Benzos and Driving

[[Buddie]]

Wow - 16 mgs, I was on 2mg at the start and was a living zombie.  How did you cope on 16mgs?

You wouldn't believe some of the reverse effects this stuff had on me. At that time I was the Layaway Dept. Manager at WalFart and it was the Christmas season. The store manager said that was the most orgainized Christmas layaway season she'd ever seen. However, I was mean and she was normally quite the b.... One day she was walking in front of me when I was trying to go back and get a package. I told her to get the blank out of my way! Too bad it was their last year for layaway.  My manager got in my face (he was no sweetie either) and I not-so-nicely handed him the Genimi and told him to go back in the layaway bins and shove it you-know-where. I found that my favorite word started with an "F" and had a lot of attitude packed with it.

Even before I became a Christian. Before I started trying to clean up my act, I never spoke to people like that. I never in a million years would have said that to anyone, especially not someone who fire me. Can you imagine how much nastier I was to my co-workers, friends and family?

Now imagine me driving like that. I could've taken road rage to a whole new level!

[[Buddie]]

Oooh I'm glad you don't live in my country.  You are starting to scare me now!

Hopefully post benzos the former [...] will turn up again, maybe with just a little attitude.  We all gotta have that!

I guess we should ask just how many road rage incidents could be related to benzos.  I know my patience was sorely tested many times and my brain sent words to my mouth that I would never have said prior to benzos. 

[[Buddie]]

This is a tough one, i was on benzos for so many years i have never driven without them  i havnt attempted to drive yet so i wonder what sort of driver i will be

[[Buddie]]

Seems some people have no trouble while on benzos.  But then how many people are driving when perhaps they shouldn't be?  Who would know.

We've already had one proven fatal car accident involving a driver who was on benzos (not sure if prescription) - the family of the person who was killed by that driver were instrumental in lobbying to get the law amended to include benzos. 

[[Buddie]]

Wow - 16 mgs, I was on 2mg at the start and was a living zombie.  How did you cope on 16mgs?

You wouldn't believe some of the reverse effects this stuff had on me. At that time I was the Layaway Dept. Manager at WalFart and it was the Christmas season. The store manager said that was the most orgainized Christmas layaway season she'd ever seen. However, I was mean and she was normally quite the b.... One day she was walking in front of me when I was trying to go back and get a package. I told her to get the blank out of my way! Too bad it was their last year for layaway.  My manager got in my face (he was no sweetie either) and I not-so-nicely handed him the Genimi and told him to go back in the layaway bins and shove it you-know-where. I found that my favorite word started with an "F" and had a lot of attitude packed with it.

Even before I became a Christian. Before I started trying to clean up my act, I never spoke to people like that. I never in a million years would have said that to anyone, especially not someone who fire me. Can you imagine how much nastier I was to my co-workers, friends and family?

Now imagine me driving like that. I could've taken road rage to a whole new level!

This meanness you describe was a very good description of how I behaved prior to my taper.  I'd been this way for a couple of years before really hitting bottom. 

I also know of people who eat Xanax 2mg bars all day, and are sitting beside you at the red light daily.  One of them will even serve you at one of our local restaurants, slurring and all.

[[Buddie]]

The new driving law comes into effect on 1 November and there has been a bit of publicity on the news and in the papers lately.
Last night on the TV news there was an item on how the police are going to test for drugs (illicit and prescription).  Seems they will look at your eyes, how much your pupils are dilated - they have a series of cards with various pupil sizes to help them!

Also will do a "walk the line" test, similar to the old test for drunk driving and if they believe the driver to be taking some form of drugs they then have the power to do a blood or urine test.  Of course you can only be pulled over if you are driving erratically or have committed some other offence.

