Alright, so I have been weaning off this “medication” for over 250 days. I am at…around 1.75mg out of 4mg. Been about 13 days on the 1.75mg. I just tapered lower and lower by about 0.25mg every month or so, sometimes sooner then that
But now I have run into a problem. I am always tired. One would think that, being on a lower dosage of this med, that I would have bundles and bundles of energy
But no, I constantly feel exhausted. I think it’s because I have been on this drug, for so long (about 12 years), that my brain being lifted out of its constantly zonked state, to now, it becomes fatigued very quickly
Working out just seems to make me more tired, and then I can’t really do much of anything for a few days
Anyone else experience this? I mean my brain feels more alert, more alive, but I am guessing since it isn’t blunted as much, it is trying to return to a normal brain state and it becomes exhausted more quickly due to more stimuli it needs to respond to.
I really would like to find some way to have more energy. I don’t know what would work.
Benzodiazepines are likely to be most effective if you take them as a one-off dose. They can also be effective as a short-term treatment for a few weeks. Doctors will usually advise that you should: avoid taking them every day . It was very easy for me to abuse benzos so i tried to follow doctors orders and it was just something that i had to go cold turkey on. I didnt want to deal with just feeling like a zombie constanly and dont see the benefits for me to stay on the Rx. Took a while to get from that burned out feeling but ive got some energy now and doesn’t feel like im just layed up all the time.
Was on a few different ones at times and just didnt like the fact that i quickly came to abuse them so had to cut them out, always seem to get another recommendation for something else. Got tired of feeling like an experiment trying to find something that was going to fix me. They were good when they worked till i needed more then i knew i had another problem. Hope you find what helps for you and can get your bearings back.
I’ve had a pretty weird psychiatrist that had me on them forever, sadly. I also don’t have good healthcare at all, so it costs me about $200 to see my psych, all out of pocket.
I just want to have energy, but also be free from severe anxiety attacks and intrusive thoughts I have had from ptsd. I’m not sure how to get my brain back on being wakeful during the entire day. Feels like chronic fatigue
I’m glad to be taking less than 1 wafer a day but I need to figure out a way to have more energy.
I take nootropic supplements to help my brain, along with vitamin B complex, fish oil, and vitamin E. I feel like my brain is just completely fried to be able to handle normal life.
I don’t know. I know I messed up by being prescribed this for so long, but I just want to not be on them anymore…or if I do, to be on a very low dosage.
I see you have tried some over the counter supplements. Vitamin b12 is helpful with energy.
Have you been checked for anemia? Low iron can make you feel tired all the time also. It may not be related to coming off of the benzo.
I’ve heard breathe work is amazing for anxiety and I’ve been working on that myself.
Some supplements might help, like @Runningfree is suggesting. Also I am curious as to what benzo exactly you are trying to stop using. Over here (I’m a Dutch mental health RN) the national guideline says always to switch from the benzo you use to diazepam, because diazepam has the longest half life time of benzos. The benzo with the longest half life time should give the least of withdrawal and rebound effects when lowering the dose.
You can convert the amount of the benzo you use to the amount of diazepam that’s equivalent in potency following a table that’s in the guideline. And then tapering of the diazepam following another table.
If you’re already on diazepam this post adds nothing to your quest and I am sorry for wasting your time. If you’re not and you’re interested, I can provide you with the tables for converting to and tapering off the use of diazepam.