What's the issue with long-term low-dose benzo use?

[[ve...]]

Today I had an appointment with a psychiatrist in the hopes that I would get a prescription for beta-blockers so I could try to get off daily Victan 1mg, for a second time.

She told me that it would be best for me to get into a detox facility and then she would prescribe whatever is needed.

The reason: Long-term low-dose benzo use is a special case.

I couldn't tell her about the Ashton manual because English is not our first language and I was already pissed.

This is the 2nd time I was told by a psychiatrist in Germany that long-term low-dose is a special case.

I haven't found literature about this in the Internet.

 

Is this really an issue?

[[de...]]

I am not sure what they mean by long-term, low-dose.   It doesn't really matter how long you have been taking the benzo or the dosage, you have to taper off very, very slowly.   

I see that you have tried to taper before.   What happened during that taper?  

We normally do not recommend going into a detox facility.   They want to detox you very quickly, and then send you home with more drugs.   

[[An...]]

I do not understand this either. What is meant by " Long-term low-dose benzo use is a special case".

Ask her to explain. I had to Google Victan. 

She wants you to enter rehab b/f she will write you a script for a beta blocker. Maybe, her thinking is the detox facility will take you off by prescribing beta blockers and other drugs and she will continue the prescriptions after you are discharged and benzo free.....IDK tho, I am just guessing.

[[Pa...]]

For your next appointment, although I'm sure you won't find what you're looking for in the manual because it appears your doctor is only looking for an excuse not to help you. 

benzo.org.uk : Benzodiazepine: Wirkungsweise & therapeutischer Entzug, CH Ashton DM, FRCP, 2002

[[An...]]

PS - Ditto to what @[de...] said. I tried a detox facility in 2006. Personally, I would recommend only doing this in a last-ditch effort. They do take you off these drugs way too fast.

[[kn...]]

Tapering at a low dosage has practically been the end of me.  I've been at less than 10mgs of Diazepam for over a year now on my taper and other than the WD effects, I don't  think it's been anything special.  I am 72 and have been taking benzos for thirty years.  Now that, to me, is what I'd call a 'special case'!

[[Ka...]]

Hello @[ve...] I was on a low dose benzo - diazepam for years. I’m not sure this is effectively a special case. 

The only comment I can offer is I believe sometimes at low dose the benzo does not offer much therapeutic benefit but it may just keep a dependency going. So our system gets used to this level of low dose for an extended time.    
I reduced per Ashton. Tapering down per the table slow & steady. 

[[Ka...]]

 

I am 70 years of age and have been on Benzos for 25 years.Ups and downs are really bad. Have a doctor that is giving me a couple more months to taper completely. I am @ 1mg of Lorazepan.  Started at 90 ea. Clonazepam per month. I am very tired and trying to make sense of all of this. GI tract issues. Headaches.My jaw clenches, Hands shake.

 

 

[[Co...]]

Hello @[Ka...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

If you are looking for support in your own withdrawal, it is better to start your own topic.

[[Ka...]]

OK,Thanks for letting me know. I will figure out how to do that. I need all the help I can get.

[[Br...]]

Hello @[Ka...] and welcome to BenzoBuddies!  I suggest you start your own topic (thread) on either Benzodiazepine Withdrawal, Use and Recovery  or Benzodiazepine Taper Strategies  - whichever fits your situation best.  We'll keep an eye out for your posts!  We're glad you found us.

[[Co...]]

19 minutes ago, [[K...] said:

OK,Thanks for letting me know. I will figure out how to do that. I need all the help I can get.

You are amongst friends here.

[[An...]]

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

OK,Thanks for letting me know. I will figure out how to do that. I need all the help I can get.

Hi @[Ka...] Welcome to BB. 

[[ve...]]

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

I see that you have tried to taper before.   What happened during that taper?  

VERY high blood pressure.  I think that's why they sugggest a detox facility.

[[An...]]

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

VERY high blood pressure.  I think that's why they sugggest a detox facility.

Do you have really high BP or did the last detox attempt cause the HBP? They put me on Inderal in 2006 when I was in one for Klonopin detox.

[[ve...]]

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

Do you have really high BP or did the last detox attempt cause the HBP? They put me on Inderal in 2006 when I was in one for Klonopin detox.

It was the last detox attempt.  I stopped taking high BP medication after stopping drinking alcohol and losing weight.

Edited March 7 by [ve...]

[[An...]]

verdi, have you decided what you are gonna do? Maybe, you should shop around for another doctor if you can. If you could find a doc who is willing to Rx you a beta blocker, how do you plan on tapering off the Victan?

[[ve...]]

On 07/03/2024 at 14:12, [[A...] said:

verdi, have you decided what you are gonna do? Maybe, you should shop around for another doctor if you can. If you could find a doc who is willing to Rx you a beta blocker, how do you plan on tapering off the Victan?

I have enough Victan for over a year. When I go to Portugal I will try to get a beta blocker.  For now it makes no sense to taper Victan.

[[em...]]

Some benzodiazepines can cause physical and psychological dependence with long-term use. Their withdrawal can lead to a withdrawal syndrome with such symptoms as anxiety, insomnia, nervousness. Also, with long-term use, some people may become less sensitive to the effects of benzodiazepines, which may require an increased dose to achieve the same effect.

[[...]]

"...sometimes at low dose the benzo does not offer much therapeutic benefit but it may just keep a dependency going. So our system gets used to this level of low dose for an extended time..."

I agree with Katrina. This is exactly my experience, although i didn't take benzo for too long the last time. 5 years, but highly systematically - every single day. I didn't increase the low dosage i was on bc I could never guess my disastrous condition had anything to do with benzo.  My benzo dependency was growing along with my meaningless suffering. I'm so happy i happened to find a way out of the vicious circle in the end!)