Why stop benzos if they help?

[[Rr...]]

There are not enough studies to prove benzos cause dementia.  Most doctors will not keep someone on more than 2-3 weeks.  Sometimes doctors write for days only.  The medical community gets in trouble for deaths associated with benzodiazepines.  Anyone prescring benzos, any controlled substance can look at every controlled prescription written as well as pharmacies where medication was picked up.  There are meetings that take place discussing mortality reviews.  Case is presented.  What could medical have done differently.  Also, if they cannot justify why a patient is taking a certain amount/reason, they can end up under investigation by the medical board.  Chart audits will have to be completed, makes doc nervous.

[[Rr...]]

Chances are you could come across a physician who will not allow you to continue the benzo.  They might force a taper.  There is PCP coordination and others ways the medical community can stop someone from getting something. 

[[Jr...]]

What makes benzos so much worse than any other medication for other co ditions? If taking a rherapuetic xose and not abusing them. I was put on klonopin because i was having panic attacks all xay every day. I tapererd down amd guess what? Back to continuous panic attacks. Ive been on it for arou d 14 years and have no sixe effects that i k ow of. No tolerance witjdrawal. Whatever that is which doesnt even really make sense. No memory loss that im aware of. So why is this drug labeled so horrible if it helps? Why suffer instead of taking something? Its just my opinion that those that are supposedly protracted for years and so on are just back to their same problems and not being medicated properly.  Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

 

 

I agree and disagree with you. I don’t suffer daily anxiety attacks so I’m a bit different. Once I’m off the pills completely, if there’s a day I can’t control my anxiety you can believe I will Pipa xanax, I just don’t want to be dependent on them, or feel worse when I take them. I took klonopin for 7 yearsand ive learned I had tolerance to it but didn’t really know I did, I would have horrible days even though I took the pill. A lot of this is psychological, so, i just made a decision, I use to live with out them

I can do it again. But for a straight anxiety attack, klonopin would not be what I take, I would rather go with something fast acting like xanax but I can definitely see your point

[[La...]]

The short-acting benzos like Xanax and Ativan can make the rebound anxiety and panic attacks much worse. The medication is in your system, then it leaves fairly quickly. That's a good recipe for creating a cycle of dependence on benzos.

 

Regarding dementia, it's true that there's no proven causation between benzodiazepines and Alzheimer's disease, but there's a strong correlation at this point in time. Also, there's also plenty of literature on the negative effects of benzodiazepines on cognition, depth of sleep, respiration, balance, coordination, driving skills and reaction time, etc. They are associated with a higher incidence of fractures. And they can give you wicked tinnitus -- anything from a quiet hiss to a full-blown tea kettle in your ear all day long. Not pleasant.

[[NJ...]]

There are not enough studies to prove benzos cause dementia.  Most doctors will not keep someone on more than 2-3 weeks.  Sometimes doctors write for days only.  The medical community gets in trouble for deaths associated with benzodiazepines.  Anyone prescring benzos, any controlled substance can look at every controlled prescription written as well as pharmacies where medication was picked up.  There are meetings that take place discussing mortality reviews.  Case is presented.  What could medical have done differently.  Also, if they cannot justify why a patient is taking a certain amount/reason, they can end up under investigation by the medical board.  Chart audits will have to be completed, makes doc nervous.

 

Everyone's experience is different, but the reason I am in this mess (and many of us are) is because doctors never told us to take it for just two or three weeks. The primary care doctor who upped my dosage from .5 mg Klonopin to 1 mg at that time clearly told me it was safe for me to be on this dose for life. I have seen other doctors who are also very eager to prescribe benzos. It is so sad. I did not do my research before taking these; I was desperate for sleep after having such bad PMS every month I barely slept for half the month every month. I trusted the sleep specialist, the primary care doctors, the psyciatrists. I often feel betrayed, but now I know and I research everything before I take something now. The last time I saw my gyno she also wanted to give me all these medications for symptoms that are 100 percent normal for my age, and which would have been dangerous given my family history of blood clots and breast cancer. IMO doctors overmedicate everything.

[[Wo...]]

Chris82 ~

I've also been taking Klonopin for a very Long time. I hit total Tolerance July 17th, 2017.  It was so scary that I started tapering off that day.  I never thought this would ever happen to me either.  I wasn't abusing the Benzo, mainly using for sleep & extreme stress when it occurred.  it builds up in our system it backfires and will cause you all the symptoms X a million for the reason you were taking it in the 1st place.  If I could give you any advise, begin a very slow taper now before this happens to you.  I only wish my Dr had shared this info with me.  They are meant to be scripted for 2 weeks for extreme situations.  Not for Long Term Use. 

Good luck with all this.

 

[[Rr...]]

Unfortunately doctor did not tell me that at the time, but I think my PCP didn't know about how bad the withdrawal is.  There is a clinical opiate withdrawal protocol and MSAS for ETOH withdrawal.  There is no benzo withdrawal protocol.  Experiences  are different depending on dose, length of time med was taken, etc.  We don't enough data.  People need to get the word out.  I warned a family member who is still on benzo. 

[[La...]]

