Psych doctor says "can't still be benzo w/d s/xs after 4.5 months..."

[[Ch...]]

The psych doctor I saw last week told me that my symptoms could not still be benzo w/d s/xs after 4.5 months. She seems fixated on depression as the cause, as I presented with it at our initial consultation a month ago.

 

It is difficult to be sure how many of my symptoms are down to lingering s/xs from my last cut, or how much is down to a great deal of work and personal stress I have been through. I would say maybe 20-30 per cent is down to the w/d.

 

She has prescribed the anti-depressant Citalopram depite my strong reservations, as my main symptoms now are anxiety and imsomnia and the consequent fatigue. Citalopram, an SSRI, can have insomnia as an s/x. I could not tolerate the sedating a/d Mirtazapine and am glad I stopped after two days, from what I have read about its incompatibility with benzos.

 

I am reluctant to start taking the Ciatolpram in case it aggravates insomnia but she is offering help and I don't want to appear uncooperative.

[[az...]]

Amazing, that we could put a man on the moon yet it seems almost no doctors present evidence that they know jack shit of what they are talking about and have degrees for, yet 23,000 + members and the staff that run this site all agree that protracted acute w/d syndrome is a very real thing from taking benzodiazepines, and there is also a World Benzo Diazepine Awareness Day tomorrow on Prof. Heather Ashton's birthday.

 

It's so strange how PAWS is recognized in recovery from prolonged abuse/over use of alcohol, which effects the same part(s) of the brain as benzodiazepines.

 

Not that reading how the brain and which chemicals in benzo use, hitting tollerance w these chemicals and w/d and protracted w/d doesn't explain and support a completely solid case for depression all on it's own... But the fact that all of these doctors play stupid when it comes to basic science, let alone what they have to end up hearing from a great many other patients, is quite depressing all on it's own.

 

Have you talked with her about the Ashton Manual ? Not that it would do any good. I'd be tempted though to print out the pinned posts here with the mechanisms of action of benzos and hand her stapled copies w especially relevant parts highlighted, along with the medication leaflet that probably has these side effects listed... (Along with depression) and ask her if a case of iatrogenic chemical depression is supposed to cure itself overnight.

 

Add to this the fact that SSRI's have a known stimulating effect on the nervous system... I don't know, maybe an AD would help you... Who am I to say it wouldn't ? However, you say you yourself have reservations it seems to me both logically and on a gut level.

 

I'd personally do all I could with diet and exercise and working through life stresses in ways that didn't involve other medications, but that is because I've had my personal fill of them along with all of the BS that goes on. Sometimes western medicine is called for, sometimes it is not. I hope that I haven't been out of line... I just find it strange that the US makes up only 5% of the world population, yet our population is prescribed and takes around 50% of the world's pharmaceuticals.

 

[[Ma...]]

oh how I hate that assumptions about "former disease versus withdrawal symptom". Thats not how our system is working, it absolutely makes no sense that a depression keeps waiting infront of your door for 5 years and after wd comes back. (that was assumed in my case. I didn't believe it, took no further drug, depression was over after 3 months).

 

Do you know how long your body needs to fill up a severe lack of magnesium for example? 6-12 months!

Do you know how long it takes a weakened liver to get better? 1-2 years.

And I am speaking about normal, healthy persons without withdrawal behind them.

 

Depression is a major symptom of liver weakness and exhaustment and due to insomnia and stress from withdrawal is very common to last about months. Its just ridiculous what doctors keep saying while they don't have any knowledge about the simple chemistries in our bodies.

 

I think you have to decide what you take. If you refuse citalopram thats NOT that you are not cooperative. Why should you cooperate with a doctor who is not able to help because she is not informed? Lots of us have been cooperative and took benzos - look where we are now.

 

I hold on to the statement of the Ashton manual and before a year hasn't past, I won't think I am not in WD any more..

 

Best wishes,

Marigold

[[er...]]

Hey, don't worry about being "cooperative" that's just people pleasing bs, that's could have very negative affects.. I agree with others who posted here..

 

Tell the doctor to take the pills for a few months and tell you how she feels.. Then tell her to cold turkey them when she wants to stop..

 

Not to go on and on, but you get my point.. forget the pills - that's how we all ended up here in the first place!  I quit my benzo, now I gotta quit some antipsychotic I got put on when I was in tolerance w/d.. and guess what?  it's going to be like quitting another benzo!  w/ all the nice side effects we get.. so, yeah, i'm pissed off at these idiot doctors.. I wouldn't take anything else.. my doctor tries to put me on something everytime i see him, and it's starting to really piss me off.. jerks.. you'll be okay w/o meds! - Eric

[[Am...]]

My dad made me see a doctor and she prescribed the same thing but I refuse to take it. I told that doctor I can't take SSRIs and she almost gave me a damn benzo but thank god my sister was there to tell her no I did not want that. Stupid doctors don't know a damn thing.

[[Ch...]]

Thanks for the replies.  This doctor is a psychiatrist - but seems llttle more enlightened about benzos than my GP. Who is far from the worst, in fairness.

 

Yes, being cooperative put me in this situation in the first place - a charming doctor, wanting to help...

 

i am minded to simply not take the Citalopram .

 

Moving to a slightly different issue, at what point does withdrawal from a cut move towards protracted withdrawal? Is 4.5 months that long? It is hard to know what is caused by benzos atm, and what is not. I need to reduce my tress levels. Working on it.

[[az...]]

Hey, just wondering if people pleasing/boundaries, or lack of them in certain areas needs to be looked at and could be a reason for depression. I'm not saying it's something you need to address at all necessarily, but that has been a causation of a lot of grief in my life. There is a book with the title "Boundaries" by John Townsend and henry Cloud. There are some amazing books available that aren't your typical, cliched self helpers. Definitely look at different reasons though for possible circumstantial depression, and give yourself some time... Four and a half months is not very far out.

[[Ch...]]

I have actually read "Boundaries"...great book. Yes, people pleasing is a tendency I can have - a lot better tan I was but have had a lapse or two this year, to my cost.

[[az...]]

Have you also heard of "Wild at Heart" ?

[[Ch...]]

Have you also heard of "Wild at Heart" ?

 

No...do you recommend it?

[[az...]]

Absolutely.