Posted by zero on April 23, 2005, at 15:22:17
In reply to Can you take benzos for life??, posted by Paul Smith on April 22, 2005, at 17:17:41
Valium 20mg./day for 13 yrs. Stopped it way too fast out of ignorance and due to AA's influence. 3 yrs. off of it and I was still ever so socially phobic w. panic attacks & often cried myself to sleep (just like I'd been before Valium). I was also using Niacin/B-3 in megadoses with the Valium (Niacin had a modest antidepressant effect and made me very "clear-headed").
Xanax came out, and I had gone to my 1st true psychopharmacologist, who put me on it. Later we switched to Klonopin 3mg./day. After 3 months I lowered the Klonopin to 2mg./day (with no problem and a clearer head), and there I've been since 1993 or so.
Never upped the dose of either. The Klonopin still works.
This is my experience. Hope it's helpful.
z.
> I want to hear opinions. On the net you hear a lot about tolerance and so many want to wean off, but I simply cannot take the withdrawals, call me a wimp or whatever, but I got no one to pay my bills. I have come off 3 times, once a very slow taper and I was a freak show for months, walking on clouds, dp/dr, scared around people, seeing surreal, no capacity to relax, skin burning like fire. And my shrink said it was all psychological, nonsense! I have been back on 35 mgs of Valium 3 weeks now and am fine, plus take a bit of Paxil, 5 mgs. I can see the world again. My skin does not burn, just a bit of brethelessness and get dizzy and off balance sometimes. But i no longer want to die! And I am looking for a job! But some people tell me this is not going to last. Will be a basket case again and have to try and taper off again. My god people. Somebody comes with some good news but be honest. Thanks.
poster:zero
thread:488038
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050423/msgs/488390.html