Posted by Squiggles on August 21, 2002, at 8:53:18
In reply to Re: To...Addiction vs. Medical dependence » Squiggles, posted by alan on August 20, 2002, at 13:41:45
Alan,
You know a lot about this subject. I appreciate
being able to speak to you. I am at this point
at a crossroad regarding interpretation of
facts - you may have experienced this if you
have been studying conflicting ideologies and
explanations; if not in my experience it is very
anxiety provoking in itself.The reason i joined the benzo group was on account
of the relentless panic attacks that followed
some years after taking XANAX at the same therapeutic
dose, and its interaction with RIVOTRIL (dyspnea),
and other adverse effects. I think that my
dr. believed this increasing anxiety and panic
(which i never had before nor for which Xanax was
prescribed - it was prescribed for anxiety alone)
was "endogenous". And thus, the dosage was not
increased, nor the drug changed.I had to find out myself why i kept having panic
attacks 3 or 4 times a day. And to be honest,
as i am not medically trained, the Synthroid dose
may also have been too high.In any event after studying the net I more or less
demanded to be taken off the Xanax, as I thought
(and i turned out to be right) the Xanax had reached
tolerance at that dose after so many years. My dr.
was very nice and let wean off the Xanax. Sure enough,
the panic attacks ceased. This was very important
to me, as it played havoc with my day to day life and
required me to leave my job.I have not had any panic attacks since getting off
Xanax. I know that they were the effect of tolerance
or inter-dose withdrawals. That is one thing i
am certain.Not the case with Rivotril. However, having joined
the Benzo group and also the mass criticism of
benzos in general, i fell for the idea that ALL
benzos are bad, including Rivotril; infact it was
even considered that my diagnosis of bipolar may
have been a misdiagnosis. A misdiagnosis which resulted
from Valium withdrawal. Even now, i have received
messages saying that Rivotril is not the right
drug for bipolar, if i am bipolar. Right or not,
I should never have tried to get off it. What you
say about neurological adaptation gives me hope
that it will be studies and shed light on the
truly horrendous withdrawal from this drug.You can understand my heightened state of alarm
at all this and my growing fear about the ignorance
both of drug companies and the medical establishment.
Yes, I generalized and so does the group - infact
there is a general anti-psychiatric med bias on
the whole - which btw I do not share at all, as
my enthusiasm and set up of a site for lithium would
show.But i don't wish to tire you - just to make this
point and to ask: Should the Xanax have been increased
in dose over time? (the Rivotril was once); why
did i have panic attacks after taking it for some
time and yet cease to have them when i weaned off?
If it were increased, for how much longer would it have
to be increased in the lifetime of a person?Well, i'll stop here - i hope i have not tired you.
I will be looking at the World Health Organization
and their perspective on benzos.Again, i appreciate discussing this with you.
Thanks for reading.
Squiggles
poster:Squiggles
thread:116708
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020821/msgs/117222.html