not sure if I"m going thru withdrawals or addicted to valium

[relaxation001]

I've been on valium on and off for the past 12 years for anxiety. For most all of those years it was 2.5mg maybe twice a week, sometimes 3 times a week, sometimes every other week. Only for major attacks I would take a full 5mg. Over the past 7 months, anxiety has increased because of a bad episode in my life. So I was taking it more frequently. Then my Dr. increased my estrogen dose too high and that sent me over the edge!! Major anxiety, nausea etc.... I have a fear of vomiting so that makes anxiety 100 times worse!!!
Dr. said I needed to just wait for the estrogen levels to come down - usually a week. I was in bed for 2 days. Couldn't eat anything, just felt like I was going to die.
At that time, I was taking 5mg of valium 3 to 4 times a day to get me thru. And it wasn't even working anymore. No more calmness at all. Dr. prescribed xanax XR to get me thru this bad time. Hated it. I just slept, couldn't function at all. So now I'm feeling better - estrogen doses are down but of course I still have some anxiety. I've been having some stomach cramping along with some diarrhea. I don't have the flu - this feels different. More like anxiety related.
It has now been 48 hours since my last valium. And I feel like I want to take one but then I think, well, it probably won't work anyway, so why bother. So, I"m holding off. Dr. wants me to try effexor. Not ready to go that route yet.
Too afraid of the side effects. So being on a low dose valium for that many years, off and on, but then heavier in the past 7 months, could I be going thru withdrawals? I've been reading to not go cold turkey and to maybe go on a shorter lived benzo to help. I have some ativan and took .5mg a half hour ago. I really hate the xanax!! I don't want to take that. The ativan worked like the valium used to (don't know yet, it's not doing anything yet) just a calm feeling. But not tired.

 

[T. Calderone]

Your symptoms of feeling ill could well be from discontinuing valium after your doses were higher for several months. Also, hormone fluctuations can heighten anxiety and has been linked to irritable bowel syndrome so you have a couple things going on here.

Your doctor probably thought that the extended release Xanax would be a good substitute for valium but in my experience, they are just not the same. I think the ativan would help you more than Xanax XR. Did your GI symptoms ease up any yet?

 

[relaxation001]

Yeah, for sure the higher estrogen did a number on me. You're right, they are not the same - valium and xanax. My body told me that. My stomach issues are better but not resolved.
Should I stick with the ativan or taper off the valium on valium? I woke up ok. Not too much anxiety.

 

[shartito]

7 months of regular use, following 12 years of inconsistent use, is certainly enough to result in some withdrawal symptoms.

Everyone WD's differently, but the GI symptoms you describe are common, especially if it feels like an "anxious" sort of GI trouble. I know exactly what you mean by that, it's hard to describe, but it's a different kind of stomach issues. It just feels different.

Is it accompanied by loss of appetite, insomnia, etc..? Depression? Inability to think clearly? An overall feeling that your life is just out of sorts in every way? Those are signs that I've experienced. But again, everyone is different.

Ultimately I would speak with your doctor again, but I would say cold turkey is not the best option for you, especially with your longevity of usage. The withdrawal can last for an extended period of time, and has potential to have very dangerous side effects.

The lorazepam (Ativan) should be useful for a taper.

 

[relaxation001]

Yes loss of appetite but that is coming back, no trouble sleeping (I do that best - sleeping), depression, yes, irritability is getting worse. I want to bite everyone's head off. I can't think clearly at all. And yes, my life is out of sorts. I don't want to do anything I used to like doing but then feel guilty because I'm not doing it! I've been trying to get a hold of my Dr. but he's almost impossible to get in touch with So I came here to help myself. I have started a tapering system for myself. Not even sure it's correct. taking it down 25% every 2 weeks, til I'm down to 1mg of valium. So I'm starting with a 25% cut off of 10 mg a day. Since that was my usual dosage over the past several months. If I do this way, would I still need to take the ativan?? I have no insurance so I can't go to a rehab center or go into my Dr. often. This Dr. is a regular Dr. not a psych. Dr. - I Could never afford them. I tried last year and my visits were 250.00 each time. I couldn't afford that.

 

[relaxation001]

Also.... I'm always going to have anxiety. they thought it was my hormones but then figured it probably wasn't. I refuse to take those nasty SSRI's. Tried so many and had so many bad side effects. Once I'm weaned off valium, does this mean I can never go back onto a benzo for anxiety? I'm over the worst of my bad experience I had 7 months ago at a work place I used to work at. That's what started it. It was BAD!!! Everything crashed, my hormones, my adrenals, my hair fell out in clumps and of course the anxiety. I feel like I'm at a place now like I was before... anxiety a couple times a week. I get anxiety induced nausea and that's why I went with the benzo. Just enough to calm down that anxiety and take away the nausea. Maybe a shorter acting one - ativan?? Or any other suggestions? Thanks so much for the help. I feel so helpless.

