Benzos

I adore them. Therein lies the problem OP! They work like a charm, but they're meant for short periods.

R1, that's the common thing I've read. Good but not for long. If they are used for a long time, they can be a huge problem.

Benzos havensome of the highest potentials for abuse, and can be literally deadly during withdrawal. Doctors are extremely leery of prescribing them. So be very careful about seeming like you’re pill-seeking.

You’re doc might put you through the entire spectrum of SSRIs before granting your wish.

I take 450mg Wellbutrin (extended release) and 0.5mg klonopin twice a day (as needed). The klonopin really addresses my anxiety quickly. No idea if it’s supposed to be for short term use since I’ve been on it for 6 years. OP, what doses of Wellbutrin and lexapro are you on? I’m maxed out for Wellbutrin but feel like it’s not as effective on my depression anymore. I’m curious about combining the two.

Paxil is great for anxious depression but forget about getting hard or cumming. I chose sex. My current preference is a couple bong hits of an indica strain 30 minutes before bed. Acts really well to shut down the mental chatter and I fall asleep easily.

Try microdosing a psychedelic. There's a growing body of evidence that it's far more effective than tranquilizers and anti depressants.

YES R2, They can quickly turn into TROUBLE.

OP I was in your situation for years. You know what really worked for me, FINALLY?

Remeron. The generic name is Mirtazapine. It simply affects a different neuro-transmitter than serotonin.

So I take an SSRI plus Mirtazapine. First day on the Mirtazapine, the anxiety that plagued me for a decade was GONE.

It's like Doctors don't know better, and they just keep prescribing different SSRIs for years and years.

I take Paxil for my SSRI, and that also has the best anti-anxiety properties.

I take a very low dosage of Paxil and Mirtazapine, and I never have anxiety.

Did you gain weight from the Wellbutrin, R4? It’s why I dropped Paxil and Prozac.

I take trazodone to help me sleep.

Yeah stay away from the Benzos.

R9, no I didn’t gain weight from the Wellbutrin....it has a bit of a stimulant effect which is why they list “weight loss” as a possible side effect and why you are supposed to take it in the mornings. I actually noticed a commercial for a new FDA approved weight loss RX has bupropion and some other drug (can’t remember the name but it has all the fat fraus dresses in purple sitting on a floor in the shape of a brain.) I actually requested the Wellbutrin to avoid the weight gain of other antidepressants.

IMHO Valium, Klonipin, and Ativan are all better than Xanax.... Longer 1/2 life....

R9, I’ll add that since my Wellbutrin seems to be slightly less effective with my drpression lately, I have to be more careful about eating my feelings. Although it’s nothing compared to being on no antidepressants or even lexapro alone.

R13, I’ve never been able to handle Xanax or find the sweet spot dosage for me. It was too obvious when I would take Xanax and it was TOO much chill. Klonopin feels more tailored for my mild anxiety...and I like being able to take 2 before an interview or presentation where my anxiety is really spiking.

I was on Wellbutrin xl and the first time I took it I felt like I just snorted an 8 ball. I was sweating profusely and had an exorbitant amount of energy. It was just that first time, though, everyday after that I felt okay.

I was only on the medication for about 6 months then took myself of them.

I've taken Valium for 40 years without problems. I have social anxiety and difficulties with hypomania. I probably take 2.5mg most days - maybe 5 sometimes. And some days none. In a really traumatic situation (for me), like a goddamned cocktail party I have to attend for work, I'll take 10mg because my adrenaline will be so extreme. Then I collapse after (I would anyway but the Valium helps me get over the post traumatic feelings of embarrassment or replaying the whole nightmare in my mind.)

And yes I'm a proud hothouse flower but shit, too much is expected of people in this competitive extroverted society. Is there an introverted country? Finland, Japan?? Oh well, I'm too old and couldn't get in anyway - and the social anxiety would be worse due to language difficulties.

Sorry for the autobiography but Valium has made my life worth living.

OP_ Wellbutrin can cause anxiety and irritability. Ask yourself “can I be ridiculously judicious with anti anxiety benzos?”. Then you have your answer. Also offer to get blood work regularly so your doc can trust you. Gabapentin is the “new miracle” anti-anxiety drug supposedly. Made me too sleepy.

