Recent article of Stevie Nicks describing her klonopin experience.

I wished she'd said how long it took to recover. She says the biggest mistake she made was seeing a shrink. Man, she was right where we are even though I saw a GP.

 

http://www.newsweek.com/2011/05/01/my-favorite-mistake-stevie-nicks.html

As I hear, it took 2 years.. or around that. There was a Youtube video back in 2007 of her talking about it.. but I can't find it. I assume it was taken down.

 

Stevie says-

 

I learned so much in that hospital. I wrote the whole time I was there, stuff that I consider to be some of my best writing ever. I learned that I could have fun and laugh and cry with amazing people and not be on drugs. I learned that I could live my life and still be beautiful and fun and still go to parties and not even have to have a glass of wine. I never went to therapy again after that—why would I?

 

Sounds like while she was there.. she was recovering and healing then, as this describes a "window" to me...

 

S#

Maybe it was two years. I wish the public people would explain the recovery timeline but I'm sure they would be embarrased say it took so long to recover as the length could be misinterpreted as something else in that it takes so long for some of us.

 

Sounds like she was in tolerance too. She said, "But what started happening was that if I didn’t take it, my hands started to shake. I felt like I had a neurological disease or Parkinson’s."

 

Can you believe that?

 

When they cold turkey'd her she said, "My hair turned gray and my skin molted. I could hardly walk."

 

And she knows the difference between benzos. This is what I've tried to explain to people as they think people are getting high and they don't understand each benzo can act so differently in how they make people feel. Some you feel nothing. They can't grasp accidental addiction and that many of us don't know what we are taking. Klonopin put me too sleep at night. It didn't make me feel any kind of so called high. She gets it.

 

She said, "Klonopin is in the Valium family, but Valium is fuzzy and Klonopin is insidious because it’s so subtle that you can hardly tell you took it."

I think she was in tolerance so long.. when she did come off the Klonopin.. it probably was a relief.

 

 

I think she was in tolerance so long.. when she did come off the Klonopin.. it probably was a relief.

 

 

I was in tolerence longer than her n im suffering badly at 4 months off........relief it is not

I think she was in tolerance so long.. when she did come off the Klonopin.. it probably was a relief.

 

 

I was in tolerence longer than her n im suffering badly at 4 months off........relief it is not

 

I hear you Shan ... some of us have it much worse than others ... it certainly did not spell r.e.l.e.i.f. to me either.  I'm sorry that you are hurting so bad right now.  Stay strong ... it does get better ever so gradually.

I think she was in tolerance so long.. when she did come off the Klonopin.. it probably was a relief.

 

 

I was in tolerence longer than her n im suffering badly at 4 months off........relief it is not

 

That's where "We all differ" comes in.

You can't compare one experience with another exactly.

 

S#

I agree with Stevie Nicks saying the biggest mistake she made was seeing a shrink.  When this all began for me, I was a young workaholic burning the candle at both ends.  I was starting to sleep whole weekends without even getting up to eat.

 

I went to my MD, who ran NOT ONE TEST.  Instead she sent me to a psychiatrist.  I did not say I was depressed or anything.  But back then I was young and naive.  I thought doctors knew everything and I did what they said without question.  The Psychiatrist surmised I had PTSD.  But looking back now, who hasn't had something bad happen in their lives, I think he just picked it erroneously.

 

Anyway he put me on Prozac and Xanax.  I didn't know what they were but assuming since he was a doctor he was right, I just took them.  He prescribed the Xanax at bedtime.  Obviously I had no problems sleeping, infact, I had just the opposite problem.

 

Knowing what I know now, if I could go back in time I would have demanded lab tests such as a B12, AM Cortisol (to check for adrenal fatigue), or Iron blood test at the very minimum.  I certainly would have never taken either med with what I know now.

 

Through the years I saw many different Psychiatrists as I moved alot.  I am convinced that all they do is guess.  There are NO TESTS TO CHECK FOR SERONTONIN LEVELS.  How can they consciously prescribe a SSRI when they can't even test serotonin levels?

 

I think they can find any problem or tendency you have in life and find a label for it in the DSM.

 

It is disgusting how many kick backs they get from the pharmaceutical companies.  I think it is all a big money driven scam and we pay the price.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/18/how-properly-prescribed-prescription-drugs-ruined-a-famous-rock-super-star.aspx

I agree with Stevie Nicks saying the biggest mistake she made was seeing a shrink.

