These Pills Could Be Next U.S. Drug Epidemic, Public Health Officials Say

Stateline (Pew) ^ | July 18th, 2018 | By: Christine Vestal

[Mariner]

The growing use of anti-anxiety pills reminds some doctors of the early days of the opioid crisis.

Considered relatively safe and non-addictive by the general public and many doctors, Xanax, Valium, Ativan and Klonopin have been prescribed to millions of Americans for decades to calm jittery nerves and promote a good night’s sleep.

But the number of people taking the sedatives and the average length of time they’re taking them have shot up since the 1990s, when doctors also started liberally prescribing opioid painkillers.

As a result, some state and federal officials are now warning that excessive prescribing of a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines or “benzos” is putting more people at risk of dependence on the pills and is exacerbating the fatal overdose toll of painkillers and heroin. Some local governments are beginning to restrict benzo prescriptions.

When taken in combination with painkillers or illicit narcotics, benzodiazepines can increase the likelihood of a fatal overdose as much as tenfold, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. On their own, the medications can cause debilitating withdrawal symptoms that last for months or years.

Public health officials also warn that people who abruptly stop taking benzodiazepines risk seizures or even death.

[heights]

Wanna Ban a drug? Ban the Drug-involved in Half the Murders ALCOHOL. The Most Dangerous drug on Earth.

[blu]

Valley of the Dolls

Weird and totally off-topic (but watch, I'll bring it back around...) When I was in fourth grade, we lived in NE Phenoix. Major suburbia, but no library. so, the Bookmobile came to the big mall's parking lot once a week.

I saw this book called "Valley of the Dolls". Since I had just finished the "Chronicles of Narnia", and there were no new "Nurse Cherry Barton", I checked out "Valley of the Dolls". Mom never checked my books, cos I always got as many as allowed, I was the oldest girl and a total bookworm.

I read the book and thought it was really really dumb. Did not read it all, I never found the Barbie and Tressa dolls!!!

The Stones were talking about Valium. I thought mother's little helper was the pill my mom would have me fetch for her every night when she went to bed. When I would ask her what the pill was for, she said "Because I have 7 kids, a job and a lousy husband! It's for my nerves!" So forever, I though she took valium. Nope, it was her birth control pill! (we're Catholic, so she couldn't tell me until I was about 30. It really bothered her that the Church couldn't back her birth control, but she did say the Church never put a meal on our table)

[Lurker]

“These are the most addictive substances known to man.”

Utter bull crap.

L

[CopperTop]

"..No mention of Quaaludes in this thread.."

I recently had a visit to the ED over some pretty extreme knee pain. Ended up getting an IV dose of dilaudid. Knocked the pain out real quick and got a "warm-n-fuzzy", but that's about it. Still curious what the big deal was with the "cool kids" obsession over it back in the 70's, tho.
Those and Quaalude Lemmon 714 were the big thing for pill poppers in my area back then. Never really messed with it much m'self. d:^)

[hsmomx3]

Isn’t that the truth. Their lifestyles of yesterday have certainly caught up with them.

I look at people such as Steve Tyler, Mick Jagger, Ron Wood and they really do gross me out.

[bankwalker]

was with the "cool kids" obsession over it back in the 70's, tho.

They were called "leg openers" where I lived.

[Mears]

Great story.:-)

.

[Obadiah]

This is ridiculous. I’m tired of these controlling morons.

Suddenly, every drug is an immediate danger, like SUVs, or guns that go around shooting people. I just don't understand this sudden scare. Why? Almost everything is dangerous if abused.

[Fhios]

You might be mistaking Lorazepam with Xanix. Xanix has the shortest half life, my recollection is Lorazepams half life is 12 hours.

Yes, people have died from going cold turkey on Lorazepam, mainly for the same reason I take it for — heart arrhythmia. It’s recommended that you get weened off of Lorazepam per Dr. written Schedule. But if you’ve been taking 1 mg daily for years, you go down to .5 for a week or so before quitting. Somebody who’s been taking 2-3 mg’s a day can self ween by taking 1 mg less per week until your down to .5 a day, then quit

But my doctor said people who have taken 4 mg a day or more generally need to be hospitalized for the first week where they lower the dosage by half.

[GailA]

Been on Valium a decade for Fibromyalgia, Neuropathy, Gastropresis spasms and Meniere’s attacks, take them away all I get out of it is more PAIN, enough to send me into stage 3 Hypertension and a trip to the ER for the A-Fib the pain trips me into. Take away my thyroid med it will do the same thing. No reaction to having to go off them except MORE PAIN. No cravings for the drug itself. I could barely walk from the Neuropathy which is caused by spinal degeneration and collapsed disc all thru my spine.

