Finally Going to Do What Doctors Tell Me (Taking a Benzo)

[Marie79]

So I have had tinnitus for like a 18 months. Hyperacusis too here and there. My psychiatrists (1st one moved, 2nd one I'm seeing now) BEGS me to take a benzo daily. I don't. I sit and suffer through the anxiety and get myself to sleep at night by drinking wine. I take the Xanax when it's BAD (never with alcohol).

I started seeing someone new who has told me again, I need to take the Xanax to get to sleep.

I have been cutting way down on the wine and taking my .5 of Xanax for the past 3 nights and I feel so much better. Just a .5 nothing more. I feel better during the day too.

Today was great. No noise sensitivity, no major reaction to my T, no checking constantly but I was worried about taking the benzo that I was getting a false sense of security with it and that what will I do when I can't take it or get used to it?

Know what? That is my cycle of anxiety talking. It's like my mind is addicted to being worried about SOMETHING. Now I am not telling anyone here to depend on a benzo but I need to do what is right for me. I have severe anxiety on top of the T and I have to get out of this cycle of anxiety and learn how to deal with it because I have just been dealing with constant panic.

On another note, I have spoken to 2 different people with T for many many years that say they get through the day find and have taken the same dose of a benzo for decades and never needed more. That was interesting to me because it counters what we are told.

Thanks for letting me ramble

 

[Michael Leigh]

On another note, I have spoken to 2 different people with T for many many years that say they get through the day find and have taken the same dose of a benzo for decades and never needed more. That was interesting to me because it counters what we are told.
Thanks for letting me ramble

I have habituated for the 2nd time which took 4 years and was prescribed benzo (clonazepam) in 2010. I believe this drug helped save me as I was in a very dark place and cannot thank my ENT consultant enough. She advised me of its addictive nature and suggested I only take it when my tinnitus reached severe levels. I only take it now when my tinnitus reaches severe levels and this is sustained for 2 or more days. Two 0.5 clonazepam calms the tinnitus to complete silence. My tinnitus is naturally variable since 2008 when it got worse. It now ranges from: Silent, mild, moderate and severe. No longer does it reach severe intensity that would last for many days.

My suggestion is do what you have to do as we are all different. However, If you are able to see a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist that specialises in the management of tinnitus and hyperacusis, it would be helpful. Many of these health professionals were either born with tinnitus or acquired it at some time in their life.

Michael

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Dont be worried, you will be just fine.

I have taken benzo daily for about 3 months and am beginning to taper off very slowly and so far I have not had any withdrawal symptoms besides a couple of days of unstable mood but I'm not even sure it was the withdrawal that caused that.

Yes, benzo's are no good long term, but they can be lifesavers (literally) for a shorter period when one is in severe crisis.

 

[TuneOut]

So I have had tinnitus for like a 18 months. Hyperacusis too here and there. My psychiatrists (1st one moved, 2nd one I'm seeing now) BEGS me to take a benzo daily. I don't. I sit and suffer through the anxiety and get myself to sleep at night by drinking wine. I take the Xanax when it's BAD (never with alcohol).

I started seeing someone new who has told me again, I need to take the Xanax to get to sleep.

I have been cutting way down on the wine and taking my .5 of Xanax for the past 3 nights and I feel so much better. Just a .5 nothing more. I feel better during the day too.

Today was great. No noise sensitivity, no major reaction to my T, no checking constantly but I was worried about taking the benzo that I was getting a false sense of security with it and that what will I do when I can't take it or get used to it?

Know what? That is my cycle of anxiety talking. It's like my mind is addicted to being worried about SOMETHING. Now I am not telling anyone here to depend on a benzo but I need to do what is right for me. I have severe anxiety on top of the T and I have to get out of this cycle of anxiety and learn how to deal with it because I have just been dealing with constant panic.

On another note, I have spoken to 2 different people with T for many many years that say they get through the day find and have taken the same dose of a benzo for decades and never needed more. That was interesting to me because it counters what we are told.

Thanks for letting me ramble

For sleep, you might consider trying ambien or lunesta instead. They don't have the serious withdrawals that frequent benzo use can cause. I take 10mg ambien, off on on, and it works well.

