Posted by paulbwell on April 3, 2005, at 23:18:15
In reply to Re: ANY LONG TERM BENZO USERS? 10-20+YEARS » paulbwell, posted by Phillipa on April 3, 2005, at 22:28:23
> I would be delighted to respond to your Thread, and actually have some first hand knowledge. I have been on benzos for 35yrs or so for what had started out as panic attacks. At first I self-medicated with beer, so I at least could sleep at night. My anxiety was all day long too. Finally the pdoc I saw put me on valium 5mg three times a day I believe. When that didn't fully work he added meprobomate 450mg. Well it worked and soon after I was back taking care of my three young children and carrying out all my responsibilities. As the anxiety decreased I was able on my own to give up the meprobomate[which I now know is supposed to be highly addictive], without any side-effects. Back then you had open-ended RX for benzos so I could fill my Rx whenever I wanted. Afterall it was the early 70's. I kept gradually cutting down . That pdoc lost his license. But I could get the meds, which I never abused. I went to another pdoc when a lot of stresses entered my life, divorce, nursing school. He had me on very low doses of ativan. Again no abuse. I moved to VA Beach, and as i was quite friendly with him by then he asked me to see a pdoc he had gone to medical school with. I keep taking low dose benzos. At one point I was on xanax. I could always maintain a social drinking lifestyle. When I met my current husband I moved to NC and saw a new pdoc for RX. I wanted to get off the .l25 of xanax I was on. He laughed. But, if I stopped it my anxiety returned. Then the birth of the SSRI's and none of them worked for me as well as thyroid failure. In and out of the hospital with pdocs always trying to find an AD that worked for me. They don't. Now I have an older pdoc who is comfortable with the benzos and I'm again on valium a total of l5mg a day. No, you will not take more than you need to control your anxiety unless you are an addictive type. They are the only drugs I trust for not having any longlasting side-effects. And yes, I have gone off of them with no problem. Just slowly tapering down. Sorry this is so long but I really want to reassure you. Fondly, Phillipa
God bless you Phillipa,
my fellow dog lover. no it was not to long, and you DID reasure me thanks xx, but paragraphs would help :).
I'm in my early 30's and been on benzos daily for 2 years, after many years/wasted years of excessive/needless anxiety, whatever else disorder.
I have done the SSRI merry-go-round ride-no go.
I ran out of Clonaz 2mgs day, for 1 week, and wanted to die, 2mgs and 2 hrs later I wanted to live again.
I may be a 'lifer' on these, or other meds, maybe not, but you have reasured me (35 years?) that whatever, pills, I feel comfortable taking, and which give me the dignity to get through the day,(and night) with some pride I will take,
althought we all know that inner voice when it comes time for a pill.DAM thoes anti-benzo people, organisations, with their scare mongering, (one told me recently that benzo medications are nothing but alcohol in a pill, and I am basically a dry-Alcoholic!)ha! putting fear into already sensitive, often fragile people, who just wish to live a normal life.
The real 'experts' on these meds are the people who take them, and for many years, like yourself, who I will listen to ahead of many 'experts'
Thank you Phillipa
poster:paulbwell
thread:479469
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050330/msgs/479514.html