bipolar stealing
Some benzodiazepines are widely and successfully as short-term treatment in certain contexts, such as in hospitals and pre-medication before operations for nervous patients before a dental procedure, and treatment of some forms of epilepsy and movement disorders. They are also used in treating withdrawal alcohol as they work to relieve delirium tremens. While many physicians are aware of the dependency and withdrawal issues its long-term use, others are still limited in their knowledge and can therefore give poor care, often putting the safety of their patients at risk.
The following are useful points to consider in removing the patient from a benzodiazepine:
Symptoms
When taken long term (four weeks), the patient may become dependent on the drug and may experience withdrawal symptoms when discontinued. This experience is unique and withdrawal symptoms vary by individual. Common physical symptoms include profuse sweating, headache, nausea, dizziness, upset stomach, palpitations, chills, muscle pain, cramps, spasms and tremors. Psychological symptoms such as feelings of depersonalization, derealization, anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares and a distorted perception are also common.
There are doctors who are well aware of it and are able to reassure their patients that the symptoms are in fact related to the withdrawal and will disappear once the withdrawal is over. Unfortunately, this always the case and many patients without pre-existing psychological problems end up being misdiagnosed and treated for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other health mental.
Cold-Turkey
A patient should never be advised to stop taking a benzodiazepine abruptly. "After you stop taking it," was the response of a well-meaning doctor when I expressed my concern that the drug had lost its effectiveness. Fortunately, I found information online that we recommend a slow taper using diazepam (due to its longer elimination half-life of life) and was able to wean off. Is surprising that many doctors continue to give this advice and our helpline often receives e-desperate people experiencing painful symptoms as a result it. Quitting cold turkey is dangerous and can cause serious problems including seizures and psychosis.
Thinning
The decision to withdraw must be patient and he or she should be allowed to taper off the medication at a comfortable pace using the weaning process more appropriate. The most common methods are: substitution with diazepam, titration by crushing the pills into powder and mixed with water, and the method direct where the dose is reduced slowly. Factors to consider include the personal, general health, stressors in the patient's life, endurance, available support and previous experience with drugs. It is important that the patient feels in control of the process. Apart from the usual retirement challenges, has pushed for that decreasing too quickly can cause additional anxiety and hinder recovery.
Duration
The conflicting reports on the duration of abstinence and if there is no prolonged withdrawal is one of the biggest problems for patients. Withdrawal can last as short between 5 and 28 days for minor dependents. However, there are many cases where symptoms persist for longer and these patients are told time waiting is over and the problems are "all in your head." Moreover, as alternative diagnoses consult additional emotional energy is spent waiting for results of diagnostic tests that are usually negative. When all the evidence runs out, the suggestion that the problems are of psychogenic origin and nothing to do with the withdrawal are inevitable. This misinformation not bode well for the unfortunate patients who become concerned about the possibility implicit disorders only to find that psychological symptoms disappear once the extended period ends.
Benzo-wise physicians would agree that While many people recover within six to eighteen months is not uncommon that a percentage of patients experiencing symptoms (often mixed with normal windows) two to three years or longer in rare cases.
The pre-existing anxiety Myth
Because many patients benzodiazepines prescribed for anxiety issues that the general consensus is that the withdrawal or prolonged symptoms are indeed due to a resurgence of pre-existing anxiety. I was prescribed a benzodiazepine for neuromuscular condition and had no history of anxiety, depression or other psychological problem. The anxiety that affects especially during acute withdrawal was inconceivable. I have also contacted others who were prescribed benzodiazepines for medical problems Professional and experienced fear and intense anxiety many related symptoms. Pre-existing anxiety or not, a nervous system in a state of hyper-excitable by the down-regulation GABA receptor can reduce the person to ground and more stable, literally, an "accident trembling."
It is the responsibility of each physician prescribing a benzodiazepine to provide patient information in the decision to take or not take the drug can be based. When treating patients for anxiety, insomnia or other related conditions, a doctor might hesitate and understandable conclusion that too much information provide only make things worse. However, keep patients unaware of the addictive properties of drugs is not in your best interest and this is the reason for the "unpleasant surprise" that in the form of withdrawal.
These are just the basics from the perspective of a former patient. The most comprehensive guide is the Ashton Manual – Benzodiazepines: How they work and How to withdraw should be mandatory reading for every health professional. It has additional information about the symptoms, decreasing the schedules, the Z drugs, which are similar to benzodiazepines, the effects of other drugs such as quinolones, and everything necessary to ensure that the withdrawal of a patient of a benzodiazepine is given the best care possible.
Benzodiazepines: How They Work & How To Withdraw – http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha00.htm
For more tips and information on coping well with benzodiazepine withdrawal, uplifting insights, logs of journals from dependency to recovery and other useful resources including links to benzo-related websites and tapering schedules, please visit http://www.benzowise.com
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