I was dependent on benzos for 30 years. 10mg of diazepam daily. Then went through a natural disaster-and ran out of meds for 5 days. I realised I’d die without them. Began tapering right away and was off them in 10 months. I don’t have any lingering effects or withdrawals and now I’m looking into becoming a benzo withdrawal coach 🎉
@@RHExperience103065 you can feel good too 😊 I use supplements and always focusing on how good I feel - even when I’m sweaty and shakey. Mindset is everything. I also don’t read the support groups because mostly they’re full of people who are struggling- when they feel good- they stop posting. Trust that there IS light at the end of the benzo battle. 💚
I’m currently tapering from being on Xanax for 5 years. I was taking 2mg 3 times a day now I’m at 1.5 once a day and 2mg twice a day. But I have severe anxiety and my doctor also prescribed me buspirone. So now she wants me to take both and I’m honestly scared and just wanna get over the Xanax dependency
Reading through the comments, I forgot to mention to take into account how quickly this can be taken from you. It happens all the time, people switch doctors, insurance, or a doctor just changes their mind. You'll find yourself taking benzos every day for a decade when your doctor retires and every new doctor you see tells you that your previous doctor was reckless, they don't believe in prescribing benzos, and that they won't help you. Your brain will have 10 years of this substance controlling the wiring then all of a sudden you're cut off and thrown into life-threatening benzo withdrawal. It sounds heartless and irresponsible, and it is, because many doctors are heartless and irresponsible. But it's reality.
Yes you know that. Canada cares about thier people from dying on the streets and as it stands out America is not caring to pay attention on this pandemic. Scripture Creator demands for governments to do right for the weak and sick. as well as the peaple respecting a good Government. Why many are not these day's is just because of the negligence.
@trafficjon400 @Jim I live in Canada - Toronto, Ontario - and I can say from personal experience that the homeless here are not treated with dignity by local, provincial or federal governments. Mental health services are sorely lacking, especially for those who live in poverty, barely getting by or who can't afford to pay out of pocket for therapy. Wait times are ridiculous to get the proper help needed. Our healthcare system (both physical and mental), like that in other Western countries, is outdated and needs a massive overhaul. I'm currently experiencing exactly what @Jim described and wow, just... WOW. Never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to fight so hard just to get the help I desperately need and be repeatedly denied care. 😔
I wish I had talked to to you 14 months ago. I had been on 4 mg of Klonopin for 13 years and my Dr. was suggesting 5. I tried to go to 3 and the Dr. retired ! Her replacement told me no pills, you don't have anxiety. She later wrote a script for a 17 day wean off starting with .5 mg twice daily . For the next 48 days I was at the gates of Hell both physically and mentally. Until 6 weeks ago I went through hills and horrible valleys. I am now stabilizing, Thank God. I am 67 years old and looks like I will be able to "live out my days" being reasonably happy. My Klonopin was prescribed by three different doctors over the 13 years and never given a down side by any of them ! Thanks so much for your efforts to educate. God Bless You !
@@origamiandcats6873 If one was prescribed a blood pressure medicine by their doctor, I highly doubt they would be researching it on UA-cam. Idk just my opinion
@Matthew Stewart it doesn't have to be on UA-cam. You can get the package insert from the Pharmacy, sometimes with the prescription itself. Drug companies are required by law to tell you everything, including the bad stuff.
@@origamiandcats6873big pharma doesent tell the truth about this stuff. Why you think doctors are so misinformed? It's csuse there influence by drug companies.
Isn’t it amazing how psychiatrists inappropriately prescribed this drug for decades but now that WE the patients forced the truth to come out- now physicians are beginning to tell the truth of what this drug is doing to ppl and how drs have caused severe dependancy (not addiction) in people? I was on benzos for 40 years. Weaning off of them almost killed me and permanently caused damage, drs did this to me.
I'm with you on that! I thought i was going to die. I took as i was prescribed for 15 years. It's been 2 years and i still have symptoms. Best to you Barb.
Benzos are fine in and of themselves. They’re a valuable tool for people with severe illnesses. They’re a rescue remedy meant for short term. One month only.
I was prescribed Valium in my teens and was addicted to them until I was in my mid fifties. You really don’t want the withdrawals I went through and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Please note that I was finally told to take smaller doses, combined with small amounts of marijuana and I came off them, but it’s all just a horrible memory now. Thank you very much, Doctor!!!
I was just prescribed Klonopin today after years of dealing with anxiety without medication. I knew little about this medication except that it could be dangerous but I was unaware of the dramatic withdrawal symptoms and of the rapid tolerance change. I'm honestly considering myself really lucky to have found this video, thank you so much for making it! I'm going to save taking the medicine for only extreme episodes of anxiety (:
Michael Martinez I have involuntary movement in my face, legs, and arms. Constantly twitching visibly never had that before. I also have terrible insomnia
@@donaldbeetlestone5900 yes they sure are, but good luck in coming of them if your doctor decides to take you of them which is not uncommon. They are also highly addictive.
I've learned my lesson with benzos. I still take them on occasion, but you HAVE to space the doses apart. It's black and white, no matter how much you like the guarantee of a few hours of sleep, what she said was right. If you take them for a long time, it hurts your brain chemicals. Take this medication responsibly. Please trust me.
I have no idea what your talking about lol, What you are referring to is called dosing "As needed" which is actually far worse then regular usage because you now have a higher chance of developing a neurological conditions called Benzo kindling. Regardless of how far you space your dosages, you are placing stress on the Nervous system using GabaA receptors to which you will experience tolerance, then tolerance withdrawal and finally paradoxical, adverse reactions. There's no proper way to use these medications because they were meant for short term usage only which short term for benzos is no more then 2-4 weeks max. You are going to hurt yourself using these medications
@@GCT1990 Did you just say taking a medication like this on an "as needed" basis is worse than taking it every day? huh. I haven't taken any benzos in over 6 months. My point was that it was better to take these kinds of drugs every so often to avoid problems with withdrawals. This video was about benzo dependence.
@@AzrielGrace I haven't taken any in almost 7 months, but when I was using them on occasion, I would take 1 mg every few days. I've had 3 bad bouts with Klonopin and each time the wd got worse and worse so I learned my lesson the hard way. There's just no way in hell I would ever take benzos every day. I'm not even sure I will ever even take anymore at all. I'm 8 months sober and don't like stuff in my body. Please be careful with that stuff. Good luck.
ABSOLUTELTY SPON ON.... Not sure what GCT1990 comments are about... I am prescribed these for only really bad anxiety attacks... I take an SSRI for daily use... My doc always tells me to use these only when absolutely needed and I should not consume more than 2-3 tablets a week. I am only prescribed 5mg... I must say I notice now 5mg doesn't really do much anymore which is a little scary cos what this doc is talking about is kind of what she is referring too... Always having to up the dose... I would say use these only when you ABSOLUTELY need too... Maybe try herbal stuff first like a chamomile tea etc... Don't get me wrong take it if u need too in the moment, but if u feel u need it daily look for something else
these made me unforgivingly verbaly nasty,but i was on 100 a month plus oxaza plus oxys,im done threw the 100 down the loo 2x never looked back 1year now.im pretty sure i need to change drs.still on 100 oxazapam a month.
Lithium Carbonate Just because Jordan Peterson checked into rehab for clonazepam use, it does not really mean much more than this - he is a human being like all the rest of us.
I have a "confession" and that is, my only addiction is watching Dr. Tracey Marks video's, lol. All jokes aside, I find them very, informative, enlightening and intelligently humorously serious, if there is such a thing. I'm a veteran myself, and have have dealt with PTSD and issue's of sleep apnea, perhaps caused by the PTSD diagnosis. My son also has symptoms of depression, and I am trying to advise him to seek professional counseling. Thank you, so much for your sharing of your professional knowledge of such important and critical mental health issues.
I've been on 4 mg of clonazepam daily for about 7 years now! My doctor desperately wants to taper me off, but frequent bipolar episodes have made this impossible as yet. I feel no benefit from them now, but really notice if I miss a dose! Cognitive impairment is frustrating as hell. I used to read a lot when I was younger, but struggle to even follow audio books now... Generally feel a lot dumber. I'm definitely not looking forward to the inevitable withdrawal symptoms from clonazepam, had heard it can be pretty hellish. Thanks for taking the time to make such great videos, you really do help a lot of people. 🙂
Look up the talk about Stevie Nick's taking about her getting off high doses of Klonopin back in the day. It's kinda freaky ofcourse she was in a health institution for help.
@Brave Star. Why 4 mgs/ day. They have a 13 hr half life. I've been on it for yrs for PTSD anxiety, first it was Xanax 8 mg/day. I hated it. I went to my pysc and had him take me off after I weaned myself down to 6 mg/day. After 10 yrs of use. I was so afraid I would go into siezures switching, nope. It was great! I felt better and could read and concentrate. I'm on 1mg Klonopin tid. I also have spastic muscles in my neck and shoulders due to nerve damage, it helps somewhat. I think your Dr's over dosing you in my opinion. Does he not realize 3 should be fine and it has a half life of 13 hrs?? Is this your PCP or a pysc Dr? PCP Drs don't know much about drugs like this other than ' it's bad for you'. That's what I've gotten. Let them have the PTSD anxiety attack right!!! I hope you get down slowly. I can get by with 2 a day. But at the 12 hr mark i start going into slight DT feelings. And i know it can go bad quick. My step son went thru DTS after abruptly stopping his meds. It wasn't pretty. Good luck, hey if you try to go down by .25 mg a day. That's how i did Xanax and in 6 months i went down 2 mgs a day. Then i got on Klonopin and it's much better. And you know, it doesn't help with my sleep, you??
Brave Starr. You CAN do it. It took me NINE years of my doc saying it wasn't addictive, to just "quit". It IS addictive and it does cause lots of problems. It was "hellish", on it and off it. But it wasn't helping, it was making EVERYTHING worse. Be gentle with yourself and listen to your own cues. Go slow, reduce the dose and the frequency. Let yourself de-tox at your own time. You CAN do it. Really.
@@juicylucy6488 he said he has bipolar disorder with frequent episodes, not trying to be mean but did you not read what he wrote entirely or something, they're trying to keep him more stable with palliative care anxiety relief that will come with the bipolar disorder.. thats how this type of stuff happens in most cases, bipolar disorder or panic disorder or PTDS/schizophrenia with anxiety but he wrote he has bipolar so you know
What Wonderfully useful, clear explanation! I really like your philosophy on this medication and I just love your analogy about breaking the glass! Perfect! 💯!
@@DrTraceyMarks hi i have been using alprazolam for vestibular balance problems I have recently stopped taking the medication and now my balance dizziness feeling has come back. Would you suggest Clonazepam (Klonopin over alprazolam? Or any other advice I would be very greatful 🙏
I'm going through withdrawal at the moment after being on Ativan for 2 years under the supervision of my psychiatrist. I decided it was time to come off of it as I had developed a dependence on it. I'm 3 weeks in to a slow withdrawal using Valium as an alternative. This video was so educational and reassuring. Thankyou for creating it.
Valium is in the same benzodiazepine family as ativan. Valium is more of a muscle relaxantant. Betty Ford used to take valium and alcohol and ended up a mess. That's the reason for the betty Ford addiction clinic were such notable people like Elizabeth Taylor went. Anyway, be careful with any alcohol while taking valium (or any drug). Basically you went from one benzo to another. Just hope it helps. That's the important thing!
@@nadinelinda627 I'm pretty sure they understand that they switched from one benzo to another. The point is that one has a shorter half life and the other has a longer half life. Longer acting benzos can be used to withdraw off a short acting benzo.
Greetings Queen Dr Tracey! I’ve been watching your videos faithfully for years now. I’ve learned so much from you l. Thanks for taking the time and breaking things down so well. I would love to book an appointment with you. Do you travel at all?
