113 replies to this topic

[ShadyLady]

Tria...I am supposed to have bloodwork every 3 months for T levels, I am hypo. It has been my experience that when I have gone to a doctor I am diagnosed with some new syndrome or disease never garden variety ailments! In the case of my thyroid, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Syndrome:/ 6 yrs(?) ago. I take 150mcg's of Synthroid. I haven't been good at getting the blood work regularly! I saw my PC in Dec as I needed refills and had bloodwork done then. Somewhat normal ranges but based on the Hashimoto's he referred me to an endocrinologist, of which I haven't bothered to make an appointment with:( I just haven't cared about taking care of myself for so long that I probably need a thorough physical & blood panel done (the reality coming through more clearly after quitting the Cymcrap 9 days ago. I need to change my lingo now from withdrawal to discontinuation based on what I've read in other's posts! I HATE the shame I am feeling as memories are starting to pour in (the dam has broken). I am not easy on myself ever & want progress in bigger amounts Now!! I thought I could 'mind over matter' this nightmare initially...wrongo:-o

[Wagtail]

I am sorry, but I do have not the same opinion on mixing benzos.Those 2 at least.
 
Valium and ativan can be taken together. Like valium in am, ativan in afternoon and valium at night. Or vice versa.
Phamacist advised me on this.
 
She did mention it is preferable to separate the dose, at least on those two benzos.
 
 
When I got a prescription for Klonopin, now that was another matter, never take those at the same time. If it did not work, I had to wait for at least 4 hours to take the ativan.
 
Now on valium, and rarely, but in case of great and I mean great anxiety, I do take a .5 ativan to lower the panic. But, like I said, this is very seldom.
 
Klonopin did not work on me, but many people use them and have great results.

Hi Gail , can I ask what dosage of Valium you take please . Because I had been taking Zanax I found that the Valium wasn't strong enough to help me ... It just didn't work anymore ...

[Wagtail]

Wagtail, are you on Xanax (alprazolam) or lorazepam (Ativan) in addition to Valium (diazepam)?
in your post further up this thread, and your other posts, you have been saying Xanax....
But now you're saying that you've taken Ativan.....
Xanax and lorazepam are two very different benzos....
Which one are you taking in addition to the Valium?
Or are you taking all three?
This is important! Exactly which benzos are you taking?
---------
Also, your old therapist, with whom you spoke on the weekend, didn't want you to take Clonidine, because you have a history of low blood pressure. Did you tell this to the new GP yesterday?
She also didn't like that you were taking the Xanax, and told you it could be causing you some of the problems you're having...
Did you tell this to the new GP yesterday?
--------
Why didn't you call your old therapist back like you said you would?

Hi everyone, nothing ever runs smoothly as we all know ... The unfortunate thing is that my old psychiatrist lives in Sydney & I have moved one & a half hours drive away . As much as I would like to have her treat me again ,she thinks it would be better & more convenient to find someone new & closer to me. I now have a referral to see someone & will hopefully get to speak to them today . If that doesn't work out then my husband has taken the day off work & will drive me back to Sydney to see my old psychiatrist .
The benzo dilemma !!!!.. Years ago I only took Valium on a needs basis , a few years ago I was given 2mgs Zanax ( supposed to work better ) & it did , only ever needed 0.5 mg occasionally until the later stages of my discontinuation where I was needing it so ermines twice a day for a couple of months ( approximately ) ... I switched to Ativan only recently because I read somewhere that it wasn't as bad for you as Zanax . I have only taken a couple of doses of Ativan so far .
The Clonidine ! ... My old doctor didn't like it because she said , " if you stop taking it Your b/p shoots right up to a dangerous level & it could cause a stroke .
The doctor I spoke to yesterday was t so perturbed about it , he said it was a very old medication & used to be used for menopausal hot flushes. He took my blood pressure & said I was ok to take the low dose , which is all I can take anyhow.
So yesterday & last night this is what I took .

3am : Valium 5mgs
5.45am :Ativan 0.5 mg
10.30am : Ativan 0.5mg

5.30 pm: Ativan 1mg
11pm : 1/2 Clonidine ,

Today I will just take the Ativan & Clonidine .... Until I speak with the psychiatrist .
My aim is to get the panic, fear & anxiety under control & hopefully without the need for another antidepressant ... You can all imagine how scared I feel about that . Xxx

[fishinghat]

Wagtail

 

The new dr is right about the clonidine. Yes if you come off of it your blood pressure will jump up for a couple weeks, That can be controlled by just coming of a little slower. If that 1/2 clonidine causes too much grogginess just go with 1/4 tablet the next time.

