Welcome to 'Addiction and Recovery'

[GreyGoose]

Greetings!

Welcome to the 'Addiction and Recovery' forum. Do you suffer from drug, nicotine or alcohol addiction?. People suffering from anxiety disorders, depression or other related conditions often self-medicate and find themselves trapped in a viscous cycle of addiction.

- Warm regards, GreyGoose

[tflan]

I have quit smoking pot and cigarettes for 2 days now.  Having probs with anxiety, crying, and insomnia

[Penny10]

Hi,
I have had GAD for a few years now. I have been using Zoplicone (Immovane) and Ativan for most of this time period. I have a problem with shame and the use of these drugs. When I asked my doctor he said sometimes it is a choice between 2 evils. Sometimes despite what my doctor has prescribed , my pharmacist will question me about say a new or increased dosage of these drugs. He always increases the sound of his voice and changes the tone of it as well when he quotes the increase in dose. I have had a rough month , well something is changing at any rate and my use of my sleeping medication has increased. I talked to my doctor about this and I was upset about it. He advised an adjunct antidepressant , advised me to minimize my use of the sleeping pills. He told me he does not have any patients who use the drugs like I do. I prefer the Immovane to eliminate anxiety as opposed to the Ativan. Since I had been crying I asked my husband to fill the prescription for me. The pharmacist would not refill the Immovane. I went in to the pharmacy and asked my pharmacist to talk to my doctor about it. The pharmacist went through my use history for the last 3 months and said despite what my doctor had prescribed that he could still refuse to refill the prescription. He pointed out that I had one prescription filled by another doctor. While this is true the doctor in question is my regular doctors office partner and my own doctor was on vacation. At any rate I had to ask the pharmacist 3 times to please talk to my doctor directly, rather than having this conversation with me. I think he stopped when I started to cry again. I dont want to go back to the way I used to feel when my anxiety started and I dont want to use these drugs. I am between a rock and a hard place..I feel handicapped without these drugs. I do not know what to do.

[tbook]

Penny, I was moved by the struggle you are facing.  I have been in your same shoes.  You feel like a guinea pig - and then throw a pharmacist into the midst - that must have been really difficult.  I dare say I would have been having a screaming, crying fit in front of everyone there.  I am sorry you had to go through that to find the correct medication to help calm the anxiety that often overcomes us.  I speak mostly for me, I am not expert)  But I certainly know what it feels like to walk around in circles, heart pounding, muttering to myself, wringing my hands, begging for release, screaming at anyone who I "think" is staring at me.  Anxiety has deep claws, once in all you can do is scream until the pain subsides. 

I guess what I'm mostly trying to say is that we must find tools along with the correct "cocktail" of meds.  Tools that somehow reach past the Anxiety and start us on the road back to calmness.  I have learned to immediately begin to chant to myself, "these feelings will NOT kills me.  They WILL pass."  I say it over and over and over.  But what helps my worst anxiety episodes is    music DVDs.  It's important to have great music but I also need to be able to SEE the musicians.  The volume must be full blast.  Thoughts are impossible.  I watch the musician's faces and fingers as they play. 

My partner will come home occasionally to a house where Eric Clapton's "Layla" is blaring from the TV.  I am blessed because he truly understands and knows that I am using this crazy tool I've found to calm myself.  My dr. has a fancy name for this but I can't remember it right now, sorry.  It will be different for each of us - and whatever it is is perfectly okay.  As long as it doesn't include a gun, or hurting anyone! lol.  I send you positive energy to help deal with the stressors that make Anxiety even worse (the pharmacist, for example).  I hope you are feeling calmer and able to sleep.  Whatever medication works for you is the only important issue. Sorry to have rambled.....guess I needed to remind myself of some things too...So - thanks for sharing.  I'm sending positive energy.  Be safe.

tb

[DeeCee]

Hi Im DC and Im new to this site.  I just stopped taking klonopin since July 2 and Im having a rough time.  I started taking them two years ago after losing my husband.  I was having problem sleeping and some anxiety so the doc put me on them.  I have made a decision to stop taking them and I have paid DEARLY! I have all but gone outta of my MIND.  I just was looking for some people to talk to who may have gone through the same or something similar.  DC