All antidepressants (even tricyclics) cause me to be manic. There's a percentage of people (20%?) who don't have a specific enzyme that breaks the antidepressant down so it quickly builds up in the system and causes akathisia (wanting to jump off a cliff to stop the panicked feeling inside.)

Tramadol is ok - better than nothing. Gabapentin doesn't do anything for me, re anxiety, but it helps with pain I guess. I think it's the same as neurontin and it's for neuropathy (nerve pain). I haven't noticed any help for anxiety.

The only thing other than alcohol (and though I'm fine with Valium, I can't stop myself from binge drinking once I start so I had to give that up) -- anyway other than alcohol, the 'only' thing I've found that helps my anxiety is a beta blocker (Coreg or carvedilol is the one I keep handy.) I don't like it as much as Valium because it's a little stupefying or makes you feel a little like you've been hit on the head with a brick (just a little) -- but if I couldn't get Valium I'd go with that.

It slows your heart rate and lowers blood pressure, so be careful with beta blockers if you have low blood pressure or low heart rate - you might faint. It's actually used off-label for anxiety, and I don't think it has the addiction potential of benzos, but like I said, I don't understand how people get addicted to Valium anyway. I mean, I know they do, but it just puts me to sleep if I take more than usual, and there's no lure in just knocking myself out -- and I know it won't work well if I overdo it, so that keeps me from taking too much.

Everybody's different though -- most people can stop drinking -- not me, until I've had 8 or 10. It's ridiculous. It's also anxiety-driven and I don't drink when I'm by myself, only when I'm around other people and getting nervous or too stirred up by having to make conversation.

Don't be sorry R17.... Valium is the BEST. You don't have to make exuses, but thanks for sharing. It is really hard to obtain now, just be grateful you can still get it prescribed. Glad you found what works for you.

I made a mistake in R19 -- the only thing other than alcohol OR VALIUM that I've found that helps anxiety is a beta blocker....

BTW, you can order beta blockers easily online. Even if you get caught, they're not a scheduled drug. You can get valium too.

If your anxiety is mild you may want to supplement with magnesium, such as Natural Calm. It really helps.

R22 should add that it may cause one some "shitsiness" as a side effect. Better left for those sleepness nights when you are at home and have easy access to the loo.

Benzodiazepines made me cry for a month straight until I started tapering off them.

R8 " You know what really worked for me, FINALLY? Remeron. The generic name is Mirtazapine. It simply affects a different neuro-transmitter than serotonin."

NOT for everybody. I tried it and it made me dizzy as hell. Took me three days to get over it. I know some who swear by it, and others who had similar and worse experiences than mine.

OP - my recommendation would be to start with a "baby" benzo and see how it goes. Ativan.

To me, Valium 'is' the baby benzo, and believe me, I've tried them all. Ativan works really really fast, the effect is very strong, and it wears off quickly. With Valium, you ease into the effect and it lasts a long time, eventually turning into drowsiness (unless you take a very small dose - and then, for me, I never really feel it wearing off - I just feel anxiety increasing, like the next day or whatever.)

And to the crier, I have argued with therapists for years that I am NOT depressed - I have never been depressed - I think with the large amount of anxiety that i naturally have, since being a small child, that I'm the OPPOSITE of depressed. They keep arguing with me that anxiety is a form of depression. I don't get that and never will. I can't calm down enough to be what I call "depressed".

TBH, I've had 3 therapists and two were psychologists and they both sucked - I thought they knew less about "self help" than I do, from reading books an studying Buddhism, Taoism, etc. The psychiatrist I liked a lot, though the only 'real' help he was was prescribing Valium. Then the shithead wanted to switch me to antidepressants, which I obediently tried and had the same effect as ever. I've tried five of them - and even Elavil (the mildest and it took a whole week for the akathisia to come, but it still came) made me crazier feeling than Malcolm MacDowell in Clockwork Orange.

I took Klonopin for nearly a decade to sleep. I have had horrible insomnia since I was a child, and it really worked. When my old shrink retired, the new one told me I had to get off it.

