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Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

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Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#51

Post by mnm1 »

stryk wrote: post #48
mnm1 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have a source for this "common knowledge"? I've seen plenty of people on methadone do just fine with benzos, especially if they take prescribed doses. I'm not so sure this isn't some bullshit pushed by doctors without evidence so that they have an excuse to stop treating their patients and leave them without benzos in a state where they are forced to either go to the black market or potentially withdraw and di…

I mean I cannot link you to a direct source, it was just something everyone knew, ya know 'common knowledge'. This was on both coasts as well as the midwest. And it was explained to me at 3 different clinics in 3 different areas of the country that it was really about #1) liability -- particularly at clinics that accepted insurance for payment but not exclusively, there were cash-only ones with the same rule: No Benz…

Taking patients off benzos without properly tapering them off can lead to death. Some clinics are putting their own liability worries ahead of patients' well-being and risking patients lives in the process. It's not every place, but the places that do this clearly do not have the patients' best interests in mind. It's hard not to think that it's because they are dealing with addicts that they even consider such actions. The way addicts are treated at some clinics is simply unbelievable. They are lied to, disrespected, and ignored. That's bad enough but putting their lives in danger based on something that's allegedly common knowledge but hasn't even been studied is beyond preposterous. However as you say, they are raking in the dough so what do they care. It's not everywhere, but it's like that at a lot of clinics.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#52

Post by antvei »

jnovek wrote: post #31
maddyboo wrote: post #25

I have battled with severe anxiety and panic disorders for years. At my worst, I was often unable to get out of bed for days at a time due to fear of having a panic attack outside the safety of my home. Taking an SSRI has helped a lot, but there are times where I can feel a panic attack coming and know the only way to stop it is with a Xanax. I regard benzodiazepines with a lot of respect. Their power is a blessing a…

I'm similar -- thankfully, when I panic I can frequently get through it without taking a benzo, but I do have clonazepam on hand for the situations where it might be very useful. There are times where I would've likely made poor decisions during an acute panic attack that was aborted quickly by benzos. The ability to say "stop now" -- hell, even the security of know there's a way to say "stop now" -- is important to…

I was like you and started keeping a clonazepam with me for situations where I might need it. Turned out to be the worst decision of my life. Pretty soon I was always carrying the pill with me. I felt safe having the pill with me even though I never used it. Pretty soon I couldn't go anywhere without the pill. In fact, my anxiety increased even more because I now had to make sure the pill was always with me. Activities such as white water rafting become impossible because the pill might get wet and dissolve.

My advice, be careful. For ten years I kept a pill with me and was limited on what I thought I could do. I finally got help and have been pill free for around 6 months now. Everyday is a exposure but man it feels great not having to worry about that dang pill. And once you learn to deal with anxiety, you will never feel better.

ps. You are not coping with anxiety.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#53

Post by taurath »

jnovek wrote: post #24
spamizbad wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For benzos: There really is no drug alternative to benzos other than maybe SSRIs but most people perscribed them probably tried SSRIs in the past to no effect. Your other alternative is extensive psychotherapy, which your insurance is unlikely to cover. Perhaps in the future marijuana, MDMA or ketamine might prove useful. Benzos generally require you to taper off them, as I believe the withdrawal side-effects include…

For what it's worth, I have generalized anxiety and have used clonazepam as short-term treatment for panic attacks. I would love to see psychotherapy lose the taboo it carries because it's been the most effective treatment I've had (long term). As I mentioned in another response, I think marijuana is probably promising in this area as well but it will take a long time for us to derive treatment from it.

Thats rather interesting, because the effect profile of clonazepam is that it takes longer to come into effect, and is longer lasting than, say, alprazolam, so I'd imagine it'd be worse for short-term treatment.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#54

Post by piazz »

icantdrive55 wrote: post #46
piazz wrote: post #7

I was taking 3mg Lorazepam nightly for almost three years. Weening off of it safely took almost an entire year of miserable work, and the final stages I had to do while I had no other significant life responsibilities because of the incredible rebound insomnia and background anxiety you experience withdrawing off benzodiazepines. The only upshot is that when you finally do manage to get yourself off of a drug like th…

I really think most Psychiatrists know how addictive Benzodiazepines are, but Americans are very stressed out. In my case, I busted a gasket in my twenties. I went from the most capable person in the room, to the trembling guy who could barely leave his room. I can honestly say it ruined my life. I was given a benzo with a long half life. It worked a bit, but I never fully recovered. I think we all know the drug. 40…

It’s your life, and your call, but one compelling reason to ween off these drugs is simply that you’ll feel better (most likely) when you’re off of them. I felt like I got my old brain back when I got off Lorazepam. While we take these drugs to initially treat acute anxiety, they have a tendency to create chronic anxiety in the user. This of course requires more of the drug to combat, and you have a positive feedback cycle that makes them so difficult to get off of. But, at least in my experience, there was light at the end of the tunnel. And, FWIW, my doctor was extremely fallible despite his years of education, as you noted.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#55

Post by code_duck »

I’m pleased to see this getting more attention. I find the memory-erasing drug of these effects to be unpleasant, and duration disturbing. If you take three of them, the next day 24 hours later or you may still have blood plasma like one pill or more, depending on which benzo it is. Most people don’t understand drug half life and are unaware of that. Then if you mix in cannabis or alcohol, things start to get really dangerous memory-wise. These drugs are prescribed fairly casually to people who don’t have any serious medical or psychological conditions, and in my observation are treated equally casually by consumers.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#56

Post by tnecniv »

code_duck wrote: post #55

I’m pleased to see this getting more attention. I find the memory-erasing drug of these effects to be unpleasant, and duration disturbing. If you take three of them, the next day 24 hours later or you may still have blood plasma like one pill or more, depending on which benzo it is. Most people don’t understand drug half life and are unaware of that. Then if you mix in cannabis or alcohol, things start to get really…

> If you take three of them

One should note that "three of them" is (probably) a lot. Even half a pill is often sufficient to quell panic attacks.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#57

Post by TylerE »

jnovek wrote: post #43
Karrot_Kream wrote: post #37

I feel for the patients that actually need a benzo to lead a normal, functioning lifestyle. Due to the actions of abusers it seems the public is starting to distrust medication.

A similar situation has already played out with people who deal with chronic pain and opiods. Stricter laws may reduce abuse but they have a chilling effect on prescribing physicians.

I don't think the laws even reduce abuse. If anything, they move people from prescribed, professionally manufactured drugs with some degree of monitoring to the black market.

Re: Benzodiazepines: Our Other Prescription Drug Problem

#60

Post by XalvinX »

Karrot_Kream wrote: post #37

I feel for the patients that actually need a benzo to lead a normal, functioning lifestyle. Due to the actions of abusers it seems the public is starting to distrust medication.

as is plainly stated by the literature and companies that make them, benzos are not supposed to be used for long lengths of time. these people you talk of are abusing them by definition.
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