This is not a rescue dose

Hey guys, me again. I'm not new to this, so I've learned more than anyone (except for someone in withdrawal) needs to know about all this and I feel I want to share something with you: I've heard the term "rescue dose" batted around as though it were a thing post discontinuation, just a tool in withdrawal once you've stopped taking the drug itself. It's not. It's a term for when you updose once, now and again, while in withdrawal proper, while still on the drug and even then it's not highly recommended. There is no term for taking the drug post discontinuation other that reinstating... or you could call it slipping, or cheating (yourself), but no, it's not a thing, it's not commonly done because it assures only one thing and that is that you won't heal.

Just wanted to clear that up.

Sorry if I'm preachy. This seemed like a dangerous trend.

m

Marina,

 

I replied to you on Candy’s thread about this subject.  I’m still confused about your take on rescue doses.  I’ve got a different opinion.  Maybe you can take a look at what I wrote you and help me understand your definition.

 

Thanks,

 

Sofa

Hey guys, me again. I'm not new to this, so I've learned more than anyone (except for someone in withdrawal) needs to know about all this and I feel I want to share something with you: I've heard the term "rescue dose" batted around as though it were a thing post discontinuation, just a tool in withdrawal once you've stopped taking the drug itself. It's not. It's a term for when you updose once, now and again, while in withdrawal proper, while still on the drug and even then it's not highly recommended. There is no term for taking the drug post discontinuation other that reinstating... or you could call it slipping, or cheating (yourself), but no, it's not a thing, it's not commonly done because it assures only one thing and that is that you won't heal.

Just wanted to clear that up.

Sorry if I'm preachy. This seemed like a dangerous trend.

m

 

The term “withdrawal” technically means the time frame it takes for a drug to exit your system yet gets used around here to describe the actual recovery process all the time. I don’t think getting hung up on exact terminology is really all that helpful especially if these are the best descriptive words for what has taken place. If I took one dose several month’s after quitting benzo’s to help alleviate a time when symptoms had become too unbearable, & didn’t continue to take them afterwards, I would still consider this “a rescue dose” bc that’s exactly what it is. So you’re saying the term rescue dose only applies to those that tapered? Reinstatement is a lot different from taking one dose, one time, to help while in the depths of the withdrawal/recovery process. If those that take a one time dose during the worst of it describe this as a rescue dose instead of reinstatement? That makes perfect sense to me. And I took what I refer to as a rescue dose twice several months after my CT & it hasn’t delayed or prevented my recovery in any way whatsoever. 7 month’s later & I'm 99% healed.

In my opinion a “rescue dose” is something that will save your life. If it’s anxiety you are trying to avoid then it’s not a rescue dose and all you are doing is equivalent to rubbing ground up glass into a fresh wound and drifting further out to sea. We don’t need to swallow a pill every time a life stressor comes up what we must do is learn better coping skills and deal with those situations naturally.

I hope you all find relief soon my fellow warriors.

I think my point was missed. I meant to say it's not a useful tool in withdrawal once you're off the drug to take more drugs and call it a "rescue dose" as though it were a "thing". There's some idea that once you're off, you can take the odd pill here and there to help you through a tough spot. You can't.

  I'm not new to this, so I've learned more than anyone (except for someone in withdrawal) needs to know about all this and I feel I want to share something with you: I've heard the term "rescue dose"

m

 

 

I think we all have very good knowledge. No one is better or worse.

 

 

Actually, I don't care, but found this on a Swedish healthcare site:

 

Rescue dose: "It is used to treat episodic or breakthrough symptoms. it is made available on a prn (as needed) basis in addition to a patient's regular dose".

 

 

 

Marina,

 

Thanks, hon.  I totally get what you are saying.  Rescue doses ARE a big deal.  Especially when we are trying to get off a habit of popping a pill when we feel lousy.

 

Thank you for this!

 

Sofa

There's some idea that once you're off, you can take the odd pill here and there to help you through a tough spot. You can't.

 

I couldn't agree more. Well said.

I will respond to Translator (I said Wildflower but you're right, Wildflower, I meant Translator, sorry): If if is your first withdrawal, then no, you are not very knowledgeable. I don't mean you personally, I mean a person's first. There are people here asking questions for whom it is their first withdrawal. This is not a competition. I do not post trying to best anyone nor is it in an attempt to condescend. And by the way, you made my point with your quote : "It is used to treat episodic or breakthrough symptoms. it is made available on a prn (as needed) basis IN ADDITION TO A PATIENT'S REGULAR DOSE".

Right. At this stage, we have no regular dose, but we surely will again if we think we can cope by taking a pill. That's all I was trying to say

r

Marina, I think you meant to address your post above to Translator 200  - not to me. It seems you quoted from her post. 

Wildflower and Marina,

 

Yup...Marina’s post was for Translator200.

 

Translator,

 

You actually quite well reinforced the warning Marina was sharing with us.  Many of us on this forum got where we are right now from a “habit” of popping a pill to get through difficult times in our lives, rather than use non-medication therapies, tools, etc.  Of course there are also many people on this forum who never took any pills before they were prescribed benzos.  We have all sorts of stories on this forum.  The “spirit” of what Marina said was quite clear to me.  Find other ways to cope with stress (not medication) and you’ll be better off.

 

Sofa