Rrr871, would you consider writing a signature so that the rest of us can know what you took, how much and for how long? It can help your fellow BBs help you.

 

Good for you to talk to a family member about this! I think it's the most powerful way to get the message across -- at least, for now. But yes, of course, doctors should know a lot more about this.

 

A health professional that I saw yesterday said she was at a family practice conference here in my city, and there was a poster on the wall about "de-prescribing" benzodiazepines and Z-drugs. I was really pleased to hear about that. So, there IS some awareness of the problem.

[[vi...]]

It is definitely different for everyone. I got into tolerance by month 3 or 4 yet people are using them for 14 years? Also you think you are normal, maybe you forgot your better self or never knew your better self in the first place because of benzos.

 

 

[[Mr...]]

To beat a dead horse, I will also say that everyone is different, for all types of meds, not just benzos. I took Zoloft for years, probably 6 or 7 years, then I decided to see how I did off of them. I was on 50mg. Doctor told me to taper by 50% every two weeks, and I stopped with zero problems. In fact, I felt far better off them. Other people have utter nightmares coming off that drug. 

[[...]]

To beat a dead horse, I will also say that everyone is different, for all types of meds, not just benzos. I took Zoloft for years, probably 6 or 7 years, then I decided to see how I did off of them. I was on 50mg. Doctor told me to taper by 50% every two weeks, and I stopped with zero problems. In fact, I felt far better off them. Other people have utter nightmares coming off that drug.

 

Exactly. I took paroxetine for about 23 years. A miracle pill the first 5 years I took them.

Did a rapid taper since it made me more anxious.

I've been reading alot about stop taking paroxetine, horror stories.

For me it was a struggle, but nothing I could not handle.

 

Valium though...different story.

 

[[La...]]

Well, it's great to hear that you two came off SSRIs without having a horrible time of it! Nice!

[[ba...]]

I probably never would have stopped taking valium but my family dr moved away, my back up Doctor got arrested for over prescribing opiates. I never had interdose w/d or tolerance for the 15 yrs I was on the drug. While looking for a new Doc while withdrawing I have had 3 drs offer me a benzo. I refused. At 2 1/2 years off the drug I feel very clear headed, with more ambition. I was so screwed up during my taper and 2 yrs after, I lost a couple friends that obviously were never friends. I still have my life which is better now, my wife and my family. I can talk without stammering or searching for a word. I feel a lot less stupid. I will never give a Doctor or anyone else that kind of power over me again.

 

This is why you should stop. You don't realize what you have lost while on a benzo or withdrawing.

[[Rr...]]

How do I do a signature?  I put what med I'm going off when I joined.

 

Rrr

[[Lo...]]

Stumble biscuits and the murk of benzo disability

https://www.madinamerica.com/2014/10/stumble-biscuits-murk-benzo-disability/

[[Sw...]]

Stumble biscuits and the murk of benzo disability

https://www.madinamerica.com/2014/10/stumble-biscuits-murk-benzo-disability/

 

Good find, excellent article.

 

Sweet pea

 

[[La...]]

Yes, LorazepamFree, excellent article! Thank you!  Can you please post it separately in the Benzos in the News section? Others will want to read it, I'm sure. I'm going to save it in my file. "Stumble bisicuits" and "Special K" are new to my lexicon but quite fitting for my situation.

[[Su...]]

On another note Special K is what ketamine was called in the drug culture when it first came out for using recreationally.  So one of the people mentioned in the article may have been using more than benzos to add to the disabling features that crippled her.

SS

 

[[Ja...]]

Ymmv I realize, but The thought of being elderly and dependent with dementia is truly terrifying. Far more terrifying than my taper. Also, I never had a weight problem before benzos. I’d love to have my figure back.

[[Lo...]]

I think it's important that people do a lot of research before starting their taper and plan accordingly. I can't stress this enough. It's one of the rare situations where a person ends up being exposed to a lot of judgment and stigma in the real world for actually coming off these meds. One has to prepare for that. Also, a person has to prepare for the fact that there may be a lot of really rough patches in the process, and that the process itself is very difficult.

[[Su...]]

I think it's important that people do a lot of research before starting their taper and plan accordingly. I can't stress this enough. It's one of the rare situations where a person ends up being exposed to a lot of judgment and stigma in the real world for actually coming off these meds. One has to prepare for that. Also, a person has to prepare for the fact that there may be a lot of really rough patches in the process, and that the process itself is very difficult.

Hi LorazepamFree,

I so agree with you that there are rough patches and times when things are tough.   I've also experienced, through holding, slowing down and generally getting on with things, time that were Ok, are Ok and when I can function quite well... I really just wanted to chime in with this idea as I know the idea of it only being difficult scared the bejesus out of me when I first got one this forum.  It can be tough at times, but it can also be fairly, relatively easy at times....

It's possible! and probable and all that..... my two cents.

:smitten:

SS

[[ho...]]

Ill also add is wjen I tried going back on something happened and it stopped the anxiety but my head felt like it exploded from the inside then 12 hrs later it wore off and my anxiety was very bad. It didnt work

[[fi...]]

Thanks for the article.