 

The Psychiatrist surmised I had PTSD.  But looking back now, who hasn't had something bad happen in their lives, I think he just picked it erroneously.

 

I am convinced that all they do is guess. There are NO TESTS TO CHECK FOR SERONTONIN LEVELS.  How can they consciously prescribe a SSRI when they can't even test serotonin levels?

 

I think they can find any problem or tendency you have in life and find a label for it in the DSM.

 

It is disgusting how many kick backs they get from the pharmaceutical companies.  I think it is all a big money driven scam and we pay the price.

We are on the exact same page with your points. And in fairness some have an opposing take on this, just different opinions.

 

I love Linders link with Dr. Mercola saying "Stevie Nicks spent years of her life battling "side effects" of a drug she didn't even need." Very informative link.

Yes, we have different opinions because some of us need HOPE not the "We're all doomed for life!"... etc

Stevie Nicks is happy and healthy today. She is living it up. Why she doesn't speak more about it.. is beyond me, but I figure she rather leave it alone and go on. She's performing music, travelling, and so on.. she said it took her 2 years to completely heal.

She is healed today and out and about like we all will be.

 

S#

I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea of what I was driving at in my previous post.  I think there definitely are some good people in the field of psychiatry, and perhaps there are extreme cases where these psychotropic drugs may do some good as a last resort type measure.

 

What I am against is irresponsible labeling of patients, the over prescribing/excessive doses of psychotropic drugs, and dishonorable business practices by big Pharmaceutical companies.

 

I believe these drugs might have a place in life threatening cases such as those with suicidal or homicidal tendencies.  But even then I think the patient should be closely monitored and the drug should be given for the shortest duration possible.  Also I think that any drug that can help a terminal patient, addictive or not, is appropriate.

 

But I feel I am a victim of prescription abuse.  After the Doctors got me into trouble with these powerful medications, they were completely naive as to how to help me out of the mess they created.  I also believe that I was labeled with a dx of PTSD when infact I had no mental disorder, and was told it was incurable and I would have to take SSRIs and Tranquilizers for the rest of my life.

 

I believe this is happening to others at an alarming rate, because I have seen the same thing happen to some of my friends and loved ones.  It is eerie how almost identical our stories are, how many parallels.  Even strangers I met in detox had eerily similar stories.

 

I worked at a mental health facility during my practicum in college and I met some really swell mental heath professionals who truly care.  But I also met some of, shall we say, another sort.

 

I just hope that if you are not sure about what one doctor diagnoses/prescribes, don't be a blind sheep like I was.  Ask questions, rule out anything biological, get a second opinion, and educate yourself.  There are so many resources today in which to do this.  Just be aware that one doctors decision can have a devastating impact on your life if you are not careful!

Yes, we have different opinions because some of us need HOPE not the "We're all doomed for life!"... etc

I guess you misunderstood me. No where did I say or suggest "we're all doomed for life!" ... etc. lol. I fully believe we'll all heal. Most do anyway. But yes, some of us don't see the information as "losing hope" information as it gives us more understanding. I certainly hope I haven't offended you.

 

I share the same views of much of what Perseverance says with psyche drugs, overprescribing, misdiagnosing etc., but, I did think that Perseveance was driving at the psyche industry as a "whole" having no merit. Some of us believe that in totality.  I misunderstood as he does think it has it's place. Again, I don't mean to offend, just different opinons of people on these types of boards. 

 

In any case, no need to take a good topic with "Stevie Nicks" in a different direction. She is doing great now. She a good voice for us, and an example of life after benzos for sure. And regardless of views, they're just that, opinions.

 

We're all healing and moving forward together in that! 

Yes, we have different opinions because some of us need HOPE not the "We're all doomed for life!"... etc

I guess you misunderstood me. No where did I say or suggest "we're all doomed for life!" ... etc. lol. I fully believe we'll all heal. Most do anyway. But yes, some of us don't see the information as "losing hope" information as it gives us more understanding. I certainly hope I haven't offended you.

 

No you didn't offend me. lol 

I was just saying that after what Stevie experienced, maybe she doesn't want to talk about it.

Maybe one day she will tell her story more in depth. It would be nice to hear every detail, but I doubt she ever tells it.

Everyone heals.

 

S#

Thankgoodness. I agree, she probably wants to leave it. Unless she could talk to us, who would get it?

 

Thankyou very much #S. What a deal with this. And you're right, we'll heal.