4 replies to this topic

[downtongirl]

I have been on a cocktail of antidepressant/benzos for nearly 19 years.  I first got on them because of panic attacks.  I have tried twice to become med free and was successful at getting off of them but after about a month would have to go back on them because of panic attacks due to a large move, daughter graduating high school going to college, etc.  This is my third attempt and doctors have always said they did not think I would be able to go without medication but I want to try again to be med free.  I was just wondering if anyone else had success after failed attempts before?

[Wagtail]

Hi downtown girl , I stopped taking the antidepressant Cymbalta in November 2014 . A journey I would never want to travel again .

I have had to use a couple of different benzos on & off to help control the anxiety / fear / panic attacks .
It's been almost 7 months now & although I am Cymbalta free I am now dealing with terror , anxiety & panic .

Over the past ten years I have tried Valium which worked quite well because it was my first benzo & I only used 2 1/2 mg or 5 mgs if things were particularly awful . Never on a daily basis though , only on a needs basis .
A friend convinced me to try Zanax because it worked quicker so I did but still only a small dose 0.5 mgs when absolutely needed .
I read somewhere that Ativan was better than Zanax & not as addictive so I have only just switched to that ..

I would give the world for there to be something natural & non addictive or threatening to our health ..something to stop our anxiety feelings right Its tracks ...I am rambling .. If you ever find something that works without the fear of becoming addicted , please let me know !!!:-)

[fishinghat]

Downtongirl, The problem is that for most of us that have been on meds several years our nervous system has gotten use to it. Even if we come off the meds it will take a long time for our body to adjust to not having the medicine. Studies have shown that for benzos it takes 2 years for the benzo receptors to readjust and return to normal. Cymbalta and many of the ssri/snri cause radical changes to some of the nerves in our brain, The researchers are not even sure that these nerves will heal with time BUT if the amount of time it takes ti recover from the withdrawal I would expect around 3 years. Even with that there is no guarantee that we would return to normal and many of us can't put up with 2 or 3 years of panic attacks, anxiety, depression ....etc.

[ShadyLady]

FN...bitchin'...reading your reply to Dgirl about the benzos just popped one of my hope balloons:( I have taken 1mg of Xanax @ bedtime for 28 years (on rare occasions 1/2 to 1mg when the makings of a full on panic attack were starting to grip me) I have never researched the meds I was taking, other than reading the pharms leaflet, to know/understand the short term side effects much less long term. So, my question is once I can manage the d/c issues, then I am to look forward to more brain damage & s/e's of tapering/stopping the Xanax?? I don't want to research it right now is I'm crawling on the floor of stopping the Cym. Any advice or wisdom would be greatly appreciated...Blessings, Rebecca

[fishinghat]

Cymsik, Right now isn't the right time to worry about the benzo. Deal with the Cymbalta as it has more potential side effects than the benzos. The benzo withdrawals can be managed easier than the Cymbalta as well.