# diazepam removed brain fog/head pressure for 10 days and then?



## hopefuluk2 (Aug 20, 2015)

I used diazepam again for 14 days/5 mg a day and it cleared the brain fog and the head pressure completely. I saw the light for a week! It was amazing. However, once stopped, the problems came back more severely! Valium is known to be depressive too. So, I felt very down for a week. Is not there any medication outside the benzodiazepine group that works as quickly and as effectively as diazepam ?


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

Clonazepam seems to be more suitable for long-term usage, which may be required if you want your problems to be gone for good.

Alternatives might be medications which increase GABA in the brain rather than agonizing the receptor like benzodiazepines. Many anticonvulsives do this.


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## hopefuluk2 (Aug 20, 2015)

TDX said:


> "Alternatives might be medications which increase GABA in the brain rather than agonizing the receptor like benzodiazepines"


Thanks! Can you name a few of these medications that increase GABA in the brain please? Cheers!


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

Carbamazepine, Lyrica (I am not sure), Nardil, Lamotrigine, Topiramate and Tiagabine come to my mind (order does not mean preference), but there are several others.


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## Ningen (Apr 16, 2015)

Did you have the blank mind hopefuluk2?


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## hopefuluk2 (Aug 20, 2015)

After or during the treatment? I have heavy head starts with a cloud in the morning and develop to become like a thick pressure at night? anyone can relate?


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## Ningen (Apr 16, 2015)

Before the treatment...


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2015)

TDX said:


> Carbamazepine, Lyrica (I am not sure), Nardil, Lamotrigine, Topiramate and Tiagabine come to my mind (order does not mean preference), but there are several others.


Neurontin (Gabapentin)


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2015)

hopefuluk2 said:


> I used diazepam again for 14 days/5 mg a day and it cleared the brain fog and the head pressure completely. I saw the light for a week! It was amazing. However, once stopped, the problems came back more severely! Valium is known to be depressive too. So, I felt very down for a week. Is not there any medication outside the benzodiazepine group that works as quickly and as effectively as diazepam ?


Coming from 8 years of personal experience on Klonopin, I highly advise to not take these long term, they all have a plateau effect and you could end up being more anxious then you are right now. These drugs are meant as a PRN, completely as needed.

There are other medications made for long term use that are more suitable. Granted these benzos work great at first, but the price to pay once you hit that plateau is far too high.


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## hopefuluk2 (Aug 20, 2015)

Jeff said:


> There are other medications made for long term use that are more suitable.


Thanks for your answer. I totally agree with you but what are these medications for long term use?


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

As far as I know on this forum are some people (Dreamer, comfortably numb) who use Clonazepam long-term to improve their depersonalization. But one should definetely think twice before using it long-term, because you won't get away from it easily.

At my stay in the psychiatric clinic I met a patient who quit Lorazepam. He wasn't able to sleep for 10 days.


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## Guest (Sep 4, 2015)

Dreamer has been using klonopin 6mg for a long time, for her it has worked, comfortably numb hasn't been heard from, at least by me, since 2007ish. It did help me for many years but the dosage always needs an increase if not balanced properly.

I'm not excited to come off but I know it's what needs to happen, there's no point being on a medicine that doesn't work.


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## luctor et emergo (May 22, 2015)

I'll keep it short. 7 years of Klonopin use. The first months of use I felt a relief from anxiety.

After a few months tolerance kicks in, and as needed becomes 2 or 3 times a day.

Klonopin numbs your emotions, so your initial anhedonia from dpd becomes even worse.

After less than a year you are addicted, which becomes painfully apparent when you miss a few doses,

because within 24 hours withdrawal symptons start to kick in.

No sleep, flu-like symptons, tremors et cetera. That's the point when Klonopin literally becomes a life safer...

At this point you whole system has adapted itself to Klonopin while dpd becomes more intense again and panic attacks return.

By that stage you have 2 options, up your dose or quit. When choosing the second option you are in for a least 6 months of hell.

edit: I survived the hell and quitting Klonopin was the best decision I ever made!


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> Klonopin numbs your emotions, so your initial anhedonia from dpd becomes even worse.


That's not generally true, but if it's doing such a thing I would throw it away.

If anxiety is a problem I would try other things first, like antidepressants, antipsychotics or mood stabilizers.


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## hd83 (Jan 10, 2006)

Just thought I'd share my experience with Klonopin/clonazepam as I've been on it for almost 10 years now. I've never had to increase my dose (1mg/day) over the past 10 years, and it still works the same as it did as when I first started taking it. It hasn't gotten rid of DP/DR, but took away my anxiety so I can live a normal, productive life. No side effects from it either.

Still working on the DP/DR. Clomipramine made a huge difference (almost back to normal again) for a few days but then stopped working. Naltrexone has helped lessen the symptoms to make it more manageable, but not a cure.

Thinking of trying EMDR therapy next along with either Concerta or Ritalin (have read some success stories with stimulants, even though Adderall did nothing for me - more like a sugar pill) or maybe trying Clomipramine again. My last resort will be MAOI'S because of the restrictive diet and I don't want to gain weight.

Also taking NCA or NAC (can't remember the correct order of the letters) supplement. My doctor suggested giving it a try, so I thought I might as well give it a shot.

Hope this helps someone!


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## Guest (Sep 13, 2015)

Stories like the above are awesome, I'm really glad it's still working for you. Unfortunately though you are a lucky case, I wish like hell 1mg kept working for me!


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> Also taking NCA or NAC (can't remember the correct order of the letters) supplement. My doctor suggested giving it a try, so I thought I might as well give it a shot.


Which dosage do you take? As fas as I know you need to take a high dosage if you want an effect.

Did you try Lamotrigine?


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## hd83 (Jan 10, 2006)

I take 1200 MG per day (2 600mg pills); I've been taking it for about 2 weeks now. Sometimes I forget to take it, but it's too early to tell if it'll be helpful.

I tried Lamotrigine years ago and it didn't do anything for me. No bad effects, just no improvement with DP/DR. I took it in conjunction with Effexor and Clonazepam at the time.


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> I take 1200 MG per day (2 600mg pills); I've been taking it for about 2 weeks now. Sometimes I forget to take it, but it's too early to tell if it'll be helpful.


In several clinical trials they used higher doses:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3044191/

Anyway, good luck.


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