Benzo Withdrawl - Scared & Helpless !

[shal]

Hello.

I have been using Benzos (Valium, Serepax & Xanax) on seperate occasions to treat my anxiety disorder.

My new doctor will no longer allow me to continue Benzos as a treatment option and is not willing to allow me to taper off them, or prescribe them to me at all.

I'm so scared. After a few days of not using some form of benzo my anxiety hits really hard and I begin to find my muscles spasm and ache. My frame of mind changes and I always worry. I find it hard to breath and can often feel physically ill.

I'm now doomed, as I can't get any medication and the doctor has referred me to a psychologist, but I can't get in for over a week.

I know the withdrawl symptoms will come and I can't handle them. It's scaring me to death.

I'm only 21! - What can I do? I live alone and my family is hours away. I work full time and I'm scared I won't be able to cope. It interferes with m whole life when I have anxiety.

I tried stopping benzos about a week ago. After the 3rd day the aches/spasms had become really bad. I was PANICKED for no reason. I thought something was wrong with my heart and ended up visiting my hospitals ER. Scared I might be having a heart problem.

Please someone offer me some advice or help. I need support and reassurance. I've never felt anything as awful as this before.

Thank you.

Josh.

[sadsister]

Mise -is the expert of benzos on the board-im not sure if she is around or not.
I am on 2mgs ativan a day-for anxiety/panic/agoraphobia-but i have no intentions of stopping anytime soon-since i get severe panic attacks and i need them(for real)...no abuse-at all..i only take.5 all day..until the evening..cos they make me tired.
Were you prescribed these benzos?
Why did your new dr. take you off?
Go to your local ER or primary care-or call your old dr. to hold you till you get your appt-enough for the week.
If this dr. knew anything he would be tapering-its dangerous to come off c/t-seizures etc..
Are you going to see a pyscho-pharm?I don't get it-were you abuseing them?
This is not right!
Please do go see the ER..im worried for you...
Let me know- im here if you need me..
Heather

[shal]

Hi Heather,

Thank you for your response.

I wasn't abusing them. I was mainly using Valium in small doses (not everyday) to help with anxiety. I had used them for about 4 months. I did at some stage abuse them slightly with alcohol, but not long term. I never exceeded 10MG a day. - I've used them on and off, but more recently in the last month I've used them daily. Normally around 5/10MG a day.

My new doctor said I now have a depedency and he said he woulden't prescribe them to me anymore. (Cold Turkey) He has referred me to see a shrink and talk about my anxiety and depedency.

I'm more scared of the withdrawl symptoms. Normally I'm fine for a few days after my last dosage of 5MG - After about 2 days is when I become REALLY anxious and I start to feel tension, short of breath and the feelings of anxiety creeping back in x10.

I don't think rationally and I start to fear that I have some underlying health condition. IE: Last night I thought I had something wrong with my heart and went to the ER. They did full tests and said it was fine.

And GUESS WHAT - They gave me Valium before I left to calm me down. Even though I had told them I was trying to stop the Valium. They recommended to talk to my doctor today (which I did) at which stage he said he will not prescribe them to me anymore and my option now is a psychriatrist.

What are my chances of bad withdrawls? If I've been using them around 4 months? I'm so scared. I don't know what to do.

Josh.

[sadsister]

Hi Josh-
Are they refering you to a psych that prescribes meds?
I understand the dependancy issue-but everyone becomes dependant on benzos-they are highly addictive.
You sound like you have panic/anxiety disorder..thats why they are prescribed-so i don't understand why-they would take you off-unless you told them you drink alcohol w/ them-which is a ..dangerous-you can OD.
They gave you valium cos you can't just stop after using them for over a couple of months.
Do you want to stay on them?
Are you anxious/depressed alot?
Make sure you have an appt. w/ a dr. that can prescribe the meds-and tell him whats going on-
Don't stop c/t tho-you need to be tapered or detoxed
Heather

[shal]

Thanks for the information Heather.