smalltowngirl

Benzos to help keep my anxiety at bay during the day at work, and binging on alcohol at night (ranging from 4-12 beers a night). I'm a 27 year old, thin (dunno how) female.

Lately I've been noticing (doing this cocktail) very agoraphobic symptoms, even on the benzos (klonopin). I get very panicky in social situations, and sometimes tremors.

At this point, I'm afraid. It's so hard to quit the alcohol because it is just an escape.... but, combined with the klonopin (I've been taking daily for a year).... my mind is a fog, clouded mess... and I still have anxiety. On a day off work I could polish off almost a case of beer.

My mom is an alcoholic, it's in my genes. I live with my parents, and have so many stresses, I don't know what to do. Do I need hospitalization? I know I need help. Lately I've been hypoglycemic (normally the days after drinking), and my menstrual cycles are far from normal.

FeenixxRising

You should probably talk with your doctor. Do you want to quite drinking and stop taking the benzos? Have you tried an anti-depressant for the anxiety? Paxil and some of the other SSRI anti-depressants help with social anxiety.

BridgetteBlue

Oh my dear you have let the world consume your happiness and it shoud be the other way around. I can only suggest that you see your physician, psychologist or a therapist and be flat out brutally honest, not just about what you are using but the reasons you are escaping.

If you do not address the issue of why you have to numb yourself from life then you can't make the steps forward that you will need to be happy in your life.

wolfpackfan45

Smalltowngirl, my son has anxiety disorder with panic attacks. when he got sober the Dr. put him on an antidepressant (SSRI) and he saw a therapist. 9 months without alcohol now and he rarely has problems with anxiety now. They gave him Klonopin when he was detoxing and he took it for 2 weeks and then quit. His therapist told him not to really on the benzos for the anxiety. He had tremors in his hands too, but that's actually from the alcohol dependancewhen he was detoxing. Please see a Dr. and tell him everything. Ask him for a referral to a good therapist to help you with the anxiety. The Dr. can help you with the alcohol/benzo withdrawal. Don't try to do it alone. Alcohol is a depressant. It actually makes the anxiety worse.

BullDog777

Klonopin is a hard drug to kick. it darn near did me in. it all depends on your doseage. i was on between 1-3 mg a night. I can tell you i'm 6'5 and run about 250 and i'm athletic. your description sounds like a night out of my life 4 years ago and i barely made it.

you need to taper off of the klonopin or switch to a less dangerous benzo. mixing is ALWAYS dangerous. if you can afford a hospital, HELL yeah. go.

at the very least, taper the k, and lighten the booze load. you're walking a very dangerous road. here, you really do need a doctor.

I detoxed booze an K at the same time and i had seizures and hallucinations along with half a dozen other symptoms.

your best bet...go to the ER. benzo withdrawal WITH alcohol withdrawal is more times than not, a receipe for disaster.

I've been through it. i don't know how i survived.

Mountainmanbob

pinktee18

I was popping ambien and alcohol like it was candy get in touch with your doctor asap because alcohol and benzos is playing russian roulette with your life my friend.

socallednormal

Yep, sounds like the long-term effects of Klonopin.

Yep, definitely sounds like Klonopin.

You should print out your post as-is, and take it to the doctor that is managing your Klonopin.

artsoul

You definitely need a supervised detox, whether you go the hospital route or do an inpatient detox at a rehab center.

The state of Pennsylvania has a list of resources/rehab centers and numbers you can call:
Need Help Now?

Also, you might want to ask them about the Employment Protection Act, which allows people to take time medical time off without jeopardizing their job. Just don't put this off. It's scary, I know, but you're dealing with a dangerous combo. With help, you can get through this and come out on the other side. Let us know how you're doing, OK?

john44

I took Xanax, as prescribed, for over 4 years. As I look back, this is also the time I started drinking alcoholically. The downward spiral was fast and horrifying. I went to rehab, suffered terrible withdrawals but haven't touched Xanax since. I have relapsed on alcohol a few times but finally found sobriety and am working a program.

I believe benzos can be very useful. IF taken as prescribed for a short period of time...say a week or two. Long-term, they cause rebound anxiety, addiction and, I believe, facilitate alcoholism. I've heard too many similar stories to believe this is coincidental.

Please seek medical help. this combination can be deadly.

smalltowngirl

Thank you all for your responses. I do feel like I'm gonna have to go inpatient detox, lately my anxiety and tremors have been so bad I can't even go to a dr. appointment without getting a full blown anxiety attack (ON klonopin).

I'm thinking of taking the plunge and admitting myself to the ER next week when I have 3 days off work. I'll go in after work and hopefully be discharged in time to go back.

It's just uncontrollable now.

smalltowngirl

I really don't know how it got this bad. It just seemed gradual then an unexpected deep plunge. It seemed not that long ago I was thinking "who drinks in the mornings???" to now having beers just to keep the withdrawal away. This isn't living, it's merely just surviving.

BridgetteBlue

This is how it happens when your body finally says enough. I had mixed Benzos and alcohol and they turned me into a mess. It had to be one or the other but not both. I ended up quitting for a while on benzos but when I stopped them I eventually ended back at drinking. I went from a 3-4 drinks a night person to carrying a 6oz Tupperware container of booze to work with me to mix drinks to get me through the day. In the end I was sick if I drank and sick if I didn't. what a horrible viscous cycle. I have had to accept that physically my body had turned in regards to alcohol. Good luck to you it's tough but it can be done.