we are pioneers, apparently--anybody else hearing this from mental health pros?

[[te...]]

My (very supportive) therapist says she thinks I'm part of a "wave" (different usage here) of people going through agony with benzos as a result of doc ignorance and arrogance.  She says the learning curve has begun to rise alot, but just recently.  In other words, we (at least in the US--I think the UK is ahead of us) are victims in withdrawal during a time period that shrinks are just beginning to wake up to the real horror these drugs cause.  I've seen a little evidence of that, from the docs I work with--years ago they were cavalier with benzo rxs, now some admit people are getting in real trouble.  Some have even heard of Ashton and respect it.  What are other people hearing?

[[fi...]]

I had to go through several docs before I found a "benzo-wise" physician.  I think there is still a lot of ignorance in regards to what these drugs do to the human body here in the U.S.  Hopefully, we can change that, however.  I have rated several meds on www.askapatient.com.  This, at least, will help inform patients not to take these drugs even if their physician does prescribe them.  Hopefully, we're getting closer to becoming more "benzo aware" here in the U.S.

 

fg

[[lo...]]

Doctors here in namibia are completely against benzos while doctors in south africa are for the use of benzos

[Guest [Si...]]

Well here in NY, they prescribe them willingly for anxiety.

 

It is getting ridiculous.

 

If I could do it all over- I would push the NeuroPsych's face down in the Klonopin she prescribed and run like hell in the other direction!

 

This has been a journey of constant nightmares.

 

Billy.

[[Pr...]]

Sigma - I got my first prescription in NYC too. They just have a whole other culture! People in NYC live large and never expect it to catch up with them. That's why I left.

 

When I went to a neurologist after the psych-NP put me on K long term and told her I was having trouble, she shook her head sadly and said "nooo, 2-4 weeks, no longer than that."

 

I was gratified she knew what she was talking about, but I was already in the doodie by then.

 

My p-doc in Pittsburgh who ultimately gave me my K liquid - I think he knew. He never said anything but he gave me the compounded liquid. When I asked for Lexapro liquid, he refused saying he'd never heard of SSRI w/d. Which leads me to believe he'd seen benzo w/d before.

 

 

[[ho...]]

I went to 3 psych Dr before I found someone who would listen to me . She was very good, but even she was uninformed regarding WD and SX until I educated her. Now she knows .

 

[[te...]]

This is all very interesting, folks.  Totally ignorant to very knowledgable, and in-between.  Your neurologist, princezz--that's a good one, I'm going to tell my therapist.  A friend of mine thinks the whole shrink biz is going to go away some day.  What they do is beyond what they're trained to do safely, that some combination of biochem/neurologists and therapists, working together, is what we will need.