[mabarker1]

That just puts Y’All at the top of the list to have access to them cut off first. Just like My Pain Meds. Now I have to go to a “Pain Clinic” every month, play 20 questions (same ones every time), piss testing, kiss a few asses just to get the next 30 days of meds. All for the bargain price of $230 for visit, $75 for the piss test and $100 for the actual Rx. And last month without any notice I now have to keep Narcan in stock at home...

All thanks to politicians that aren’t Doctors and street junkies.

If you really need them ya better try to stock up because they are going to do the same thing to this class of drugs.

[GailA]

Klonopin 1 mg had horrible side effects.

I want you to meet the BIASED Director of the CDC.

Top doctor of the CDC nearly lost his son to fentanyl, calls opioid addiction ‘the public health crisis of our time’
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-dr-robert-redfield-jr-fentanyl-cdc-cocaine-crisis-20180717-story.html

Virologist Robert Redfield Named as Next CDC Director
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/virologist-robert-redfield-named-as-next-cdc-director/

Robert Redfield, CDC director: Opioid epidemic worse than HIV
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jul/8/robert-redfield-cdc-director-opioid-epidemic-worse/

New CDC chief Robert Redfield pledges to bring opioid epidemic ‘to its knees’
http://www.onlineathens.com/nationworld/20180329/new-cdc-chief-robert-redfield-pledges-to-bring-opioid-epidemic-to-its-knees

The CDC director’s deeply personal reason for fighting opioids: His son nearly died of an overdose
http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-cdc-director-son-opioid-overdose-20180717-story.html

CDC chief makes $375K, far exceeding his predecessors’ pay
https://www.apnews.com/4ea52b1ff1b24142ac7d91541c3abc65/CDC-chief-makes-$375K,-far-exceeding-his-predecessors’-pay

CDC head
On the face of it, veteran virologist Robert Redfield seems like a good pick to lead the agency, but decades-old disputes are shadowing his appointment.
https://www.kff.org/news-summary/opinion-piece-argues-robert-redfield-not-fit-to-be-cdc-director/

The CDC’s New Chief Was Accused of Fudging HIV Vaccine Research in the Early 1990s
https://gizmodo.com/the-cdcs-new-chief-was-accused-of-fudging-hiv-vaccine-r-1824001869

1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30329-4027 USA
https://www.cdc.gov/about/leadership.htm

AIDS Researcher Top Candidate to Lead the C.D.C.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/17/health/cdc-robert-redfield-director.html

[ThanhPhero]

My daughter had been taking Xanax for several years for manic depression- I really don't know what they call it now, perhaps it is part of the great swath of disorders that is subsumed under the rubric of Bipolar. After she started taking D3 supplements she dropped the xanax and has had no M-D issues since.

Xanax for depression is foolish. My daughter was an emotionless drone while she was on it. She did not experience the elations and deep depressions any more but she felt pretty much nothing. I started her on the D-3 whose anti depression effects I discovered when I sent a Việt friend a year's supply to relieve her of her near constant flu/colds. It did that and I saw within a month by her emails that she had evened out of her previous severe manic depression. Now she does not take the d-3 but she makes a point of getting some sunshine daily. When the sky is overcast for a few weeks as it was through mid January to the end of February this year the M-D cycle reappears and I have recently sent her a stock of D-3 to hold in reserve for those times.

[ThanhPhero]

Take vitamin D-3 daily or get half an hour of sunshine daily and you won't need the xanax. Sunshine (vitamin D) is the only effective medication for depression that does not have side effects like the emotionlessness that many xanax users experience..

[GailA]

See the post I PUT BELOW YOURS, CDC DIRECTOR IS ON A VENDETTA, his son a street junkie OD on Cocaine laced with Fen. He should not hold this post.

[Noumenon]

The ‘ludes must flow!

[mplc51]

I have Multiple Sclerosis and take it for that.

[freeangel]

I know a few people who ARE definitely addicted. One is taking 3 different ones/day. and even more that I know simply “cannot live without them.” And, for the few that really could be helped, there are thousands who have never been taught to deal with life and think everything in life should come wrapped in neat packages and be under control at all times.

[Mariner]

Valium is a long acting benzo.

Any withdraw symptoms will not appear until 7-10 days after the last one.

[Mariner]

You obviously have not done any research on this.