I just wanted to say a thankyou to everyone for your kind thoughts and wishes. I miss you all terribly. Unfortunately I am going through a double whammy! The doctor had put me on sedatives. Unfortunately no one told me the ones I was on are harder to withdraw from than Cocaine. I can' t begin to explain how ill I feel and even under the circumstances he has withdrawn them. I can barely function physically or mentally. I havn't slept in days which dosen't help. The grief hit me big time yesterday and my dad is staying with us and is going through hell. Everything is pretty surreal at the moment. I hope I feel well enough to be back with you all soon. All my love Tracy x

Tracy I'm so sorry for how you are feeling right now, physically and emotionally. It must be so difficult for you.

It sounds to me like your doc is only making it worse to be honest. Cold turkey withdrawal from what . . . did he have you on a benzo? And then he's going to put you on something else? This is quack medicine and I've seen a lot of people go through this treatment. They end up on my Withdrawal and Recovery list.

Please think about what you really want and what is best for you. If you really feel you need a sedative, what is wrong with the one you were on?

Take care,
Linda.

Hi Tracy, I cannot believe the doctor took you off the sedatives at this time??? As if you are not going through enough. Could he not have waited? That is horrible for you to have to go through shock, grief and withdrawal all at once, let alone this illness on a daily basis.

I'm just so sorry to hear this and I wish you every possible relief and hope you'll get some soon. I hope you can hold on and keep going somehow! I'm just shocked the doc did this at such a bad time. I have to wonder why on earth you were not warned abou the withdrawal! But then again, I was not warned either about antidepressants and how risky they are to go off them all at once.

Take care Tracy, my thoughts are with you and wishing you back on the forum as soon as possible!
Luv Bex.

Thanks guys and your both spot on. They seem to think they know best and are doing things with your best interest at heart, but what he gave me to try and lessen the withdrawal was in fact an anti- depressant which has made me feel much worse, so I won't be taking any more and from research I've done it's actually dangerous to withdraw people from the benzos so quickly, they just don't have enough knowledge. I tried to tell him at the moment it was not a good idea to come off them so quickly, but they just won't listen. I have very bad chest pains and palpatations. Will this ever end! Love Tracy

hi tracy : sorry for the double hell that you are going through ,I ,m very surprised that the doc took you off the sedatives cold turkey , they must be very inexperienced or doesn't give a crap about there patients ,it sould have been done in slow steps , to avoid the hell that you are dealing with now ,hope you feel better soon

Thanks Mikey, yep I think they should all be put on them theirselves and go through withdrawal, maybe then they would have more understanding. I have to say as doctors go he's pretty good, I've known him for years, but like a lot of us seem to know, unfortunately unless you've experienced something yourself or are very knowledgable about something inparticular, you don't appreciate the effect these medications can have. Tracy

Tracy, I respect where you are coming from and I know you have got a lot on your plate. I am concerned about yor doc though; if he were mine I'd run a mile. He does not know what he's doing with these drugs. You do not take someone off a benzo cold turkey, especially when they are experiencing other difficulties in their lives. You DEFINITELY do not try to mitigate the damage with an antidepressant. This person is going to make you sicker. My advice to you is to stay on the original sedative, at the original dosage -- that wasn't giving you any immediate trouble was it? When things settle down for you, you can either choose to stay on that med, or withdraw gradually and take something different and less addictive if need be. You're putting your system through a big shock if you carry on the way you are and your body doesn't have the strength at the moment to cope with it very well.

I'm so fed up with mainstream doctors. The number of people whose lives have been turned upsaide down by them. Most of them don't know what the hell they are doing. I'd let them mend my broken leg but that's about it.

Please think about this Tracy, I am worried and I think you've certainly been through enough suffering already.

Linda.

Dear Linda everything your saying is absolutely spot on. My body keeps going into shock. I know I should still be on the sedatives and exactly how I should be reducing them, Keith and I have done so much research and I know you know absolutely what I'm talking about having gone through a similar experience. Unfortunately I am stuck because the doctor is adament he knows what he's doing and I'll come through it eventually. They don't realise the consequences. I am struggling big time. The not sleeping and shock to my body is too much and especially under the circumstances. I am really worried that I feel so ill I won't make my sister's funeral on Monday. But I don't know what to do. I have spoken to the doctor today, no joy. This is the worst thing I have ever been through. But as I say I seem to be well and truly stuffed. Tracy.

Just my 2p worth. If the sedatives are affecting u that much, stay well away from them. Steer well clear of anything that is as addictive as cocaine! If those sedatives give you such a big reaction coming off them after such a short time, think how hard they will be coming off them after a longer period of time.
I spent a long depressing time getting off my addictions. A very long time.
Maybe the doc realised they were not right for you and made the brave decision to go back on his initial advice. Not many people admit they got it wrong, so maybe your trust in him is spot on.

My thoughts are with you, take care.

Are you saying he won't fill your prescription? Do you have any pills left? I hope you told him that you feel like you are DYING and that you're not going to take any antidepressants. If he is willing to sit there and watch you suffer then he is nothing short of a sadist.

I'll see if I can get any info to help. Can you tell me what it is that you were taking?

Linda.

It might be a good idea to try to stay away from them in the future, but that isn't going to help right now. Tracy is in withdrawal and there's nothing brave about a doc putting a patient through that with a benzo, it is pure ignorance.

It was Larazepan, yes he is refusing totally. To be honest Linda if I knew I would come through it ok I could stick out the days, even though it is horrendous, but to go through this all day and all night is too much. The exhaustion is horrendous. I have to function and without any sleep for so long, i can't. But I have to say I feel like this is putting too much strain on my body and with the circumstances, it is definately too much too soon. But as I say he is sticking to his guns, so I have no choice. If only they knew. I desperately want to get off them altogether, but I am realistic and know withdrawing suddenly from both drugs is crazy. I am at a loss as to what to do to be honest. The chest pains and heart pains are particularly worrying and as I said the not sleeping is just wearing my body down too much. Its so unfair when I am trying so hard. Thanks for your concern and help. Tracy.

I am asking on one of the lists I belong to if anyone in the UK knows a quick way to get this drug here. Some of them know a lot more about how the NHS works than I do. However I might not hear anything back for a little while, it's late tonight.

I'm wondering what I would do if it were me. I know that at my doctor's surgery there are several docs, any of whom I could see in open surgery the next morning. If my GP wasn't playing ball I would go to one of the others. I also know that there is no open surgery at that practice on a Friday morning and I would be shunted to the surgery down the road, so again I'd be able to see another doc. That's happened to me a few times and that doc was more than happy to try to get me on some benzos.

Is there a way you can see a different doc in an open surgery tomorrow morning, tell them point blank that you are in cold turkey withdrawal and suffering terribly, and want more pills? Most of these docs don't have much of a clue, but I think it's likely you'll be able to find one who will believe what you say. It is common knowledge that benzos are highly addictive and cause withdrawal so why your own doc is being such a bastard about this I don't know.

I hope this helps Tracy. Why would he pick now of all times to do this to you??

Linda.

One last thing before I go to bed. I am told that you might (and it's only just a might) get more pills from the C.M.H.T (Community Mental Health Team). who usually have a point of contact at district general hospitals casualty dept. If it were me I would first try to see another doctor locally.

Hang in there Tracy and let us know what you decide to do?

Hugs,
Linda.