After a 2 year struggle What do You Say to a Doctor

[[ba...]]

That says he thinks I should be on Valium or some kind of Benzo. I mentioned to him I felt like it took 2 full years after my taper to feel "normal" again. All my symptoms were pretty much gone at 24 months. Had a rough time around month 20 that lasted a good 2 months. It wasn't as bad as I felt the 1st year or anything, it was just that horrible anxiety that just won't let up with racing thoughts and very nervous, worry about everything and excited all the time. At about 24 months my sleep got some better. I don't know if I will ever sleep good again, have pain issues from my motorcycle wreck.

 

This Doctor that thinks I need a benzo (he suggested that during my 1st year after stopping), he still thinks so. He said "It only takes 6 months for benzo withdrawal to stop." That is such a ridiculous statement I didn't respond. Any Doctor that prescribes a benzo should be mandatory he/she get on a normal dose for 3-4 weeks. They need to feel it to appreciate it and know what they are talking about although I don't know if I want my Doctor tweaking from benzo w/d.

 

Any suggestions on what I should tell this Doctor? It's a damn shame they don't have a clue, yet think they know everything. I even gave him the web address for this site. I was on Valium for 15 years. I'm pretty sure most people would feel pretty bad at 6 months off the drug. Another nurse practitioner told me, "We get people off Valium in a week at the hospital." My brother went to detox for 2 weeks and was sent home with 24 prescriptions including 800 mg capsules of gabapentin 4x a day and Zolpidem. There is the mindset of most Doctors. Interesting,,, but stupid.

 

 

[[je...]]

You know your body best.  With the number of BenzoBuddies on this site I would confidently say IT CAN take some folk quite a while to recover and some of us have lingering symptoms that stymie the medical community.

 

I would really talk indepth with your doctor and make him justify why he is sticking to his thought you need a benzo.  Are you still sooo anxious?  I've been off Valium for almost a year and the last few months the anxiety just got the best of me and I couldn't control it with alternative holistic therapies.  I decided not to have my quality of life suffer any longer and was put on 10mg Lexapro which is an antidepressant.  In about 2.5 weeks I felt so much calmer.  In hindsight I believe I am just hard-wired with the anxiety trait and know it's been there for decades with and without drugs and psychotherapy.....

 

We'd all like to be drug free, but at some point a person MAY have to decide how well, or poorly, they want to live life.  I wish you well.

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Hi Jeanermouse, thanks for responding to my question.

 

They just want to minimize benzo w/d, I had another dr say near the end of my 6 mo taper, at 1.5mg of valium when told him I felt pretty rough, he said well, your still getting the drug, you shouldn't feel too bad. wanted to slap him. They want to justify putting people on benzo's when something like Lexapro might help.

 

I had those same feelings at 1 year. I thought about throwing in the towel too but, hung in there. They tried to give me an anti depressant a few times, I just remember what Ashton said,, "A Doctor might tell you that it's not the valium after so long, you need to be on something". Ashton said wait. We aren't supposed to talk bad about Drs but I will say the truth. They make a lot of money "practicing medicine", they take sales classes in college. Why do they need sales classes? Another dr offered me xanax shortly after my taper, was in real bad shape. I refused. Christmas 2016 had a lot of anxiety that held on for about a month and poof,, it was *gone*.

I think they know very well the effects of benzo's. They sure know how to act dumb when it's convenient and they will never say anything against their "Brothers" (pretty sure that's the word they use in wikipedia, the Osteopathic Oath.)

 

Yes, I am wound pretty tight, according to a guy that worked for me for 10 years or so,, and my wife. 

I always felt anxious i guess. That's the way God made me. If I was on Valium when at 23, never would have started my business that I retired from. me and Grandma would be probly eating cat food.  I have to be strong for my family, I can't give up.

 

My wife just started taking Lexapro a couple weeks ago, and says she feels a lot better, just tired. I hope she gets used to it soon. I have heard some people can't sleep on it, she is sluggish. She was on welbuterin for 8 years and it wasn't working anymore. She was bouncing like a 2 month old puppy.

 

Congrats on the year off Valium, that is huge! So what if you had to take Lexapro? It is nothing compared to trying to get off Valium! When and if the time comes and you want it, you will be free from Lexapro in a short time, nothing like a Benzo. If you can quit valium for a year, you can do anything.

 

Hang in there!!

 

[[la...]]

Just give him the finger! Honestly, he should not be practicing. Find another doctor.

[[Co...]]

How about, "you're fired."  Why are you continuing to see him?

[[Te...]]

Your doctor and the nurse practitioner sound woefully ignorant when it comes to benzos. I wonder why, also, you still see this doctor. I would get someone else. I don't trust GPs anymore, particularly if they know nothing about benzos. I don't think I'd want to see anyone who was pressuring me to be on a pill. That's all they know to do, unfortunately. 

 

But CONGRATULATIONS on getting off the benzo!!!  :thumbsup: