Comments on: Benzos again—this time in the US media http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/ Psychiatric drug withdrawal and alternatives to medications Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:38:12 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: giannakali http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-10265 giannakali Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:32:28 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-10265 Lablover, withdrawal is an unknown quantity...for me it's completely altered my life. For someone who has been on benzos 15 years it's likely to alter their life too... Those of us who are long-time drug users are more likely to run into problems when we finally decide to taper. So only you can decide when and if you should take this on... Keep reading as much as you can about withdrawal...and once you feel somewhat educated (no one really knows what is going on) then you can make a better informed choice. If you haven't already read my About page there are many resources there (top of the page---click on the about tab) Lablover,
withdrawal is an unknown quantity…for me it’s completely altered my life. For someone who has been on benzos 15 years it’s likely to alter their life too…

Those of us who are long-time drug users are more likely to run into problems when we finally decide to taper. So only you can decide when and if you should take this on…

Keep reading as much as you can about withdrawal…and once you feel somewhat educated (no one really knows what is going on) then you can make a better informed choice. If you haven’t already read my About page there are many resources there (top of the page—click on the about tab)

]]> By: Lablover http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-10258 Lablover Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:48:49 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-10258 P.S. I was off of work for health reasons - fibro, med problems, etc. Eventually went to Mayo Clinic (wonderful, non-pharma experience) and had surgery. I had no clue I wouldn't have a job when I was released by the dr. P.S. I was off of work for health reasons – fibro, med problems, etc. Eventually went to Mayo Clinic (wonderful, non-pharma experience) and had surgery. I had no clue I wouldn’t have a job when I was released by the dr.

]]> By: Lablover http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-10257 Lablover Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:47:03 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-10257 Hi - I'd like to post to ask for some feedback, but I'm not sure how to join "groups", so I'm gonna give it a shot here. I'm taking 1 mg Klonopin and 150 mg Desyrel per day. I also take Zyrtec and Claritin for severe environmental allergies. I've been on some form of benzo for as long as I can remember, at least 10 to 15 years. I've been on Desyrel since June. My former doctor replaced Celexa and Valium with Desyrel because of my response to Celexa. Until September 2008 I was also taking 200 to 400 mg. Lamictal. I stopped taking Lamictal in September, but used a pretty aggressive taper to get off, then just coped. I would like to wean myself off of Klonopin, but I have so much going on in my life, it's proving difficult. I was off of work from June of last year to last week. I found out last week I was laid off. I live in Michigan - almost impossible to find a job here. My former employer is making the lay off difficult - canceling my health insurance retroactively, etc. and generally making things harder than they should be. Also, I had a complete hysterectomy in November, so I think I'm still trying to stabilize hormonally to that situation. I'm a breast cancer survivor so hormone replacement isn't a consideration even if I wanted it to be. Bottom line: Maybe I should wait until there's a little less turmoil in my life to wean off? I don't know. I really want to get off the drug and then wean off Desyrel. I know there's never a "good" time in life to get off these drugs, but I'd like to get some feedback. Could I be biting off a little more than I can chew with trying to deal with withdrawal, job loss, financial implications, hysterectomy recovery and menopause symptoms, fibromyalgia, etc.? I'm not whining, but I don't want to set myself up for failure. What do ya'll think? Thanks for your time - Lablover Hi -

I’d like to post to ask for some feedback, but I’m not sure how to join “groups”, so I’m gonna give it a shot here.

I’m taking 1 mg Klonopin and 150 mg Desyrel per day. I also take Zyrtec and Claritin for severe environmental allergies.

I’ve been on some form of benzo for as long as I can remember, at least 10 to 15 years. I’ve been on Desyrel since June. My former doctor replaced Celexa and Valium with Desyrel because of my response to Celexa. Until September 2008 I was also taking 200 to 400 mg. Lamictal. I stopped taking Lamictal in September, but used a pretty aggressive taper to get off, then just coped.

I would like to wean myself off of Klonopin, but I have so much going on in my life, it’s proving difficult. I was off of work from June of last year to last week. I found out last week I was laid off. I live in Michigan – almost impossible to find a job here. My former employer is making the lay off difficult – canceling my health insurance retroactively, etc. and generally making things harder than they should be.

Also, I had a complete hysterectomy in November, so I think I’m still trying to stabilize hormonally to that situation. I’m a breast cancer survivor so hormone replacement isn’t a consideration even if I wanted it to be.

Bottom line: Maybe I should wait until there’s a little less turmoil in my life to wean off? I don’t know. I really want to get off the drug and then wean off Desyrel. I know there’s never a “good” time in life to get off these drugs, but I’d like to get some feedback. Could I be biting off a little more than I can chew with trying to deal with withdrawal, job loss, financial implications, hysterectomy recovery and menopause symptoms, fibromyalgia, etc.?

I’m not whining, but I don’t want to set myself up for failure.

What do ya’ll think?

Thanks for your time -
Lablover

]]> By: giannakali http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-9229 giannakali Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:39:49 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-9229 Hi Beccs, certainly you need to be prepared before withdrawing from a drug. And .5 mg can be a whole lot if you've been on it for a long time. I'm glad I could be helpful. Hi Beccs,
certainly you need to be prepared before withdrawing from a drug. And .5 mg can be a whole lot if you’ve been on it for a long time.

I’m glad I could be helpful.

]]> By: Beccs http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-9227 Beccs Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:31:13 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-9227 Hey Gianna! It's funny how this article came out, now. I was just considering quitting my klonopin and now I'm wondering if I should. It sounds like a pretty scary prospect right now..I'm only on .5mg but I already know that even that wouldn't be so easy to get off of. You really are a champ! Hey Gianna! It’s funny how this article came out, now. I was just considering quitting my klonopin and now I’m wondering if I should. It sounds like a pretty scary prospect right now..I’m only on .5mg but I already know that even that wouldn’t be so easy to get off of. You really are a champ!

]]> By: jan http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-9215 jan Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:02:00 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-9215 WOW! What an article. Thanks, Gianna, for sharing this. And it's nice to know, even after so many people have suffered for so long, that there is hope. It's hard to feel that way when you're right in the middle of the crap! I also wish you tremendous success on your last amount of clonazepam. I know it can be a bear, but you have overcome so much. You are truly an overcomer. Jan WOW! What an article. Thanks, Gianna, for sharing this. And it’s nice to know, even after so many people have suffered for so long, that there is hope. It’s hard to feel that way when you’re right in the middle of the crap!

I also wish you tremendous success on your last amount of clonazepam. I know it can be a bear, but you have overcome so much. You are truly an overcomer.

Jan

]]> By: Marissa Miller http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/benzos-again-this-time-in-the-us-media/#comment-9203 Marissa Miller Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:05:41 +0000 http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com/?p=1796#comment-9203 "You can bet that one reason the media is ready and willing to trash benzodiazepines is because they are all generic now. No big pharma interests behind keeping the truth hidden like there is for a lot of the other psychotropics that are still cash cows." You betcha! Better the truth come out now than never at all. “You can bet that one reason the media is ready and willing to trash benzodiazepines is because they are all generic now. No big pharma interests behind keeping the truth hidden like there is for a lot of the other psychotropics that are still cash cows.”

You betcha!

Better the truth come out now than never at all.

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