Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1722

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Benzos addiction

Posted by shelley on December 25, 1998, at 18:17:09

Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion. Eeeks. Over a period of months with my drs. guidance but would like to know if others have had problems with this drug and what can be done to 1) sleep without it, and 2) alleviate the distress related to withdrawing. I really just want some sleep. Thanks.

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by Peter on December 25, 1998, at 21:15:38

In reply to Benzos addiction, posted by shelley on December 25, 1998, at 18:17:09

Shelley,

Would you define benzos addiction? Just to avoid possible missunderstanding while we are talking.
Why did you start taking it? Why are you withdrawing?
Have you tryed anything else before benzos?
By the way I'm also Insomniac.
I'll be back with you on Monday, or possibly before.


> Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion. Eeeks. Over a period of months with my drs. guidance but would like to know if others have had problems with this drug and what can be done to 1) sleep without it, and 2) alleviate the distress related to withdrawing. I really just want some sleep. Thanks.

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by Mistica on December 25, 1998, at 22:06:56

In reply to Benzos addiction, posted by shelley on December 25, 1998, at 18:17:09

> Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion. Eeeks. Over a period of months with my drs. guidance but would like to know if others have had problems with this drug and what can be done to 1) sleep without it, and 2) alleviate the distress related to withdrawing. I really just want some sleep. Thanks.


Have you tried cleaning (I mean like your ENTIRE house or apartment). In otherwards a good physical workout. But the cleaning offers the bonus of seeing what you've accomplished, and having a cleaner environment.
I find that an hour of hard aerobic exercise goes a long way for stress (or distress) reduction and subsequently or additonally for the sleep. My advice would be to start exercise program, 1/2 hour 3 days a week, preferably aerobic because it has much added health benefits (especially for heart and lungs). I think it has also been found to promote sleep (not necessarily right after the 1/2 hour) but through the release of body chemicals, but I'm not positive of this, you should read-up on exercise and anxiety/ sleep problems on the web.
I hope this is a helpful suggestion!

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by alan on December 26, 1998, at 4:41:53

In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by Mistica on December 25, 1998, at 22:06:56

> > Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion. Eeeks. Over a period of months with my drs. guidance but would like to know if others have had problems with this drug and what can be done to 1) sleep without it, and 2) alleviate the distress related to withdrawing. I really just want some sleep. Thanks.
>
x As for sleeping, I certainly second the suggestion that you get on an exercise program. And try to follow the general rules that seem to come out in the popular press at least once or twice a month. There are also web sites. Stuff like keeping regular hours, no alcahol or caffeine for several hours before bedtime, get out of bed when you can't sleep and do something relaing like reading a light novel (or try Kant's Critique of Pure Reason; that can be stronger than Halcion)--etc.
As for withdrawal, I've never used sleep aids for more than a day or two, so I don't know what Halcion itself is like. But what I have done to withdraw from benzos with complete success and usually no discomfort is this. 1. Shift to a long acting benzo--I assume anything used for sleep is meant to not act for very long. 2. Taper off at a snail's pace; when necessary, do backtrack by a very small amount, and try to go even slower; at a certain point learn to cut the pills with a razor blade into smaller and smaller pieces, if necessary. Once you have reached the point where you can't cut half of one mg. of valium any smaller. take a few specks for a few days. Then stop. This will probably not be neccesary, but it is an option. I think it is important to avoid any real setbacks during the process. And of course work with your doctor who knows you and medicine.
Good luck. Now, if you could tell me how to stay awake.....


 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by saint james on December 27, 1998, at 7:00:46

In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by alan on December 26, 1998, at 4:41:53

> > > Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion.

James here....

How about a sedating antidepressant ? I've taken 1 for over 12 yrs with no problem...in fact it improves my sleep as to quanty of REM stage and overall feeling rested. I take 15 mgs Remeron and thsi has no AM sedation.

james

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by Susan on December 27, 1998, at 20:22:14

In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by saint james on December 27, 1998, at 7:00:46

> > > > Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion.
> James here....
> How about a sedating antidepressant ? I've taken 1 for over 12 yrs with no problem...in fact it improves my sleep as to quanty of REM stage and overall feeling rested. I take 15 mgs Remeron and thsi has no AM sedation.
> james

Is 15 mg of Remeron considered better (more acceptable) than .25 mg of Xanax for sleep? Is Xanax harmful if it has worked at this dose for years? Am I "addicted" because I take it every night? It seems to me that there is a stigma attached to benzos ( Xanax) that I do not understand. Is a sedating antidepressant less toxic? I tried Remeron and returned to Xanax because there are fewer side effects with Xanax but I don't even want my family to know that I take it because of its bad reputation. That makes me feel deceptive!

