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

Another article featuring my organization Benzodiazepine Information Coalition.

"What we’re seeing is just like what happened with opioids in the 1990s."

“Our population of patients is experiencing extremely difficult withdrawals, and they have neurological injuries because of unsafe prescribing,” Huff said. “Doctors need to be informed that the medications should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks. They were always meant to be short term.”

 

http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2018/07/18/these-pills-could-be-next-us-drug-epidemic-public-health-officials-say

Very interesting, MAB! Thank you!

 

Some things that were said caught my eye especially.

 

“Doctors need to be informed that the medications should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks. They were always meant to be short term.”

 

Some people say that benzos should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks including tapering. What is your consensus among the Benzo Coalition? Because there are certainly some people who become dependent within one month. I knew one woman on here who took Ativan for 19 days, and she spent over a year with symptoms.

 

Also, (Three of the 17 co-authors reported having consulted for or received support from drug companies.) I don't understand how this group can be unbiased or even ethical AT ALL. This is a travesty, a stain on the medical profession in general. Don't they understand this?! I find it difficult to trust what they say in that case. They're a losing proposition in my book.

 

A very good article, and i'm really happy that more and more has been written about benzos!!

Thanks for posting!

 

About time someone started to write about this in a way that discusses prescribed harm & not just illegal use.

 

Having seen what has happened with the science vs shrinks around ME though I think overcoming the reports of people like the Benzo Taskforce will be a long and difficult battle. They see,m to have already made their mind up.

 

Thanks for posting!

 

About time someone started to write about this in a way that discusses prescribed harm & not just illegal use.

 

Having seen what has happened with the science vs shrinks around ME though I think overcoming the reports of people like the Benzo Taskforce will be a long and difficult battle. They see,m to have already made their mind up.

 

The "international task force" has been in 2 articles with us so far.  This one and this one: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pavx5g/this-is-why-xanax-is-blowing-up-in-america

 

I think the momentum on pill problems and benzo is too strong for them to really have the impact they might intend.  If anything they may help get our cause in front of more people to rebut them tbh.  Response from other professionals regarding task force so far has ranged suspicious to critical.  Of course, if a doctor is looking for a reason to not change their prescribing practices, the task force may prove a good excuse.  But those people are lost anyway.  It'll be interesting to see, and comment on, whatever they come up with.

 

Very interesting, MAB! Thank you!

 

Some things that were said caught my eye especially.

 

“Doctors need to be informed that the medications should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks. They were always meant to be short term.”

 

Some people say that benzos should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks including tapering. What is your consensus among the Benzo Coalition? Because there are certainly some people who become dependent within one month. I knew one woman on here who took Ativan for 19 days, and she spent over a year with symptoms.

 

 

We think people can be dependent pretty fast.  My personal experience is that I was given IV Ativan first time after an accident to prevent seizures because I was considered a high risk for seizures due to the nature of the accident.  I only was on the IVs for a day.  I've never been right since, and my symptoms did not subside until I ended up months later prescribed Ativan in a doctors office for my mysterious symptoms.  That abatement lasted like, 10 days and then my life tanked back into hell.

 

As fast as patient says is how fast tbh.  We don't know enough about these drugs (nor does anyone) to say an absolute minimum threshold.  I think the spirit of 2-4 weeks on a personal level is showing that this isn't a long term solution to the initial prescribing reason.  BIC is all about patient choice.  Should the patient and doctor decide they want to chance the risk anyway, after being given REAL informed consent, that's on them.  But patients are being casually prescribed disabling drugs with no warning of their disabling nature.  Warning of "addiction" or withdrawal doesn't even touch what these drugs do or make a patient aware they're experiencing side effects.

Thanks for posting!

 

About time someone started to write about this in a way that discusses prescribed harm & not just illegal use.

 

Having seen what has happened with the science vs shrinks around ME though I think overcoming the reports of people like the Benzo Taskforce will be a long and difficult battle. They see,m to have already made their mind up.

