Posted by valene on June 17, 2006, at 21:24:53
In reply to You CAN wean off of benzodiazpines (Atavan Xanax V, posted by jeninne on June 16, 2006, at 20:16:20
> In 2002, I was given a Rx for Ativan. It was to decrease muscle tension in my shoulder. I was going through a very difficult time and was told by a family member to take as much as 10 mg. every four hours to help with the aniexiety. I did. I took Ativan regularly for about 6 weeks.So, reading the above (edited your post to capture your dosage and length on ativan), you were taking approximately 40MG. of Ativan PER DAY?? YIKES. That is equivalent to about 400mg. of valium!!!!! Wow. No wonder you had a hard time coming off it.
I am also somewhat uncomfortable with the message you convey. Most people on this board who are on a benzo are on them for real issues of lifelong anxiety or diagnosed with GAD, SAD, etc. and are complicated people, not cookie cutter diagnoses here. To make a generalized statement that these are "horrible addictive drugs" can really undermine some of us me included. I have been to see not just any pscychiatrist but the chairman of the APA (American Psychiatric Association) Taskforce on Benzodiazepines a huge study, who has more credentials than you can imagine besides this, a psychopharmacologist who has been distinguished and awarded many times who is a full professor of psychiatry at Harvard University and I tend to believe him somehow over a poster who is anonymous to me. I can believe you have good intentions, but as has been stated above, each of us is different. and most of us are not taking the equivalent of 400 mg. of valium!!!!
He reviewed my case and suggested that due to my history and my family history and no alcohol, or very little and a decrease dose (not escalating dose of benzo) that I STAY ON the benzo and NOT taper off it. He is a complete expert on benzodiazepines. SO I am sorry there are different opinions than yours out there and I hate to see others on this board get hurt or misinformed by anyone including myself. So each one of you take a look at your diagnosis and where you are with benzos and if you trust your doctor, are not escalating the dosage and if you want to go off, you will each have your own indivuual responses to withdrawal. I have withdrawn successfully off xanax with little to no trouble. This is cutting pills, no liquids involved . Please don't scare yourselves but know that benzos are one of the safest in terms of side effects of psychiatric drugs out there.
Val
poster:valene
thread:657802
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060617/msgs/658145.html