If you don’t mind me asking, why does your doc have you on an SSRI if you’ve been diagnosed as having bipolar disorder (SSRIs can induce manic episodes in persons with bipolar disorder). If he wants to treat both mania and depression, why not Ability, an antipsychotic that allegedly treats the depressive features of bipolar disorder?

Is you doctor a psychiatrist or a GP? I only ask because a dual diagnosis of AD/HD and bipolar disorder, while not unprecedented, may not be the most parsimonious diagnosis. Have you seen a specialist? Perhaps a doctoral-level clinical psychologist who could give you a more parsimonious diagnosis, and then make appropriate med recommendations to your doc- or you could find a new doc.

If you have AD/HD, are you on any type of medication for this disorder? I ask because, other than atomoxetine (Strattera) and a handful of tricyclics and one anti-hypertensive (clonidine), AD/HD is treated with stimulants (amphetamine salts or methylphenidate). If you’re anxious, stimulants can make you even more anxious.

Well said Dr. F,
I was a year younger than you when I started taking benzo's regularly....and was 28 when I stopped. I am not going to blab on about it, but it was not an easy endevour to say the very least.

Additionally, Prozac is notorious for causing anxiety in patients with depression, regardless of whether or not they are prone to anxiety to begin with. It is one of the most stimulating SSRI's out there, and also has the longest first past metabolism, meaning that if you decided to cease taking it, it will take a full six weeks to get out of your system, were as with most SSRI's you are pretty much free and clear after two weeks of cessation.

If you do stop Seroquel, I would do it gradually.

[quote=jehza1]Well said Dr. F,
I was a year younger than you when I started taking benzo's regularly....and was 28 when I stopped. I am not going to blab on about it, but it was not an easy endevour to say the very least.

Additionally, Prozac is notorious for causing anxiety in patients with depression, regardless of whether or not they are prone to anxiety to begin with. It is one of the most stimulating SSRI's out there, and also has the longest first past metabolism, meaning that if you decided to cease taking it, it will take a full six weeks to get out of your system, were as with most SSRI's you are pretty much free and clear after two weeks of cessation.

do you feel better after withdrawing than before starting the benzos?

this is my sixth ssri. the doc goes apeshit over the 20 cure ssri's. i have 8th appointment with him in a month, and i am going to figure out a subtle way of giving him an ultimatum of "listen" or im getting a new doctor.

he did prescribe me klonopin for about two months but my parents told him that i was abusing the .5 mg pills, which is odd since i didnt experience any dry days between refills.

do you feel better after withdrawing than before starting the benzos?

however i love taking high doses of adderall or ritalin when i am trying put down a track.

im about to get into my third round of considerable benzo use-- all in one year. im 20 right now and i enjoy benzos immensely to help me be able to live life enjoyably. im finally caving in and ordered a couple months supply of xanax and klonopin.

i've been extremely anxious, paranoid,and riddled with a large amount of various phsyical pains related to the bad anxiety for the past three months.
(some of it might be due the discontinuation of 3 months of klonopin use, but i feel worse today as i am typing this than i felt any time before now).

so basically i've just decided that i am going to take up all the benzos have to offer. more than likely at some point i am going to find myself in an acutely compromised situation due to addiction. however, right now i am willing to deal with whatever problems come when i do decide to taper.

so...i am diagnosed with add and bipolar, but i am about to quit the seroquel. my doctor is one daffy quack. i am also on 20 mg prozac, which i don't really need for depression...and it does nothing for my anxiety. so i am thinking that the prozac might prevent some of the depression that occurs in benzo users due to the reduction of serotonin?
any thoughts on that particular effect?

also, would it be best to hold off on valium and only use it in the tapering process?

i'm floored -- you're so young to be taking ads -- feel i am missing something. actually, the only thing i can understand at your age, is "wanting to get lit" -- but i guess i don't understand getting lit on benzos...amd prozac can put you on the ceiling. i am from a different generation and only started trying ssri's when tragedy after tragedy did me in. i would never take any ever and i don't see how anyone here can guide you right now. 20 is too young and wish you were enjoying it -- i am so sorry you're not.

think this is too personal for you to say what has happened in your life to be where you apparently are. i have nothing to help you -- but i sure wish your parent's did. what can i say, i still love rock concerts and my kid is 25 and is happy -- and he is a f'ing dwarf -- so i don't know what your parent's did or didn't do as they did something to put you here.

the television was flooded with talk show participants rambling on about their Ambien addiction and news reports warning about its dangers. This is not to say that none of this existed prior to the generic coming out, as there were reports about sleep walking; however, it was more salient and permeated the news waves once it was no longer a branded med.
I suspect the same will happen with eszopiclone.

So the manufacturers of eszopiclone say that? God help the patients of any doctor that believes it, and zopiclone addiction has been observed not infrequently in the UK. I would have thought it also leaves them open to being sued; perhaps they make so much money they can afford it?

It's amazing how long tolerance can last for even after the drug is discontinued; you're not the only person to experience this. You can probably lose the tolerance, but who knows how long it will take? One thing is almost certain though: it will come back very quickly indeed.