 

[PaulBe]

It now ranges from: Silent, mild, moderate and severe. No longer does it reach severe intensity that would last for many days.

I can relate to that Michael. And Clonazepam works for some of us (me included) Any benzo would probably work in the short term.

Ramble on Marie.

 

[Marie79]

Dont be worried, you will be just fine.

I have taken benzo daily for about 3 months and am beginning to taper off very slowly and so far I have not had any withdrawal symptoms besides a couple of days of unstable mood but I'm not even sure it was the withdrawal that caused that.

Yes, benzo's are no good long term, but they can be lifesavers (literally) for a shorter period when one is in severe crisis.

That is so good to hear! So have you felt your dosage works less and less over time or is your dose still working well? I will take a .5 about midnight and I feel good until 2pm the next day and I thought it was the benzo in my system but I m reading that it only really has an effect for about 5-6 hours.

 

[leledany]

When did your tinnitus start? If you have mild tinnitus I suggest you do not take benzos

 

[TheDanishGirl]

That is so good to hear! So have you felt your dosage works less and less over time or is your dose still working well? I will take a .5 about midnight and I feel good until 2pm the next day and I thought it was the benzo in my system but I m reading that it only really has an effect for about 5-6 hours.

No, i have not felt it works less now. But maybe that's because my new AD has finally reached its full effect, before it did that i relied more on the benzo, to take away my anxiety and severe depressive thoughts, now i think the AD does that for me and i dont need the benzo anymore, so am slowly tapering off it. It will still be 6-8 weeks 0r more before i am completely off it, if all goes well.

 

[raymundo2245]

So I have had tinnitus for like a 18 months. Hyperacusis too here and there. My psychiatrists (1st one moved, 2nd one I'm seeing now) BEGS me to take a benzo daily. I don't. I sit and suffer through the anxiety and get myself to sleep at night by drinking wine. I take the Xanax when it's BAD (never with alcohol).

I started seeing someone new who has told me again, I need to take the Xanax to get to sleep.

I have been cutting way down on the wine and taking my .5 of Xanax for the past 3 nights and I feel so much better. Just a .5 nothing more. I feel better during the day too.

Today was great. No noise sensitivity, no major reaction to my T, no checking constantly but I was worried about taking the benzo that I was getting a false sense of security with it and that what will I do when I can't take it or get used to it?

Know what? That is my cycle of anxiety talking. It's like my mind is addicted to being worried about SOMETHING. Now I am not telling anyone here to depend on a benzo but I need to do what is right for me. I have severe anxiety on top of the T and I have to get out of this cycle of anxiety and learn how to deal with it because I have just been dealing with constant panic.

On another note, I have spoken to 2 different people with T for many many years that say they get through the day find and have taken the same dose of a benzo for decades and never needed more. That was interesting to me because it counters what we are told.

Thanks for letting me ramble

So I have had tinnitus for like a 18 months. Hyperacusis too here and there. My psychiatrists (1st one moved, 2nd one I'm seeing now) BEGS me to take a benzo daily. I don't. I sit and suffer through the anxiety and get myself to sleep at night by drinking wine. I take the Xanax when it's BAD (never with alcohol).

I started seeing someone new who has told me again, I need to take the Xanax to get to sleep.

I have been cutting way down on the wine and taking my .5 of Xanax for the past 3 nights and I feel so much better. Just a .5 nothing more. I feel better during the day too.

Today was great. No noise sensitivity, no major reaction to my T, no checking constantly but I was worried about taking the benzo that I was getting a false sense of security with it and that what will I do when I can't take it or get used to it?

Know what? That is my cycle of anxiety talking. It's like my mind is addicted to being worried about SOMETHING. Now I am not telling anyone here to depend on a benzo but I need to do what is right for me. I have severe anxiety on top of the T and I have to get out of this cycle of anxiety and learn how to deal with it because I have just been dealing with constant panic.

On another note, I have spoken to 2 different people with T for many many years that say they get through the day find and have taken the same dose of a benzo for decades and never needed more. That was interesting to me because it counters what we are told.

Thanks for letting me ramble

I have been able to adapt by learning to accept T...no drugs only my job as a therapy...blessings!