Neurologist

[[Ma...]]

Has anyone seen one? Did it help? What was the outcome/treatment plan?

[[du...]]

I have not seen a neuro specialist. If you think it would be beneficial I’d say go for it. I’d say regardless of MD, psych, neuro specialist it’s important to find someone who will listen and understands benzo wd. I have a good pcp who is working with me on a weekly to biweekly basis.

[[Ha...]]

I've seen some that have found good ones. Most however seem to be pretty ignorant to the harms of meds. The one I saw didn't discount me as just having anxiety which was something. But basically said things will calm down in time. Not really the reassurance I was looking for. But others have had extensive tests, recognition and some genuine advice/help. Seems like a bit of a turkey shoot, but you don't know unless you try. I'm not sure where you are in the world, but maybe asking if there's any recommendations near you may help 

[[hl...]]

Me seeing a neurologist was a waste of time personally and made me feel worse. 
 

i saw a neurologist and explained that i withdrew from benzodiazepines and explained that I’ve been having some overstimulation and she looked me dead in the eyes and said that I need a “short acting anti anxiety medication” to help me. I asked her what she meant and she suggested another benzodiazepine, literally less than 5 minutes after me explaining that all of my symptoms were caused by me getting off benzodiazepines. This is when I realized that almost all doctors are shills that pedal pharmaceutical garbage to their patients.

 

 

[[dj...]]

I saw two.  Neither knew much about damage from benzos.  Neither discounted the fact that I was having lots of muscle pain, but they simply aren’t trained on benzo withdrawal.  I told them I was having lots of pain and muscle tension, as well as various “sensations,” head symptoms, etc.  They did a bunch of little strength, reflex, and alertness type tests and I did fine.  They scheduled two MRIs but I cancelled because I didn’t want to get stuck with a giant bill to uncover nothing.  And because I doubted my ability to sit still in an enclosed space for an hour. 

[[dj...]]

10 minutes ago, [[h...] said:

Me seeing a neurologist was a waste of time personally and made me feel worse. 
 

i saw a neurologist and explained that i withdrew from benzodiazepines and explained that I’ve been having some overstimulation and she looked me dead in the eyes and said that I need a “short acting anti anxiety medication” to help me. I asked her what she meant and she suggested another benzodiazepine, literally less than 5 minutes after me explaining that all of my symptoms were caused by me getting off benzodiazepines. This is when I realized that almost all doctors are shills that pedal pharmaceutical garbage to their patients.

I have fully come around to the fact that the healthcare system and medical education institutions are at fault.  These are very bright people.  But, western medicine has gotten very cocky and refuses to believe that the hard way is the best way.  Sacrifices short term health for long term health.  
 

Of course, the pharmaceutical companies have been buying and selling doctors for decades.  Short term results with medications are often very good.  But, long term results tell a different story.  Unfortunately, few studies go beyond 12 weeks.  The system is broken. 
 

All these new weight loss drugs sicken me.  I believe they are practical in extreme cases, but I don’t think this is going to end well for a lot of people.  Healthy lifestyle wins 9 times out of 10.  

[[hl...]]

4 hours ago, [[d...] said:

I have fully come around to the fact that the healthcare system and medical education institutions are at fault.  These are very bright people.  But, western medicine has gotten very cocky and refuses to believe that the hard way is the best way.  Sacrifices short term health for long term health.  
 

Of course, the pharmaceutical companies have been buying and selling doctors for decades.  Short term results with medications are often very good.  But, long term results tell a different story.  Unfortunately, few studies go beyond 12 weeks.  The system is broken. 
 

All these new weight loss drugs sicken me.  I believe they are practical in extreme cases, but I don’t think this is going to end well for a lot of people.  Healthy lifestyle wins 9 times out of 10.  

I feel like doctors know that benzos aren’t great long term but are paid to keep quiet about it. It isn’t pseudoscience that benzodiazepines cause long term complications once discontinued. The National Institute of Health wrote a study about BIND (benzo induced neurological disorder), so clearly there are credible sources that acknowledge its existence, yet doctors act like a 5 year old learning math whenever you bring it up.

i refuse to believe that these people are all completely uninformed about its existence and every single one of them collectively agree it’s not true. 
 

