How Do You Calm Down When You Run Out Of Anxiety Meds?

[Heather]

I'm being tapered off my Klonopin. I'm not happy about it at all. The new APRN I am seeing thinks they are a bad idea. I have never abused a drug in my life and am not addicted. I take as prescribed.

Yet, she doesn't care.

So, I am now out of anxiety meds. And quite frankly don't know what to do. Deep breathing only gets me to yawning.

I am restless, jumpy, anxious and the mind won't turn off.

Help.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Do you have a smart phone or tablet? I used this free app:

Android:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/...oid&pcampaignid=APPU_1_YIkhV9WvF8y2-AGdoKD4Bw

iTunes:

Dead Link Removed

It has helped me a ton with anxiety. Its a huge app and i dont use it all. Theres other free apps but this one is highest rated in google ply. Just search google play or iTunes for "anxiety".

 

[Heather]

Thanks I will check it out. Does it dispense anti-anxiety meds along with it? Just kidding.

 

[mary1979]

L

Thanks I will check it out. Does it dispense anti-anxiety meds along with it? Just kidding.

Lol if only hey?

Are they willing to offer an alternative or just want you off altogether?
That would be a huge adjustment.

My mothers been on some kind of med for 20 years, they just keep upping the dose when she says its not working and have never really worked with her on alternative methods for handling her depression and anxiety.

Makes me angry that they've allowed her to live like this so long.

Self calming techniques always worked for me, but only when I wasn't otherwise over stressed with life.
What you've been through recently would suggest to me that now is not the time to be weening you.
Sometimes the medical profession is totally clueless hey.

 

[sun seeker]

Are you possibly tapering too fast? Getting off benzoids takes time. You probably already know that. I sympathize!

Just wanted to chime in and say yawning is not a bad thing. It's actually a great way to release tension.

 

[Heather]

What you've been through recently would suggest to me that now is not the time to be weening you.
Sometimes the medical profession is totally clueless hey.

My sentiments EXACTLY. That is what I told her and she basically said she would keep me at 2mg for one more month but then no matter what I said she was going to continue to taper down. Which she did anyway and tapered me to 1.5mg.

I said just switch me over to something that's not a benzodiazepine and she said had to taper cause I could have seizure (which I don't really believe). So, now I have to suffer with immense anxiety until she decides to switch me to something else. Really? I wanted to call her a bitch but refrained.

Am looking into natural calming, like at the health food store but haven't come up with anything yet.

 

[Heather]

@sun seeker not tapering fast enough if you ask me. Cuz dose I'm at now doesn't do sh*t to calm me.

My new mantra is....this too shall pass. But it doesn't pass fast enough.

 

[sun seeker]

Cuz dose I'm at now doesn't do sh*t to calm me

I'm confused, if it isn't doing anything to calm you doesn't that mean you are tapering too fast? If you taper gradually enough the dose you are on should still be calming you, shouldn't it?

Or maybe it's just my brain not keeping up...

 

[Heather]

@sun seeker You very well could be right. Everything I've been through in past 4 months.....anxiety is so friggin' high it's not even funny. I can't even sleep in my own bed anymore.....I'm on the couch every night.

But that APRN doesn't care.....she's tapering me regardless.

 

[sun seeker]

Sigh. What ever happened to "first of all, do no harm?" They should KNOW that tapering off benzoids has to be done slowly. It makes me angry on your behalf.

Seriously, yawning is not a bad idea, though.

 

[sun seeker]

So, now I have to suffer with immense anxiety until she decides to switch me to something else.

Can you ask her about starting the "something else" while weaning off the benzoids? Do you know what the something else is? Unless it's something not compatible with benzoids, I don't see why you have to be completely off them to start on another drug. Now I see what you mean about tapering too gradually. It's not that you want to stop taking the benzoids faster, it's that you are eager to start whatever they are going to give you next to help the anxiety. Got it.

I hate giving advice about stuff like this because I am paranoid about giving advice that might hurt someone and feel like I have to add a bunch of caveats about how I'm not a doctor and not to take my word for it. But a) presumably you already know that, b) you already said you are responsible, and c) you can't take anything else unless prescribed, anyway.

It's a big step for me, hitting "post reply" on this. Deep breath...

 

[joeylittle]

she said had to taper cause I could have seizure (which I don't really believe).

Actually, this is a true thing. Lots of variables go into it, but coming off long-term benzo use is very hard on the body - that's what you are feeling right now.

I have never abused a drug in my life and am not addicted. I take as prescribed.

I don't know if this will help to hear, but your body probably is dependent on it. The timing happens differently for different people, but they just aren't good for long-term daily use.

This article is pretty well-written and researched, as far as research in this area goes (which is 'use at your own risk', pretty much): http://reset.me/story/natural-alternatives-to-xanax-ativan-and-anti-anxiety-drugs/
Here are a few more links:
http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/supplements
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...ers/herbal-treatment-for-anxiety/faq-20057945

Find a breathing app that you can really commit to and just start using it like crazy. There's the one @lostforgottensoul mentioned - I also like one called Breathe2Relax, also free.

I can only imagine how hard it is, but you can and will get through it.