Weaning off Anti-anxiety Meds

The reason there is not a "clear answer" is due to the nature of benzodiazepine drugs. They can become physically addictive in a short span of time (as little as 4 weeks), where you actually need the drug in order to feel "normal".

It may seem like OnePerfectOne may have gone a bit overboard with her original response, however, you are asking for medical advice online, from people who are not medical professionals. Because of that, it is in our & your best interest for answers to err on the side of caution.

For people who do have a physcial addiction to the drug, and especially those who have been on it long-term, bezodiazepine withdrawal can have serious side effects, including seizures.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine_withdrawal_sy...

That being said, given the short time span you have been on the medication, and the low dose that you are taking, chances are you will have mild side effects, such as headache or nausea. Some people are very sensitive to the drug, and as it leaves the system, have side effects, and thus need to taper their dosage very slowly.

(I know a pharmacist who took an antidepressant that needed to actually open the capsules & take part of the powder contained for a couple of weeks. I took the same medication & stopped cold turkey (by accident) with no symptoms.)

It may seem confusing, but the advice you have been given by the pharmacists & your nurse is sound, and appropriate for your situation. You can stop taking it, or you can taper the dosage. Tapering can be done either by breaking the pill into a smaller dose (you may need a pill splicer to do this, available @ the pharmacy) or by taking the dose every other day, every 2 days, etc. It will be based on how -you- feel.

Here are a couple of helpful articles regarding this classification of drug, how to wean off, & what to expect.
http://www.choosehelp.com/topics/detox/sedative-anti-conv...
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/stopping-benzodiazepines-...

My personal advice - if you did not have significant issues from reducing your dose by 1/2 the past 2 days, then you likely will not have a problem weaning off the medication. Try skipping your dose tomorrow, chances are you will feel fine. You can then decide to skip it the next day as well, or take a dose if you do not feel "right", & do an every-other-day dose for 2-3 pills. If you have anything more significant than a headache, anxiety or nausea, contact your doctor & pharmacist.

Having been on anti-anxiety & anti-depression in the past, I know that all the information & seemingly contradictory information can be frustrating. Take a deep breath & try not to stress out over all the "what-ifs". T. =-)

There is not a clear answer because #1 everybody handles medication differently. Your Dr's office is not going to tell you that you will definitely not have any issues stopping the medication and they are 100% positive of that. As soon as they start making statements like that someone will have a side effect and Sue their office.

A pharmacist is going to also ere on the side of caution for the same reason - they don't want to be sued.

From your post it sounds like the majority of your responses have been that you are fine to stop taking the medication. You may have some slight side effects but you will be fine.

If there was ANY chance that you were going to "die" the qualified people that you have been asking would have told you that. I think the response below making that comment is being a little overly dramatic since she has no idea, in any way, as to what your personal situation is. Common sense says that if it is a "take as needed prescription" and your Dr. did not give you serious warnings about weaning off the medication then you are NOT going to die.

Trust the professionals that you have talked to, and if you are ready, then stop taking the medication.

Good luck.

I suggest you specifically speak to a pharmacist. They are the only professionals I trust when it comes to medication. Docs sometimes only know what they've been told my med reps that want to sell the med to them.

I'd say you're taking such a little dose that you could stop taking it all together.

A PRN med is something you take when you feel the need. If you felt the need to take it several times per day or even one to two times per day then you needed a daily dose of something for anxiety, not a PRN med.

A PRN med is something you might still have in the bottle a year later having only taken one or two. PRN means as needed not regularly.

Anxiety is one of those tricky things we sometimes have. I knew as long as I had that med in my purse I could make it through the anxiety attack. I had it as a backup if I couldn't deal. So I never "had" to take one. I still had the whole prescription a year later. I didn't have to take a single one. Because I knew if I couldn't manage my body it was there. SO I succeeded.

Truly, if you are not at a level where you can do a PRN med then you need to be on an anxiety med that can be taken every single day for extended lengths of time. Please see your doc. If you are having anxiety this severe you need to take more meds and stay on them for a year or so while you work through the issues that are the root cause of your anxiety. It will heal you then you can get off all meds and feel whole again. I promise it happened for me. When I finally decided to take meds to help me cope and make it through therapy with the deep issues I was working on I got to the root, the core reason's I started having panic attacks/anxiety attacks. I am better now. I don't take any meds and I am better. I do avoid some situations because I know they made me uncomfortable before and the anxiety issues had nothing to do with them. So I learned to do things I want to do and to say no, but thank you for asking, when I didn't want to do something.

I think it's' very low so you don't need to worry. Especially if it's only been 3 weeks total. But if it makes you feel better and gives you less anxiety to wean slower, then do the every two days for 6 days, then take one more after 3 days only if you feel you need it. Then you should be good to go.

When I went off, I tapered off in two days, and ran 5 miles/day for a week. That put my mood back to normal.

I won't take those again. They just about made me suicidal. But it's only been three weeks for you, so you will be fine. Work out if you feel anxious.

You won't die. It's only been three weeks and it's a low dose.

Keep trying to get a hold of your doctor so you get the proper information from someone who is familiar with you and your case history.
None of us here can advise you.