Need help an opinions please

[[st...]]

Would Benzo withdrawals be anything like general anxiety disorder.  I went to hospital in July 2023 . In April 2023 I took paxil three days , which I didn't need. I made a mistake listening to my husband to take medication . I was dealing with anxiety and emotional stress, but I new therapy was the right thing for me. Anyways my husband kept insisting and insisting. I kept saying no no no that not what I need.  I had a  bad feeling about medication. Anyways I never threw it away. It was in my room. My husband kept insisting and insisting. I don't know why I gave in the last week of April 2023 I took 3 pills of paxil on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. I soon  realized that I didn't need medication. I said "what am I doing" I stopped medication and as soon as I stopped I felt ill not right like a darkness came over me. Prior to medication I was functioning pretty well just dealing with anxiety and emotional pain ,but over all  living life. Once I stopped  paxil, like I said a darkness came over me ,so I rushed to hospital and I explained what happened. They didn't believe me and I was put in mental  ward. They gave me Lexapro and Benzo. I felt more and more sick. I was let go and sent home  with Lexapro and Benzo by July I was so horrible so July of 2023 I went back to hospital because I was none functional anyway I was , crying pacing, screaming, sleep destroyed, fear, Panic, anxiety through roof suicide thoughts, crying and crying no personality , not feeling good emotion can't feel peace, love joy. 

Anyways my question is when I went back to hospital in July and explain all this they said that I had general anxiety disorder. I always felt it was withdrawals from paxil Lexapro and Benzo I was taking Benzo off and on. My Dr said take as needed the Ativan.😭  So again when I went to hospital in July 2023 I was explaining all this symptoms and they said it's general anxiety disorder . The symptoms seem so intense to be general anxiety disorder in my opinion. My husband believes Dr,but I don't know I have a feeling it was from the medication and withdrawals from Benzo. It's been a year and I'm totally not the same girl I was prior to this medication.

Please I would like some input 

Edited May 5 by [st...]

[[De...]]

How long and how often were you taking the benzo?

Generally what happens is people are dealing with things like GAD and turn to medications like benzo to cope or ease that anxiety. Then, when people try to get off too quickly, they experience symptoms worse than before they started taking the medication (I.e rebound anxiety). 

[[St...]]

19 hours ago, [[s...] said:

Would Benzo withdrawals be anything like general anxiety disorder.  I went to hospital in July 2023 . In April 2023 I took paxil three days , which I didn't need. I made a mistake listening to my husband to take medication . I was dealing with anxiety and emotional stress, but I new therapy was the right thing for me. Anyways my husband kept insisting and insisting. I kept saying no no no that not what I need.  I had a  bad feeling about medication. Anyways I never threw it away. It was in my room. My husband kept insisting and insisting. I don't know why I gave in the last week of April 2023 I took 3 pills of paxil on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. I soon  realized that I didn't need medication. I said "what am I doing" I stopped medication and as soon as I stopped I felt ill not right like a darkness came over me. Prior to medication I was functioning pretty well just dealing with anxiety and emotional pain ,but over all  living life. Once I stopped  paxil, like I said a darkness came over me ,so I rushed to hospital and I explained what happened. They didn't believe me and I was put in mental  ward. They gave me Lexapro and Benzo. I felt more and more sick. I was let go and sent home  with Lexapro and Benzo by July I was so horrible so July of 2023 I went back to hospital because I was none functional anyway I was , crying pacing, screaming, sleep destroyed, fear, Panic, anxiety through roof suicide thoughts, crying and crying no personality , not feeling good emotion can't feel peace, love joy. 

Anyways my question is when I went back to hospital in July and explain all this they said that I had general anxiety disorder. I always felt it was withdrawals from paxil Lexapro and Benzo I was taking Benzo off and on. My Dr said take as needed the Ativan.😭  So again when I went to hospital in July 2023 I was explaining all this symptoms and they said it's general anxiety disorder . The symptoms seem so intense to be general anxiety disorder in my opinion. My husband believes Dr,but I don't know I have a feeling it was from the medication and withdrawals from Benzo. It's been a year and I'm totally not the same girl I was prior to this medication.

