What do you take for anxiety? Benzo problems . . .

I've always had terrible anxiety and I'm trying to wean down to a lower dose of valium. At one point after my attempt I was taking 30 mg a day. I'm down to between 10-15mg and I can occasionally skip a day, but I've been on them for nearly three years. My problem lately is that I replace and or supplement them with alcohol. I'm assuming that will help with the physical withdrawal, but I don't want to end up an alcoholic, and I'm drinking more than I'm comfortable with.

I'm afraid of SSRI's because of the weight gain and the sexual side effects. I've been on gabapentin and it makes me too spacey to get my work done. Trazadone is out of the question because it gives me horrific headaches. My doc recommended colonapan (not sure how you spell it), but I don't want to be drowsy all day. Honestly, I wish I could just stay with my valium and take less of it and just occasionally - not every day. It's just that weaning off has been really tough. And the alcohol is something I'd rather give up. I want to be healthy and I try to run daily. I can't handle hangovers.

Do any of you take anxiety medication that works well for you? I'm getting a little desperate. My valium literally doesn't even work at a lower dose. Any ideas?

I have ativan for when I need it. It's helpful. I don't take it too often, maybe once or twice a week. It works fast and is only lasts in the body a short time. Klonopin is one of the anti axiety drugs that lasts in the body a longer period of time which might be more helpful to you depending on your needs. One of the things about benzos however is that they're addicting. You can always ask your doctor about something like propanolol or atarax/vistoril if you want to stay away from a benzo but still have something that will calm you down.

I really want off the benzos entirely and I don't want to take anything addictive. I'm really upset that I seem to be both physically and psychologically addicted to it. I want to throw out the whole bottle right now, but obviously that's not the best idea. Ativan is not really going to work for me I think because it is a benzo as well, isn't it?

Has anyone had any success with Gabapentin / Neurontin? I took it for a bit before and it made my head kind of fuzzy so I stopped. At this point I will trade the fuzzy head for this panic / rebound anxiety I'm having while tapering of the valium. Ugh, never take benzos if you can help it.

Ativan is not really going to work for me I think because it is a benzo as well, isn't it?

Yes it is.

the other ones I mentioned, Propanolol and vistoril are not benzos however. You may want to talk to your doctor about those. I've heard of doctors prescribing gabapentin for anxiety as well as some other anti psychotics. Definintely something you should talk to your doctor about.

My super addictive personality keeps me away from things I know I might like. The deal is, I've never felt 'good' on any benzo I've had. Valium, Xanax, Ativan, Vicodin, Temazepam...I've never had Klonepin. Seroquel was the closest thing to making me feel like Anna Nicole Smith looked, but that's not a state of vegetable I want to be in.

I much like my current cocktail of an SNRI and a mood stabilizer. Celia, I know you said you've tried SSRIs, but have you tried an SNRI? SSRIs didn't work for me either...this ended up being my miracle mix because it's enabled me to be high functioning.

Seroquel, 12.5 - 50 mg taken up to three times a day has worked for me. 50 mg is for when I'm FREAKED THE FFFF OUT (usually when I'm hospitalized), and 12.5 is for when I'm feeling a little panicky. I take the lower dose almost every day.

Vistaril worked only when used as an add-on to Zyprexa. This cocktail I was only on while I was in the hospital due to the ridiculous tremors I got from it. I went off of Zyprexa shortly after that hospital visit. Vistaril then stopped working.

I haven't heard ANYTHING good about Buspar.

Thanks for all the info here - I'm going to go with the gabapentin - so far so good, although I've been irritable. It may just be because I'm cutting back so drastically on my benzos. Yeah, buspar is awful - I don't know who invented that stuff but it should be illegal. Ugh. Makes anxiety crazy worse.

Celia wrote:Has anyone had any success with Gabapentin / Neurontin?

I was on Neurontin for a while several years ago and at first thought it was a match made in heaven. I would wake up all sorts of productive and chill at the same time. And then a few weeks into it my girl friend woke and and found me standing at the kitchen sink, staring out the window with a knife in my hand cutting my arm.

I can't be sure what it was, but I got off the drug and haven't done any kind of zoning out quite like that again.

Good luck with your choice though!!