Symptoms: Akathisia, brain zaps, sexual dysfunction, cognitive impairment, insomnia, depersonalization/derealization, suicidal ideation, tinnitus, neuropathy, severe anxiety/panic, muscle/joint pain, anhedonia, dyskinesia, GI disturbances
Around the year 2001, after two serious accidents left me with severe chronic pain and permanent neuropathy. Along with terrible muscle spasms doctors put me on 30 mg Valium daily. It was fantastic, it cured my pain & muscle spasms too. Until 2016 my doctors told me the cdc had added a black box warning to Valium, and they could no longer prescribe. I was taken off cold turkey, basically with no taper. I had multiple seizures, the first week, then for the next 4 years I was homebound. I was in out of hospitals for all the symptoms I checked, my average heart rated was 190 to 200 from the tachycardia. The brainzaps, tinnitus and tachycardia was horrible. As the years went by I was in and out of hospitals and was even mis-diagnosed with Parkinson’s, clinical depression, heart disease etc. My marriage of 23 years ended, I lost my business and was in the psychiatric ward three different times. Still nine years later I have tinnitus, akathisia, and light & noise sensitivity. Not once did anyone warn me of stopping this medication, not once did someone tell me it was for short term use only. I was basically abandoned by my doctor, my spouse and even attempted suicide.