Want to stop. Don't know how.

I was told that I needed an aortic valve replacement three years ago. Got very very anxious and ask my doctor for sonething to calm me down. Never heard about benzos. Was tsking them on and f off for a year and then started totake it regularly to sleep. Started to have horrible symptoms through out the day not knowing why. Till few months ago realized what was causing my misery. Need help to stop taking it. The life is horrible with these drugs

Hello Gallito, Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

It sounds as if your body has become tolerant to the dose you're taking and in order to achieve the same calming effects, you must increase the dose.  When we don't increase it, we begin to feel withdrawal symptoms while still on the drug.

 

We can help you taper from the benzo, we typically suggest cutting your dose by about 5-10% every week to ten days or so, depending on your level of discomfort, we need to remain functional after all.

 

You might benefit from taking a look at  The Ashton Manual, it describes what benzo's do to us and in chapter 3 you'll see a list of your symptoms and why you feel them. 

 

Please take a look at our  Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans) board, there you'll see the different methods of taper we support and when you're ready, you can start a thread asking for suggestions from our members.

 

One last thing, if you'd like to ask others about your symptoms, you can post on the Withdrawal Support (during your taper) area of the forum, we understand how awful you're feeling and will help you understand why.

 

Let us know how we can help.

 

Pamster

Thanks for answering. I started with xanax three years sgo, then on Ativan, then Xenax agsin and last 6-8 months was on Ativan. My psycaitrist switched to Valium, it doesn't help me. Now Im taking 1/4 of 1 mg of Ativan in the middle of the night. I go to sleep with no priblem but wake up in the middle of the night and take 1/4 of Ativan. I have been doing it for about 4 months but through out the day felt horrible. The worst symptoms are the unbearable headache especially gets worse when I go in the sun, nausia is very bad, dizziness, blurred vision, eeskness and tight feeling in my throat. For a while I didn't know what was going on with my body. Every time when I took 1 mg of Ativan in the day time all my symptoms got better a lot better. But I  don't want to take a whole pill,  don't want to get deeper in the whole. But now I am on 1/4 of 1 mg at night and 1/2 at the day time. But it doesn't help much with the symptoms. The headaches are horribke, the blood pressure spikes in the afternoon. My wife says it is withdrawls, I  cannot believe that such a small pill, actually 3/4 of a tiny pill can make me feel so horrible. Nothing helps with my headaches. Had extensive check up of my head, my organs,my heart, my blood and there is nothing wrong with me. I need help. I need to know that all these symptoms are coused by this drug. I just can't understand it.

 

Welcome to BB.

You said>>>>I was told that I needed an aortic valve replacement

How did that go and have you fully recovered from that? I think your wife is right. It does sound like you have become tolerant and are experiencing bzd w/d sx's between doses. You said you tried Valium and it did not work. How much did you try and how long did you try it? Just curious....

I tried 5 mg for only couple of days. And stopped sience it didn't help. I didn't stick with it even though the doctor told me. Because the symptoms are anbearable. In need to get a relief from horrible headaches and nausia. And also i start thinking there us something seriously wrong with me. My worst symptom is the feeling like it got grabbed with the vise. 😖

Hi Gallito,

 

I hope you'll start a thread on the  Planning Your Withdrawal (Taper Plans) board and look over the methods we support, I think a direct taper from Ativan is probably best.  Then make a post about which drug, the quantities you take and when.  We need to get you stabilized so you can feel a bit better, then you can begin a taper.

 

We understand what you're going through, keep talking to us.

 

Pamster

I take 1/4 of 1 mg pill of Ativan aroung 5:30-6 am and 1/2 of the same dose of Ativan around 3:00 pm. It doesn't help much. My sympyoms still pretty bad really bad nausia and  wired feeling in the head, complete luck of energy. I take  1/2 of hydrocodone for discomfort  in the evening to eliviate my symptoms. I don't know if it is the right thing to do . I just want to  get some relief but dont eant to take higher dose of Ativan. And also I  have a habit of drinking one 12 oz beer before my dinner every day. I don't know if it is ok. Please let me know. I need to get back to normal. It is very frustrating. I keep thinking there is something wrong with my health. Let me know if pain pills and beer are making my symptoms worse. Thank you.

My valve replacement went fine . But  I developed real bad anxiety that I constantly thought there was something wrong with my heart. Even though my cardiologist reassures that everything is fine. A month after the  valve replacement I  fell into deep depression. But now I am not depressed as much but anxiety is high.

Regarding the heart valve surgery: In my experience with those who have heart issues, either anxiety or depression is common. There's some sort of physiological relationship as it's recognized with heart attack folks and heart transplants too. Seems almost like a form of PTSD happens. Why don't you speak with a counselor about it?

 

Getting off the Benzo has to be started with a certain mindset. It will bring all kinds of physical and emotional challenges. They're not unbeatable, but you cannot tackle two problems without help. Certainly there are lots of resources which Pamster gave you links to and people here to help. Get counseling for the anxiety as there's some underlying issues.

 

Side note: Check into studies about CoQ10 enzyme. This may be beneficial for you as well. It helps all things heart according to the Cleveland Clinic study done with some heart failure patients.  Per them at least 400mg/day.

 

I know Benzo brain causes confusion and makes it difficult to plan. If you feel you can't tackle it alone, get your wife to help. Lots of spouses have done this.  Good Luck.

I haveva question. A family friend suggested to get on Lexap to help with withdrawls symptoms. And she also suggested to take Saphris to help to sleep.  I dont know if it is ok to do. And never heard about these meds.. I just want to know if it can help me with my wihdrawls symptoms through my tapering.

I wuold like to taper with valium because it is easier  to decrees the dose but firsy I dont know how much valium I  should take and how often. I tried substitude with Valium  but it seems like it doesn't help me. But I didnt stick with it also. I just tried for two days and sience i didn't feel any relief I went back to Valium. It is very frustrating. 😖😔I raly appreciate your feed back. V

 

 

I was really hoping you'd ask your questions about tapering on the proper board where you can get the most input from our members, not many of them look at this one.

 

So, please click on the link I'm providing, once you do that, you'll see a blue tab on the upper right side of your screen that says New Topic.  Once you click on that you'll see a page and you'll fill in the subject title, then ask your taper question in the body and hit post when you're done.

 

Here is the link.  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=56.0 to do a direct taper from Ativan and here is the link to do a substition taper with Valium. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=61.0

 

Be sure to mention which benzo you're taking and how much. 

 

You can do this Gallito, we want to help but we need you to help us do that.

I have not hear from you guys. I had couple of qustions. I ooste few days a . I want to switch to valium but Im afraid  it will not work. I dont know exact dos.  I'm talking 0.75 mg of  Ativan a day  right now. It is har i have  strong withdrawls. But I don't take a higher dose. I need to stop this night mare.