I hadn’t realized it, but I was hardcore addicted. Stevie Nicks was not joking. I was awake for days at a time and nearly lost the will to live. It was the darkest time of my life, and getting clean from the klonopin took more than six months. I realize now that I should have been in treatment for it.

So from my experience, I vote no to fucking around with benzos.

Just be prepared for the carb cravings and weight gain that a lot of people get with Remeron/Mirtazapine. Your mileage may vary. It can be very effective at treating anxiety tho8gh.

Is your doc progressive or open to non-traditional meds? Look into a low dose of CBD. This is a cannabinidol derived from marijuana or hemp. It is not psychoactive, i.e. don’t confuse it with THC, which is the substance that makes you feel trippy or stoned. Instead, CBD has a calming, relaxing effect on the mind and body. It is frequently used for migraine, cluster headaches, MS, anxiety, etc. you can get it in edible form, so if smoking or va;I gotta turn you off, you have options.

^^ vaping turn you off.

Ask your doctor for buspirone. I use that on a daily basis and Ativan as needed. I have a strict limit on benzos, no more than five a month and no more than three days in a row.

Ativan’s half-life is shorter than Xanax, R13

I've not been a fan of his since Amazon started using their own delivery drivers. I have yet to get a package on time.

I was prescribed benzos by a psychiatrist who never told me they were addictive. 12 years later and I had extreme memory loss and lack of concentration. It took 6 months of vomiting and pain to come off them. My teeth are ruined, but all of the cognitive side effects are gone. My advice is - don't touch the motherfuckers.

Benzos are insanely addictive. They shut off anxiety beautifully and I use them for huge anxiety provoking events only - airplanes, job interviews, and Thanksgiving dinner with my in laws. You also have to be really careful with alcohol because you can much more easily slide into a black out.

My dad has been hooked on Xanax for 20 years. When he had a heart attack he was in an opiate coma but woke up to ask for Xanax ("I need my nerve pill") at the 6 hour mark. They can swallow decades of your life. Stevie Nicks said it was easier kicking cocaine than Klonipin and that she really has no recall of her 1989 tour.

I didn't know there were so many pill-popping junkies on DL.

OP, a little bit of anxiety is just a part of life. Learn to enjoy it.

Wellbutrin can cause anxiety to worsen, but I take the exact combo you do, OP. I take Trazadone at night for sleep and it's great. And it's very cheap.

And try some mindful meditation. It can do wonders for anxiety. I would stay away from an benzos.

Clonazepam is a great long acting bento.

Try to find a psychiatrist with additional training in neuropsychopharmacology. Someone with this extra training should be very knowledgeable and comfortable with helping you find something that works for you, even more than a general psychiatrist.

I think what this thread goes to show you is that everyone's bio- chemistry is uniquely different. And MORE important is a keen understanding of your own diagnosis with a good p-doc. For years I had what I thought was floating "anxiety" along with my depression. Went to see another doctor who re-evaluated my moods, family history, night-time activation, and what turned out to be hypo-mania Away went the benzodiazepines in came the mood stabilizers. Tried a variety, and can finally say I'm happier I've ever been on a combination of Lexapro, Latuda, and Topamax. That seems like a lot, but I can honestly say I'm happier than I've ever been with no guess work and no addictive meds. Love it.

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Just an FYI, I take the max dose of Wellbutrin extended release and Lexapro.

As an aside, Ativan has been a foolproof hangover cure for me.

Yes!! Except it's Valium that cures hangovers for me. If I don't have Valium, the next best thing is very controlled small sips of liqueur like Amaretto, spaced throughout the day (without getting drunk again).

I would avoid any and all benzos like the plague they are. I think it's great that you seem to be successful in treating your depression. I was on Lexapro for a couple of years, though I now take Zoloft instead. I'm prone to anxiety but have found that magnesium and zinc work wonders! Exercise, too, to knock out some of that pent-up energy which often manifests as anxiety.

Good luck!

OP, this is not a good time to get involved with benzos. They are now notorious as a drug that opioid addicts use to increase the high they get from opioids. It's extremely dangerous to use them this way, of course; it causes a lot of overdoses. But this means that there is pressure on psychiatrists not to prescribe benzos, to prevent them from being resold to drug dealers. You don't want to become addicted to a drug that's about to be the subject of a crackdown, that just doesn't seem wise.

