Dr. Catherine Pittman: Invitation to Participate in Study

[[Co...]]

Hi,

 

Yes, it was a form-PM to all members.

 

I understand that a small percentage of submissions appear to have used passwords instead of the pass codes. If any members suspect that they used their passwords by mistake, just resubmit, be be sure to use the generated pass code this time round. If your first submission was valid, your second submission will be ignored. If your first submission is invalid (because of an invalid pass code), your second submission should count. You only need to resubmit if you suspect that you mistakenly used your password instead of your pass code the first time round.

 

And, if you have your PMs forwarded to you, and you wondering why you have not received your notification, notifications are queued - the system is still working through them and will be for the best part of another day.

[[Su...]]

Is Dr. Pittman (or anyone else) interested in antidepressant withdrawal? I have had a hellacious withdrawal from Zoloft (two and a half years now), and I would like to relate my experience to a professional who will take me seriously. I believe that antidepressant withdrawal can be just as horrible and dangerous as benzo withdrawal, and the symptoms are very similar. Thanks!

[[ba...]]

Done! Thank You for letting me know. Oh and yes I had lots to say about the Benzo's being prescribed here in Canada for everything except a common cold.

[[st...]]

Done. 

[[fi...]]

Completed.

[[Ha...]]

Fellow Travelers:

 

Some days ago I completed Dr. Pittman's survey, but felt somehow dissatisfied afterwards; as if I had had so much bottled up inside, but the survey was insufficient forum to delineate not only my general experience, but more specific and important info on my taper, which I made up completely on my own (withdrew from Ativan/Lorazepam after 8+ years of nightly use for my insomnia after my husband's suicide).

In a nutshell, my withdrawal took about 4 + years of slow (no more benzos since October 2010) and excruciating taper; and for many months, even two years later, I still had occasional symptoms, though fewer and fewer as time went by. 

After I had attempted a cold turkey withdrawal on my own and had a mini-breakdown in the office of my Primary Care Doc, in cavalier fashion suggested that  "two weeks of tapering should do the trick"!  What?! Seriously?

2 weeks later, when I was in an even more psychotic state (another crying breakdown in his office, pleading for help) was when he sent me to a psychiatrist who dealt with seriously ill mental patients.

 

Doc #2 wanted to add more psychotropic drugs, but after much deliberation, I decided  NOT to compound the problem by enduring a zombie-like state for the duration (me on drugs just don't work!). I did lots of research online about tapering (much of it in UK), slowly cutting back a very little every 2-3 weeks and tabulating all my reactions/mood, number of hours slept and the like, in several tear-stained notebooks.

 

Using a razor blade to shave off the teeniest bits of dust  - mcgs of a tiny 1 mg pill to begin with - was almost comical (white dust all over my kitchen counter as if I were a coke addict and pill cutters flying across the room). Except that even at that glacial pace of withdrawal I still had to endure the worst psychic, neurologic, and physical agonies of my life..had it not been for the experience of the deepest depression of my life;  insomnia that was worse than any for which i had originally sought out a prescription remedy; and physical symptoms that scared the hell out of me - horrifically high blood pressure, nervous jolts, hearing strange noises, freakish nightmares, itching, muscle pain, racing thoughts, panic attacks in the middle of the night - and then waking each morning with so few hours of sleep under my belt.. 3-5 on  a good night! - that I honestly did contemplate taking my life or, at the least, checking into a mental hospital. But then I KNEW they would only give me more drugs, which I will NEVER TRUST again!!!

 

But somewhere in that dark place I knew I HAD to go forward - Churchill's oft misquoted advice: "When you're going through hell, keep going." kept running through my head.  Because NOT to have withdrawn, WOULD SURELY HAVE KILLED ME...

 

Finally after a year or so of feeling as if maybe things were getting better, yes, maybe I really could do this, I would have relapses...but never, except at the VERY beginning, did I go back to increasing my dosage. It either remained the same for as long as a month +, or decreased. Eventually I found a Cognitive Behavioral Psychologist (cannot prescribe drugs in US - hurrah) who may have helped a little, though he did seem to think maybe I should consider medication. But I stood my ground and said no - though I waffled a bit when things got bad.

