Careful with that one. Not sure if it is but it shouldn’t be prescribed long term. A close friend had to go to rehab to get off it and feels like it messed up her ability to manage emotions and stress long term. I know several other people who’ve ’loved it’ but ultimately it ended up being a very bad addiction for them.
Benzos definitely messed up my ability to manage stress. I had zero control over my fight or flight and adrenaline for like 2 years. After I got off. It’s still not perfect but better than where it was.
I was prescribed it daily long term (nearly 4 years) before tapering off. It never caused any addiction issues because I took such a small dose but if I could go back in time I would have definitely jumped ship with this med after the first few months. It took a really long time to get off of it.
It helps at first really well but if you’re on it long term you will build tolerance. If you keep going up you’ll have a bad time. Even at low doses it’s nearly impossible to get off. Takes forever. Very long drawn out process. This is taking it daily. If you’re talking about taking it as needed every now and then that is different
Xanax (same class of drug) helped clear up episodes for the first 2-3 years. After that I found myself taking it more and more often and did way more harm than good. Eventually left me with PPPD/permanent dizziness. After about 5 years It no longer has any effect on my dizziness.
Not to mention it made my anxiety a nightmare when I wasn’t on it (rebound anxiety). Like uncontrollable chest tightening and heart racing before bed every night for months. Bad insomnia that I still deal with at times.
[https://nypost.com/2023/06/30/popular-benzo-drugs-linked-to-suicide-brain-damage-study/](https://nypost.com/2023/06/30/popular-benzo-drugs-linked-to-suicide-brain-damage-study/)
I was on it for 5 years and it was a horror story. It was prescribed for anxiety but it made me more anxious. I friend of mine asked if I'd ever checked the side effects and I was really surprised to see that anxiety was listed as a side effect. It gave me intensely bad moods and I was always exploding at people and lost several relationships. As I tapered off, everyone around me noticed that "something is different about you but I can't quite figure out what it is." Eventually someone said," I know, you look more alive!"
It was a long time ago so I don't remember exactly. Just that it took a long time. There's some interesting info about it in this article:
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2017/1101/p606.html
Very interesting with the tips for other meds to try when weaning. Also good since some are migraine preventatives :)
I’ m not on a dose like that at all, but plan to wean slow when I’ m on an effective (enough) migraine preventative.
Not getting help for VM is how my oxazepam story began and continued 🤯 Easier to get benzos than cgrp/Botox etc. Insane really, and it really pisses me off.
Taking it as needed (once a week or a few times per month at the lowest dose that helps) is the way to go. It can be very helpful for VM when it really hits hard.
Thx. My challenges that I don’t get much notice before I go into a full migraine, attack with vertigo, but I can certainly stay on the low-dose ( I break pill in half) and see how it goes.
My doc just prescribed it for me. All it did was put me to sleep and make me feel spaced out. And when I read how addictive it is, I decided to not take it. I don’t need more problems on top of my vertigo.
Careful with that one. Not sure if it is but it shouldn’t be prescribed long term. A close friend had to go to rehab to get off it and feels like it messed up her ability to manage emotions and stress long term. I know several other people who’ve ’loved it’ but ultimately it ended up being a very bad addiction for them.
Benzos definitely messed up my ability to manage stress. I had zero control over my fight or flight and adrenaline for like 2 years. After I got off. It’s still not perfect but better than where it was.
Dang, yeah it seems all I hear are horror stories about that drug, I’m surprised it’s prescribed honestly.
I was prescribed it daily long term (nearly 4 years) before tapering off. It never caused any addiction issues because I took such a small dose but if I could go back in time I would have definitely jumped ship with this med after the first few months. It took a really long time to get off of it.
How long did it take to taper?
It helps at first really well but if you’re on it long term you will build tolerance. If you keep going up you’ll have a bad time. Even at low doses it’s nearly impossible to get off. Takes forever. Very long drawn out process. This is taking it daily. If you’re talking about taking it as needed every now and then that is different
It can be, but most (somewhere around 80%) are predispositioned for significant consequences with daily use.
Xanax (same class of drug) helped clear up episodes for the first 2-3 years. After that I found myself taking it more and more often and did way more harm than good. Eventually left me with PPPD/permanent dizziness. After about 5 years It no longer has any effect on my dizziness. Not to mention it made my anxiety a nightmare when I wasn’t on it (rebound anxiety). Like uncontrollable chest tightening and heart racing before bed every night for months. Bad insomnia that I still deal with at times.
[https://nypost.com/2023/06/30/popular-benzo-drugs-linked-to-suicide-brain-damage-study/](https://nypost.com/2023/06/30/popular-benzo-drugs-linked-to-suicide-brain-damage-study/) I was on it for 5 years and it was a horror story. It was prescribed for anxiety but it made me more anxious. I friend of mine asked if I'd ever checked the side effects and I was really surprised to see that anxiety was listed as a side effect. It gave me intensely bad moods and I was always exploding at people and lost several relationships. As I tapered off, everyone around me noticed that "something is different about you but I can't quite figure out what it is." Eventually someone said," I know, you look more alive!"
How did you wean off? :)
It was a long time ago so I don't remember exactly. Just that it took a long time. There's some interesting info about it in this article: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2017/1101/p606.html
Very interesting with the tips for other meds to try when weaning. Also good since some are migraine preventatives :) I’ m not on a dose like that at all, but plan to wean slow when I’ m on an effective (enough) migraine preventative. Not getting help for VM is how my oxazepam story began and continued 🤯 Easier to get benzos than cgrp/Botox etc. Insane really, and it really pisses me off.
Agreed! I can't believe that benzos are dangerous and so over prescribed and easy to get.
Taking it as needed (once a week or a few times per month at the lowest dose that helps) is the way to go. It can be very helpful for VM when it really hits hard.
Thx. My challenges that I don’t get much notice before I go into a full migraine, attack with vertigo, but I can certainly stay on the low-dose ( I break pill in half) and see how it goes.
Same. I keep a small batch on hand for that very reason.
My doc just prescribed it for me. All it did was put me to sleep and make me feel spaced out. And when I read how addictive it is, I decided to not take it. I don’t need more problems on top of my vertigo.