Please I would like some input 

I agree with Denver481. It sounds like rebound anxiety to me, which is one symptom of benzo withdrawal. It depends on how long you took the benzos. 

For example, I was prescribed benzos (and Lexapro) for mild GAD. I was told the benzo dose was so low it would cause no issues. But 11 years later when I tried to stop taking them, the anxiety came back much, much worse than it was originally. Rebound anxiety.

[[Le...]]

extreme effects from drugs like these arent unheard of expecially when having other issues. 3 days of paxil and that reaction is fairly great but you were obviously not ok with taking them and not great also.  the reaction is understandable.  if anyone ever tells you to use a benzo long term though get another doctor. they are a dangerous moron. 

[[st...]]

18 hours ago, [[S...] said:

I agree with Denver481. It sounds like rebound anxiety to me, which is one symptom of benzo withdrawal. It depends on how long you took the benzos. 

For example, I was prescribed benzos (and Lexapro) for mild GAD. I was told the benzo dose was so low it would cause no issues. But 11 years later when I tried to stop taking them, the anxiety came back much, much worse than it was originally. Rebound anxiety.

Well, it was such a a mess. I was dealing with situational anxiety and emotional stress. Like I said I new medication wasn't the answer because I could still function well. I just needed to talk about the pain I had with talk therapy. I think my husband wanted a easy fix. I new better not to take them. I gave in to the pressure , I guess. After I stopped the paxil and went to hospital , I had told the Dr "no Benzo" well , the Dr saw that I was not well and he said I have something to calm you down. It was Benzo. I must not have heard him say Benzo so I took it. After I took Lexapro and felt sick sick sick, I went to hospital again. That's when Dr sent me home with Benzos prescription. I told husband about Benzo and how I didn't want to take them , I had already taken some at hospital. My husband would see that they would calm me down, so he wasn't believe that they are dangerous. I was trying to explain and explain.  He would say no no take your Benzo my sweetie, it calms you down.  I was taking Ativan 0.5 miligrams off and on. So between April 2023 and September 2023 I would say I took Benzo like around 60 times, which average about 2 months.  I would take it for a week then stop a week then stop. I new I should have never taken Benzo my husband always said your not the Dr. Doctor know best. I tried explaining to him ,but he would not listen. I truly feel that I would be fine if I listened to my gut feeling about taking therapy instead of listening and being pressured to take medication.  I feel like  the medication did harm ,but I was also dealing with the emotional pain and situational anxiety  I think it all got triggered 

[[PE...]]

I believe it's your old anxiety got a push from using it for three days. I don't think that short duration can cause a withdrawal.

Either way it's not possible to say what's causing it. Withdrawal or just your ordinary anxiety that has been modified somewhat. 

Edited May 6 by [PE...]

[[st...]]

On 05/05/2024 at 02:05, [[D...] said:

How long and how often were you taking the benzo?

Generally what happens is people are dealing with things like GAD and turn to medications like benzo to cope or ease that anxiety. Then, when people try to get off too quickly, they experience symptoms worse than before they started taking the medication (I.e rebound anxiety). 

Well they gave it to me in the hospital so between April and September 2023 I took it between 60 times off and on. Which comes to and average of 2 months or so 

[[st...]]

Just now, [[s...] said:

Well they gave it to me in the hospital so between April and September 2023 I took it between 60 times off and on. Which comes to and average of 2 months or so 

I new not to take medication,but I let my husband influence me. Like I said once I stopped paxil after 3 days I felt off weird like depression came over me, that why I rushed to the hospital,I tried to explain to them,but I was put in mental ward. Then that when Dr gave me Benzo and the Lexapro which made me feel worse and worse. To think I was functioning well, and I never needed medication. 😭

[[st...]]

22 hours ago, [[L...] said:

extreme effects from drugs like these arent unheard of expecially when having other issues. 3 days of paxil and that reaction is fairly great but you were obviously not ok with taking them and not great also.  the reaction is understandable.  if anyone ever tells you to use a benzo long term though get another doctor. they are a dangerous moron. 