Hi Prosperity. Thanks so much for the Super Thanks! Also thanks for continuing to follow me. I've stopped taking new patients, but even if I was still open, I can only treat people who live in GA where I'm licensed. ☹️
So glad I don't use alcohol, weed or other addictive substances to get by anymore. Recovery, therapy, helping others, meditation and supplements have helped me a great deal.
Been lying to doctors for a long time to get benzos even though I'm also taking anti anxiety medication. Finally decided a month ago to stop getting a prescription for it and am on the way to recovering from benzo addiction by going and seeing a doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck!
@@DrTraceyMarks WHAT????.....omfg so first you get them on xanax, then you get them hooked , then you taper them off, give them something else, then you laugh all the way to the bank!. Talk about being a drug pusher......I honestly wonder how psychiatrists sleep at night.. maybe they should take xanax?
Excellent insightful presentation! I believe benzodiazepines do have a benefit for those who legitimately need them. I've been on one for over two decades. Absolutely never abuse it and very very rarely ever take beyond prescribed dose.
Wow! What a great explanation! I love how you unpack the details, with examples! I'm 64 and have been on benzos off and on since my 20s, for anxiety and panic disorder. I also have had major depressive disorder and the 1st symptom I get with a relapse is anxiety, before I become aware of depression, so you are so right, in my experience, about antidepressants reducing anxiety! In the past, before I understood about benzo withdrawal, also experienced some twitching and legs jerking at night! Off benzos now, trying to adopt habit of mindfulness meditation. I haven't listened to your download on that yet, but watched your channel on it, looking forward to hearing your download. Thank you for your work on this channel, I find it very informative and encouraging, and I wish you were my shrink! 😉
Dr's oath eh, ist do no harm, but once a Pharma Rep speaks to Dr John Carey clonmel, he prescribes them to the vulnerable after, having got the promotions, gifts from Big Pharma, le Roche USA, HE riddled a town in ireland,, retired later with the excuse of Dementia,trust me on my 30+yrs experience, I'm now disabled
I was hospitalized after attempting to off myself. For 6 weeks I was taking 3 2mg Adavan a day with the occasional half dose when I had panic attacks on the ward. When I was released from the hospital, they released me with a prescription for the benzo's. The first day I was okay but couldn't sleep. I didn't sleep at all for the next 5 days and experienced the worst panic attacks I've ever had. On day six I finally fell asleep, for four days. I woke up in the hospital because my friend had been trying to wake me up for 2 days and finally called an ambulance. I decided early in my life not to do drugs (addiction runs in my family) I never thought I'd have to deal with withdrawals like that and my heart goes out to anyone else who suffers through it.
Excellent 👍. I've been on Klonopin 30 years been tapering off . The last 4 years from 5 mgs to 1 5. F-king nightmare of a hellish life. This is not even human
I have been taking .25 mgs of xanax as needed for over 20 years. Sometimes i take it 3 times a week or 3 times a month. I have never had to increase the dose. This medication saved my life.
@@donferensic7482 what if u need Xanax everyday to function what should i do i think i build tolerance even if its 0.25mg everyday now i take it i feel nothing much
It depends on the person i guess..my grandfather took ativan at night for stress, he took it for over 55 years(he died at 98) he had no dementia or anything and was as sharp as ever until about a year before he died. He obviously couldnt stop it after all those years but it had helped him for all that time. I dont recommend anyone to do that but just writing this cause we need new benzo like pills with less or no tolerance and easier withdrawal, that would eliminate all anxiety issues for millions of people, mostly the ones who have anxiety so severe they cant function, no matter how much therapy is done.
The issue isn't the patient's fault. Had my doctor told me I'd never of taken this drug for 4 years!!! Please make these doctor's know this information if they don't they shouldn't be allowed to prescribe!!!! We have to raise awareness alone and have no medical support! Now I raise awareness here and on other social media. We need to stop this epidemic.
Scary to think when I was 17, I was abusing 25 mg of clonazepam a day but I was lucky and I had my family to support me 6 years clean and never looked back
Excellent job explaining the horrific effects off benzodiazepines….. getting of is a nightmare. I’m tapering from 2mg Xanax using Valium …. Blessings to anyone who is trying to get off benzodiazepines.
I use first time Nitrazepam in 1994 and i use it more than 25 years , Since 2019 November I am clean , I dont use and no craving , nothing , Alhamdulillah I blessed by Allah for this thing.
Ma'am I'm taking clonazepam 1mg 4times a day cause without it gives me too much anxiety it feels like I'm addicted or don't know what I'm also on SNRI and anti psychotics I want to get rid of it but I can't and my local doctor is suggesting rehabilitation centre and I'm not ready to go there
Thanks for thoroughly explaining this. I’m a 24 year old diagnosed with ASD and ADHD and my depression and anxiety have been a lot worse this year. Glad to watch videos like these and do research to know what I may or may not take ❤
I was put on these things during covid. No one told me anything, they just said i look anxious and i was imagining the shortness of breath i went to ER for. They gave me two just to "calm down" and sleep. After 3 days, I was back and in pancic attack. Eventually the GP gave me a whole bottle, I would not take it daily and everytime i dont take it, I realised i was in a hot mess. THANK GOD the HOLY SPIRIT pointed out the root of my problems which was the bottle of anti-anxieties i got from the GP. You know what??? I called my employee for 1 month leave and I threw those things away cold turkey. It was the most horrible experience ever, the withdrawal was crazy. I though i was losing my mind but I am here to testify that IT IS POSSIBLE. Thank you Lord JESUS. My life was almost ruined.
I'm going through withdrawal right now. Day 2 Cold Turkey. I can't sleep and my heart is pumping. How did you deal with this? I need some support and motivation.
having a doctor all of the sudden decide that they want you off benzos within 2 weeks should be illegal, they should be trained on how to help somebody taper off such a dangerous medication. I've had to switch doctors 5 times because each one either wanted to keep me on more benzos after my severe episode ended, or they wanted to get me off them the hard way and just load me full of other medications for the symptoms of withdrawals. I did finally find a doctor that let me taper off slowly over the span of 2 months or so and so far its working amazing with VERY minimal symptoms. The best way to get off IMO is to taper off slowly and just use time and patience.
I was on them too for years, once you are forced to quit taking them you will thank whoever doctor made you come off them, there’s a reason why it’s supposed to only be used for a short period because of the crap you went through, 2 weeks worth of the medication should have been enough to stop.
Your last words make me so comfort, i'm taking 0.5mg daily and i tried several times or years to quit but now i'll try, i can't go to doctor because of this pandemic, thank you doctor
Thank you so much. I am starting to see the rebound anxiety and it is scaring me. Thankfully I only take as needed but its been frequent lately due to grief snd ptsd and it’s only been a few days. I’m done. I’m glad I saw this before I allowed it to take over me. The intial feeling is amazing to get rid of anxiety but the rebound which I didn’t know I was having. Not sure bc I suffer from migraines as well. But I’m not taking any chances. Your videos have helped me through some tough nights of worry. Anxiety and grief. I cannot thank you enough. You are a god send ❤️
@@Papeto812001 Thumbs up for this, more people should know. Still dont know why to this day doctors keep prescribing huge amounts of benzos like candy and then expect you to get off them in two weeks after years of use.
@@uhujoguj5279 I was prescribed Xanax 8 mg a day, for 23 years!! Cut off Cold Turkey! I've been in Hell for more than 3 years now. I can't find a Doctor who will prescribe a Benzo, let alone understand that I'm still in Withdrawal !! My brain is damaged beyond repair. I just want to die.
@@BflyMom_212 thats horrifying, where do you live? im sure there have to be some programs that could help you. if you want to talk about anything, let me know, we can connect via some channel. 8 mg a day for 23 years and you are alive after cold turkey, that is an impressive feat. stay strong please
nothing made me feel so good like benzodiazepines…. they are sadly highly addictive… I hope they come up with a new medication that makes life so amazing like benzos do. As for tappering off benzos, do go to a hospital. I find it impossible to taper off on your own. I successfully stopped only with the 24/7 hospital help, under a supervision of a doctor (tried to do it on my own in the past and it was impossible).
Klonopin saved my life.....I have been on them for years and no addiction. I think the negativity around benzos is unwarranted. For some, they give you your life back.
Declaring war against a traumatized person isn't healthy for them. I got gi dn radically severe TBI by a paid to serve and protect, after his employers had killed and stolen and maimed my kids cis I was on valium after being brain damaged by my father. 44 years later and doctor number 30 after two weeks intensive care for brain injury, then dumped in a caravan on a remote hill top that I used to bicycle out from no problem, unlike the car junkies. Doctors are paranoid about their reputations and the brain injury from TBI was denied. Six months Total amnesia and I'm getting lectured by people with zero experience in this. Creek water, no electricity, no heating. You too rich to know reality upper class snoots.
John Newmark Yes at first you will get that relief but then.. I was prescribed these for 26 years. When i slowly tried to come off (4mg Clonazepam a day) i ended up in the ER with severe withdrawal and life threatening symptoms. My Blood Pressure was 220 over 140. See what happened to Jordan Peterson (famous psycologist). If you think that Benzos are your friend, well they won't be for long. They will turn against you. During the withdrawal i had Akathisia and i was twitching. You seem not to know the dangers of these medicines.
I’m trying to taper off and it’s been such a struggle, I’ve quit before for years but right now I’m still at 6-8 mg a day, I just need to get down to .5. I know I have a rough couple weeks ahead but knowing I’ve done it before keeps me motivated.
@@alexwashington4701 I was sick for about 5 months but I’m recovering finally, just taking one day at a time and exercising, eating good and going to therapy.
Yep. My doc suddenly stopped prescribing klonopin. The hydroxyzine didn't/does not cut it. I had uncontrollable shaking, off balance gait and a couple of seizures. He didn't care. Got rid of the doctor, but haven't been on benzodiazepines since. Still have anxiety where its hard to leave the house, affects my life with jobs & relationships. Smh
Thanks, doctor! I was so amazed after taking Klonopin yesterday as it seemed like my tolerable, though still painful and problematic anxiety was finally absent and my life felt like heaven. After just my second day on it, the effect is no longer as wonderful even on a higher dose. Having tasted sanity, I don't want to return to my usual anxiety-ridden self, but I don't want to lose myself chasing the dragon of my tolerance-free first experience. I still don't know what to do, but this video was very helpful.
@@andrewcross8244 Xanex is fine @maximum of 20 mg. per 30 days. But I would advise finding another daily activity or herb for real grounding. To me it is the same as having 1 shot oof morphine post surgery. But for daily pain restricting necessary activities find a different way of life. Addiction is not living. For me Accupuncture and changing my thinking patterns helps . This is applicable to and for adults. For babies and youngsters I have no ideas. It breaks my heart to know that life is so hard and unfair .❤
I was a short term benzo user and they have ruined my life! Years of suffering thanks to the doctor who cold turkeyed me because " he didn't want me to become dependent." Thanks to him I have seen hell on earth for years now.
I’m sorry you had that experience. If you’re still having with what you feel or with drawl symptoms, you could look at seeing another doctor for the purpose of being re-started and weaned more slowly.
@@ccfc4299 Having been addicted to Klonopin for many years I must agree with Dr Marks. I had to get back on this nightmare drug numerous times in order for my body to re-adjust to getting off of it. The withdrawals and mental anguish are unbearable. Unless you've walked this path you simply can't understand. Once OFF, successfully, I never wanted or needed it again. Ten years of freedom!
@@chinookvalley Trust me..I have walked this path and know of it's pure hell! Each time you reinstate you kindle your brain. It is ill advised to jump back on to the medication after a month or so off of it as each time you do it becomes harder to withdraw from and becomes much more insideios... hence the kindling.
The Dr isn’t crazy at all. If you titrate too quickly or cut too much, you need to reinstate and then go so much slower. It’s what I Had to do and it saved my life.