[Wagtail]

Fishinghat , do you take the Clonidine @ the same time as your benzo .... I took 1/2 Clonidine @ 11 pm before bed .
It's now 8am & I just took my first Medication for the day .@ 1 mg Ativan should I also take the 1/2 of Clonidine now too ?.

Good news I have a 1.30pm apt with my old psychiatrist today . My husband has taken the day off to drive me , hope she will encourage me to do the right thing .

[fishinghat]

You don't have to take the clonidine and the Ativan at the same time but the clonidine will give you better anxiety control if you take it every 12 hours. You took it at 11 PM last night so take it at 11 AM this morning.

[Msprad]

Also want to reply to fh. I've only been using this site a couple of days and I can tell how valuable you are. Already I've often thought of a question and wonder if YOU would know the answer. You really are a help to so many!

I'm on day 5 of 60mg cold turkey. I keep thinking it's getting better. Symptoms don't seem quite as severe yet more constant. And yes it's driving me crazy! I can't DO anything! My head just swims and swims. One minute I'm starving and the next I want to vomit. I'm bawling and bawling. Day 5- it feels like it's been weeks ! I feel like I will never be normal again! And thismoment thank you for your prose about letting it go. Exactly how I feel!

Psychiatrist suggested taking Prozac to manage wd. Any thought anyone???

[gail]

Hi Gail , can I ask what dosage of Valium you take please . Because I had been taking Zanax I found that the Valium wasn't strong enough to help me ... It just didn't work anymore ...

Wagtail, the equivalency of 2,25 ativan. 22.5mg valium daily. Divided in 3 doses, taken 7 hours apart.

 

I am not anxiety free, but I manage to get through it. Most of the time anyway. Meditating and breathing help a great deal.

Everyday is different, anxiety wise.

[fishinghat]

Also want to reply to fh. I've only been using this site a couple of days and I can tell how valuable you are. Already I've often thought of a question and wonder if YOU would know the answer. You really are a help to so many!

I'm on day 5 of 60mg cold turkey. I keep thinking it's getting better. Symptoms don't seem quite as severe yet more constant. And yes it's driving me crazy! I can't DO anything! My head just swims and swims. One minute I'm starving and the next I want to vomit. I'm bawling and bawling. Day 5- it feels like it's been weeks ! I feel like I will never be normal again! And thismoment thank you for your prose about letting it go. Exactly how I feel!

Psychiatrist suggested taking Prozac to manage wd. Any thought anyone???

Well Msprad, many people a few weeks into the battle simply can't handle it anymore. They choose to go back on a ssri or snri.  Usually they use Lexapro, Prozac or Zoloft. All three have a lot longer half life than Cymbalta so the withdrawal is easier to handle.

 

One thing to remember. Because they have a longer half life it takes them several weeks to build up in your body and really kick in.

[ittybittysmitty]

Hi everyone.

I'm doing poorly depending on the day and who i'm with...

my doc put me on 10 mg paxil on the 26th...I became suicidal on Friday so the on call doc told me to go off it on Saturday...sincethen, i've been on a rollercoaster....

So here's my question: could i be in Paxil withdrawal having been on it only 2 days? My dumbass doctor had me take it on june 9th with the same reaction and put me on it again...I should have known better!!!!

yesterday i felt stable and drove to a picnic and had fun....everything was great until I had to crash for 3 hours...i felt like i was on narcotics...

Today I woke up feeling stable...but as soon as i started interacting with mom, all hell broke loose...every button she pushed made me explode...scenario: she says something irritating, i get irritated, she tells me not to be so mad, then i explode...she can't possibly understand what I'm going through and patronizes me. So all day I've been a basket case...now that she's sleeping i feel MUCH better...she was scared and I couldn't believe how i was acting.

The only reason I am taking care of her is so I can pay my rent on an apartment I can't live in...my atty told me not to get evicted...so we're going to court...

I see my pdoc on Thursday and I have no clue what to ask or say...Any advice would be greatly appreciated...I feel helpless at this point and feel angry that my life has been stolen..I'm going on a cruise on Aug. 7-13 and can't let anything stand in my way..

I love you guys and again, i feel sorry that i'm not that supportive right now...xoxoxoxoxo

[fishinghat]

I hate to be blunt but when you see your pdoc I think the first thing I would say is "Good-bye". Any dr who puts you on a medicine TWICE that made you suicidal the first time is an idiot.

