Posted by yxibow on September 15, 2006, at 3:31:29
In reply to Re: BENZO Preferences? one easier to WD????, posted by qbsbrown on September 13, 2006, at 23:26:32
> So basically you're saying if i want off of benzos, and i'm only at 12.5 mgs valium, that im in a pretty good place, and to forget about the burry vision etc? That switching over to ativan would in fact make the situation more difficult. I believe that ativan and xanax bind to the GABA like 4 times more potent than valium.
I'm not saying that one should ignore the blurry vision if you're really worried -- as in an opthamologic issue rather than just a side effect one can live with whilst one is reducing medication. If it doesn't interfere with your daily activities, driving, reading, and is not seeming to be degenerative (progressing any more than status quo), then it probably is not a red flag issue. But that is up to your comfortability.
And you're right, you would create two taper scenarios.
I'm not sure about binding, one would have to read things like Stahl and other sources, but if you mean that Xanax is 10 times more potent by equivalency and Ativan is 5 times more potent by milligram equivalency then that is the case.
All benzodiazepines bind to GABA-A, at subreceptors that are responsible for anaesthesia, sedative-hypnotic, anxiolytic, and anti-convulsant. Each has submetabolites, some of which are other benzodiazepines, e.g. Restoril is a smaller non-main metabolite of Valium. Each binds to those subreceptors in varying degrees but they all bind to them to some degree. Versed, a preoperative anaesthetic, binds strongly to the anaesthesia angle, while Halcion, Dalmane, Restoril, and Rohypnol bind to the sedative-hypnotic side more strongly. Dalmane is quite strong on that angle. Clonazepam and Valium bind varyingly to the anxiolytic and anti-convulsant parts more strongly than other benzodiazepines.GABA-B agents, such as baclofen, operate somewhat differently.
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> I would love to hear and understand your arguments against Ashton. I have read her work, and seen some of her cult followings, whom somewhat scare me, and many are pissed at the psychiatric community as a whole.
I don't know if its about Ashton per se or the person (unrelated to her) who creates that site. I just prefer to stay away from it, and comments that I have posted in the past equating it to both quackery and a dangerous idea to get all people (including those who have evidence based psychiatric need for benzodiazepines) off benzodiazepines have just resulted in "please be civil" issues so I would just leave it there. One can believe what they choose.
> I did however notice, although she ran a benzo WD clinic for 10 or so years (and considered the forefront expert on benzo WD) there was only an average of about 10-12 patients treated per year, most of whom were severe cases. So that intrigued me.
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> Also tell me what is more of a scientific approach to WD. 10% weekly every 1-2 weeks?
A scientific approach is whatever works for you and your doctor. But yes, 10% weekly every 1-2 weeks sounds rational if you are having moderately bad withdrawal issues, thats about on par what I am doing at the moment as an experimental test against using less medication to cover the same issues with more clarity of mind.
But you are on a much smaller portion than I, so nonlinearity may prove more positive at some point because it could take 30 weeks and tablet sizes that don't exist to come off of 12.5mg of Valium at that calculation. So I'm not completely against nonlinearity, at some point dose reductions become a matter of a placeboid.
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> Thanks Jay,
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> Brian
poster:yxibow
thread:685297
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060909/msgs/686119.html