I'm in my 60's and because of my personal experience with doctors, I find most of them to be idiots who don't listen or understand their patients. However, now that I have found Dr Marks channel (and a few other Naturopathic docs) I am gaining "some" confidence that medicine ain't such a bad thing. I now follow my gut and if a doc isn't meeting my expectations I move on until I am comfortable with my CARE giver. Thanks Dr Marks!
I'm 60. Valium at 16 thinking it was antibiotics. Stupid doctors!!! They still exist. The power to the people" my daughter stolen off me by idiot supremacy "clean"s painted 4 me... thanks for your post. People power)❤
I have stopped since January 6. I used for only one month 0,25 - 0,50 mgs, but now I feel like I am going crazy and being irritable and upatient. Is it because of my anxiety or because of withdrawal, and how long does it last?
For me, someone with C-PTSD, ADD, OCD and social/ general anxiety with occasional panic attacks, it’s a lifesaver. Since I started, I’ve been able to live life without constant fear and anxiety. I’ve been on them, with a strict routine, for 7 years. Original dose and I feel no need to increase. So, I feel she left out talking about those who have chemical deficiencies.
Klonopin can easily be managed. You simply avoid tolerance. Avoid using as much as possible. So you really should use in increments, lowering to ceasing them as you try another medicationz
My GP prescribed diazepam up to 15 mg per day 7 years ago. I didn't for this specifically and trusted the doc. Psychiatrists in my hospital admissions knew this but still push it in hospital for anxiety for hospitalisation. NOW, the govt is checking doctors and how much they prescribe so its harder to get. Imagine my terror going to a fill in GP because my regular one was on extended leave for most of the year. She had all my files on computer and although i only used it when desperate, I'd not only experienced several long recent traumatic events, Xmas was coming up and i could not afford to be wkthoit it for Dec and Jan because the year before at the same time, i experienced systems relationsgip / family trauma so bad i don't know how i "literally" survived. I KNEW i would be in DANGER with the triggers that would come up even though i was now living alone BUT still with severe mental illness. This doc gives md 14 and says i will never get any more. THAT IS MEDICALLY DANGEROUS to force a high usee of 7 years go cold turkey!! I have since found a new GP i can trust but further worsened my condition as I'd had the previous GP for 20 yrs and my life's history was still there. 5 months have passed ( not counting hospital admission of 7 wks affter 4 months bedridden 24 / 7 except for GP visits with sheer anxiety paralysis. My 50 pills are almost gone because i had to start using daily again 3 weeks ago when the day adter i left hospital (feeling good and already improving my life to worth living again), i was diagnosed with malignant invasive skin cancer which had to be removed IMMEDIATELY but doctor incompetence saw ME researching and sifting through FIVE docs to find a reputable one who finally removed it 3 days ago and even HIM i can't be 100% has done the right thing. Still have to wait another week to see if biopsies taken of presumably healthy tissue around the edges of the cancer that was cut out do in fact come back saying all is well OR it had joined to nerves and was also present in other organs (which ones unknown) which is a death sentence evsn with aggressive chemo etc Do you think i might be needing diazepam these total of 4 weeks? And i still only give in and take every 3rd day or so. I am due to see GP next week and she too won't want to prescribe any more abd tell me to see my psychiatrist to do so. The law says max dispensed at once is 50 pills WITH NO REPEAT scripts like other meds. The psychiatrist is incompetent any way and i only use him as an axis portal into hospital. He only sees us outpatients privateky 1 day a week if needed so waiting to get an appt can take forever and then I'm $250 costs which i can only afford twice a year if I'm lucky. BUT Seeing Dr Marks videos makes me realise i am in real danger and now see how many of my traunas have probably started with being off the diaz for awhile as that was supposed to be good to do to avoud addition. I now think i was AND still am ADDICTED and so much suffering is possibly from withdrawals rather than just GAD. These docs DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING and DEFINITELY don't know how to wean soneone off altogether if they don't take it regularly!!! I AM TERRIFIED for my life because i don't have adequate competent medical hekp. At 70, living completely isolated and with incompetent doctors means i truly believe i will not see my next birthday in the New Year but hey! us oldies, especially with 20 years treatment resistent mental illness so NO MEDS work are just collateral damage to make room for next generation. P.S changing docs is not a viable option i won't go into. It's too late now. Perhaps my way out is that my cancer results are it's spread internally and refusing chemo etc i can dose up on mind numbing benzos and others before i die. At least the pain and suffering of decades will finally nr over as too my having to deal with useless negligent doctors 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
My brother ran out of clonazepam and felt tremendously bad (his doctor rescheduled and he didn't have any pills left). He went to the hospital three or four times to get a shot, and nobody would give him a prescription forcing him to come back the next day... all of this during a pandemic.
I’ve been on klonopin for years.. a cardiologist put me on it for tachycardia unresolved by other meds..every time we try to lower it even by .25mg, I end up in the ER with severe high bp and chest pain. Very dangerous
These should not be given for the public and they should only be used one time one dose for an emergency use for example you are having a massive panic attack that you cant walk and end in the emergency room that's it
I wish my doctor would prescribe more benzos ,they are awesome medication and I like using it from time to time ,sadly he wants me on Lexapro yuck,I am NOT depressed ,I have ANXIETY and the ONLY CURE are BENZOOOOOS
With all due respect Doctor Tracy, I've tried buspar, prosac, escitalopram, paxil ( I always tell my doctors keep me away from that crap ). It's like you mentioned, these medications take 4-6 weeks to work. For one, I work at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital, it's for criminally insane patient's, I under no circumstances have 4-6 weeks to spare for my body to get used to these antidepressants, 2ndly I'm sure you aware but forgot to mention that antidepressants during that 4-6 week period cause more anxiety and sexual side effects in men, buspar also gave me legit panic attacks. That being said I take valium, that is by no means perfect, it causes issues with my memory and like you mentioned your tolerance increases. My problem is that, not a lot of Doctor's listen to or believe there patients. I told my Doctor that I just want a very slow taper, she agreed at 1st but put me on a dose that didn't touch my anxiety at all, while valium does work, it has it's drawbacks.
@John C Yeah man it's crazy, I legit had to pull over b4 that I held up traffic when I pulled over Incried my eyes out. Everyone's different but I find that valium or Librium slow taper works for me, the short-acting benzos are tough to kick do to there short half-lives. There are people that are clean that talk about the problem they have with doctors not listening to them
An excellent explanation of benzo dependence. After 14 years on Alprazolam for sleep, I've spent the last four years trying to taper off, with little success. Two years ago I found a medical professional to help me, but I'm still having trouble because I'm so sensitive to the reductions, no matte how small. A few months ago, he tried switching me to the generic Klonopin, but the side effects were untenable. So I'm back on the Alprazolam, and will start my next taper attempt in about a week. It's taken several months between the Klonopin and the Alprazolam to feel stable and normal again. Eventually I'll make it off, at least that's my hope.
Everyone is different, but in my opinion Klonopin is far more addicting than xanax especially if you only take xanax once a day for sleep. Xanax pretty much only lasts about 8 hours so you're pretty much off of it for the other 16 hours in the day. Klonopin is more subtle but the effects are pretty much there for 24 hours and that's when your body starts to develop a tolerance. They say that the best way to withdraw from benzos is to take valium and slowly taper off of that because of the long half life, but I'm not so sure that's the best strategy either because valium builds up in your system due to it having the longest half life out of the benzos. There's really no easy way to do it, but I guess you can try the Ashton method to slowly taper off with valium. I definitely wouldn't recommend tapering off with Klonopin because it's the most addicting in my opinion and also the most potent. It doesn't seem like it because the effects are more subtle than xanax but that's the dangerous part about the drug. That being said, all of them are dangerous in different ways and the best option is to simply not take them in the first place.
@@afanasibushmanov7463 Thank you for your reply. It makes me glad I stopped the Klonopin before I got to far in with it. The half life of Xanax may be 8 hours our so, but it stays in ones system a bit longer. Once dependency sets it, you HAVE to take the next pill on time. There's little or no choice. When I try to micro taper below the prescribed amount, the worst side effect is that my central nervous system give me body wide shakes. There are other side effects, but that's the one that scares me the most. It's awful. Xanax can make a person addicted in a short period of time, or in my case, dependent,... very dependent. It puts a hold that's hard to get out of, like the other benzos. One day I hope doctors will stop prescribing this stuff, except in extreme cases. I hear there are people who truly need it. I'm no longer one of them. Again, thank you fro replying. Hopefully, someday, we'll all be free.
@@reneec2583 well all of them are addictive so I agree with you on that. I just think some are more addictive than others because they're often used for different purposes. Xanax is often used strictly for panic attacks or phobias and not generalized anxiety so you could probably get away with taking it let's say twice a week without getting addicted. If you're using it every day I think all of them will lead to addiction, but I think klonopin is the worst out of all of them all as far as that. I just think xanax is difficult to taper off of while you are addicted because of the short half life. Like you basically wrote in your response, you experience withdrawal in between doses which is why you need to keep taking it to feel stable. From what I've read, the best way to handle it is to go on a longer lasting benzo like Valium and gradually taper off of that. You probably won't experience withdrawal even if you miss a dose of Valium because of the long half life. The Ashton manual pretty much explains how you can switch from Xanax to an equivalent dose of Valium and then when you're only on Valium you can gradually taper off of it. With xanax a gradual taper is much more difficult because of how short the half life is.
@@afanasibushmanov7463 Thank you for your suggestion to switch to Valium. I'll talk to my PA about it, since this current taper is probably going to fail due to the very short half life. I've tried off and on for two years now without success. Thank you for the encouragement. I will do my best.
@@reneec2583 you can download the full manual online. It's called the Ashton Manual. I suggest you read it and maybe even show it to your doctor as well if you're serious about following it.
I have been on zoloft, prozac , wellbutrin, lexepro, buspar, remeron, ativan, clonazepam, valium, and xanax....Not all together, different combinations since 1998.... And zoloft has always been the only antidepressant to "work"....That being said....I was LITERALLY hospitalized 2 weeks ago for a severe panic attack.....4th time to ER in 2 years....And I'm getting pretty hopeless that it will ever end.....I don't have insurance....And the only Drs I can see won't write me Benzodiazepines because of these types of reasonings....Like "once the antidepressant starts working " etc..... I'm even rambling as I type this because I'm OVERWHELMED! I have PTSD, Generalized anxiety disorder, Dysthymia depression , panic disorder, and OCD.... All documented, yet I can't get SSI or Medicaid.... And my anxiety is so bad I don't leave the house unless absolutely necessary... I'm 39 years old and if it wasn't for my wife....I honest to GOD have NO idea how I would survive!!!! I don't want benzos because I'm "addicted"....I want them because that's the ONLY thing that gives me slight relief!
I would rather come off heroin 10 times over rather than one benzo withdrawal. The WD is unreal. Most intense hell I've ever been in. Avoid at all costs.
how much were you taking? I'm looking into it for my anxiety. It sounds perfect for me. I could take it maybe 2x in a month on nights my anxiety starts to peak.
The trick bag of this medication, you bug the doctor for it because its a cure all in the beginning, meanwhile years later its near impossible to get off of. I would never say it should never be taken or used, but it is extremely addicting for anyone unaware they are self medicating. Great video by the way. Very professional, accurate and honest.
