BREAKING NEWS - BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR NATIONAL HELPLINE

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I'm hoping it's not over yet Fiona.  Not sure.  Didn't sound like it concluded. 

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Now I feel like crying again! I'm so glad you guys/gals are here. Hearing these programs from across the pond reminds me of how large this problem is. It's huge in the UK, huge in Canada, huge in the U.S.....It's huge everywhere. The Jennys and Fionas and Daves are everywhere.

 

Stephen Nolan said they need to do a whole show on it as he was listening to people's stories and understanding how deep and wide the problem is. Yes, Stephen, please do a whole show on it!

 

Ditto on everything you said Lapis.  Sleep well Fiona.  Warm hugs to everyone here    

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I will keep listening but soon  I will need matchsticks.  >

 

It would be so good if Stephen Nolan did do a whole programme.

 

The genie is finally out of the bottle.

 

I have had an idea.  I will send him the TV ocumentary broadcast here in the 1980s.

 

Hugs

 

Fiona 

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I think it's done   

 

Good idea Fiona.   I wonder if he's seen "Benzodiazepine Medical Disaster".  Oh, and the W-Bad video.  Sweet sleeps.

 

More hugs for all.

 

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I sent the Benzodiazepine Medical Disaster too.  I know they probably don't have a lot of time to spend on one subject, but you never know.

 

Night Night

 

Fiona 

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You're good.

 

Night Night.

 

 

 

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Also glad your sister hear the program and you (by chance)!  Hope it helps.

[[La...]]

Hugs all around! Sweet dreams, Everyone. And thank you.

[[Te...]]

Does it just cut off at the end with the news? I don't think I got the whole thing.

 

I'm so, so glad that the horrible dependency issues of benzos are finally being addressed!!!

[[Ph...]]

What runs through the whole thing for me is the unwillingness for the doctors and various medical associations to just say, "We did something wrong. We should not have prescribed the medication for so long. And we should have fully warned all patients of the possibility of terrible withdrawals BEFORE we prescribed the medications in the first place."

 

The use of the word "addiction" needs to be qualified. Not everyone engages in "addictive behaviour", which includes increasing doses, lying and/or stealing to get more of the substance, continuing to take a substance despite repeated warnings that it could be harmful to do so, etc. Most cases of benzodiazepine problems are caused by "iatrogenic" reasons (i.e. doctor or medication-induced). Benzodiazepines cause changes to neurotransmitters by their very action. It is well-defined in the medical literature. I do wish that delineation would have been made at some point in the radio program.

 

Overall, though, it's been an amazingly powerful few days -- with the video, the radio program and the articles. Really overwhelming. I'm quite emotional too (read: lots of tears).

 

Quoting Lapis:

 

<<What runs through the whole thing for me is the unwillingness for the doctors and various medical associations to just say, "We did something wrong. We should not have prescribed the medication for so long. And we should have fully warned all patients of the possibility of terrible withdrawals BEFORE we prescribed the medications in the first place.">>

 

Admitting guilt would open them up to an avalanche of lawsuits.  This will never happen.

 

[[Te...]]

Thank you so much for all this, Fiona!!! I wrote to the BBC show and told my story. I'm hoping that a lot more write in. Our stories have to be heard!!  :thumbsup:

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Oh, wow, Terry that is wonderful.  The programme has certainly been taken aback by the response which is saying something.

 

Hugs

 

Fiona 

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David in Cornwall....Is this Kernowbeth's husband?

 

yes  :thumbsup:

[[La...]]

Oh, wow, Terry that is wonderful.  The programme has certainly been taken aback by the response which is saying something.

 

Hugs

 

Fiona 

 

I'd love to hear Stephen Nolan do another show on it. He wasn't afraid to ask some tough questions last night, and those questions REALLY need to be asked. AND ANSWERED. That's what investigative journalism is all about.

[[lo...]]

Yes, I wonder if he meant he would like to do a show or if it was more a throw away comment that it should be done ....  but he isn't really intending to do anything ... difficult to know.

 

Anyway, we will see.  I think some of the stories that are coming out are very powerful ...  a few of us had lost decades of our lives .... so you never know.  My concern about the papers picking it up is that they tend to misrepresent things or at least don't do the stories justice but on live radio/TV you get to say what you want to say until they cut you off!! 

 

I emailed the show again and sent the Brass Tacks documentary from the 1980s to try and ram home how long this has been going on.

 

dangers of benzodiazapenes part 1: http://youtu.be/q2iZQ9tVSAU

 

dangers of benzodiazepnies part 2: http://youtu.be/OWHKri71qaE

 

I am sure you will have seen these before.

 

Fiona 

 

 

[[La...]]

Yes, I definitely saw them, Fiona, thanks.

 

If you or anyone around here is interviewed, I'm hoping you can clarify the difference between "addiction" and "physiological dependence". The media really needs to get that right. The fact that they kept using the word "addiction" to refer to those who had followed their doctors' orders and had never taken more medication than prescribed was confusing. "Addiction" is a loaded word, and it's incorrect for the situation many of us find ourselves in.

 

Regarding Stephen Nolan, perhaps a few nudges would keep the issue in the forefront of his mind and remind him of his comment on the need for a full show. He seemed to be genuinely interested -- at least, that's how he came across. I was impressed by him.

[[lo...]]

Yes, you are right about clarification being needed.  Some of my contacts here are very articulate and I am sure they would be able to do that if given the opportunity.  I was impressed by Stephen Nolan as well.

 

 

[[Fl...]]

If you or anyone around here is interviewed, I'm hoping you can clarify the difference between "addiction" and "physiological dependence". The media really needs to get that right. The fact that they kept using the word "addiction" to refer to those who had followed their doctors' orders and had never taken more medication than prescribed was confusing. "Addiction" is a loaded word, and it's incorrect for the situation many of us find ourselves in.

 

Yes, this is very, very important. As long as these two terms are used interchangeably doctors will continue to mistakenly look for "addictive behaviors" to judge whether or not these drugs are causing problems with their patients and they will continue to improperly treat dependence as addiction by shipping them off to detox centers when problems do arise.

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Thank you so much for all this, Fiona!!! I wrote to the BBC show and told my story. I'm hoping that a lot more write in. Our stories have to be heard!!  :thumbsup:

 

Terry,  I saw you did and just sent him my story as well   

[[lo...]]

that is great, benzohno. 

 

Fiona 

[[Te...]]

Wonderful, Benzohno!!  :thumbsup:

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Can anyone tell me if it is possible to listen to the late night section of the Radio Five programme again and direct me to the link as I would very like to hear it again but I can only find the morning programme on the BBC website?

[[Ph...]]

This story should be front and center in the American media.  But what do we get?  Our daily dose of the endless campaign circus.  Absolutely shameful.

[[Te...]]

pris, here it is: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07zxrdj#play

 

About 38:50 is where it starts.

 

So good, and our very own Fiona is talking too!!

[[Te...]]

Fiona, THANK YOU for telling your story!!! Well done!!!  :thumbsup: