Why don’t anxiety meds work for me?

@ellerchim
I made a mistake. He does not have a new clinic in Tucson.

As I mentioned earlier Claudia these are very complicated issues that I don't have answers to. How much I wish I did. You could mention to him that the American Society of Addiction Medicine has recently published guidelines for safer benzodiazepine tapering at 5%-10% cuts on each progressive taper and that the tapers will involve withdrawal symptoms that you can report as you go through each cut in tapering and you may have to hold at any time on any taper for your brain to adjust slowly, gradually and in the safest way possible minimizing but not eliminating in every case acute withdrawal or Protracted Withdrawal Syndrome. There is also medical recognition now by the American Society of Addiction Medicine of BIND (Benzodiazepine Induced Neurological Dysfunction) resulting from fast tapering beyond the recommended 5%-10% tapers. Sadly your provider may not understand any of this. We must defend our position that we took the medication as prescribed and it changed our nervous system and got us physiologically dependent on the medication taken as directed and that this is not our fault and we desperately need help with the safest patient guided slow, long taper in line with the most tolerable tapers and necessary holds for whatever length of time. It's all very complicated but these are the facts. Some people have switched to a different type of Benzodiazepine like you mentioned from Ativan to Klonopin but there just are no guarantees and many try to stay on the original benzodiazepine for the tapering process. I know how difficult this is because it's as if we're on our own with very little knowledge understanding of what we are going through. You have moral support here.🙏💜

I am so sorry that the PA dropped you. Do you have support from the PNP you mentioned? If so I might take an option with him but that's ultimately up to you Claudia. I don't know what your history is but if you have been on them and prescribed for any length of time I would plead with the original prescriber that you must have a continuing safe, long term, slow, gradual taper as recommended by the ASAM. My heart goes out to you every minute in this awful condition and situation you are in 🙏

I understand and respect whatever decision you make on any of the Benzodiazepines you choose to try to help your suffering. What is of utmost importance is having a provider that's willing to work with you and prescribed whichever medication might help you over time and possibly be open to tapering safely or possibly staying on a benzodiazepine that helps. I couldn't suggest anything one way or another. Always wishing and praying for you, me and all sufferers.🙏

Another info site that can connect you to Doctors that know how to treat this, hopefully in your area.

Bic@benzoinfo.com

@rick98
I don’t think the original provider (my primary care doctor) will prescribe anything to me now as I took her in to my confidence about the detox center. Yesterday, I asked if she could possibly recommend someone for assistance and she said she has already given me all the help she can. The PNP is prescribing the Klonopin which I don’t want to take. Or he said he would put me back on the Ativan. The reason I want to give up is the constant 24/7 heart palpitations caused by Gallus detox center cold turkeying me. I know I keep repeating myself but it consumes me that this place only wanted money knowing full well this process wasn’t right for a benzo user. It is the most horrible feeling. And I started getting weird sensations in my head. My husband can’t take it any more and is crying.
Claudia

Hi Dorothy:

I am late in my reply but wanted to share with you that I am dealing with very much the same situation you described. I have been a long time user of Paxil 12.5 CR. Had knee replacement surgery last June in 2024 and suddenly woke to an anxiety disorder four nights following the surgery as the nerve block anesthesia wore off. I was left with CNS deregulation, Tried upping the dose of Paxil, and other SSRi but my body seems to be resistant to any of these medications. I, like you , feel very stuck. Very severe depression and anxiety with tremors; more pronounced in the morning. It has been two weeks since the last post. Any changes? I hope you are doing okay and have a plan forward.

Regards,

John

Obviously it was difficult for my to properly follow this thread. I mentioned Dorothy, but I believe it is Claudia. I know your feeling about the support systems or lack there of. They are looking for insurance approvals with lots of promises and generally low results. And about the Benzos. If you are just trying to survive in crises mode and the recommended SSRI medications are not effective, there is little else available to provide just a bit of relief in the pit of despair. So many people have such harsh opinions on these drugs, but yet there are no other options. I have completed TMS, Gupta brain requiring Program, Neuro Feedback, trauma therapy for the past eight months; yet disabling physical symptoms daily from this Condition.

I also got fired from my primary care physician ; he wanted nothing to do with a complex case involving anxiety disorders. This was after he yelled at me for taking my blood pressure since it is all over the place and stated a real zinger as I was concerned with the length of time taking a benzodiazepine and just inquiring of other options. He definitely stated that they are not addictive. Just take higher doses of the Benzodiazepine.

Claudia are you saying that you no longer have a healthcare provider or prescriber? You must retain someone there if it has to be the PRN then so be it. You can't get completely cut off. I cannot say what is happening to you in your condition but it sounds like everything you share indicates central nervous system disregulation and cutting cold turkey the benzodiazepine you had been taking which is completely wrong and contraindicated for coming off of any benzodiazepine. I am not telling you what to do that is your decision. However, if things are daily and nightly unbearable perhaps reinstating is an option to possibly relief some of the current distressful condition I don't know. I do know that staying connected with a new primary care doctor and your PNP is necessary somehow. I'm praying for you and all of us who suffer always 🙏💜