Posted by Paul on August 14, 1999, at 22:37:51
In reply to Re: Lorazapam - Sorry but you're wrong, posted by GS on August 14, 1999, at 18:26:42
> > > > > there seems to be 2 schools of thought in the psychiatric profession about benzodiazapines. To generalize, 1) Benzodiazapines are not good for long term treatment of any anxiety disorder
> > > >
> > > > > 2)Benzos are good for long term treatment of anxiety disorders
> > > >
> > > > > THE PROBLEM IS:
> > > > >
> > > > > The 1st group are in my opinion overrating the tolerance and dependence issues surrounding this class of drugs because of lack of understanding in prescribing and managing them.
> > > >
> > > > Yes, those are two sides of the benzodiazepine issue, and the 1st group may sometimes overestimate the risks. OTOH, the 2nd group may sometimes underestimate the risks, too...
> > > >
> > > > Bob
> > > ************************************************
> > >
> > > The underestimation of risk would be from the ill informed
> > > practitioners from the first group (the under educated, biased, and poor managers) not the second! If not for the skill and knowledge of group two, there wouldn't even be a debate about the issue. They're the ones battling ignorance and underestimation!
> > > If a psychopharmacologist is worth their salt, they will have taken TIME to manage and oversee benzos properly (looking for drug seeking behaivors, quizzing the patient about QUALITY of sleep, having them keep mood/sleep logs, knowing whether or not there is an accurate diagnosis in the first place, etc.)
> > > I don't understand your post frankly. My FULL POSTED description of group 2 did not include doctors that irresponsibly prescribe - underestimating benzos problems....quite the opposite!
> > >
> > > GS
> > Sounds like this one was a little too controversial for Dr. Bob to give us an opinion on. But quoting Dr. Robert Dupont, former director of the National Institute of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse,he states:"I have yet to see a patient become addicted to benzodiazepenes without a history of substance abuse. Dr. Dupont suggests "the concept of using the lowest possible dose of a benzodiazepine for the shortest period of time is inconsistent with sound clinical practice. This concept needs to include the important qualification that our goal is to maximize the patient's ability to function well and to enjoy life. Benzodiazepenes are among the safest and most effective treatments in all of medicine, including their role in the treatment of anxiety disorder." Amen
> **********************************************
> Of course. When I was being scared half to death from a psy doc who kept refusing to treat me properly, creating more anxiety about the drug than the actual disorder, it created needless suffering for years! And he was a well respected head of a major university's psy program having recently graduated from the very institution that is at the forefront of psy drug research - Rush St. Lukes! Shows it can happen anywhere.
> I now am being treated with respect and care by another doc that knows what's going on because I feel better and function better than ever. As he says, just get the ball in the hole!He trusts my self evaluations.
> This is my 3rd Psy doc and we finally have it right. As you may be able to tell, I have alot of resentment for the needless suffering and lost happiness over those years.
> If you read my original post of 8/4 about the subject, it is the one that is complete and not cut and pasted out of context.
>
> GS
Glad that you were able to find adequate help. I had a visit with my current doc. last week and he didn't even know what I was taking! I had sent him a fax two weeks before our appointment to express some concerns about side effects, and he informed me that he didn't read any faxes that are over a page! My fax was like a page and a half. And this guy is board certified, and a UCLA med school grad. I'm definitely changing docs, but I feel that I have the moral obligation to report this guy to the APA, or do something before he kills somebody. I could have had a suicide/homicicidal threat in the faxes he received, but didn't have 3-5 minutes(max) to read.I also have no insurance currently. It seems that prisoners get far better psychiatric care, and other medical care than the uninsured. I'm currently in grad. school, and don't have the $$ for insurance. Well, I've got modest coverage, but psych. care would be considered "pre-existing". Perhaps the only good thing to come out of this summer of violence, may be increased funding for community mental health. GA plans to cut our gutted system by another 20% next year. Something's gotta give!
Thanks for all your knowledgeable, informative posts. Paul
poster:Paul
thread:9160
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990914/msgs/10112.html