As a former xanax addict i found klonopin to be much cheaper (street value) and it gave a better recreational effect, I'm so glad i don't take them anymore they have already caused me so much memory loss and brain damage :|
@@DrTraceyMarks I have bipolar disorder (rapid cycling) and anxiety. I take Klonopin. I've gone from .05mg twice a day, to 1mg 3 a day, now at 2mg twice a day. I've been on it for over a decade. I have nothing else that I can take for my bipolar disorder (very severe side effects to an endless amount of meds) I'm scared, I'm at the point that it's not working as well & my doctor refuses to change the dose. I'm terrified to come off of it as I still have very bad anxiety. I don't know the right thing to do. Do you have any advice? Please & thank you for sharing all your wonderful knowledge. I feel completely hopeless & trapped at this point. I wish I was never diagnosed 😥
@Jack Smithit was prescribed for daily use from the start. It did & does help. I just have no mood stabilizer, no antidepressant, so my moods cycle a lot. The doc is pushing Lithium but I'm terrified of any new med. The last one, Depakote 250 mg lowest dose, one extended release pill, had me in zombie mode, brain fog, dizzy, tired, violently vomiting for 24 hours. I do not & never have abused this med. I take it as prescribed but eventually my system builds a tolerance & I'm stuck between this isn't working as well, you will be on it for life, & my doc not wanting to adjust the dose. It's a little after 1AM where I am & I'm awake as usual even with CBD. I appreciate your question & concern. Currently working with talk therapy and med doc to find the next med to try. Any advice would be very helpful. Hopefully I answered what you were asking.
Sure would have been nice to have this information 12 yrs ago. Was prescribed 30 mg of valium as a muscle relaxant and used for 8 years then tried to stop using medication and began having seizures after 3 days no sleep. Wife took me back to prescribing doctor who witnessed me having 3 to 5 seizures in the space of 15 minutes. I did not even realize I was having seizures. I asked the doctor if he thought I should go into rehab to try and safely get off this medication and was told "oh no you don't need to do that" he then immediately put me on high dose Klonopin and sent me immediately to a Neurologist who also said keep taking Klonopin. I took the Klonopin for 6 months but knew I was in for the worst experience of my life. I went into a rehab center where I almost died from unmanageable withdrawals. That was almost 3 years ago. I still struggle with insomnia and vertigo which may be life long for all I know. To all of you who are just beginning any form of benzodiazepines please stop while you still can. I may be preaching to the choir here as most that see this website may already be tremendously physically dependent. To those that aren't, for God's sake run.........
I have a similar story with gabapentin, which I don't think is technically a benzo but still works on the GABA receptors. The difference is that I was prescribed it 3x a day for anxiety with no plan to get off it, and I soon developed a tolerance and kept increasing the dosage. Eventually I was craving it and had debilitating anxiety even between doses, even though I always took it only as prescribed. Tapering off now though and feeling much better for it.
Thanks for a very informative video, it was really reassuring to watch. I have no intention to use the tablets daily rather keep them near for emergencies (panic attacks). Your presenting style and clear knowledge really helped
My fiance has been on clonazepam for almost a decade and it's never lost the therapeutic effects. They're a very addictive class of medications but if taken as prescribed. There is no need to increase the dosage.
I was on 20mg diazepam a night for sleep, never more never less, after 7 yrs I started feeling dizzy and it would only ease up if I could pass wind somehow. I was getting funny feelings in my chest aswell and i kept feeling like I was gonna pass out. Cut along story short I'm sure I hit tolerance withdrawal which is a nightmare as I planned on staying on them for life. Instead i had to ween off them which took me a year and now my original symptom s are heaps better but I'm left with a severely gassy stomach and major pains around my stomach. I believe I ve got vagus nerve damage and I'm waiting for it to heal. From what I ve read it's called benzo belly and can last for years. As much as I loved my diazepam induced sleep they ve messed my body up big time. I ve got a new doctor who sucks and says I can only take promethazine (antihistamine) for sleep. I'm kinda glad that I'm off them, but I preferred life on them, mixed feelings I guess. They never lost their therapeutic mental effects for me either but the side effects felt dangerous. Its currently 7 weeks since I last took one.
Just don't take them everyday but use them as-needed. I recommend taking a beta blocker instead which will slow down your sympathetic nervous system (adrenaline, heart rate, etc) with ensuing calming effects. Beta blockers are also great for sleep.
Some patients have a physiological need for Benzodiazipines, and immediately respond to them. This is particularly helpful for patients without the risk factors for abuse or dependence, and for short aciting Benzodiazipines to treat serious primary Insomnia refractory to other primary treatments and caffeine cessation.
I'm in withdrawal right now. It's horrible. I used benzos almost daily for ten years. Im now around two weeks without it and it feels like hell. My head feels like It's going to implode.
Hope you're "better" it is hell on earth. I start again tomorrow coming off clonazapam using Aston method (valium). I have to or I'll die or want to. Hear of that method?
It is a lie that mental sharpness decreases with daily usage. Associated with seems awfully circumstantial. My focus always increases when I take my daily dosage.
My girlfriend was prescribed 1mg xanax when her father died 4 months ago, with the direction to take it 3 times daily as needed(in the understanding that it was really not to be taken that much by her) she never took more than 1-1.5mg a day, normally taking it at night before bed. Last week i took her to the ER when she collapsed getting out of the shower in the early afternoon. thankfully I was right there and lowered her to the ground and she was twitching. At the ER She had a massive seizure, so they pumped her full of Benzos and admitted her to the hospital. The entire 4 days she was in there she was having trouble speaking and having more and more seizures. They would give her Benzos in her IV and made her take the full 3mg a day. (as well as every other medication she had stopped taking over the year) When they discharged her they said she was faking it.. She was sure that it was side effects of the meds, and went off everything cold turkey. Over the last few days her seizers have continued along with EVERY other side effect of xanax withdrawal. After 4 days I realized that these "attacks" would happen when she would normally be taking her meds before bed. Looked it up and got her to take a .5mg and she improved right away... now working on tapering her off. How did no one spot this at the hospital?
I've been off Klonapin for one year now. I'm 39 years old and been a user for more than 20 years, taking 8 mg per day(average). I decided to put end on this horrible addiction and looked for help. The psychiatrist prescribed three more diferent medications so i could take the withdraw symptoms lighter. That was it, wasnt going to take any more medication, so i decided and went could turkey. Was the worst week of my life, anixety, nausea, insomnia, muscle spasm... after the 8th day, i strated to exercise, running and lifting weights to calm down and burn some of the energy(I never worked out in my life) so i could sleep, and it worked. Also my anxiety got better ( still there thou).I switch the medication for a healthy routine of running / lifting weights and it worked for me, it did. It's tough, painfull, but it can be done. *sorry for the writing mistakes, i'm from Brasil and it's been a long time since I last wrote in English.
Your english is well. So why do they say people get seizures when they stop but when I hear people stories its just withdraws of shaking, anxiety higher etc? So seizures actually occur or that's for certain people who takes it more then once a day?
@@theasshole7383 From what I read, seizures can do happen on long term users. I had almost all the withdraw symphtons, but I did not had any seizures. What still make me uncomfortable is the "Perceptual Changes" (another withdraw sympton). One year off and I still feel like everything is different , that i'm different (hard to discribe). Besides that, everything is great and i'm doing fine and healthy.
I developed panic attacks when I finished college in 2014. Benzos are a nightmare. Withdrawal caused me to have a grand mal seizure on Easter Sunday of this year.
I was dependent on benzos for 30 years. 10mg of diazepam daily. Then went through a natural disaster-and ran out of meds for 5 days. I realised I’d die without them. Began tapering right away and was off them in 10 months. I don’t have any lingering effects or withdrawals and now I’m looking into becoming a benzo withdrawal coach 🎉
Good for you whist most of us could’ve got the same results. Instead, we went through hell.
Good for you whist most of us could’ve got the same results. Instead, we went through hell.
@@RHExperience103065 you can feel good too 😊 I use supplements and always focusing on how good I feel - even when I’m sweaty and shakey. Mindset is everything.
I also don’t read the support groups because mostly they’re full of people who are struggling- when they feel good- they stop posting. Trust that there IS light at the end of the benzo battle. 💚
I’m currently tapering from being on Xanax for 5 years. I was taking 2mg 3 times a day now I’m at 1.5 once a day and 2mg twice a day. But I have severe anxiety and my doctor also prescribed me buspirone. So now she wants me to take both and I’m honestly scared and just wanna get over the Xanax dependency
@@STEVIE3X listen to your gut, don’t start taking anything else. Stay strong 💪
Reading through the comments, I forgot to mention to take into account how quickly this can be taken from you. It happens all the time, people switch doctors, insurance, or a doctor just changes their mind. You'll find yourself taking benzos every day for a decade when your doctor retires and every new doctor you see tells you that your previous doctor was reckless, they don't believe in prescribing benzos, and that they won't help you. Your brain will have 10 years of this substance controlling the wiring then all of a sudden you're cut off and thrown into life-threatening benzo withdrawal. It sounds heartless and irresponsible, and it is, because many doctors are heartless and irresponsible. But it's reality.
Thank you for pointing this out.
Yes you know that. Canada cares about thier people from dying on the streets and as it stands out America is not caring to pay attention on this pandemic. Scripture Creator demands for governments to do right for the weak and sick. as well as the peaple respecting a good Government. Why many are not these day's is just because of the negligence.
@trafficjon400 @Jim I live in Canada - Toronto, Ontario - and I can say from personal experience that the homeless here are not treated with dignity by local, provincial or federal governments. Mental health services are sorely lacking, especially for those who live in poverty, barely getting by or who can't afford to pay out of pocket for therapy. Wait times are ridiculous to get the proper help needed. Our healthcare system (both physical and mental), like that in other Western countries, is outdated and needs a massive overhaul.
I'm currently experiencing exactly what @Jim described and wow, just... WOW. Never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to fight so hard just to get the help I desperately need and be repeatedly denied care. 😔
there is no god
@@baggedtuned8569 Yes there is because when you take the o out of Good it makes god. so take that with a grain of salt.
I wish I had talked to to you 14 months ago. I had been on 4 mg of Klonopin for 13 years and my Dr. was suggesting 5. I tried to go to 3 and the Dr. retired ! Her replacement told me no pills, you don't have anxiety. She later wrote a script for a 17 day wean off starting with .5 mg twice daily . For the next 48 days I was at the gates of Hell both physically and mentally. Until 6 weeks ago I went through hills and horrible valleys. I am now stabilizing, Thank God. I am 67 years old and looks like I will be able to "live out my days" being reasonably happy. My Klonopin was prescribed by three different doctors over the 13 years and never given a down side by any of them ! Thanks so much for your efforts to educate. God Bless You !
Severe anxiety is hell, i swear, hell. Thanks for your video though: (
unfortunately, like most of us, nobody researches these drugs before use, because they trust their doctor!!
You should still want the knowledge even when you trust someone.
@@origamiandcats6873 If one was prescribed a blood pressure medicine by their doctor, I highly doubt they would be researching it on UA-cam. Idk just my opinion
@Matthew Stewart it doesn't have to be on UA-cam. You can get the package insert from the Pharmacy, sometimes with the prescription itself. Drug companies are required by law to tell you everything, including the bad stuff.
@@origamiandcats6873big pharma doesent tell the truth about this stuff. Why you think doctors are so misinformed? It's csuse there influence by drug companies.
That's people's problem. You gotta do your own research. Doctors aren't all-knowing gods like ppl like to think they are.
Isn’t it amazing how psychiatrists inappropriately prescribed this drug for decades but now that WE the patients forced the truth to come out- now physicians are beginning to tell the truth of what this drug is doing to ppl and how drs have caused severe dependancy (not addiction) in people? I was on benzos for 40 years. Weaning off of them almost killed me and permanently caused damage, drs did this to me.
I wouldn't wish benzo w/d on my worst enemy.
I'm with you on that! I thought i was going to die. I took as i was prescribed for 15 years. It's been 2 years and i still have symptoms. Best to you Barb.
I started using benzo a few weeks ago,& i think it doesn't really calm me down but i just want to keep using
I don't know what's wrong with me..
Benzos are fine in and of themselves. They’re a valuable tool for people with severe illnesses. They’re a rescue remedy meant for short term. One month only.
