panic attacks=addiction

Eleven years ago, my wife bless her heart was suffering from panic attacks after we lost our business. After I obtained a new job and was covered by insurance, she went to the Doctor to see about what could be done about her panic attacks and bouts of vertigo. The Doctor put her on Valium and things seemed to calm down for a long time. We never discussed with the Doctor what would be the withdrawal effects from the drug. Now, eleven years later, her Doctor moved away that she had been having her prescription filled by besides handling her other medical problems. My wife is also hypoglycemic as well. When she went to find another Doctor, no one would take her around here because she was on an controlled substance. We didn't know it was on the list from the DEA as being a control substance. Suddenly, she found herself being weened off it but not through what they prescribed as a step down program prescribed by a doctor. Instead she found herself doing one after being warned not go cold turkey but step down. When she looked up the withdrawal effects of Valium, she panicked again. Seizures and other things! So she had enough pills to began a step down program on her own. She had been on 6 milligrams three times a day and dropped down to 4 milligrams per day for nine days then to 2 milligrams per day. That was when all hell broke loose, her vertigo went crazy making her unable to walk and had to be carried to the bathroom. She has not found a happy medium yet after two weeks on 2 milligrams. I have no idea what is going to happen when she drops to 1 milligram per day. One minute she is berating the doctor's for forcing her off the crap. The next she is upset at being given this stuff to start with. I just help her all I can being her legs for her and hope each day she gets a little better so she won't wind up losing her ability to walk or stand when she is finally off this crap. So if the doctor wants to put you on Valium, find another alternative. It is hell for the patient and those around her trying to help her through all this! Talk back, I'm Listening