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by Pam on December 28, 1998, at 1:45:44

In reply to Benzos addiction, posted by shelley on December 25, 1998, at 18:17:09

> Please help with any suggestions. I am withdrawing from Halcion. Eeeks. Over a period of months with my drs. guidance but would like to know if others have had problems with this drug and what can be done to 1) sleep without it, and 2) alleviate the distress related to withdrawing. I really just want some sleep. Thanks.
>I agree with Alan. I have had to stop taking Klonopin twice and it was the worst experience of my life. What I learned is that everybody needs to set their own pace for withdrawing from a medication. I tried to do it too quickly and felt like I was dying for a month. The best thing that happened to me was to slow down the process. And do backtrack if needed. So, it takes a little longer, but it saves all the discomfort and illness that withdrawing too quickly causes.

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by saint james on December 28, 1998, at 6:57:07

In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by Susan on December 27, 1998, at 20:22:14

> Is 15 mg of Remeron considered better (more acceptable) than .25 mg of Xanax for sleep? Is Xanax harmful if it has worked at this dose for years? Am I "addicted" because I take it every night? It seems to me that there is a stigma attached to benzos ( Xanax) that I do not understand. Is a sedating antidepressant less toxic?

James here....

Hmmm....addiction is many things and Xanax is an addicting drug; Remeron is not. The most important thing is to take what work for you with your Doc's supervision. If Xanax is what works and you are stable at a dose w/o needing increasing amounts to get sleep (and you get good sleep; feel rested) then don't worry about it.

For me the benzo's give me sleep but the sedation carries in the AM and PM. There is some evidence the benzo's reduce REM and/or alter other sleep stages. I don't feel rested on a benzo and as I sometimes take Atavin during the day it is best for me to use something else for sleep. For me if there is a med that gives good sleep, has few sideffects, doesn't make me groggy
in the AM I go with that one.

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by alas on December 29, 1998, at 12:14:48

In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by saint james on December 28, 1998, at 6:57:07

> > Is 15 mg of Remeron considered better (more acceptable) than .25 mg of Xanax for sleep? Is Xanax harmful if it has worked at this dose for years? Am I "addicted" because I take it every night? It seems to me that there is a stigma attached to benzos ( Xanax) that I do not understand. Is a sedating antidepressant less toxic?

A proposal: A drug is worth using if it is much
more helpful than harmful in the long run. If it is more harmful than helpful, then it should not be used. Calling it 'addicting, in no way changes this fact. If using it will cause you to use it in a way that is more harmful than helpful, especially if you so use it repeatedly and are very strongly motivated (for some reason or other, known or unknown) to use it in a way that is more harmfful than helpful, then its use, at least for you, is more harmful than helpful; it follows that it should not be used in your case, Someone may or may not call this manner of use an 'addiction'; that is totally irrelevant in this practical context. If it is TRUE that it IS an addiction, it is still irrelevant. Addiction per se is a research topic of great importance; it is not an advers effect, major or minor. Indeed, addiction in some sense (e.g., you'll kep using it to avoid withdrawal syndrome) may be a very good thing, for example with beta-blockers used for hypertension.

 

Re: Benzos addiction

Posted by Shelley on December 29, 1998, at 15:59:32

In reply to Re: Benzos addiction, posted by alas on December 29, 1998, at 12:14:48

Thanks all! I am trying to stop taking Halcion because it seems to serve no purpose, in that it does not help me sleep. Yet, if I do not take it at night I am in agony the next day, called "withdrawing". I have the help of a good doc who is helping me to taper off over a period of months. She said "success" is more important than "time" and that backtracking is okay. She says the drug may be contributing to daytime "dysfunction"; ie, anxiety, early morning lethargy, etc. She doesn't want to start me on any new anti-depressant/mood stabilizer until we see how this goes for awhile as long as I'm pretty well stabilized. Thanks for the input. I look forward to more.


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