I am close with my PCP and he tells me he is constantly traveling around the US to conferences to stay updated in the medical world, it’s a never ending learning experience he says, yet he conveniently knows nothing about benzodiazepine withdrawal. 

[[dj...]]

2 hours ago, [[h...] said:

I feel like doctors know that benzos aren’t great long term but are paid to keep quiet about it. It isn’t pseudoscience that benzodiazepines cause long term complications once discontinued. The National Institute of Health wrote a study about BIND (benzo induced neurological disorder), so clearly there are credible sources that acknowledge its existence, yet doctors act like a 5 year old learning math whenever you bring it up.

i refuse to believe that these people are all completely uninformed about its existence and every single one of them collectively agree it’s not true. 
 

I am close with my PCP and he tells me he is constantly traveling around the US to conferences to stay updated in the medical world, it’s a never ending learning experience he says, yet he conveniently knows nothing about benzodiazepine withdrawal. 

Doctors know they CAN be addictive but I don’t think they really understand what that means.  The doctor that first put me on Klonopin in 2001 told me that, but he said as long as I wasn’t abusing them and running out of my scrips earlier they were fine to take.  I think that’s how a lot of doctors feel.  They know they are addictive but assume it’s like getting off any other drug where you have withdrawal for a few weeks and it’s over.  
 

The BIND research isn’t something that was blasted in an email as a mandatory read for every doctor.  I’d  be willing to bet that not even 1% of the medical doctors, NPs and PAs in the US have read those articles yet.  The majority that have are probably psychiatrists.  Most providers only pay attention to their specialty.  
 

I wouldn’t expect any doctor to know how to treat BIND because it’s very different than other dependencies.  It’s very complicated and almost counterintuitive at times.  But, I would hope they know enough to at least recognize it, acknowledge it, and refer someone to a doctor that does know something.  

[[wo...]]

I saw a neurologist last week actually. She did a very basic neuro exam. Then ordered a brain MRI to see if I have MS? I asked if she knew about BIND…she half smiled and said no and then kept typing. I dunno. I didn’t feel heard. 
 

but I know another friend who survived this and are healed and her neurologist believed her. 
 

depends on the neurologist maybe. And their willingness to believe that not everything is textbook. 

[[dj...]]

1 hour ago, [[w...] said:

I saw a neurologist last week actually. She did a very basic neuro exam. Then ordered a brain MRI to see if I have MS? I asked if she knew about BIND…she half smiled and said no and then kept typing. I dunno. I didn’t feel heard. 
 

but I know another friend who survived this and are healed and her neurologist believed her. 
 

depends on the neurologist maybe. And their willingness to believe that not everything is textbook. 

Part of me understands where these doctors are coming from.  Think how many people are self-diagnosing now with the internet.  I’m sure they have to politely discredit patients a lot these days.  
 

I hear you though.  I haven’t really had any doctors say they don’t believe me, but I’ve definitely been met with skepticism.  At any rate, since they don’t know anything about it, there’s nothing they can really do for you in that appointment.  Now that there is literature on BIND out there, I’ll write it down on a sticky note and ask them to look into it.  

[[ho...]]

5 hours ago, [[w...] said:

I saw a neurologist last week actually. She did a very basic neuro exam. Then ordered a brain MRI to see if I have MS? I asked if she knew about BIND…she half smiled and said no and then kept typing. I dunno. I didn’t feel heard. 
 

but I know another friend who survived this and are healed and her neurologist believed her. 
 

depends on the neurologist maybe. And their willingness to believe that not everything is textbook. 

I had a few brain mris in this and a few white spots showed, but I know I don’t have MS and that’s all neurologists know. And I was not about to get a spinal tap and have a setback. This began when it began for me. If you get an mri and it’s not perfect, just make sure they realize it may all be withdrawl and not MS. Hopefully tho your mri will be fine and you won’t have that as a concern.