Ever since I was diagoised as being Bipolar, I have been prescribed Lorazepam (Ativan) for stress, but mainly to help me sleep. I only take it at bedtime (3mg) I was doing some random surfing tonight and came across this old article....
..."Golombok and her coworkers were unable to follow up with tests after drug termination. However, these findings of chronic brain dysfunction raise a serious concern about possible permanency. The investigators comment: "It is impossible to determine how long it is safe for a patient to continue to take benzodiazepines, or at what dose, before cognitive ability will begin to deteriorate. Nevertheless, it is clear from the inspection of our data that taking a low dose for a short time has little effect, while a high intake is almost always certainly harmful." (P. 371)
The test results indicate that "these patients are not functioning well in everyday life," while they remain unaware of their impairment: "This is in line with clinical evidence that patients who withdraw from their medication often report improved concentration and increased sensory appreciation and that only after withdrawal do they realize that they have been functioning below par.... It appears, therefore, that not only are long-term benzodiazepine users at risk of dependence, but that cognitive impairment also represents a very real hazard." (P. 373)
It cannot be overemphasized that brain-disabling treatments render patients less able to evaluate their own dysfunction. The Golombok study is exceedingly important from the viewpoint of the patient who wishes to avoid brain dysfunction and from the viewpoint of the ethical physician who wishes to avoid causing it in his or her patients.
If doctors wish to prescribe minor tranquilizers or if patients want to take them, it would be prudent to follow the advice of The New Harvard Guide to Psychiatry ( 1988): "The main usefulness of the antianxiety agents is in general medicine in the short-term treatment of relatively transient forms of anxiety, fear, and tension" (p. 524). "
I've been taking a benzo (Ativan) for two years now. It hasn't effected me one bit. At learsytn the ntrhats tyhf knogfy thshtjhsxn at least that I know of !!
Makes you kind of wonder (or paronoid)if that you really are able to your own best judge of things.
Go to the pdoc on 5/8. Let you know how it went.
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12 comments:
I'm going through xanax withdrawal and it is very very hard.
i take ativan and clonipin - but the ativan - I have about 300 pills .5 mg because I rarely take them The Clonipin I take 1 mg per night to help me sleep.
Eeesh. I know it's not a lot but without it I don't sleep.
this was a good article.
Hi. Your story sounds almost exactly like mine, and I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar 2 and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I was taking 50 mg of Seroquel, and when I told the Dr. it was working well for me, he upped my dosage to 100mg. I am often tired during the day..although I no longer have the nightmares, and I sleep quite well. I took 100mg for two days and didnt wake up until very late, so I dropped it back down to 50mg..I have a 6 yo I need to see off to school everyday, so 100mg I feel isnt for me. I commend you for coming as far as you have. I hope I can get that far in my life, as right now things are difficult for me in many ways..but I guess I am starting my journey. I found your blog while checking into the side effects of the medicine I am on, and I will continue to come back to check on your progress.I wish you the best of luck. Wonderful reading and God Bless!
Gina Basham
Mine was Ambien. It's not a benzo but it acts like one for me. Messed me up bad. It's been months since I've taken it...and I'm still jonesing for it.
I do notice that my memory isn't nearly as good as it was before I started abusing it. : (
Hope the new job is going Ok!
I've been on Xanax for a few months & usually just take it at bedtime. I haven't noticed any brain malfunction, but like you said, are we really the ones to be judging or analyzing ourselves? I think it's always a good idea to research meds & be open minded to all there is out there. Thanks for posting this...very informative.
I'm on Fluoxetine (10mg) and Adderall (10mg). I tried to get off of the Fluoxetine under my pdoc's suggestion, and I felt like I was going nuts! I wasn't told that there are roadrage-like withdrawal symptoms. Annoying. But I can relate to your story.
PS - I was formerly diagnosed as rapid-cycling bipolar for a while.
it was good to read your blog...came across it while doing my own research upon dr.'s suggestion as she feels that i have probably been Bipolar II since at least my teens...i am now 46! took a while - whew!
i am also happy to read feedback about meds from others who read your blog...thank you all...it will help me decide which ones will be best suited to me when i see my dr. again next week and we will decide a course of action.
i feel better just knowing what the hell this is...
Hi! Found your blog through a searchengine and just wanted to thank you. Reading this makes me feel that I´m not so lonely with all these thoughts and experiences after all. I am myself ´blogging´about bipolar disorder, I find it rather therapuetic and it also gives me the chance to "communicate" with my loved ones about my feelings and thoughts in a way that´s much less frightening than a real conversation. I´ve also gotten in touch with other "bipolars" and that means alot. Sorry about my english being so bad - I´m from Sweden! ;)
Camilla Nilsson-Collin (diagnosed as having bipolar 1)
Hello. I am also bi-polar but am wondering how much of my problem had to do with my eating disorder (massive amounts of sugar and carbs.) Also - have been taking .5 mg clonopin for 13 years! I was shocked to see that over time I could lose brain functioning. I have been feeling like my thoughts were clogged for a long time. I tried to get off of clonopin last year by halving the dosage. This was really a bad experience. I am taking it slowly. I was glad to know that it takes 6-8 weeks. My psychiatrist has absolutely no understanding of this drug and had no guidelines for my withdrawal. She was quite cavalier about it. I think I need a new doctor.
VERY GOOD for panic attacks and relief of anxiety. No known problems while on Xanax. However cutting down the dosage or frequency of use can cause increased anxiety, and so it can cause dependency. I have no prblems with Xanax, just problems when I don't have it.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I think I will leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Thanks for sharing.
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