how long do the anxiety/panic/dizziness w/d symptoms last for most

[[tu...]]

Was on Ambien (5-10 mg nearly daily) for six months.  Am in my 5th week off the Ambien.  Have good and bad days.  Currently struggling with nightly anxiety and some dizziness/panic in certain situations (busy intersections driving/malls & grocery stores).

 

Anyone else dealing with this?  How long can I expect it to last?

[[...]]

None of can really say.

 

Everyone is different.

 

I love the way they've classified the Z drugs as "non-addictive."

 

I'm sorry you have to suffer this. What philosophy do you rely on to get through? Mine was "Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst."

 

[[tu...]]

My philosophy is to try to not be ruled or act out of fear.  Also to accept my symptoms and not fight them - try to do what I want/need to do the best I can.  I find not being afraid or upset helps to take the charge out of my symptoms so that I can carry on until the symptoms improve.  This situation has been the best/worst thing for me.  There ways that I need to grow . . . I worried too much and had some issues from my past that colored the way I viewed myself.  These symptoms stripped me down to the core.  I had to rebuild myself, find new tools to survive.  While I wouldn't wish this on anyone, it has its value.  I am a more compassionate, patient and present person - not perfect at any of those attributes, but those attributes are now a part of me and something I am nuturing and trying to learn more about.  Mainly out of necessity.  I couldn't have survived this experience without learning these things.

 

I think that is a great question to ask.  I heard something recently that hard situations aren't about something bad being done to you, but rather something to prepare you for the good (make you ready and grow you up).  I deffinetely feel like I have grown up from this in many ways.

[[Sc...]]

Like Yram said, it's so hard to say since we all differ during the healing process, but I'll let you know what my experience has been.

 

When I become in tolerance withdrawal on Clonazepam, my anxiety was 24/7.  I woke up w/ anxiety and went to bed with anxiety.  I woke up 1/2 way through the night w/ panic attacks.  When I began my taper, it was horrific.  The panic attacks were upwards to 5-7 hours long...pacing, screaming, crying, dry heaving...you name it.  Then when I took my last dose, things changed VERY quickly.  Probably by month 2 I was seeing considerably less panic attacks.  I had a lot of "nervous energy" type anxiety, but not the same as my taper.  Then from months 3-6 I had a very hard time, but not so much with the anxiety - it was more physical side effects.  Since month 6, my overall anxiety level has dropped SOOOOO much.  I don't get nervous socially at all, I don't "Dread" going places the way I did months ago, and the biggest thing is I don't get nervous to go to appointments (I would have diarrhea for 2-3 days prior to an appointment b/c of nerves...that is gone COMPLETELY).  I still get the occasional panic attack - 1-2 a month - but now instead of 5-7 hours long, they are MAYBE 1 hour at the most (most of them are only minutes) and gone are the screaming fits (now it's just pacing, fast heart beat and a bit of crying).  But the panic attacks also don't scare me the way they once did...I now know it will pass and the more I can remain calm, the quicker it will go.

 

So I was an extreme case anxiety/panic wise...and now I am functioning w/out every worrying about "what if I have a panic attack?".  I am seeing major improvement.

 

All my best,

Schatje

[[tu...]]

So glad you are doing better!

[[...]]

Have to agree with the posters above. They key is in losing the fear of the attack. Having had anxiety and PA for 12 years I found almost complete relief after 3 sessions of CBT. She identified my "must" thinking. I must not feel this way, I must not have a PA, I must not feel anxious. I was kidding myself. You can't control these things and as soon as I learned that and applied it to my thinking, the panic and anxiety dissipated.

 

I no longer fear an attack the way I used to and you soon realise it's actually the fear that drives and sustains the attack. Now I shrug my shoulders and tell it to give me it's worst, i'm not afraid of it anymore. That's enough to kill an attack in seconds, before it even starts.

 

Good luck and I hope your anxiety leaves you soon.

 

Swen.

 

 

[[br...]]

Wow how long does this pain go on for im struggling today anxious im trying to be calm im not off valium yet god knows how i will cope i think i must be withdrawing now i must stay calm but im always panicy can anyone help

 

BG

[[...]]

How long can I expect it to last?

All of us would like to know the answer to this question, but there is no answer.... 

 

Try to implement what's written in the posts above to have a bit easier recovery...

[[Ca...]]

Schatje

 

I'm going to keep your reply so I can just copy it when someone asks me about my anxiety. It is almost an exact match of my situation.

I had tolerance withdrawal that was about 6 mknths of hell. I had no idea what was going on. Short acting zopiclone and I constntly added more throughout the day as at first it eased it a bit.

 

Turtle:  I have been using an audio file "bodhipaksa" meditation. He helped me to acknowledge what i'm feeling but sort of disasociate from it. It helped. But this was only possible when I was a little better.

It's hell but it does lessen with time. Good luck

Carol

[[th...]]

hey turtlegirl-

 

i think it goes on and off....but no one can appreciate the moments of calmness and serenity like someone who has withdrawn benzos! good luck!! it gets better, hang in there!

[[lu...]]

"I find not being afraid or upset helps to take the charge out of my symptoms so that I can carry on until the symptoms improve. "

 

Amen turtlegirl.

[[br...]]

HI BG here,

just wondering if anyone thinks mirtazipine causes anxiouness im trying to figure out if its the V that im comming down from or if the mirt is causing me grief i take 22.5 of mirt have for 18 mth  now can anyone help me figure this out i have been on V for 12 years but have got worse being on mirt.

 

i just cant handle the anxiuosness i get is it the V i cant stop the feeling its my AD

 

trace x

[[al...]]

This was just me, the worst of the fear and panic lessened around 3 months off.

I did not do a slow taper,  so I had a rough ride. 

Take care,

ali

[[Ba...]]

Oh yes..the rollercoaster of panic and anxiety.  I am now entering month 6 post Ativan...PAWS classic symptoms, but last week I did have a couple of "windows" of NORMALCY, followed by two days of agony..my worst..worst...symptom is insomnia..tried everything...two/three hours of sleep and POW, the anxiety attacks..

I do use EFT tapping when I remember to do so...look this up on UTUBE.  I keep hoping someone like Dr. Drew would do a program on PAWS...but maybe if I had known what was coming once I got rid of the benzo I might not have tackled it...by the way, three doctors told me that I could continue to take Ativan for the rest of my life because I was "older"...I try to adopt the saying.."IT IS WHAT IT IS" and keep reminding myself that I AM GETTING BETTER DAY BY DAY  (even if I don't believe it while I'm shaking and having nausea)..blessings to all, Babatha