 

An yes, you could be having withdrawal from the paxil as your body is very vulnerable right now. With your limited use it shouldn't last long.

 

You may have overdone it by going to the picnic. It seems like things alway crash after a day with a lot of activity.

[tria]

CymSik - Wow you sound just like me "I am not easy on myself" .... I am the exact same way!!  I've gotten a tiny bit better about going easy on myself but still need to work on it.  Whenever I do something that I think may have made me feel worse, I'll berate myself for it.  Or I feel like I'm not doing a good enough "job" of managing my health, etc.  One way to go easier on yourself is to think "Would I speak like this to someone else?"  For example, I'll call myself an idiot for overdoing it but I would NEVER say that to someone else who is sick.  My cousin is dealing with cancer and I think "would you say that to your cousin?" Of course I wouldn't!!  So then I shouldn't say it to myself either.  Thinking of it this way helps me treat myself with the respect and kindness I deserve.  We all need to cut ourselves some slack.  I am super impatient as well and it's driving me crazy how slow I have to go in reducing my dose!!  I think I can force myself to get results faster, but that never ever works.  I try to remind myself that I am doing what's best for my body, I will get thru this, and this will all pass.  (Notice I said "try" to remind myself... doesn't always work but I am trying!). 

 

About your thyroid levels, getting them checked might not be a bad idea. I know what you mean about putting things off.  I do the same thing too!  I start feeling lousy from my health problems then dealing with this withdrawal, and things just pile up.  To try to take care of everything creates just too much stress, so whatever is the worst at the time gets the attention.  Maybe at least make an appt with an endo - by the time you get one, it will probably be in October anyway

 

Wagtail - just want to say hang in there! Sounds like you are doing the right things - getting to see your doc & managing your meds.  I get the feeling that you are heading on the right track   Regarding the clonidine, if the 1/2 pill doesn't work, maybe your doc would consider 1/4 pill in the am and 1/4 pill at night?  I only suggest that since it seemed to work well for you so what's the harm in trying?  I saw my PCP yesterday and my bp is still high. I discussed the Cym w/d and anxiety with her too, and we agreed to try a 1/2 clonidine in the am and 0.1mg at night. (I am currently taking 0.1mg at night).  I had tried 0.2mg in the past but my stomach couldn't tolerate it.  I'm hoping this dose will work, and I'll be prepared with even more prunes haha.  I have a lot going on this week though, so am waiting til the weekend to try it.  Keep us updated!

[Wagtail]

Hi everyone & thanks for all your replies , unfortunately I'm always out of likes so can't let you know individually ...

F/h & Tria for reasons I can't fathom i am now taking 1mg of Clonidine twice a day & it isn't wiping me out like it did when I first tried it . Maybe the day I tried it I had other issues going on that I wasn't aware of ... The transition from the Zanax / Ativan ( only took 4 mgs of Ativan ever ) to 5 mgs Valium every seven hours is proving to be a bloody nightmare .... It eases the anxiety slightly but I still feel the fear & panic !... I spoke to my doctor this morning to get some support /motivation , & she told me that my problem is that I'm withdrawing from the few months of Zanax / Ativan usage ..... OMG any ideas on this fishinghat ?...:-)

[tria]

Msprad - hang in there! FH is right about the Prozac. It does have a longer half life, so it's easier to wean off.  Has anyone here stopped cold turkey and tried taking Prozac?  I've heard several people ask about it but don't know if anyone has actually done it?? 

 

IBS - I agree with our very wise FH.  Last Friday, I started out feeling pretty good, overdid it and had a meltdown.  I find that in general I do much better when I am by myself.  My mood stays more stable and I feel less stressed.  I had to go to the office today for just a few hours.  It wasn't a really bad day for me, thank goodness, but still resulted in more Xanax than normal.  Some days I just cannot deal with people at all, even making a phone call is overwhelming. In dealing with your mom, if you can maybe just walk away from the situation.  When you feel yourself starting to get irritated, tell her and say you need to calm down then leave the room or the apartment if you can.  Get the irritation out of your system - cry, scream, through a fit and get it over with, whatever.  I know it's not the same situation at all, but I'll be on the phone with my mom and she will say something that sets me off, so I've learned to say I'm getting upset so I'm hanging up and she's come to understand.  After I hang up, I may curse and scream and cry but then the symptoms gradually calm down.  Or also if you can, put that anxious energy to good use if you can - do some cleaning, go for a walk.  With my other health problems, it's hard for me to do this now but it worked well for me in the past when dealing with anxiety (I often had a very clean kitchen!).  It doesn't sound like your pdoc is too great but if you have to deal with him, be as straightforward as you can.  Explain all your symptoms and don't sugar-coat them or let him discount what you are going thru.  It seems like more anti-depressants aren't working for you.  If you feel you need something to control your symptoms, I'd ask about other options.  Sending more good thoughts your way.....

