Posted on 07/19/2018 10:55:43 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at pewtrusts.org ...
Opioids are safer than Benzos, in my opinion.
“Becoming addicted is not at all what she wanted, “
This drugs are prescribed like candy. Almost never will a Dr. tell the patient they are extraordinarily addictive. And once they start, few stop.
“You obviously have not done any research on this.”
I have personal experience which trumps your research.
L
Not surprising, xanax is not an antidepressant.
“Opioids are safer than Benzos, in my opinion.”
Opioids are not as addictive, but people don’t stop breathing on benzos.
True. My relatives on benzos became addicted but not those who used opioids.
“Wanna Ban a drug? Ban the Drug-involved in Half the Murders ALCOHOL. The Most Dangerous drug on Earth.”
Uh, that’s been tried here before. Didn’t work out too well, IIRC.
And Muslim societies are the driest on Earth. Harsh punishment for those who imbibe, which makes Sharia states such wonderful places to live.
I predict that after the benzo’s it will be the SSRI’s
Just got finished reading that to My Wife.
Now the 27 Billion Dollar question is how do We get the POS out of that office/title?
same
Are they supposed to be taken regularly, or only on an ‘as needed’ basis?
Ahh, the 80s in south florida
What mix tube tops, daisy dukes, and quaaludes.
Good times...... I think they were
I took Xanax for a while. I did not become addicted. It helped me.
I took Lemmon 714 for awhile, it helped me and I didn’t become addicted.
Smoked PCP, Angel Dust, Killer Weed and that sh*t is messed up.
Never, and I mean Never go 4-Wheeling on PCP.
However, I did ace my Geometry test.
My doc gave me 90 a month, obviously had bit of a tolerance build up.
Eat them like M&Ms didn’t feel they were working, so I quit taking them.
Had a few restless days, otherwise, nothing.
Work like a dog now, sleep like a baby
My shrink thinks I'm nuts! Especially the way ramble on and on and constantly change the subject because my mind races like a hungry jaguar chasing animals in a zoo which kind of reminds me of the way my cats run around the house like fools and some people think you are a fool to let your cats out but if you don't they will drive you nuts but I'm nuts anyway so it would be a really short trip like to the grocery store or video rental but they closed all them like my ind but mind is not really closed I just don't like talking to idiots who disagree with me because the fail to see that I'm always right and they just think I'm a right wing nut case but I'm not they are just left wing loonies so we should get along both of us being loonies like loonie tunes which reminds me I was telling my daughter that they used to censor bugs bunny cartoons in the early to mid-80's because some idiot thought they were too violent but I guess if they were full of sex they would be ok but my daughter ignored me and stays on her phone because she is almost as nuts as me and in some ways more and I going to throw her phone in the ditch bcause she won't get off of it and it's not like she talks she just texts and sometimes I don't think she can talk but my grand girl can so I get her to say a lot of weird things so people think she is either advance or a weird kid but I never teach her bad words because that would be bad because it would be like those folks a walmart with all the kids who have awful mouths like their parents which reminds me I need to go to the store and refill my prescription before I run out and go really nuts but I'm not nuts because if I was nuts I wouldn't know it so I better go to the store before I lose my train of thought and forget again like I did yesterday and the day before and ran out but no one can tell because I'm not nuts and I better go before my daughter starts throwing things at me again.
Catch-22
I have a better idea! Leave the medical decision between doctors and patients.
Want to ban something universally despised by the entire population?
Go after telemarketers ...... Minimum sentence...... 10 years and seize all assets.
Few Stop.....
Interesting comment that, as if it is like stubbing out a cigarette in it’s simplistic nature
Depending on the malady and the dosage and expected duration many factors lead to a dependency that can be very difficult to simply “stop” As the article mentioned and she and I have discussed this Benzos as they are called for short must be removed from a therapeutic course very slowly as the sudden “stoppage” can actually kill the patient. To me after some time in dealing within the Pharma industry is the known side effects yet the continued use of them to their patients. Frequently one runs into another prescription to ease the side effects of another, and off we go to the races.
The rules and other elements have tightened up a lot and that is a very good thing. Another friend who was an EMT for a long time has an artificial shoulder & hip as well as other issues and he takes OxyCodone for pain. Each time he needs to refill there is a regimen of questions as well as a DEA system check to make sure that as others used to do there is no Doctor Shopping or multiple prescriptions in play. Very educated man who suffered a lot in his work and would love to do without them. He has a provable case for a longer duration use and they have reduced the per tablet strength. On this same course the DEA is tightening the screws but they were quite lax as you posit for far too long. Net effect is a malady in Medicine I refer to as “Better living through Chemistry” or dispensing pills rather than other possible courses of therapy. CBD is a promising and more natureopathic model that comes from a non chemically synthesized source and is proving to have a lot of uses and success in place of the Pharma stuff.
I have a more sympathetic attitude towards folks stuck in this vortex, but I stand firm in the belief that over prescribing has been occurring and Doctors bear the responsibility for it more than anyone
Hmm, CDC Timothy Cunningham who was missing and later found dead had:
Been in the Army, same as the new CDC Chief Redfield.
Both from Maryland.
Both worked with vaccines.
Both working with African viruses.
Cunningham was reported to have outed the CDC and the flu vaccine.
Redfield in trouble for messing with AIDS data and Cunningham worked with Africa on
“I have a better idea! Leave the medical decision between doctors and patients.”
How could any human being disagree with that!?!?!?!?
That said, I offered my, and other’s opinions on Benzos. It caught my attention as I was once horribly addicted to lorazepam. It was simply terrible.
And I was only taking 2.5 - 3.0 mg per day. Some folks are over 4.0.
Of note: CBD and THC have freed many. As Wild Turkey eased my determined transition.
I call it my completely lost 2 years. I remember NOTHING of it. And it was the docs who first introduced me to the stuff and kept me supplied.
One day I decided to quite being a slave who didn’t remember one day to the next. I started tapering down...2.0...1.5...1...then cold turkey.
A weekend, a quart of Wild Turkey and a 1/2 case of beer got me through that weekend of hell. I thought I was going to die.
That was many years ago. I just wanted to share with folks it CAN BE DONE.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.