Melody Rogers - Your doctor prescribed them incorrectly. Though you should have done your research. 15 years is ridiculous.
Barb DeSouza I’ve heard it’s worst then heroin withdrawal, and heroin withdrawal is so painful and straight up horrible !!!
I was prescribed Valium in my teens and was addicted to them until I was in my mid fifties. You really don’t want the withdrawals I went through and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Please note that I was finally told to take smaller doses, combined with small amounts of marijuana and I came off them, but it’s all just a horrible memory now.
Thank you very much, Doctor!!!
What kind of marijuana sativa or indica strains?
Did benzodiazepines do any permanent damage?
She's beautiful ❤️
Dependent
I was just prescribed Klonopin today after years of dealing with anxiety without medication. I knew little about this medication except that it could be dangerous but I was unaware of the dramatic withdrawal symptoms and of the rapid tolerance change. I'm honestly considering myself really lucky to have found this video, thank you so much for making it! I'm going to save taking the medicine for only extreme episodes of anxiety (:
Michael Martinez or never trust me it’s almost impossible to get off of.
@@Harmanizer After I wrote that, I realized how little I actually want to take it...
Michael Martinez I have involuntary movement in my face, legs, and arms. Constantly twitching visibly never had that before. I also have terrible insomnia
@@Harmanizer it's not impossible stop trying to scare people
Stay away from it before getting addicted
Finally! Someone telling the truth about these drugs BEFORE one decides to take them! SUPER!
They're gr8 4 anxiety
@@donaldbeetlestone5900 yes they sure are, but good luck in coming of them if your doctor decides to take you of them which is not uncommon. They are also highly addictive.
@@donaldbeetlestone5900 did you watch the video?
@@donaldbeetlestone5900 yeah, puts you to bed.
@@jonxthxn I TAKE 1 a day WONDERING how bad is that
Amazing content. Glad someone is shedding light on this devil of a drug. 8 years of my life blacked out. I’m tapering off now, I will overcome this.
You got this bro!!!
How is it?
@@TheGroundedExplorer hard
I've learned my lesson with benzos. I still take them on occasion, but you HAVE to space the doses apart. It's black and white, no matter how much you like the guarantee of a few hours of sleep, what she said was right. If you take them for a long time, it hurts your brain chemicals. Take this medication responsibly. Please trust me.
I have no idea what your talking about lol, What you are referring to is called dosing "As needed" which is actually far worse then regular usage because you now have a higher chance of developing a neurological conditions called Benzo kindling. Regardless of how far you space your dosages, you are placing stress on the Nervous system using GabaA receptors to which you will experience tolerance, then tolerance withdrawal and finally paradoxical, adverse reactions. There's no proper way to use these medications because they were meant for short term usage only which short term for benzos is no more then 2-4 weeks max. You are going to hurt yourself using these medications
@@GCT1990 Did you just say taking a medication like this on an "as needed" basis is worse than taking it every day? huh. I haven't taken any benzos in over 6 months. My point was that it was better to take these kinds of drugs every so often to avoid problems with withdrawals. This video was about benzo dependence.
@@rupturedspeaker3684 how many days do you space out the doses?
@@AzrielGrace I haven't taken any in almost 7 months, but when I was using them on occasion, I would take 1 mg every few days. I've had 3 bad bouts with Klonopin and each time the wd got worse and worse so I learned my lesson the hard way. There's just no way in hell I would ever take benzos every day. I'm not even sure I will ever even take anymore at all. I'm 8 months sober and don't like stuff in my body. Please be careful with that stuff. Good luck.
ABSOLUTELTY SPON ON.... Not sure what GCT1990 comments are about... I am prescribed these for only really bad anxiety attacks... I take an SSRI for daily use... My doc always tells me to use these only when absolutely needed and I should not consume more than 2-3 tablets a week. I am only prescribed 5mg... I must say I notice now 5mg doesn't really do much anymore which is a little scary cos what this doc is talking about is kind of what she is referring too... Always having to up the dose... I would say use these only when you ABSOLUTELY need too... Maybe try herbal stuff first like a chamomile tea etc... Don't get me wrong take it if u need too in the moment, but if u feel u need it daily look for something else
Even Jordan Peterson checked into rehab for clonazepam use, this just tell us how serious benzodiazapine can be.
these pills are poisoning you and damaging brain function. Its way past adicition. They label it addiction to put the fault off on the patient.
these made me unforgivingly verbaly nasty,but i was on 100 a month plus oxaza plus oxys,im done threw the 100 down the loo 2x never looked back 1year now.im pretty sure i need to change drs.still on 100 oxazapam a month.
Any body gets addicted to these kinds of drugs
I just started on clonazepam at the lowest dose, benzos scare the hell out of me but i have such bad anxiety and its the only thing that helps
Lithium Carbonate Just because Jordan Peterson checked into rehab for clonazepam use, it does not really mean much more than this - he is a human being like all the rest of us.
Thanks!
You’re SO welcome and thank you!
I have a "confession" and that is, my only addiction is watching Dr. Tracey Marks video's, lol. All jokes aside, I find them very, informative, enlightening and intelligently humorously serious, if there is such a thing. I'm a veteran myself, and have have dealt with PTSD and issue's of sleep apnea, perhaps caused by the PTSD diagnosis. My son also has symptoms of depression, and I am trying to advise him to seek professional counseling. Thank you, so much for your sharing of your professional knowledge of such important and critical mental health issues.
I've been on 4 mg of clonazepam daily for about 7 years now! My doctor desperately wants to taper me off, but frequent bipolar episodes have made this impossible as yet. I feel no benefit from them now, but really notice if I miss a dose! Cognitive impairment is frustrating as hell. I used to read a lot when I was younger, but struggle to even follow audio books now... Generally feel a lot dumber. I'm definitely not looking forward to the inevitable withdrawal symptoms from clonazepam, had heard it can be pretty hellish. Thanks for taking the time to make such great videos, you really do help a lot of people. 🙂
Look up the talk about Stevie Nick's taking about her getting off high doses of Klonopin back in the day. It's kinda freaky ofcourse she was in a health institution for help.
@Brave Star. Why 4 mgs/ day. They have a 13 hr half life. I've been on it for yrs for PTSD anxiety, first it was Xanax 8 mg/day. I hated it. I went to my pysc and had him take me off after I weaned myself down to 6 mg/day. After 10 yrs of use. I was so afraid I would go into siezures switching, nope. It was great! I felt better and could read and concentrate. I'm on 1mg Klonopin tid. I also have spastic muscles in my neck and shoulders due to nerve damage, it helps somewhat. I think your Dr's over dosing you in my opinion. Does he not realize 3 should be fine and it has a half life of 13 hrs?? Is this your PCP or a pysc Dr? PCP Drs don't know much about drugs like this other than ' it's bad for you'. That's what I've gotten. Let them have the PTSD anxiety attack right!!! I hope you get down slowly. I can get by with 2 a day. But at the 12 hr mark i start going into slight DT feelings. And i know it can go bad quick. My step son went thru DTS after abruptly stopping his meds. It wasn't pretty. Good luck, hey if you try to go down by .25 mg a day. That's how i did Xanax and in 6 months i went down 2 mgs a day. Then i got on Klonopin and it's much better. And you know, it doesn't help with my sleep, you??
Brave Starr. You CAN do it. It took me NINE years of my doc saying it wasn't addictive, to just "quit". It IS addictive and it does cause lots of problems. It was "hellish", on it and off it. But it wasn't helping, it was making EVERYTHING worse. Be gentle with yourself and listen to your own cues. Go slow, reduce the dose and the frequency. Let yourself de-tox at your own time. You CAN do it. Really.
Brave Starr why where you put on the clonazepam in the first place ?
@@juicylucy6488 he said he has bipolar disorder with frequent episodes, not trying to be mean but did you not read what he wrote entirely or something, they're trying to keep him more stable with palliative care anxiety relief that will come with the bipolar disorder.. thats how this type of stuff happens in most cases, bipolar disorder or panic disorder or PTDS/schizophrenia with anxiety but he wrote he has bipolar so you know
I've watched many videos on benzos and this is the best one I've seen. you hit it straight on the mark. I wish more people knew about this
What Wonderfully useful, clear explanation! I really like your philosophy on this medication and I just love your analogy about breaking the glass! Perfect! 💯!
Thanks Put the Shovel Down. (I love that name!)
Shes very good
@@DrTraceyMarks hi i have been using alprazolam for vestibular balance problems I have recently stopped taking the medication and now my balance dizziness feeling has come back. Would you suggest Clonazepam (Klonopin over alprazolam?
Or any other advice I would be very greatful 🙏
I'm going through withdrawal at the moment after being on Ativan for 2 years under the supervision of my psychiatrist. I decided it was time to come off of it as I had developed a dependence on it. I'm 3 weeks in to a slow withdrawal using Valium as an alternative. This video was so educational and reassuring. Thankyou for creating it.
Valium is in the same benzodiazepine family as ativan. Valium is more of a muscle relaxantant. Betty Ford used to take valium and alcohol and ended up a mess. That's the reason for the betty Ford addiction clinic were such notable people like Elizabeth Taylor went. Anyway, be careful with any alcohol while taking valium (or any drug). Basically you went from one benzo to another. Just hope it helps. That's the important thing!
@@nadinelinda627 I'm pretty sure they understand that they switched from one benzo to another. The point is that one has a shorter half life and the other has a longer half life. Longer acting benzos can be used to withdraw off a short acting benzo.
Greetings Queen Dr Tracey!
I’ve been watching your videos faithfully for years now. I’ve learned so much from you l. Thanks for taking the time and breaking things down so well. I would love to book an appointment with you. Do you travel at all?
Hi Prosperity. Thanks so much for the Super Thanks! Also thanks for continuing to follow me. I've stopped taking new patients, but even if I was still open, I can only treat people who live in GA where I'm licensed. ☹️
So glad I don't use alcohol, weed or other addictive substances to get by anymore. Recovery, therapy, helping others, meditation and supplements have helped me a great deal.
That’s great to hear.
Been lying to doctors for a long time to get benzos even though I'm also taking anti anxiety medication. Finally decided a month ago to stop getting a prescription for it and am on the way to recovering from benzo addiction by going and seeing a doctor tomorrow. Wish me luck!
How are you now mate?
@@borislav1609 almost weened off and feel on top of the world. No lasting side effects. I feel great.
@@kellyjacintarose Nice
Who is your doctor? Its hard to get help....
How are you doing now kelly are you feeling bad or ok
Phil, here is a pill for you. Divorce the wife, quit the job, go grow tomatoes for god sakes.
Lol 😁
Love it, LOL!
I think that's a good plan for all of us. 🙂
Phil would of been way better off
@@DrTraceyMarks WHAT????.....omfg so first you get them on xanax, then you get them hooked , then you taper them off, give them something else, then you laugh all the way to the bank!. Talk about being a drug pusher......I honestly wonder how psychiatrists sleep at night.. maybe they should take xanax?
Excellent insightful presentation! I believe benzodiazepines do have a benefit for those who legitimately need them. I've been on one for over two decades. Absolutely never abuse it and very very rarely ever take beyond prescribed dose.
You are probably the only reliable mental health channel out there. When I eventually overcome my crippling anxiety I'm going to love you
Wow! What a great explanation! I love how you unpack the details, with examples! I'm 64 and have been on benzos off and on since my 20s, for anxiety and panic disorder. I also have had major depressive disorder and the 1st symptom I get with a relapse is anxiety, before I become aware of depression, so you are so right, in my experience, about antidepressants reducing anxiety! In the past, before I understood about benzo withdrawal, also experienced some twitching and legs jerking at night! Off benzos now, trying to adopt habit of mindfulness meditation. I haven't listened to your download on that yet, but watched your channel on it, looking forward to hearing your download. Thank you for your work on this channel, I find it very informative and encouraging, and I wish you were my shrink! 😉
Thanks a lot Deb! All the best to you 🙂
I am in my 20s and on benzos. Glad to know I can make it to my 60s on these drugs. Crazy life
Dr's oath eh, ist do no harm, but once a Pharma Rep speaks to Dr John Carey clonmel, he prescribes them to the vulnerable after, having got the promotions, gifts from Big Pharma, le Roche USA, HE riddled a town in ireland,, retired later with the excuse of Dementia,trust me on my 30+yrs experience, I'm now disabled
@@Sadude13 me too
You’ve been benzos since their release date. That’s loyalty.
your voice is so calming; i would love to listen to your podcast if you have one
This video is really what I needs to hear. Thank you so much!