Have you thought of trying cognitive behavioral therapy first before adding something more to the mix? If your anxiety is somewhat more manageable it can be useful. Moreover, it is not a forever thing, there is a start and a finish. I'm not anti-medication in the least, but 1/2 of the medicines in my current cocktail are to control the side effects of the others.

No, but I have tried cock & ball torture, R44.

Just joking. Please stay away from Benzos OP. They work waaaaay too well.

OP, my dear, don't.

I have a lot of experience with them going back to the 90s & my advice is this... get orally disintegrating tablets for emergency use only - for panic attacks, highly stressful situations / phobias / sudden emergencies. Never take it more than twice a week (Never use it regularly).

If this is how they had always been in use, there wouldn't be so many problems... but alas, we all have to learn the hard way (including me - the science experiment of my psychiatrist). Also, I don't think the orally disintegrating tablets were available in the 90s, but they definitely are now.

The SSRIs are not equally good for anxiety, and some need different (I think higher) doses to treat anxiety...if they even can do it. I never had much luck with them.

Before you think about Benzos, try examining your diet. Try eating foods that produce whatever the fuck calming enzymes are. Cut back on refined sugar and caffeine. Take a bath before bedtime and read until you fall asleep. Take light exercise. Meditate. I am a former user of Benzos. If you start using them, you eventually have to experience the hellish withdrawal symptoms.

To avoid addiction withdrawal: take no more than once every three days

Are you fucking nuts, OP? You have only occasional anxious thoughts, are already on two anti-depressants and want to get a prescription for a benzodiazepam? Who is this quack doctor with perfect willingness to use his prescription pad?

Aiming for total robot-brain? How spoiled a child are you?

Wellbutrin worsened my anxiety so much even when I took the lowest dose and cut it into half. I got so many things done when I am on it though and kept on looking for things to do and my house was very clean. Eventually, I made a decision with my therapist that I am okay being a relaxed lazy slug who sleeps 10 hours a day. aint nothing wrong with that.

I love Cymbalta!

OP-can you be very tough on yourself and try other things like exercise etc. for your anxiety?

“I take Cymbalta. I’m ready to explode. *Kanye shrug* And I did not take my pill today...”

Just swallow every pill and get it over with.

Even when at social events having fun, i cram food into my mouth nonstop. Am on a pretty strict diet most of the time to keep my weight down, but this is some kind of social anxiety? Alcohol and pot do nothing for me unfortunately.

Thank god I’m self conscious enough that I don’t eat excessively in front of friends.

[quote] R3: Doctors are extremely leery of prescribing them. So be very careful about seeming like you’re pill-seeking.

1. Go to your prescriber’s office

2. Describe yourself as having every symptom that benzos are prescribed for.

3. Say, “My friends say I should be on benzodiazepines, but I hear they’re addictive and that sounds worrisome. I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

4. Walk out with bottomless script.

5. Go through 3 years of withdrawal.

I got this tip from Keith Richards about that withdrawal nonsense - don't quit!!

I don’t know how common it is to get dependant on, or addicted to benzos. I think if you need them, you should use them, but beware that excessive use is dangerous and you get there before you know it.

If you are interested in benzos, you should read through this at the link.

Heroin withdrawal is severe, but usually short acting. Diarrhea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms. You want to die, but it’s for a few days, up to a week.

Benzos withdrawal is usually less severe, but can take many years before the symptoms subside. There’s a list of them at the link. I had withdrawal related insomnia, restless leg syndrome, soaking night sweats, and muscle pain.

I would wake up in the middle of the night, and put moisturizer in my legs, as well as socks and sweatpants for the RLS. I’d stretch my back for the muscle pain. And I’d dry my hair with a towel I kept at my bed, and flip the pillow over for the night sweats, then go back to bed. Nothing I could do about the insomnia. It was a long, hard, slog and I was getting just 3 hours of sleep a night for months. It took about three years before all the withdrawal symptoms subsided completely.

I’m fine now, and send my love!

I got benzos from my doctor and immediately started a running program. Now I’m too tired to need the benzos. But I like having them if my anxiety gets out of hand. OP_ you’ll have to be your own biggest cop.

