Switching from Valium??

[sonic]

Hi all..
I have been taking Restoril at nite to sleep. plus 10 mg Valium in the day for depresion/anxiety..
This has been going on for 5 years & the valium is just making me sleepy.
I'd like to switch..but dont have a clue as what to ask for?
I dont want my sex drive to go to he#@...LOL Ive heard stories!...There are so many things out there..I will tell you what I HAVE tried & didnt work 4 me...Paxil...made me jumpy).prozac...same reaction), amitripaline(sp)?
Does anyone have any suggestions? Im also afraid I may have withdrawl from the Valium when I switch?
Is that possible?..& how do I handle that?
~~Thanks 4 any advice...

[Kelley]

Hi-

I have used Zoloft, with Buspar at night and .5 Xanax. For daytime anxiety attacks I would break the Xanax in half most of the time just to see if I could get by with less. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not, and I'd just take the other half if I needed about 45 minutes later. After a couple of months of taking the Buspar and weekly therapy my anxiety subsided considerably and I was able to do away with the Xanax, but to this day I keep an emergency pill with me at all times.

As far as withdrawl goes, I think your doctor can give you something to ease the discomfort. I am a chronic pain patient and I recently made the switch from opiods to all non-narcotics medications. I had been using the opiods for about 18 months so we knew that even though I was not addicted my body would go through witdrawl. I can't remember the name of the drug and I do not know if it would do the same for Valium as it does for opiods but it's worth asking about! I had to take it as I slowly decreased my use of the pain killers and in turn slowly increased the new meds.

Hope this helps, Kelley

[Fuzzy Bear]

Hi Sonic,

I believe that Trazadone is good for anxiety...

Not everyone gets bad withdrawals from Valium, but make sure you withdraw very slowly... its worth asking your doc for the 2mg tabs if you are not already taking them, so that you can withdraw very gradually...

I'll be interested to read any other replies you receive...

Good luck!
Fuzzy x

[sonic]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I just got back from My ENT dr...I have been having bad dizzy spells & nausea. well, he felt they MAY be due to "Anxiety"
I had no idea anxiety could make you so sick?
even bonamine dosent help. He gave me a srcript for "hydrodiuril"...for water retention?
He said when I get stressed it causes the nerves or muscles to swell causing an inner ear problem.

I've been tested for menier;s(ear disorder. why is this happening? Everyone has stress in their life..why does it have to make me sick?
Im just fed up..& afraid of taking MORE drugs.

[Megherc]

Type in benzo withdrawal in your search to learn more about Valium, Restorial, and the other drugs from the benzodiazepine family. The first website that pops up from the U.K. is very good> These drugs are very addictive and will cause some reversable brain dysfunction, along with alot of physical symptoms.