[tria]

Oh Wagtail - you have more patience than I ever would!! If you don't mind my asking, why did they switch you from Xanax to Valium?  I asked my doc about other options at my appt yesterday and she felt Xanax was the best.  Of course every doc has their own opinion.  That's great about the clonidine!  I hope it continues to work well for you!!

[Wagtail]

Tria , my doctor doesn't want me to get addicted to the Zanax or Ativan & go through another withdrawal.
She treated me for a couple of years until 2007 & then I didn't need her anymore until I went off the Cymbalta ... I just looked her up a couple of days ago when I couldn't handle the worsening anxiety / panic attacks.
I saw her yesterday & her plan is to keep me on Valium & Clonidine ...I've just got to get use to the Valium being much weaker ... So until then I am suffering more.
Thanks for your support I need motivation right now !!!!:-)

[tria]

Wagtail, I hope things will start getting better for you!! Sounds like you've got a plan to try, which is a good start.  Crossing my fingers that the clonidine will continue to work for you without the grogginess.  Even though the Valium is weaker, if you can take it with the clonidine, it might just do the trick!

[FiveNotions]

Wagtail, she's right to want to prevent you from getting addicted to to the powerful, fast acting, short half life benzos like Xanax and Ativan.....some of the withdrawal symptoms include "acute anxiety, profound insomnia, panic attacks, muscle tremors, muscle stiffness, sweating, palpitations, gastrointestinal distress, hallucinations, and nightmares."

I know from experience...it took me 2 years to get myself off of Xanax....and I didn't take Valium or anything else to "substitute".....

Valium is often substituted for these other benzos, to help ease the withdrawal from and replace the beneficial effects of them...

"Valium [ is] the benzo-of-choice for substitution purposes, as the tablets are relatively large (easier to split), and are of relatively low potency, allowing for a more gentle taper. Importantly, Valium also has a much longer half-life than most other benzodiazepines. This means that consistent blood levels of benzodiazepine are easier to achieve. . . Valium offers a unique balance of qualities that makes it the better choice for the purposes of substitution."

[FiveNotions]

So, stick with what this doc tells you to do....meds, dose amounts and exact dosing schedule....and check with her immediately if you have questions or problems..... :-)

[Wagtail]

Fivenotions , you are my new hero ... Two years to get off Zanax !!!!.. My Goodness how did you deal with this overpowing anxiety ?.. My anxiety disables me , I can't seem to do my chores or even hold a conversation .. But I have to say your reply has motivated me & given me a bit of a lift & determination ...you know that feeling !... If you can do it than maybe I can do it too ....xx

[fishinghat]

So, stick with what this doc tells you to do....meds, dose amounts and exact dosing schedule....and check with her immediately if you have questions or problems..... :-)

 

FN is absolutely right.

[FiveNotions]

The extreme withdrawal effects were precisely why it took me so long.....horrid anxiety and muscle spasms were my main effects....so I had to reduce in itsy bitsy teensy tiny amounts.....each time I came down a bit, I had to give myself a week or two to stabilize.....perhaps I could have done it faster, but I was working full time, through a temp agency.....I had no health insurance and no vacation or sick leave.....

As always, I'm "Hard-Way Hannah" ;-)

[Wagtail]

More like " Cast Iron Hannah "....

I think for me it's been a long, almost 7 months of trying to remain strong & positive so for this to hit me now , I feel I'm @ my weakest point mentally ..this ol girl has lost her fight !... But reading about others STRENGH is just the medicine I need ...
Bring it on guys !!!!. .:-))

[tria]

Wagtail - I've said this before, but here it is again - you WILL get thru this!!  It may not be smooth sailing, but you'll make it!  You are taking action - seeing your doc, trying new meds, posting on here for support - all good things!  To deal with all you are going thru.... you are stronger than you realize and I think you're doing much better than you're giving yourself credit for!!