 

The "international task force" has been in 2 articles with us so far.  This one and this one: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pavx5g/this-is-why-xanax-is-blowing-up-in-america

 

I think the momentum on pill problems and benzo is too strong for them to really have the impact they might intend.  If anything they may help get our cause in front of more people to rebut them tbh.  Response from other professionals regarding task force so far has ranged suspicious to critical.  Of course, if a doctor is looking for a reason to not change their prescribing practices, the task force may prove a good excuse.  But those people are lost anyway.  It'll be interesting to see, and comment on, whatever they come up with.

 

Very interesting, MAB! Thank you!

 

Some things that were said caught my eye especially.

 

“Doctors need to be informed that the medications should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks. They were always meant to be short term.”

 

Some people say that benzos should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks including tapering. What is your consensus among the Benzo Coalition? Because there are certainly some people who become dependent within one month. I knew one woman on here who took Ativan for 19 days, and she spent over a year with symptoms.

 

 

We think people can be dependent pretty fast.  My personal experience is that I was given IV Ativan first time after an accident to prevent seizures because I was considered a high risk for seizures due to the nature of the accident.  I only was on the IVs for a day.  I've never been right since, and my symptoms did not subside until I ended up months later prescribed Ativan in a doctors office for my mysterious symptoms.  That abatement lasted like, 10 days and then my life tanked back into hell.

 

As fast as patient says is how fast tbh.  We don't know enough about these drugs (nor does anyone) to say an absolute minimum threshold.  I think the spirit of 2-4 weeks on a personal level is showing that this isn't a long term solution to the initial prescribing reason.  BIC is all about patient choice.  Should the patient and doctor decide they want to chance the risk anyway, after being given REAL informed consent, that's on them.  But patients are being casually prescribed disabling drugs with no warning of their disabling nature.  Warning of "addiction" or withdrawal doesn't even touch what these drugs do or make a patient aware they're experiencing side effects.

 

Thank you very much for that explanation, MAB!

 

You're absolutely right that warning about addiction or withdrawal doesn't touch what people go through on this. It's so sad that six decades later, doctors are still so very unaware of the terrible side effects. Tanked into hell is a good phrase for it. I can't believe how long this lasts. Other worldly, bizarre, just utterly debilitating.

 

I had a similar experience with Ativan, was given it in the hospital plus some other drugs. When I left and went home, I suddenly became anxious and told the medical provider that I'd like something for anxiety. BIG MISTAKE. I was given a prescription for Ativan, didn't know anything about it, she never said anything, and I've felt off ever since. There were only a few pockets of calm. But I was noticing that around 4 p.m., I'd start getting anxious. I trusted her, and I didn't think of reading on the Internet until I started having dizzy spells and vertigo 10 months later.  :'(

Good article! Thanks for posting it, MAB. I found the ending a little strange, though. No concluding paragraph to wrap it together. Just another line about the task force that left me feeling uneasy.

I hope you are right about the taskforce MAB.

 

These people have a lot of power and don’t give it up easily.

Thanks for posting!

 

About time someone started to write about this in a way that discusses prescribed harm & not just illegal use.

 

Having seen what has happened with the science vs shrinks around ME though I think overcoming the reports of people like the Benzo Taskforce will be a long and difficult battle. They see,m to have already made their mind up.

 

The "international task force" has been in 2 articles with us so far.  This one and this one: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pavx5g/this-is-why-xanax-is-blowing-up-in-america

 

I think the momentum on pill problems and benzo is too strong for them to really have the impact they might intend.  If anything they may help get our cause in front of more people to rebut them tbh.  Response from other professionals regarding task force so far has ranged suspicious to critical.  Of course, if a doctor is looking for a reason to not change their prescribing practices, the task force may prove a good excuse.  But those people are lost anyway.  It'll be interesting to see, and comment on, whatever they come up with.

 

Very interesting, MAB! Thank you!