There has been a lot of concern expressed by the medical profession re their prescribing of benzos and how they doctors could be blaimed for prescribing doses too high to allow for a person to drive safely.  In New Zealand the law prevents us from suing medical practitioners but it seems they are still concerned.   Also a few concerns by people on benzos who believe their freedom to drive will be taken away because they are on benzos.  One lady wrote to the editor of our local paper stating how angry she was that she could be in danger of losing her licence because she was on prescription benzos.  She stated that she had high anxiety and was fighting agoraphobia and that her ability to drive was the only freedom she had.  I was tempted to write a reply suggesting that it was because she was on benzos that she had the anxiety and the agoraphobia in the first place - but she was obviously blissfully unaware of the dangers of the benzos.  How many others are in her position?

[[Buddie]]

i'm wondering what happens to these ppl? are they arrested? i wish them luck getting benzos in jail. idk how it is there but here in the usa getting your prescription meds in jail is like a joke! they do not care about you.
that will be a big wake up call if that happens to the benzo addicted who are arrested for driving while on benzos.

was tempted to write a reply suggesting that it was because she was on benzos that she had the anxiety and the agoraphobia in the first place - but she was obviously blissfully unaware of the dangers of the benzos.  How many others are in her position?

i know this drives me crazy. once you're out of it, it becomes so clear.....IT'S THE BENZOS!!!!!  i want to scream at these ppl...but i was them once not long ago. i know the blindness to it all.

[[Buddie]]

One lady wrote to the editor of our local paper stating how angry she was that she could be in danger of losing her licence because she was on prescription benzos.  She stated that she had high anxiety and was fighting agoraphobia and that her ability to drive was the only freedom she had.  I was tempted to write a reply suggesting that it was because she was on benzos that she had the anxiety and the agoraphobia in the first place - but she was obviously blissfully unaware of the dangers of the benzos.  How many others are in her position?

There are a lot of people like her.

[[Buddie]]

The new driving law comes into effect on 1 November and there has been a bit of publicity on the news and in the papers lately.
Last night on the TV news there was an item on how the police are going to test for drugs (illicit and prescription).  Seems they will look at your eyes, how much your pupils are dilated - they have a series of cards with various pupil sizes to help them!

Also will do a "walk the line" test, similar to the old test for drunk driving and if they believe the driver to be taking some form of drugs they then have the power to do a blood or urine test.  Of course you can only be pulled over if you are driving erratically or have committed some other offence.

There has been a lot of concern expressed by the medical profession re their prescribing of benzos and how they doctors could be blaimed for prescribing doses too high to allow for a person to drive safely.  In New Zealand the law prevents us from suing medical practitioners but it seems they are still concerned.   Also a few concerns by people on benzos who believe their freedom to drive will be taken away because they are on benzos.  One lady wrote to the editor of our local paper stating how angry she was that she could be in danger of losing her licence because she was on prescription benzos.  She stated that she had high anxiety and was fighting agoraphobia and that her ability to drive was the only freedom she had.  I was tempted to write a reply suggesting that it was because she was on benzos that she had the anxiety and the agoraphobia in the first place - but she was obviously blissfully unaware of the dangers of the benzos.  How many others are in her position?

The doctors need to be worried, they're throwing a short term medication at a long term problem.  They're prescribing medication in ever increasing amounts to counteract the side effects of the medication they're prescribing!  Maybe this will make them take a closer look at their common practice of over prescribing these meds!

Hey [...], I would have been tempted to write a letter too, classic benzo tolerance and withdrawal symptoms for that woman.  Get off the drug and her troubles will be over, plus she can keep her license. 

[[Buddie]]

I agree, the doctors should be worried - although as I said we can't sue, but they must still have a conscience.

At the support group I go to the two counsellors have told us that they have had an increased number of calls from people on benzos wanting to know the truth about these drugs.  They have also had their share of people phoning to blame them for lobbying (well they sent a letter to the powers that be) to change the law - again like the lady I quoted in my previous post - these people have their heads in the sand or simply just do not know about the effects of benzos.

There could be a bit of an influx of people around my town looking for help to get off the dreaded poisons post 1 November.  Unfortunately due to funding constrictions the support group's future in very much in doubt - amazing isn't it, I believe that with benzo prescriptions increasing in these tough times the funding should be increasing - not decreasing.  But then what do we know. .  Guess the moneymen know better.