 

[Scottadone]

the stomach problems indicated to me benzo withdrawal. For me it never made nauseous, but to quote what someone once said "my stomach sounded like an aquarium". benzo withdrawals just make my stomach feel fucking strange. Plus it sounds like it might be rebound stomach problems the valium negated whilst taking it.

Once off a benzo, I find the thought for the need to take a benzo will be a part of you, meaning you will likely take them again. Personally I'd rather take something steadily like valium daily than Ativan which lasts an incredibly short duration and will throw you anxiety loops all day possibly. My 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[Bdi76]

Hi.. I've been on Diazepam for 7 yrs (22mg / day.. about 3x per week). I quit cold turkey in July for 4 weeks of hell after I suddenly got addicted and began having severe w/d. At week 5 i went back on although i was past the symptoms cause I thought i could go back to my normal schedule but didn't work. Now I've tapered for 8 weeks down to 2mg twice per day, but i cannot taper any lower. My symptoms are unbearable after 2 days at 1.5mg believe it or not. I need to be off and need advice please.. thx

 

[emperorowl]

Hey! I just wanted to say I feel your pain, I've been going through similar issues and it definitely sucks. It does sound more to me like anxiety related symptoms, maybe slight WD but usually benzo WD's are super horribly unpleasant, similar to alcohol WD's in that it can cause seizures. It might be your body just getting used to taking less than usual and "rebound" anxiety caused by that, which is making you feel crappy, especially the GI issues (I get anxiety induced diarrhea myself, woo hoo). "Stomach sounds like an aquarium" is spot on. So, likely more psychological than physical- which is good because like I said benzo WD's can be brutal and even fatal. Could I make a suggestion? I know you went for a shorter acting benzo to help taper off and for those occasional bouts of anxiety now that you feel your life is in a better place (good news btw!! I went through that myself, had to up my benzo intake like 3x more because of nasty life events, and now I've tapered down to just taking .25-.50 mg per day for sleep). I would potentially suggest something long-acting like klonopin. That's what I take, and a very very small amount can help- it's very mild, doesn't make you tired/groggy and just sort of keeps you calm for several hours. I take them to both prevent and stop panic attacks at night and I can sleep like a baby. I also have no urge to redose because it lasts longer... with a short acting drug like xanax for example it doesn't stick around and you might need to take more, or more often. The longer ones like klonopin are usually touted by docs as "less addictive" because you just take one small dose and don't need more all day, sometimes into the next day. Just my 2 cents, hope that helps

 

[relaxation001]

Hey! I just wanted to say I feel your pain, I've been going through similar issues and it definitely sucks. It does sound more to me like anxiety related symptoms, maybe slight WD but usually benzo WD's are super horribly unpleasant, similar to alcohol WD's in that it can cause seizures. It might be your body just getting used to taking less than usual and "rebound" anxiety caused by that, which is making you feel crappy, especially the GI issues (I get anxiety induced diarrhea myself, woo hoo). "Stomach sounds like an aquarium" is spot on. So, likely more psychological than physical- which is good because like I said benzo WD's can be brutal and even fatal. Could I make a suggestion? I know you went for a shorter acting benzo to help taper off and for those occasional bouts of anxiety now that you feel your life is in a better place (good news btw!! I went through that myself, had to up my benzo intake like 3x more because of nasty life events, and now I've tapered down to just taking .25-.50 mg per day for sleep). I would potentially suggest something long-acting like klonopin. That's what I take, and a very very small amount can help- it's very mild, doesn't make you tired/groggy and just sort of keeps you calm for several hours. I take them to both prevent and stop panic attacks at night and I can sleep like a baby. I also have no urge to redose because it lasts longer... with a short acting drug like xanax for example it doesn't stick around and you might need to take more, or more often. The longer ones like klonopin are usually touted by docs as "less addictive" because you just take one small dose and don't need more all day, sometimes into the next day. Just my 2 cents, hope that helps

I do have some klonopin actually. The digestive issues are gone now. I've been taking a probiotic daily and my stomach feels better than it has in years. My anxiety level is doing better. I have taken .05mg xanax one day in the AM and I was great all day and night and the next day I was ok til that evening when I did take another. Today is another day and I'm doing fine. I think you're right tho... my issues were not withdrawal. They were anxiety induced issues. I will think about the klonopin over the xanax if things start going south again. I'm STILL thinking about effexor. It's my last resort but I do have anxiety fear issues and if it can help..... but I also read the horrible withdrawals if you need to come off it OR the side effects of it when going on. So I've been holding off on that one. If only I had a crystal ball...

 

[Thursdaybreeze99]

Firstly how long has it been that you have consecutively taken it every day???? and how many mgs each of those days ? I myself have ocd/anxiety and am legally addicted to Ativan. 1mg 3x a day for 6 years, and I'll tell you if are addicted and you run out/ discontinue use, you will know that you are in wd and not just working it up in your head. I am a heroin addict that is now on subutex and Ativan daily , and I can tell you that you would feel the wd hard if you were physically addicted. it almost as bad as being dopesick feeling wise and is actually more dangerous health wise to be in wd from benzos.