Well I was functioning in my life despite the situational anxiety I had and emotional stress. I was functional, I could sleep well, eat three meals a day, laugh ,joke , feel good emotions, exercise, cook , clean, run, errands enjoy my days outside, had my personality Etc. I got influence my my husband to take medication, I new in my heart I should not have taken them. I don't know I felt off once I stopped paxil. I mean it was only 3 days I didn't not think it would affect me so , because it was only three days , but it did. 

[[st...]]

3 hours ago, [[P...] said:

I believe it's your old anxiety got a push from using it for three days. I don't think that short duration can cause a withdrawal.

Either way it's not possible to say what's causing it. Withdrawal or just your ordinary anxiety that has been modified somewhat. 

Thanks for input, I'm not sure either. I mean when I stopped the paxil after 3 days it didn't feel like I was having anxiety, it felt more like off, I just felt off. I had to go to work and I told the lady I felt sick , I couldn't even do my job that day, I sat in the chair, because I thought I would fall over, felt dizzy, I went home, and next day was , crying crying, and like some depression came over me. I just trying to be explain things to the best of my ability. I appreciate the input 😢. I'm still not the same it's been 12 months. Its crazy I feel crazy , insane. I wasn't insane , I was just a girl living my life dealing with some emotional pain. And occasionally anxiety,but I could still live life and function.

[[Le...]]

13 minutes ago, [[s...] said:

Well I was functioning in my life despite the situational anxiety I had and emotional stress. I was functional, I could sleep well, eat three meals a day, laugh ,joke , feel good emotions, exercise, cook , clean, run, errands enjoy my days outside, had my personality Etc. I got influence my my husband to take medication, I new in my heart I should not have taken them. I don't know I felt off once I stopped paxil. I mean it was only 3 days I didn't not think it would affect me so , because it was only three days , but it did. 

there is a name for doing this on and off thing with antidepressants in the medical world. cant remember but it is known to be troublesome. 

 

i really have few doubts there is never any success with drug therapies.  When i see the study where a few thousand come in and are randomly refused treatment then compared to the few thousand treated we could make a decision. 

Weird to me that it is considered ok to test on people but not ok to refuse to test on them. 

[[st...]]

22 minutes ago, [[L...] said:

there is a name for doing this on and off thing with antidepressants in the medical world. cant remember but it is known to be troublesome. 

i really have few doubts there is never any success with drug therapies.  When i see the study where a few thousand come in and are randomly refused treatment then compared to the few thousand treated we could make a decision. 

Weird to me that it is considered ok to test on people but not ok to refuse to test on them. 

I've ruined my life I'm beyond terrified. I now that if I never would have taken Benzo and paxil to begin with I would still be same girl. I'm non functional.

[[Le...]]

i thought the same. we dont all get someone willing to put up with us and pull us out. we need to dig ourselves out. 

[[ro...]]

15 hours ago, [[s...] said:

Thanks for input, I'm not sure either. I mean when I stopped the paxil after 3 days it didn't feel like I was having anxiety, it felt more like off, I just felt off. I had to go to work and I told the lady I felt sick , I couldn't even do my job that day, I sat in the chair, because I thought I would fall over, felt dizzy, I went home, and next day was , crying crying, and like some depression came over me. I just trying to be explain things to the best of my ability. I appreciate the input 😢. I'm still not the same it's been 12 months. Its crazy I feel crazy , insane. I wasn't insane , I was just a girl living my life dealing with some emotional pain. And occasionally anxiety,but I could still live life and function.

I believe you. Similar thing happened to me. It’s not your old anxiety modified somewhat or whatever these desktop professionals tell you. You know yourself. Or at least your old self. I’m sorry.

[[Tw...]]

2 minutes ago, [[r...] said:

I believe you. Similar thing happened to me. It’s not your old anxiety modified somewhat or whatever these desktop professionals tell you. You know yourself. Or at least your old self. I’m sorry.

I'm sorry too that you have had to go through this. I can really relate because I have had to go through a similar experience lately. My husband is not supportive. 

[[Kr...]]

My sister tells me everyone has their sad stories and what is happening to me can’t possibly be from these medications. 
she’s a drug rep.