The one thing I wish I had known about before starting to take benzos for anxiety, that no doctor ever told me, is the phenomenon of rebound anxiety. When they leave your system, especially if you take them routinely to control generalized anxiety as opposed to only taking theme for panic attacks for example, the anxiety you will feel in withdrawal can be much more intense than the anxiety you were originally prescribed them for. This is something that should be disclosed before someone chooses to embark on a treatment plan including benzos. Because it is not, I think people who start taking them end up feeling that their anxiety is worsening.

Stevie Nicks abused her benzo of choice (Klonopin) and after she fucked her career off in a pill haze she had to go to a hospital for 47 days to detox. She’s prone to drama, but I’ve read other addicts accounts of benzo withdrawal, it’s supposed to be awful and it can kill you. Stevie said she couldn’t walk because the pains in her legs were so bad, she couldn’t sleep, her hair turned gray, and her skin peeled off. She got off easy, some people go into seizures.

R51, Wellbutrin is known to be “activating” which is why it’s a good antidepressant for people who are sluggish and unmotivated. In my opinion the class of drug it’s in (SNRI) isn’t a good mix for anxiety. SSRI would be better.

I wish FNP would make a reappearance, he/she was always so informative in pharmacy related threads.

When can we start microdosing acid instead of all this shit?

Been shocked to find out how many of my older friends and acquaintances take xanax or some anti anxiety pill every week. Nobody wants to exercise. Convenience is a pill or two or ten.

Thank you R63 - that is great advice I wish I had prior to taking benzos. Now I can’t tell if the anxiety is me or withdrawl. I get horrible headaches from benzos but finding it hard to come off even half of the lowest dose!

Op_ no doc will give you Klonopin. Addicts love those. I take exactly what you take and Ritalin three times a day too. No one hates exercising more than me but since I’ve been pretending to run with my dog, I’m enjoying the exercise. I also have Valium twice a day at home but will only take it if I’m going to lose my mind with anxiety. Plus I have a bad attitude now that most of the stuff making me anxious is bullshit and fuck everyone. That helps too. I don’t want to cry if I’m away from my Valium. Benzos are great drugs but have been abused a lot, so we all have to suffer.

there are lots of kinds

try another if it helps, I prefer paxil to Lexapro.

Wellbutrin made me gain weight

Really small doses of bromazepam for 8 years already.

R65: He. And thanks for the compliment. I'm late to thread, but what the hell, I'll add my opinion.

I am not as anti-benzodiazepine as some providers these days; I have several patients for whom I prescribe long-term benzodiazepine therapy for acute anxiety and panic attacks. However, as others have noted, they are best when used sparingly and only when absolutely necessary; they can't become a crutch or the drug dependence and/or possible addiction can make life pretty shitty. And generally, they shouldn't be used as first-line treatment for anxiety until trying, and the patient failing, non-BZD anxiolytics and antidepressants like buspirone, hydroxyzine, SSRIs/SNRIs, quetiapine, imipramine, beta-blockers, etc. In general, I'm okay with patients who have acute anxiety/panic attacks, taking, for example, 1 mg lorazepam (Ativan) PO x1-b.i.d. x 2-3 days/week. If you're taking it more than once or twice a day, and for more than 2 or 3 days a week, I think you're asking for trouble. Benzodiazepines truly should only be used PRN (as needed) and not as a crutch for every little anxiety-provoking event on a daily basis.

OP: I don't know your complete medical history, of course, but generally speaking, since you're on both bupropion XR and escitalopram for depression and anxiety, but still experiencing periods of increased anxiety--if we tried a few non-BZD anxiolytics that didn't work well enough--if I was your provider, I would probably be okay with trying you on a low-dose BZD (likely lorazepam/Ativan or alprazolam/Xanax) PRN, as long as you're using it sparingly. However, I don't recommend going to your doctor/provider and asking for a benzo, or a specific benzo by name, as it is usually seen as drug-seeking behavior. You can really only tell your provider your symptoms and see what s/he recommends. If they prescribe buspirone, hydroxyzine, atenolol, etc., and it genuinely does not help, you tell them that and eventually they may try you on a trial period of a low-dose BZD. Good luck.

Here's a link to Stevie's klonopin withdrawal.