You're welcome Miss Yvette.
Excellent video. Anyone considering taking benzos or currently taking definitely could benefit greatly from watching this
I was hospitalized after attempting to off myself. For 6 weeks I was taking 3 2mg Adavan a day with the occasional half dose when I had panic attacks on the ward. When I was released from the hospital, they released me with a prescription for the benzo's. The first day I was okay but couldn't sleep. I didn't sleep at all for the next 5 days and experienced the worst panic attacks I've ever had. On day six I finally fell asleep, for four days. I woke up in the hospital because my friend had been trying to wake me up for 2 days and finally called an ambulance. I decided early in my life not to do drugs (addiction runs in my family) I never thought I'd have to deal with withdrawals like that and my heart goes out to anyone else who suffers through it.
Excellent 👍. I've been on Klonopin 30 years been tapering off . The last 4 years from 5 mgs to 1 5. F-king nightmare of a hellish life. This is not even human
How right you are.
Kitty Kat how are you tapering ? Are you using water , milk or the scale ? You were taking 5mgs ?
@@pattea9601 the same
@@krtkomravec8875 I'm down to 1.5 a day
kitty kat How is it going now?
I have been taking .25 mgs of xanax as needed for over 20 years. Sometimes i take it 3 times a week or 3 times a month. I have never had to increase the dose. This medication saved my life.
How are u on it any withdrawal?
@@genesisj9349 None. Only take as needed like you would an aspirin or Tylenol.
@@donferensic7482 what if u need Xanax everyday to function what should i do i think i build tolerance even if its 0.25mg everyday now i take it i feel nothing much
@@genesisj9349 You will not need it every day. You are functioning now , correct? It is a tool, one of many to get through this.
@@donferensic7482 how exactly do you cope with panic attacks
It depends on the person i guess..my grandfather took ativan at night for stress, he took it for over 55 years(he died at 98) he had no dementia or anything and was as sharp as ever until about a year before he died. He obviously couldnt stop it after all those years but it had helped him for all that time. I dont recommend anyone to do that but just writing this cause we need new benzo like pills with less or no tolerance and easier withdrawal, that would eliminate all anxiety issues for millions of people, mostly the ones who have anxiety so severe they cant function, no matter how much therapy is done.
This is me right here. I did ssris and CB therapy and benzodiazepines were the miracle pill for me
Genetics play a factor
The issue isn't the patient's fault. Had my doctor told me I'd never of taken this drug for 4 years!!! Please make these doctor's know this information if they don't they shouldn't be allowed to prescribe!!!! We have to raise awareness alone and have no medical support! Now I raise awareness here and on other social media. We need to stop this epidemic.
MELISA you stills sm9ke😂
Scary to think when I was 17, I was abusing 25 mg of clonazepam a day but I was lucky and I had my family to support me 6 years clean and never looked back
Same here. 21 years old, was on 40mg of diclazepam a day (equivalent to 20mg of clonazepam/xanax a day). I've been off for 3 months.
How long and how much you tapering each time tks did you take medicine to overcome withdrawals symptoms tks
Wow, best explanation of benzos ever! Thank you
Excellent job explaining the horrific effects off benzodiazepines….. getting of is a nightmare. I’m tapering from 2mg Xanax using Valium …. Blessings to anyone who is trying to get off benzodiazepines.
I use first time Nitrazepam in 1994 and i use it more than 25 years , Since 2019 November I am clean , I dont use and no craving , nothing , Alhamdulillah I blessed by Allah for this thing.
Ma'am I'm taking clonazepam 1mg 4times a day cause without it gives me too much anxiety it feels like I'm addicted or don't know what I'm also on SNRI and anti psychotics I want to get rid of it but I can't and my local doctor is suggesting rehabilitation centre and I'm not ready to go there
Thanks for thoroughly explaining this. I’m a 24 year old diagnosed with ASD and ADHD and my depression and anxiety have been a lot worse this year. Glad to watch videos like these and do research to know what I may or may not take ❤
I was put on these things during covid. No one told me anything, they just said i look anxious and i was imagining the shortness of breath i went to ER for. They gave me two just to "calm down" and sleep. After 3 days, I was back and in pancic attack. Eventually the GP gave me a whole bottle, I would not take it daily and everytime i dont take it, I realised i was in a hot mess. THANK GOD the HOLY SPIRIT pointed out the root of my problems which was the bottle of anti-anxieties i got from the GP. You know what??? I called my employee for 1 month leave and I threw those things away cold turkey. It was the most horrible experience ever, the withdrawal was crazy. I though i was losing my mind but I am here to testify that IT IS POSSIBLE. Thank you Lord JESUS. My life was almost ruined.
I'm going through withdrawal right now. Day 2 Cold Turkey. I can't sleep and my heart is pumping. How did you deal with this? I need some support and motivation.
@@chryst9876it’s been 13 months for me it’s not easy…
Everything you said in this video is so spot on to real life cases. Excellent video, thank you
having a doctor all of the sudden decide that they want you off benzos within 2 weeks should be illegal, they should be trained on how to help somebody taper off such a dangerous medication. I've had to switch doctors 5 times because each one either wanted to keep me on more benzos after my severe episode ended, or they wanted to get me off them the hard way and just load me full of other medications for the symptoms of withdrawals. I did finally find a doctor that let me taper off slowly over the span of 2 months or so and so far its working amazing with VERY minimal symptoms.
The best way to get off IMO is to taper off slowly and just use time and patience.
I was on them too for years, once you are forced to quit taking them you will thank whoever doctor made you come off them, there’s a reason why it’s supposed to only be used for a short period because of the crap you went through, 2 weeks worth of the medication should have been enough to stop.
Your last words make me so comfort, i'm taking 0.5mg daily and i tried several times or years to quit but now i'll try, i can't go to doctor because of this pandemic, thank you doctor
Try using a liquid syringe for your taper.
@@sherry3935 what's a liquid syringe, what's the med name?
Thank you so much. I am starting to see the rebound anxiety and it is scaring me. Thankfully I only take as needed but its been frequent lately due to grief snd ptsd and it’s only been a few days. I’m done. I’m glad I saw this before I allowed it to take over me. The intial feeling is amazing to get rid of anxiety but the rebound which I didn’t know I was having. Not sure bc I suffer from migraines as well. But I’m not taking any chances. Your videos have helped me through some tough nights of worry. Anxiety and grief. I cannot thank you enough. You are a god send ❤️
Most psychiatrist don’t know how to wean someone off of benzodiazepines.
The Ashton Method is a safe and effective protocol for gradually stopping benzodiazepines and most of psychiatrists don't know about it
@@Papeto812001 Thumbs up for this, more people should know. Still dont know why to this day doctors keep prescribing huge amounts of benzos like candy and then expect you to get off them in two weeks after years of use.
@@uhujoguj5279
I was prescribed Xanax 8 mg a day, for 23 years!! Cut off Cold Turkey! I've been in Hell for more than 3 years now. I can't find a Doctor who will prescribe a Benzo, let alone understand that I'm still in Withdrawal !!
My brain is damaged beyond repair. I just want to die.
@@BflyMom_212 thats horrifying, where do you live? im sure there have to be some programs that could help you. if you want to talk about anything, let me know, we can connect via some channel. 8 mg a day for 23 years and you are alive after cold turkey, that is an impressive feat. stay strong please
Tell me about it 🙄😭
nothing made me feel so good like benzodiazepines…. they are sadly highly addictive… I hope they come up with a new medication that makes life so amazing like benzos do. As for tappering off benzos, do go to a hospital. I find it impossible to taper off on your own. I successfully stopped only with the 24/7 hospital help, under a supervision of a doctor (tried to do it on my own in the past and it was impossible).
Klonopin saved my life.....I have been on them for years and no addiction. I think the negativity around benzos is unwarranted. For some, they give you your life back.
Declaring war against a traumatized person isn't healthy for them. I got gi dn radically severe TBI by a paid to serve and protect, after his employers had killed and stolen and maimed my kids cis I was on valium after being brain damaged by my father. 44 years later and doctor number 30 after two weeks intensive care for brain injury, then dumped in a caravan on a remote hill top that I used to bicycle out from no problem, unlike the car junkies. Doctors are paranoid about their reputations and the brain injury from TBI was denied. Six months Total amnesia and I'm getting lectured by people with zero experience in this. Creek water, no electricity, no heating. You too rich to know reality upper class snoots.
That’s what I thought. Then I went off for a week, and my life changed. Been cold turkey for 3 months and still suffering physically
Just wait till you’ve been taking them every day for 10+ years…..
Poison. No question about it. Try coming off. No fun at all. Do your homework before you speak to quickly.
John Newmark Yes at first you will get that relief but then.. I was prescribed these for 26 years. When i slowly tried to come off (4mg Clonazepam a day) i ended up in the ER with severe withdrawal and life threatening symptoms. My Blood Pressure was 220 over 140. See what happened to Jordan Peterson (famous psycologist). If you think that Benzos are your friend, well they won't be for long. They will turn against you. During the withdrawal i had Akathisia and i was twitching. You seem not to know the dangers of these medicines.
You are covering the subject well and thoroughly. Thank you.
I’m trying to taper off and it’s been such a struggle, I’ve quit before for years but right now I’m still at 6-8 mg a day, I just need to get down to .5. I know I have a rough couple weeks ahead but knowing I’ve done it before keeps me motivated.
U ok bro I'm on 15 mg of valium taper I feel your pain
@@alexwashington4701 I was sick for about 5 months but I’m recovering finally, just taking one day at a time and exercising, eating good and going to therapy.
@@Justin-ve9oq proud of you bro!!!! 🙏
@@alexwashington4701 thanks man 🙏
Yep. My doc suddenly stopped prescribing klonopin. The hydroxyzine didn't/does not cut it. I had uncontrollable shaking, off balance gait and a couple of seizures. He didn't care. Got rid of the doctor, but haven't been on benzodiazepines since. Still have anxiety where its hard to leave the house, affects my life with jobs & relationships.
Smh
That's really scary. I'm sorry you went through that.
Hydroxyzine does absolutely nothing
@@DrTraceyMarks Next.....
I also underwent fainitng due to abrupt stoppage of Clonazepaam
@@umaradil707 How many days after using it did you stop taking it?
Thanks, doctor! I was so amazed after taking Klonopin yesterday as it seemed like my tolerable, though still painful and problematic anxiety was finally absent and my life felt like heaven. After just my second day on it, the effect is no longer as wonderful even on a higher dose. Having tasted sanity, I don't want to return to my usual anxiety-ridden self, but I don't want to lose myself chasing the dragon of my tolerance-free first experience. I still don't know what to do, but this video was very helpful.
How are you doing?
This broad is a quack. She hates Xanax but supports Prozac?!
@@andrewcross8244 Xanex is fine @maximum of 20 mg. per 30 days. But I would advise finding another daily activity or herb for real grounding. To me it is the same as having 1 shot oof morphine post surgery. But for daily pain restricting necessary activities find a different way of life. Addiction is not living. For me Accupuncture and changing my thinking patterns helps . This is applicable to and for adults. For babies and youngsters I have no ideas. It breaks my heart to know that life is so hard and unfair .❤
I love you so much, with all your videos you make me feel like I’m not alone. Thank you
This is incredibly informative and super helpful. Thank you for sharing this!
