June 2015 Study: Benzodiazepines and Risk of Alzheimers -- Good News!

This 2015 study from Switzerland is called "Benzodiazepine Use and Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease or Vascular Dementia: A Case-Control Analysis." And the findings suggest that there's NO association between long-term use of benzodiazepines and Alzheimer's Disease or Vascular Dementia.

 

It's likely that more studies are needed before a clear conclusion can be made, but it's nice to see a study with some good news on this topic.

 

Here's the link to the abstract:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26123874

So I went through withdrawal and ended up with tinnitus for nothing.

 

Just swell.

Are you saying that the only reason you went off the meds was because of this possible Alzheimer's risk? Aren't there other reasons? Many studies point to risks outweighing benefits when it comes to long-term use. The choice is always there, though. One can take it or not.

Yes, that's what I'm saying. I appear to have a neurological condition that's only helped by benzos. I thought that the benzos couldn't possibly still be working after six years, but during my taper I found out I was wrong.

 

They still work for me, and they're the only medication that does. If there are other negative effects from benzo use, the pain relief I get outweighs them.

 

I do plan to start tapering again to get down to the lowest dose that's still effective, but unless some other medication comes along to relieve my pain, I'm on Ativan for life.

Glad to see the study re Alzheimer's.

 

Hi Getmeoffthis

 

If Ativan gives you a better quality of life then taking it might be the best course of action for you.

 

We all have to make these difficult judgements.

 

40 years on nitrazepam for epilepsy but paid a terrible price with lifelong depression.

 

Cognitive decline increased with age.

 

Don't think I had a choice really.  :'(

 

Just lucky that epilepsy has gone.

 

Wishing you well.

 

Hugs

 

Fiona 

Benzos are vestibular suppressants and can make people dizzy. That's what happened to me. I regret having taken them since it can take a long time for the vestibular system to normalize once you finally get off. The risk of falls is very high as a result, and it increases with age, as does the risk of cognitive decline.

Lapis thanks for posting the article. I just posted this article. Happy 4th of July!!

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/van-winkles/is-it-bedtime-for-benzos_b_7663456.html

Yes, it's a good one. Someone posted it last week, and I've shared it with many others already.

I hope this is true!  I stopped them because of memory and mood issues, balance problems, and fear of increased risk of Alzheimer's.  The first ones should eventually correct themselves, and it would be awesome if I'm not really at increased risk for the last one.  Maybe one day I'll truly be healed!  Yay!   

Yes, Tybee, let's hope for that! Medical science continues to evolve and new information comes out all the time. The first studies on this topic were never considered definitive.