond, I believe that it isn't all "generalised" anxiety.  For that reason it seems harder to get under control - that may seem odd, but if its being chemically driven to some extent, it stands to reason it must be harder to control.

 

Having said that, I just soldier on and do my best to calm myself down.  There is no way I'm going down the a/d route - that's a personal decision on my part.  I know of quite a few people, my sister included, who take a/ds with no problems at all.  I just want to cure myself of anxiety chemical free and am working really hard towards that.  I've gone back to see my psychotherapist to set some strategies in place again and am really pushing myself hard to get on with life - anxious thoughts and all.

 

However, it seems that even at eight months out the benzo monster is still lurking in the background - I can just feel it. 

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Hey all....I am on vacation and had to figure out how to get this computer to let me reply...I am not a whiz at these things,

but, I did it!

 

Thank you all so much for responding.  Means so much to hear comments, thoughts and words of encouragement, especially

when things are really tough.

 

I am having less anxiety these past two days.  Could be that finally I am here having some quiet time in the sun. 

I appreciate your comments on the a/d's....I think I should wait til the end of 2010 before I change anything else.

Having some good days gives me hope that the end is in sight.  December 2010 will mark one year benzo-free

and I thinking as of now to wait it out.

 

I read a great post here 2 days ago about someone who got ANGRY AT ANXIETY.  She started running on a regular basis

and saw a marked improvement....and got in great shape.  I have let my exercise go by the wayside these past 8 months

dealing with all this horror, but I plan to get it going again with hopes that it will help me to battle my anxiety.

 

The cog/fog just won't seem to lift, though.  But I can deal with that better than the anxiety, for sure.

And once I'm anxiety-free, I believe the fog will start to go away.  Just makes for long tiring days trying to

stay focused.

 

Thank you all Midnight, TC, Pamster, Bevoir, Ginia, and LB.....each of you said something that was most

helpful.  We are all in this together, and you have helped me tremendously......what would I do without

benzobuddies?!?

 

Tish

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I am about 5 months out after using klonopin for 2 years.  I started taking an SSRI and it didn't help at all, it made things worse.  Then I was switched to Buspar, and it doesn't seem like it is helping either.
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KEHP83....Thanks....looks like the SSRI's help some, and make matters worse for others.

 

Looks like we were on Klon for about the same time.

I was on 2 1/2 years for anxiety....at 6 1/2 months off, things are better, but the anxiety is really bad some days...and the

cog fog just won't lift.  Month 5 was really hard.

 

Hang in there!

 

Tish

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We are on the coast of North Carolina and the breeze is steady....very hot!

Just trying to keep calm and remember how far I have come through all of this....thinking back to

6 months ago when I was in rehab seems like another life-time...and a nightmare!

If anxiety doesn't calm down here...it never will!!  Pretty low-key...as much so as you want it to be.

 

Getting back into exercise....benzo w/d sure put a damper on my exercise routine!

But gonna get it going again. 

 

Thanks for asking...hope everyone here can find some peace in these summer days.

 

Tish

 

 

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I read a great post here 2 days ago about someone who got ANGRY AT ANXIETY

I had to laugh at this one.  Sometimes when I'm out walking I'm constantly yelling at my anxiety (under my breath of course, wouldn't want anyone to think I had issues) and just telling it to go away and leave me alone, it's wasting its time on me, 'cos like beating the benzo monster, anxiety's not going to ruin my life.  Works most of the time.  I just wonder sometimes how I must look going around the neighbourhood with all this going on in my mind - I could look really scary. :D

 

hope everyone here can find some peace in these summer days
What summer days?  I wish, it's the middle of winter here - less than 40oF today.  Still peace can be found somewhere no matter what the weather brings us.  Enjoy the good days, tolerate the not so good ones.

 

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LB...oops on the "summer peace."  Forgot about bb's being worldwide....sorry!

And you are so right...peace can be found in any weather.

 

The days are getting a little better for me....just gotta get rid of the cog fog and

keep the anxiety in check....gonna have some hormone testing done and see what

I find there.  Heard the foggy head can be caused by hormone imbalance....I hope

that is the case.......because that can be helped. 

 

Hope all are getting better each day.

 

Tish

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I got on hormones when I was in withdrawals, figured I'd gotten a raging case of menopause, they didn't even touch what was really going on, benzo withdrawal.  I finally gave up and stopped taking them, there wasn't much point.  I certainly understand though, wanting to feel like you have some measure of control.  :tickedoff:
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percussion new at this myself and it's no picnic.But with the right tools and good friends we all can do this. But what a shocker this was for me and I have not even begin yet just baby stepping.. I hope your panic get better. I'm learning to breath and stop what if I am dying every few minutes.

I cry at odd times and feel like  crap but I will not back down enough is enough..It's a uphill battle.Enjoy your vacation I live in NC and yes it's hot to darn hot.

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Hey Pam....I am hoping that the hormones will help with the cog fog.....my sister-in-law said that they

cured her cog fog and she feels like a new person. 

 

But, as you say, it could just be the withdrawal...and probably is. 

 

But, I am just exploring all the possibilities that could make this better.....aren't we all!

 

Let me know your hormone experience....thanks so much.

 

Tish

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