I was a short term benzo user and they have ruined my life! Years of suffering thanks to the doctor who cold turkeyed me because " he didn't want me to become dependent." Thanks to him I have seen hell on earth for years now.
I’m sorry you had that experience. If you’re still having with what you feel or with drawl symptoms, you could look at seeing another doctor for the purpose of being re-started and weaned more slowly.
@@DrTraceyMarks That's crazy advice and very dangerous!! You should never reinstate after a few months off let alone years!!!
@@ccfc4299 Having been addicted to Klonopin for many years I must agree with Dr Marks. I had to get back on this nightmare drug numerous times in order for my body to re-adjust to getting off of it. The withdrawals and mental anguish are unbearable. Unless you've walked this path you simply can't understand. Once OFF, successfully, I never wanted or needed it again. Ten years of freedom!
@@chinookvalley Trust me..I have walked this path and know of it's pure hell! Each time you reinstate you kindle your brain. It is ill advised to jump back on to the medication after a month or so off of it as each time you do it becomes harder to withdraw from and becomes much more insideios... hence the kindling.
The Dr isn’t crazy at all. If you titrate too quickly or cut too much, you need to reinstate and then go so much slower. It’s what I
Had to do and it saved my life.
I'm in my 60's and because of my personal experience with doctors, I find most of them to be idiots who don't listen or understand their patients. However, now that I have found Dr Marks channel (and a few other Naturopathic docs) I am gaining "some" confidence that medicine ain't such a bad thing. I now follow my gut and if a doc isn't meeting my expectations I move on until I am comfortable with my CARE giver. Thanks Dr Marks!
So true
@@michaelakindley9644 omfg,
I'm 60. Valium at 16 thinking it was antibiotics. Stupid doctors!!! They still exist. The power to the people" my daughter stolen off me by idiot supremacy "clean"s painted 4 me... thanks for your post. People power)❤
I have stopped since January 6. I used for only one month 0,25 - 0,50 mgs, but now I feel like I am going crazy and being irritable and upatient. Is it because of my anxiety or because of withdrawal, and how long does it last?
@@ΟρέστηςΜοσχόπουλος stop while you can, the Withdrawals will get worse promise you that.
For me, someone with C-PTSD, ADD, OCD and social/ general anxiety with occasional panic attacks, it’s a lifesaver. Since I started, I’ve been able to live life without constant fear and anxiety. I’ve been on them, with a strict routine, for 7 years. Original dose and I feel no need to increase. So, I feel she left out talking about those who have chemical deficiencies.
Thank you for sharing. How much do you take daily if I may ask?
Trouble is - if you were to stop - you can’t. After 7 years you have a physical dependence.
Ya good luck to you. Meds are never the answer to life’s problems
The rebound anxiety is 3x worst than the anxiety you are dealing with.
I second this harcore
Klonopin brought peace that my mind had wanted for years. I truly wish it didn't have these bad effects from long-term use.
Klonopin can easily be managed. You simply avoid tolerance. Avoid using as much as possible. So you really should use in increments, lowering to ceasing them as you try another medicationz
My GP prescribed diazepam up to 15 mg per day 7 years ago. I didn't for this specifically and trusted the doc. Psychiatrists in my hospital admissions knew this but still push it in hospital for anxiety for hospitalisation.
NOW, the govt is checking doctors and how much they prescribe so its harder to get. Imagine my terror going to a fill in GP because my regular one was on extended leave for most of the year. She had all my files on computer and although i only used it when desperate, I'd not only experienced several long recent traumatic events, Xmas was coming up and i could not afford to be wkthoit it for Dec and Jan because the year before at the same time, i experienced systems relationsgip / family trauma so bad i don't know how i "literally" survived. I KNEW i would be in DANGER with the triggers that would come up even though i was now living alone BUT still with severe mental illness. This doc gives md 14 and says i will never get any more. THAT IS MEDICALLY DANGEROUS to force a high usee of 7 years go cold turkey!!
I have since found a new GP i can trust but further worsened my condition as I'd had the previous GP for 20 yrs and my life's history was still there.
5 months have passed ( not counting hospital admission of 7 wks affter 4 months bedridden 24 / 7 except for GP visits with sheer anxiety paralysis. My 50 pills are almost gone because i had to start using daily again 3 weeks ago when the day adter i left hospital (feeling good and already improving my life to worth living again), i was diagnosed with malignant invasive skin cancer which had to be removed IMMEDIATELY but doctor incompetence saw ME researching and sifting through FIVE docs to find a reputable one who finally removed it 3 days ago and even HIM i can't be 100% has done the right thing. Still have to wait another week to see if biopsies taken of presumably healthy tissue around the edges of the cancer that was cut out do in fact come back saying all is well OR it had joined to nerves and was also present in other organs (which ones unknown) which is a death sentence evsn with aggressive chemo etc
Do you think i might be needing diazepam these total of 4 weeks? And i still only give in and take every 3rd day or so.
I am due to see GP next week and she too won't want to prescribe any more abd tell me to see my psychiatrist to do so. The law says max dispensed at once is 50 pills WITH NO REPEAT scripts like other meds. The psychiatrist is incompetent any way and i only use him as an axis portal into hospital. He only sees us outpatients privateky 1 day a week if needed so waiting to get an appt can take forever and then I'm $250 costs which i can only afford twice a year if I'm lucky. BUT Seeing Dr Marks videos makes me realise i am in real danger and now see how many of my traunas have probably started with being off the diaz for awhile as that was supposed to be good to do to avoud addition. I now think i was AND still am ADDICTED and so much suffering is possibly from withdrawals rather than just GAD.
These docs DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING and DEFINITELY don't know how to wean soneone off altogether if they don't take it regularly!!!
I AM TERRIFIED for my life because i don't have adequate competent medical hekp. At 70, living completely isolated and with incompetent doctors means i truly believe i will not see my next birthday in the New Year but hey! us oldies, especially with 20 years treatment resistent mental illness so NO MEDS work are just collateral damage to make room for next generation. P.S changing docs is not a viable option i won't go into. It's too late now.
Perhaps my way out is that my cancer results are it's spread internally and refusing chemo etc i can dose up on mind numbing benzos and others before i die. At least the pain and suffering of decades will finally nr over as too my having to deal with useless negligent doctors 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
Dr. Marks another excellent, well done, and informative video relevant to practice.
Thank you.
Tolerance and addiction go hand in hand. Yes, they aren't the same thing, but drugs that have high rates of tolerance generally cause addiction.
True,that's the biggest downside to benzos,if it wasn't for that ,they would be great meds
You're so calming. I was well educated on the topic, but I couldn't click off. Awesome video :)
My brother ran out of clonazepam and felt tremendously bad (his doctor rescheduled and he didn't have any pills left). He went to the hospital three or four times to get a shot, and nobody would give him a prescription forcing him to come back the next day... all of this during a pandemic.
I’ve been on klonopin for years.. a cardiologist put me on it for tachycardia unresolved by other meds..every time we try to lower it even by .25mg, I end up in the ER with severe high bp and chest pain. Very dangerous
These should not be given for the public and they should only be used one time one dose for an emergency use for example you are having a massive panic attack that you cant walk and end in the emergency room that's it
But then they wouldn't make money selling drugs that way 😜
@@IamMortui Yeah I know, it all about the money unofourtunalty
I wish my doctor would prescribe more benzos ,they are awesome medication and I like using it from time to time ,sadly he wants me on Lexapro yuck,I am NOT depressed ,I have ANXIETY and the ONLY CURE are BENZOOOOOS
With all due respect Doctor Tracy, I've tried buspar, prosac, escitalopram, paxil ( I always tell my doctors keep me away from that crap ). It's like you mentioned, these medications take 4-6 weeks to work. For one, I work at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital, it's for criminally insane patient's, I under no circumstances have 4-6 weeks to spare for my body to get used to these antidepressants, 2ndly I'm sure you aware but forgot to mention that antidepressants during that 4-6 week period cause more anxiety and sexual side effects in men, buspar also gave me legit panic attacks. That being said I take valium, that is by no means perfect, it causes issues with my memory and like you mentioned your tolerance increases. My problem is that, not a lot of Doctor's listen to or believe there patients. I told my Doctor that I just want a very slow taper, she agreed at 1st but put me on a dose that didn't touch my anxiety at all, while valium does work, it has it's drawbacks.
@John C Yeah man it's crazy, I legit had to pull over b4 that I held up traffic when I pulled over Incried my eyes out. Everyone's different but I find that valium or Librium slow taper works for me, the short-acting benzos are tough to kick do to there short half-lives. There are people that are clean that talk about the problem they have with doctors not listening to them
Your videos are so informative!💯
An excellent explanation of benzo dependence. After 14 years on Alprazolam for sleep, I've spent the last four years trying to taper off, with little success. Two years ago I found a medical professional to help me, but I'm still having trouble because I'm so sensitive to the reductions, no matte how small. A few months ago, he tried switching me to the generic Klonopin, but the side effects were untenable. So I'm back on the Alprazolam, and will start my next taper attempt in about a week. It's taken several months between the Klonopin and the Alprazolam to feel stable and normal again. Eventually I'll make it off, at least that's my hope.
Everyone is different, but in my opinion Klonopin is far more addicting than xanax especially if you only take xanax once a day for sleep. Xanax pretty much only lasts about 8 hours so you're pretty much off of it for the other 16 hours in the day. Klonopin is more subtle but the effects are pretty much there for 24 hours and that's when your body starts to develop a tolerance. They say that the best way to withdraw from benzos is to take valium and slowly taper off of that because of the long half life, but I'm not so sure that's the best strategy either because valium builds up in your system due to it having the longest half life out of the benzos. There's really no easy way to do it, but I guess you can try the Ashton method to slowly taper off with valium. I definitely wouldn't recommend tapering off with Klonopin because it's the most addicting in my opinion and also the most potent. It doesn't seem like it because the effects are more subtle than xanax but that's the dangerous part about the drug. That being said, all of them are dangerous in different ways and the best option is to simply not take them in the first place.
@@afanasibushmanov7463 Thank you for your reply. It makes me glad I stopped the Klonopin before I got to far in with it. The half life of Xanax may be 8 hours our so, but it stays in ones system a bit longer. Once dependency sets it, you HAVE to take the next pill on time. There's little or no choice. When I try to micro taper below the prescribed amount, the worst side effect is that my central nervous system give me body wide shakes. There are other side effects, but that's the one that scares me the most. It's awful. Xanax can make a person addicted in a short period of time, or in my case, dependent,... very dependent. It puts a hold that's hard to get out of, like the other benzos. One day I hope doctors will stop prescribing this stuff, except in extreme cases. I hear there are people who truly need it. I'm no longer one of them. Again, thank you fro replying. Hopefully, someday, we'll all be free.
@@reneec2583 well all of them are addictive so I agree with you on that. I just think some are more addictive than others because they're often used for different purposes. Xanax is often used strictly for panic attacks or phobias and not generalized anxiety so you could probably get away with taking it let's say twice a week without getting addicted. If you're using it every day I think all of them will lead to addiction, but I think klonopin is the worst out of all of them all as far as that. I just think xanax is difficult to taper off of while you are addicted because of the short half life. Like you basically wrote in your response, you experience withdrawal in between doses which is why you need to keep taking it to feel stable. From what I've read, the best way to handle it is to go on a longer lasting benzo like Valium and gradually taper off of that. You probably won't experience withdrawal even if you miss a dose of Valium because of the long half life. The Ashton manual pretty much explains how you can switch from Xanax to an equivalent dose of Valium and then when you're only on Valium you can gradually taper off of it. With xanax a gradual taper is much more difficult because of how short the half life is.