Mostly he became a sounding board for my complaints and occasionally we had some good sober discussions about life... But I was one of only a couple of patients he had who were having difficulty with benzo withdrawal. As I never met them I often wondered if I were his first such patient...

 

Bottom line, there is a light at the end of the tunnel - but it is dim for a long while.  Still the suffering was/is worth the outcome, which is being clean of drugs. OMG. Benzos are death!

Real sleep, not drugged sleep is the most refreshing wonderful gift.

 

Is there an email address for Dr Pittman to which we can send further comments (directly to her office)?  I see I got carried away when all I really wanted to say was that I  think I'd like to take the survey again, with a cleaere head this time.

 

Meanwhile...anyone who  has read this far - THANK YOU. ! WE DO WANT TO BE HEARD.

 

Hadron

[[Ne...]]

Well "said," Hadron..ah yes, the Adventures of Ativan..less years for me, but oh so poisonous!...finally accepting that the "waves and windows" are still affecting my own recovery...if ever that will be.  blessings, new life

[[Mi...]]

Survey completed .

[[St...]]

Took the survey a few days ago. The medical community needs to know the potential damage this drug family (benzodiazepines) can do to people. My doctor didn't know but believes me as he's seen my progress and knew me before. The ER doc at three weeks from C/T knew all about benzo withdrawal as if she'd experienced it herself. My surgeon said it's all in my head. Well, it is and, it's very real. Even if it is simply rebound anxiety, it's terrifying, intense, crippling physically as well as emotionally and disastrous to our families and careers. Thankfully it's not permanent. It was a long road back to normal.

[[Ro...]]

I just completed the survey, a whole lot of bull shit if you ask me. One would have to be an idiot to think this is of any use.

 

 

[[Ma...]]

PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM ALL SUCH EMAILING LISTS -PRESENT AND FUTURE - AT ONCE.

 

THANKS,

 

MATTEO

[[Ho...]]

PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM ALL SUCH EMAILING LISTS -PRESENT AND FUTURE - AT ONCE.

 

THANKS,

 

MATTEO

 

I'll be sure the team sees this Matteo. 

[[Co...]]

PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM ALL SUCH EMAILING LISTS -PRESENT AND FUTURE - AT ONCE.

 

THANKS,

 

MATTEO

 

Hi Matteo,

 

In your profile, you had the following option checked:

 

"Receive forum newsletters, announcements and important notifications by email."

 

I've unchecked this option for you. You should receive no further announcements.

[[pe...]]

I am so glad to know that the survey has had such good participation...myself included.

I look forward to reading the results.

 

Thank you, Colin, and others in the Benzobuddies Community who have made it happen!

 

Hopefully all of the input and effort will be helpful to

someone, somewhere who is struggling with benzo withdrawal and give them hope; or

someone, somewhere who is thinking of taking benzos and give them the where-with-all to say NO!!

 

 

 

 

[[kl...]]

Apparently, the code generator doesn't like the underscore in my membership name e.g., klon_opine. In fact when one registers on benzobuddies, it doesn't take the underscore character anymore. Unfortunately, the benzobuddies forum does not have an option to change usernames. Can anyone assist? I'd like to get this resolved asap so I can participate in the study!

[[Co...]]

I can help you with that. Sending you a PM.

[[Ka...]]

Done yesterday! Good survey.

[[ja...]]

Oh no, missed it by a couple of days... any chance it's still open?

[[be...]]

Was unable to complete the survey...can I still get the results??

 

[[af...]]

Any word on the results yet?

[[...]]

thank you colin for all you do

[[Mo...]]

I just completed the survey, a whole lot of bull shit if you ask me. One would have to be an idiot to think this is of any use.

 

 

 

Bump.

[[ho...]]

Thanks for bumping... what ever happened with this.  I recall that we were promised the results!

[[...]]

hi Hope

 

I am sure we were given the results. if I remember we had to log in with our secret number and I know I read some results

 

 

Duck

[[Mo...]]

Hope56 and Duck.

the results are on chewing the fat (recovery statistics) , Juliea gave a link on that thread.

( i have bumped it), sorry, i'm  a computer genius and still can't put a link.