Want off benzos but I don't have a "replacement"

[netsavy006]

I've never wanted to begin a benzo, but in a way I was forced by my inpatient doctor and my mom years ago when they wanted me on Valium.

I kind of got addicted to that. I went from a 4mg per day total to 30mg per day in a matter of one year.

Since starting Valium, I've not had any period off of a benzodiazapine. It's just been swapping one benzo for another.

Are there any medications out there that can help eliminate or even reduce the need for a benzodiazapine?

Anti-depressants make me manic.

Buspar made me suicidal

Neurontin destabilized my mood.

Lyrica caused something my mom calls "being at war in my sleep"

Inderal caused weird feelings in between doses.

Vistaril made my heart race (I had a 130bpm from 50mg)

I can't take another antipsychotic on top of Clozaril because they don't work. (Zyprexa, Seroquel, Risperdal, Invega, Geodon, Abilify, Saphris, Thorazine (allergy), Navane)

Pdoc won't increase Clozaril because of the seizure risk.

I go to therapy weekly, for 45min a session each week.

Other than therapy, what options do I have?

Thanks,

~ Andy

[muriel]

Andy.

Stop trying to fuck with your meds. You are barely functional because of anxiety and unresolved symptoms. You couldn't handle working. You want to go to back to school. If the benzos work even just somewhat, TAKE THEM. You don't have many other options anyway.

You need the therapy piece to start learning to cope with anxiety and negative feelings. Then, when your symptoms have resolved, you can think of going off of benzos. But when your main complaint is anxiety symptoms and you've tried almost every med for anxiety, you need to take what helps.

Yet again you're obsessing with your meds and wanting to change them. Stop it. Get some therapy.

[netsavy006]

I do go to therapy. Once a week on Thursdays.

I've been going for almost a year now.

[notfred]

Other than therapy, what options do I have?

Thanks,

~ Andy

Stay on benzos. Stop obsessing about meds.

nf

[y58]

You need the therapy piece to start learning to cope with anxiety and negative feelings.

I want to emphasize this part. Andy, yes you are in therapy; this is what your therapy needs to focus on.

[mynameisiforgot]

As hard as it is you need to really focus on the therapy side of things over the medication because in the end medication only covers the problem up it doesn't resolve it, therapy can teach you ways to cope with your illness.

[hallowedink]

Right, I agree with everyone else. Until you've resolved your issues in therapy, you probably won't be able to come off your meds. Only after you've resolved those issues AND had a reasonably long stable period should you start to consider coming off meds.

N

[Catnapper]

I think it would be a good idea to print out this post and take it your next therapy appointment. It may be a good way to get the conversation started, and help your therapist help you.

[Anna]

Andy, I'm on benzos right now (they were an emergency measure to keep me out of the hospital and I'm grateful that it worked) and I am now dependent on them, meaning I get rebound anxiety REALLY BAD when I accidentally miss a dose. You can bet I'm not happy about that.

All that being said, they work, now is NOT the time for me to put myself through the AGONY of stopping the benzos, though at some point when I'm through the crashing after a mixed episode, I will. I'm taking DBT right now to help me learn skills. It's going to last until July. It's 3 hours of therapy a week, plus the 5 hours I drive to get there and back, I will note. I'm on 10 hrs a week of FMLA to do this. You might ask for more therapy, you might as for a lot of things, but I don't think that trying to stop them right now is really smart.

Also, if I end up on benzos for life, well, uh, life is life. They're fairly harmless meds provided you are not in the cycle of ever escalating doses, which I refuse to do. Okay?

Anna