@@afanasibushmanov7463 Thank you for your suggestion to switch to Valium. I'll talk to my PA about it, since this current taper is probably going to fail due to the very short half life. I've tried off and on for two years now without success. Thank you for the encouragement. I will do my best.
@@reneec2583 you can download the full manual online. It's called the Ashton Manual. I suggest you read it and maybe even show it to your doctor as well if you're serious about following it.
Thank you;
Big Hugh to all of you who need support on depression.
One day at the time.
I have been on zoloft, prozac , wellbutrin, lexepro, buspar, remeron, ativan, clonazepam, valium, and xanax....Not all together, different combinations since 1998.... And zoloft has always been the only antidepressant to "work"....That being said....I was LITERALLY hospitalized 2 weeks ago for a severe panic attack.....4th time to ER in 2 years....And I'm getting pretty hopeless that it will ever end.....I don't have insurance....And the only Drs I can see won't write me Benzodiazepines because of these types of reasonings....Like "once the antidepressant starts working " etc..... I'm even rambling as I type this because I'm OVERWHELMED! I have PTSD, Generalized anxiety disorder, Dysthymia depression , panic disorder, and OCD.... All documented, yet I can't get SSI or Medicaid.... And my anxiety is so bad I don't leave the house unless absolutely necessary... I'm 39 years old and if it wasn't for my wife....I honest to GOD have NO idea how I would survive!!!! I don't want benzos because I'm "addicted"....I want them because that's the ONLY thing that gives me slight relief!
I would rather come off heroin 10 times over rather than one benzo withdrawal. The WD is unreal. Most intense hell I've ever been in. Avoid at all costs.
how much were you taking?
I'm looking into it for my anxiety. It sounds perfect for me. I could take it maybe 2x in a month on nights my anxiety starts to peak.
Heroin withdrawal are much stronger than benzos
@@baicamarian Nope
The trick bag of this medication, you bug the doctor for it because its a cure all in the beginning, meanwhile years later its near impossible to get off of. I would never say it should never be taken or used, but it is extremely addicting for anyone unaware they are self medicating. Great video by the way. Very professional, accurate and honest.
Best summation I've heard
As a former xanax addict i found klonopin to be much cheaper (street value) and it gave a better recreational effect, I'm so glad i don't take them anymore they have already caused me so much memory loss and brain damage :|
I believe that. I don't think people really appreciate the affect on memory and thought processing.
@@DrTraceyMarks but I think when u suffer from such severe anxiety it's so hard not to take them , I have debilitating anxiety and panic x
@Valerie from Oregon how are you know?
@@DrTraceyMarks I have bipolar disorder (rapid cycling) and anxiety. I take Klonopin. I've gone from .05mg twice a day, to 1mg 3 a day, now at 2mg twice a day. I've been on it for over a decade. I have nothing else that I can take for my bipolar disorder (very severe side effects to an endless amount of meds) I'm scared, I'm at the point that it's not working as well & my doctor refuses to change the dose. I'm terrified to come off of it as I still have very bad anxiety. I don't know the right thing to do. Do you have any advice? Please & thank you for sharing all your wonderful knowledge. I feel completely hopeless & trapped at this point. I wish I was never diagnosed 😥
@Jack Smithit was prescribed for daily use from the start. It did & does help. I just have no mood stabilizer, no antidepressant, so my moods cycle a lot. The doc is pushing Lithium but I'm terrified of any new med. The last one, Depakote 250 mg lowest dose, one extended release pill, had me in zombie mode, brain fog, dizzy, tired, violently vomiting for 24 hours. I do not & never have abused this med. I take it as prescribed but eventually my system builds a tolerance & I'm stuck between this isn't working as well, you will be on it for life, & my doc not wanting to adjust the dose. It's a little after 1AM where I am & I'm awake as usual even with CBD. I appreciate your question & concern. Currently working with talk therapy and med doc to find the next med to try. Any advice would be very helpful. Hopefully I answered what you were asking.
Weird in 20 years of being prescribed benzos not one time have they talked to me about weening off. These doctors part the prob
I have tried zoloft, trintellix, buspar, seroquel and lyrica. Nothing brings tranquility and peace as a benzo does..
For me seroquel much more stronger than benzos.
True ,because that's what they are designed to do ,to calm you down :)
@Emmanuel Joefield if u take them only 2-3 times per week as needed and not daily ?
Oh God.. I'm doomed...
@Emmanuel ninja been on them 6 yrs it is hell they dont even help with anxiety no more
Sure would have been nice to have this information 12 yrs ago. Was prescribed 30 mg of valium as a muscle relaxant and used for 8 years then tried to stop using medication and began having seizures after 3 days no sleep. Wife took me back to prescribing doctor who witnessed me having 3 to 5 seizures in the space of 15 minutes. I did not even realize I was having seizures. I asked the doctor if he thought I should go into rehab to try and safely get off this medication and was told "oh no you don't need to do that" he then immediately put me on high dose Klonopin and sent me immediately to a Neurologist who also said keep taking Klonopin. I took the Klonopin for 6 months but knew I was in for the worst experience of my life. I went into a rehab center where I almost died from unmanageable withdrawals. That was almost 3 years ago. I still struggle with insomnia and vertigo which may be life long for all I know. To all of you who are just beginning any form of benzodiazepines please stop while you still can. I may be preaching to the choir here as most that see this website may already be tremendously physically dependent. To those that aren't, for God's sake run.........
30mgs ,OMG
Why we dont have Doctors like you ik Denmark 😊 Best advive and video
I have a similar story with gabapentin, which I don't think is technically a benzo but still works on the GABA receptors. The difference is that I was prescribed it 3x a day for anxiety with no plan to get off it, and I soon developed a tolerance and kept increasing the dosage. Eventually I was craving it and had debilitating anxiety even between doses, even though I always took it only as prescribed. Tapering off now though and feeling much better for it.
Gabapentin is voltage gated calcium channel blocker, so it doesn’t work on GABA receptors, I believe that it just indirectly raises GABA
I am on gaba no way is addictive!
This is real good information. For ourselves, and to pass it on. Most people don't realize the risks of "just one pill". Thanks doctor rock star!! 😘
You’re welcome Jaqueline I appreciate you.
when that glass shattered I about jumped straight out of my chair! lol
Thanks for a very informative video, it was really reassuring to watch. I have no intention to use the tablets daily rather keep them near for emergencies (panic attacks). Your presenting style and clear knowledge really helped
This was informative educational & detailed too the point of me loving it. Thank you for your contribution which I've benefited from hearing today! ❤
this stuff is very good and helpful so thanks for sharing
My fiance has been on clonazepam for almost a decade and it's never lost the therapeutic effects. They're a very addictive class of medications but if taken as prescribed. There is no need to increase the dosage.
Same case with me.
I was on 20mg diazepam a night for sleep, never more never less, after 7 yrs I started feeling dizzy and it would only ease up if I could pass wind somehow. I was getting funny feelings in my chest aswell and i kept feeling like I was gonna pass out. Cut along story short I'm sure I hit tolerance withdrawal which is a nightmare as I planned on staying on them for life. Instead i had to ween off them which took me a year and now my original symptom s are heaps better but I'm left with a severely gassy stomach and major pains around my stomach. I believe I ve got vagus nerve damage and I'm waiting for it to heal. From what I ve read it's called benzo belly and can last for years.
As much as I loved my diazepam induced sleep they ve messed my body up big time. I ve got a new doctor who sucks and says I can only take promethazine (antihistamine) for sleep. I'm kinda glad that I'm off them, but I preferred life on them, mixed feelings I guess. They never lost their therapeutic mental effects for me either but the side effects felt dangerous.
Its currently 7 weeks since I last took one.
Tolerance buildup is why!
Just don't take them everyday but use them as-needed. I recommend taking a beta blocker instead which will slow down your sympathetic nervous system (adrenaline, heart rate, etc) with ensuing calming effects. Beta blockers are also great for sleep.
Addiction is not the same as dependency. You can take benzos as prescribed and build a dependency on them. Again, dependency does not = addiction.
Some patients have a physiological need for Benzodiazipines, and immediately respond to them. This is particularly helpful for patients without the risk factors for abuse or dependence, and for short aciting Benzodiazipines to treat serious primary Insomnia refractory to other primary treatments and caffeine cessation.
I'm in withdrawal right now. It's horrible. I used benzos almost daily for ten years. Im now around two weeks without it and it feels like hell. My head feels like It's going to implode.
Hope you're "better" it is hell on earth. I start again tomorrow coming off clonazapam using Aston method (valium). I have to or I'll die or want to. Hear of that method?
If all you got was headache. I know it's not just a headache too...consider yourself very lucky..hope u ok
Your hair is stunning 🥰 thank you Dr for another informative vid xx
Your profile name is 🔥
It is a lie that mental sharpness decreases with daily usage. Associated with seems awfully circumstantial. My focus always increases when I take my daily dosage.
What I am realizing is that it is a physiological dependence that is intense.
Wow I could listen to you all day, I wish you could be my doctor ❤️
My girlfriend was prescribed 1mg xanax when her father died 4 months ago, with the direction to take it 3 times daily as needed(in the understanding that it was really not to be taken that much by her) she never took more than 1-1.5mg a day, normally taking it at night before bed. Last week i took her to the ER when she collapsed getting out of the shower in the early afternoon. thankfully I was right there and lowered her to the ground and she was twitching. At the ER She had a massive seizure, so they pumped her full of Benzos and admitted her to the hospital. The entire 4 days she was in there she was having trouble speaking and having more and more seizures. They would give her Benzos in her IV and made her take the full 3mg a day. (as well as every other medication she had stopped taking over the year) When they discharged her they said she was faking it.. She was sure that it was side effects of the meds, and went off everything cold turkey. Over the last few days her seizers have continued along with EVERY other side effect of xanax withdrawal. After 4 days I realized that these "attacks" would happen when she would normally be taking her meds before bed. Looked it up and got her to take a .5mg and she improved right away... now working on tapering her off. How did no one spot this at the hospital?
I've been off Klonapin for one year now. I'm 39 years old and been a user for more than 20 years, taking 8 mg per day(average). I decided to put end on this horrible addiction and looked for help. The psychiatrist prescribed three more diferent medications so i could take the withdraw symptoms lighter. That was it, wasnt going to take any more medication, so i decided and went could turkey. Was the worst week of my life, anixety, nausea, insomnia, muscle spasm... after the 8th day, i strated to exercise, running and lifting weights to calm down and burn some of the energy(I never worked out in my life) so i could sleep, and it worked. Also my anxiety got better ( still there thou).I switch the medication for a healthy routine of running / lifting weights and it worked for me, it did. It's tough, painfull, but it can be done.
*sorry for the writing mistakes, i'm from Brasil and it's been a long time since I last wrote in English.
Your english is well. So why do they say people get seizures when they stop but when I hear people stories its just withdraws of shaking, anxiety higher etc? So seizures actually occur or that's for certain people who takes it more then once a day?
@@theasshole7383 From what I read, seizures can do happen on long term users. I had almost all the withdraw symphtons, but I did not had any seizures. What still make me uncomfortable is the "Perceptual Changes" (another withdraw sympton). One year off and I still feel like everything is different , that i'm different (hard to discribe). Besides that, everything is great and i'm doing fine and healthy.
My mother has been on Ativan for over 30 years.
Thanks very mucho for your professional good advice Dr. Tracey!
You are so special & super talented! Thanks for sharing your gift explaining so well. I wish you peace and big blessings ❤
I developed panic attacks when I finished college in 2014. Benzos are a nightmare. Withdrawal caused me to have a grand mal seizure on Easter Sunday of this year.
Daniii Akasha I am recovering from 1 year of heavy diazepam use , can you advise if heart palpitations and we’re common for you?
Chris Barden i think its fairly common. Hope you are better.
@@marouu_x anxiety can worsen some time after stopping ,but it will pass
@@tyrel510 lol 😂😹