Posted by J. Wesley on December 29, 2002, at 4:10:36
In reply to Xanax and Dyskinesias???, posted by Alan on December 28, 2002, at 19:55:28
> > I spent a little time researching the net this afternoon to see if I could find any research showing a link between benzodiazepines and dyskinesias. Here is a link I found. Scroll down to the charts listing meds if you don't want to read all about TD.
> >
> > If anyone has any idea why xanax is listed, please feel free to educate me.
> > http://emedicine.com/neuro/topic362.htm#target2
> >
> > J. Wesley
> >
> ========================================
>
> I'm sorry but that link only gets me to search page.
>
> Besides, simply listing xanax in a catagory without linking to research isn't worth the cyberspace it's listed on.
>
> I'm open-minded to any credible research out there (which by definition completely eliminates "research" from the usual strident anti-benzo sites).
>
> I even called my doc today....head of a large teaching hospital psychiatric dept. because it concerned me.
>
> He later returned my call and when I mentioned bzds and TD he said that yes, there is a link. That bzds are standardly used to *treat* symptoms of TD...that klon was first approved as an anti-convulsant...that many confuse seizures induced from rapid withdrawal from bzds in drug abuse detox centers (and on his hospital psych ward for that matter) with TD.He said that there were no studies that he had ever heard of let alone seen that linked bzds and TD.
>
> He did remind me that he thought that the present fad of prescribing Neuroleptics - even in low doses - for anxiety disorders was at best risky and relatively ineffective, even less effective than AD's (which the manufacturers own tests claim a 30 - 50 percent efficacy rate which is about as close to placebo as one can get).
>
> Bzds have a huge success rate by comparison. By contrast the risks, however one minimises there frequency of occurance, from neuroleptics are some of the most devastating there are.
>
> Alan_____________________________
Alan, I just threw that out there. I'm not sure what you mean when you say that the link only gets you to a search page? Is there not a long discussion on TD with many citations at the end of the article to support the discussion. It was the first site I came to that showed a link between benzo's(xanax) and movement disorders under the heading of TD. I subsequently found a few others in short order that also "mentioned" a link between xanax and movement disorders. The drug monograph on rxlist.com mentions akathisia and dystonia as possible side effects associated with xanax. Drug monographs can be misleading, not only in what side effects are reported along with their frequencies, but also because side effects are often purposely minimized or discarded by Pharmicia if their research shows something negative. That being the case, to have pharmicia even mention potential movement disorders as a possibility in their own monographs begs for at least a little investigation.
I have yet to find a site that specifically addresses why xanax, and only xanax from the benzo class, is mentioned in association with movement disorders.
None of the sites I found mentioning a link to any aspect of movement disorders associated with xanax seem to be anti or pro anything. I am only relaying some info I have found to those who might be interested about any connection with movement disorders and benzo's, without personal opinions or bias. The sites with the information exist, and I have given the link. Others can evaluate the information as it suits them. I have no agenda, xanax is the only med I use. I suspect that you would agree that it is in my best interest to know as much about any medication I take. It is knowledge that I seek, not just knowledge that is positive and supports rationalizing the use of whatever med I take. The subject of TD and movement disorders came up and I pursued it. Thus far, all that I am finding is that xanax is "mentioned" in association with movement disorders at several sites. I find this curious. The next logical step is to try to find out why xanax is stated to be associated with movement disorders, as opposed to others in the benzo class being used to treat the symptoms of movement disorders.
Whether or not any one site or article meets your criteria for "pure" research, or what is generally accepted as "pure" research, if there is such a thing any longer, is obviously important. But it is not the end all of all discussion and investigation when anecdotal evidence suggests certain information, and said information is found listed more than a few times in different forums. It was once heretical to suggest that the earth was not the center of the universe. Misinformation abounds, in fact is common with benzo's, regardless of the source. No one single person knows all, nor does popular conviction by any group, large or small, necessarily give definitive answers that are absolute Time, discussion, evaluation, and critical thinking are essential to get to the heart of the matter when considering any piece of information as relates to it's validity. To dismiss even a sliver of information because one may find it objectional does a diservice to the discovery process of knowledge, whether it turns out to be correct or not.
The rest of your post is well known and I have no problem with that information. I agree with it. Please don't overreact (calling your doc), I'm not. I may not even pursue this any further, as it is somewhat time consuming and is quite probably of little significance, unless of course, you, me, or anyone else happens to develop a movement disorder while using xanax. In that event it does become significant.
Probability is low, if it even exists, but as you are so fond of stating, statistics are meaningless on an individual basis, and I agree with that also.
J. Wesley
poster:J. Wesley
thread:132791
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021223/msgs/133626.html