 

Some things that were said caught my eye especially.

 

“Doctors need to be informed that the medications should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks. They were always meant to be short term.”

 

Some people say that benzos should be prescribed for no more than two to four weeks including tapering. What is your consensus among the Benzo Coalition? Because there are certainly some people who become dependent within one month. I knew one woman on here who took Ativan for 19 days, and she spent over a year with symptoms.

 

 

We think people can be dependent pretty fast.  My personal experience is that I was given IV Ativan first time after an accident to prevent seizures because I was considered a high risk for seizures due to the nature of the accident.  I only was on the IVs for a day.  I've never been right since, and my symptoms did not subside until I ended up months later prescribed Ativan in a doctors office for my mysterious symptoms.  That abatement lasted like, 10 days and then my life tanked back into hell.

 

As fast as patient says is how fast tbh.  We don't know enough about these drugs (nor does anyone) to say an absolute minimum threshold.  I think the spirit of 2-4 weeks on a personal level is showing that this isn't a long term solution to the initial prescribing reason.  BIC is all about patient choice.  Should the patient and doctor decide they want to chance the risk anyway, after being given REAL informed consent, that's on them.  But patients are being casually prescribed disabling drugs with no warning of their disabling nature.  Warning of "addiction" or withdrawal doesn't even touch what these drugs do or make a patient aware they're experiencing side effects.

 

 

I have been thinking about the use of Ativan in the ER a lot lately and know this definitely contributed to my descent to Benzo Hell.  Even in the medicals shows; the doctor is often yelling out commands involving Ativan to stabilize the patient.  My story started the night before the birth of my daughter.  I went into the hospital in labor and my doctor was not on call and for some STUPID reason; the nurses tried to pacify me (I was past due date) with a drug that I have still not learned the name of (but will once I get my medical records).  It totally looped me out so I just sat there staring at the walls until my doctor arrived in the morning and said it was time to start pushing.  My daughter came out barely breathing and I was still sedated when my parents came to visit later in the day.  They sent me home the next day and that night I had the worst panic attack of my life... collapsed and an ambulance came and got me.  And what did they prescribe when I got there.... yep Ativan.  Over fifteen years ago and I am finally just figuring all this out.  Sad.  But glad I can move on now to finally get healthy.

Oh, that's brutal, LeslieJ. SO sorry to hear about that experience. It sounds really traumatic. Anyway, yes, good for you to be moving towards health right now. 

So says the "International Task Force on Benzodiazepines" (an obvious sham):

 

"In spite of the unquestionable benefits of benzodiazepines and their popularity among physicians of various disciplines, we have witnessed a fairly negative campaign against benzodiazepines, which are often described as being readily abused (although their abuse liability is low and, if abuse occurs, it is in the context of other substance abuse). Interestingly, this campaign has intensified since the advent of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the mid-1990s. The SSRIs, originally approved for the treatment of depressive disorders, were quickly approved for various anxiety disorders despite the lack of sufficient evidence (i.e., comparison to the existing efficacious anxiolytic drugs, benzodiazepines), and they are now promoted as the first-line treatment for these disorders. In addition, the scientific literature has gradually and surreptitiously been flooded with more and more articles on “negative” properties of benzodiazepines. While many of these publications have either not been based on good science or been frankly biased, they easily achieved a common goal that negative propaganda frequently reaches: they aroused suspicion of benzodiazepines and suggested difficulties in using them, while overlooking their benefits. An “illusion of truth” effect then occurred as frequently repeated negative information and half-truths gradually became the truth as benzodiazepines were given a “bad” name and their reputation was damaged, especially in some scientific circles. Even prescribing these drugs has become a cumbersome procedure around the world."

 

Good to know we're all spreading "illusions of truths" and "arousing suspicions" folks!  The opposition is threatened and circling the wagons...

 

"Even prescribing these drugs has become a cumbersome procedure around the world."

 

Oh really?  My heart bleeds for you, asshole...