Has anyone has gone to a detox to get off a benzo that they were prescribed by their doctor for years.

[jackrussell]

i went to a 5 day detox 7 years ago to get off the benzo ativan that i was prescribed for 10 years by my doctor. to make a long story short, after the detox i was involuntary committed to a mental hospital for 90 days where they tried to give me ect and abilify. now i'm still suffering from severe insomnia, depression and anxiety. i just wanted to know if anyone has gone to a detox to get off a benzo that they were prescribed by their doctor for years.

 

[TheBag]

Tapering down in five days is way to fast. Sorry you had to go through that. Although I remember tapering down from diazepam years ago within three weeks or so.
I've been on zolpidem (ambian) for over thirty years now. Not planning on stopping that ever. But if I do, I will take a least two months to taper down. The risk (albeit small) of permanently worsening my (currently mild) tinnitus really freaks me out.

 

[MapleS]

I'm so so so sorry for you.
I have very little information on that but I know that your brain will need to learn once more how to deal with anxiety and fear. Basically your brain didn't need to deal with it for 10 years.
I think you should get on a low dosage for a few months first.
It will be tough but after like few moths to a year you should be fine. It will get better every month.

If you are able to try to research how they used to make people get off from benzo. Now they may not have this knowledge cause they don't give people benzo as a main drug for decades

I'm really sorry it happened to you. But you WILL get better with time if you will live.

 

[gardenhouse]

Tapering down in five days is way to fast. Sorry you had to go through that. Although I remember tapering down from diazepam years ago within three weeks or so.
I've been on zolpidem (ambian) for over thirty years now. Not planning on stopping that ever. But if I do, I will take a least two months to taper down. The risk (albeit small) of permanently worsening my (currently mild) tinnitus really freaks me out.

Does your tinnitus not bother you? Do you take zolpidem (ambient) to sleep?

 

[TheBag]

My tinnitus is currently mostly mild. Although it can sometimes spike later in the evening. If it doesn't get any worse than this, then I can tolerate it.

Yes I have been taking zolpidem for many years. It still works for me. Although sometimes, If I'm really worried whether I might sleep, I take an additional 10 mg oxazepam along with it.
The side effects of zolpidem (10 mg) so far, have been relatively mild. But last week, when I was puttering around after taking the pill I must have fallen asleep in my chair or something because I woke up really confused. I didn't recognize my own house and it took about fifteen minutes to realize I was at home. This was really scary and I'm assuming that the zolpidem side effects will be getting a little worse as i'm aging (61). So I may need to lower the dose or switch to, for instance zopiclon.

 

[wakeawake]

The forced stopping was one of worst most horrible experience in my life.
Though at least I was able to taper VERY slowly.

Still, I ended up back on it and feel like the period trying to get off did more damage then being on in my case (I have been prescribe for a very long time).