Cardiologist Discusses Her Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Mar 17, 2022

Dr. Christy Huff, director of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC), shares her personal experience with benzodiazepine withdrawal and provides an overview of current BIC activities, including BIC’s work with the Colorado Consortium’s Benzodiazepine Action Workgroup.  (Dr. Huff also mentions BenzoBuddies in the video.)

It is an interesting video.

Addressed in the video, but not covered in great detail, are the criteria used in the diagnosis of, the various treatment options for and the possible consequences of treating benzodiazepine  "dependence". Nor does the video give very much significance to some patients' choices who, after having good physician/patient consultations, and their continuance of scheduled physician/patient testing, follow-ups, etc., may decide it is in most everyone's best interests for them to stay on the medication(s) for any number of reasons, and of course all of this in accordance with the best available knowledge of and the practices in the patient/physician(s) treatment plans.

I recently read a "Controlled Substance Use Agreement", which is used by an association of doctors and their patients for documenting informed consent to prescribe the medication(s). The revised agreement had updated and changed its language to include "physical dependence" as a reason for prescribing the medication(s). The agreement also added statements indicating that tapering or ceasing to use the medication(s) may not be in the best interest of the prescribing physician's patient.

I believe those additions to the agreement made the written informed consent form for prescribing the medication(s) more complete. Of course, the agreement also disclosed many other issues that are important to know before starting, continuing or ending the use of the prescribed medication(s).