Looking for a Benzo wise Doctor in Ohio or Columbus Ohio or any city i

Congrats to all on getting off these drugs. It’s a process but worth it!

I'm a 73-yr old Parkinson's Disease patient. I take 0.5 mg Alprazolam (Xanax) at bedtime, down from 2.0 mg/day as needed for anxiety and sleep which I began taking decades ago. I feel okay taking the small dose of this Benzo, talked it over with my mental health therapist and she said that so long as I take this dose only as needed, at my age, with my condition, if we're both comfortable continuing take 0.5 mg PRN, it really isn't a problem. Actually, the only problem I do have is finding a doctor in my area who will continue to prescribe this medication. It helps ease my Parkinson's tremors and also seems to help with my balance--keeps me from falling. The VA will not prescribe Benzos, as they lumped them in with the dangerous drug, Oxycontin. I travel regularly back and forth to Brazil on business, where a psychiatrist gives me a several month supply between trips. I'm not a drug abuser, never have been, never drank, and avoid sugar in any form--including simple carb's in the form of fruit, and avoid processed food. At my age, and despite the fact that I've had PD for at least six years, I'm in otherwise excellent health, seldom get depressed, exercise daily--walking, half hour minimum of tai chi chuan practice, stretching and strength-building work, water aerobics, and although I no longer drive, have an e-trike for local transportation. I don't understand why doctors here in the U.S. are so afraid of prescribing Benzos--regardless of the dose.

They aren’t ALL like that. My doc has no problem with my using Klonopin. I think Xanax is definitely a different story. You need to see a Psychiatrist.

I haven't been able to find a psychiatrist who will prescribe benzo's in Monterey County, CA who takes the only Medicare plan available in this area; and the VA does not prescribe any benzo's at all. By the way the half-life of Klonopin is more than twice that of Xanax which I only usually take at bedtime for sleep. If there is a psychiatrist within Uber distance from my home, I simply cannot afford to pay an out of network physician.

It's the government and CDC recommendations which are ridiculous!. They've been going after Drs and pharmacies. It's intimidated most Drs out of prescribing controlled medications and if they do the dosage is not adequate. Patients that require controlled medications for adequate symptom relief are being denied them, it's not just pain patients and opiates but anxiety and sleep disorder patients are also being denied medication needed for any kind of quality of life. I have narcolepsy and it's happening to us too. Lives are being destroyed over this. Drs have every reason to be afraid the dea will show up at their door, the result of this war on drugs is patients being left to suffer, some horribly or forced to take medications with terrible side effects in place of controlled meds. I've spent the last several years practically living in my bed because my Dr's are afraid to prescribe adequate dosages of my medication. I'm afraid to move where I really want to live out of fear I won't find a Dr willing to keep medication I have no life at all without. I might as well be dead without my medication. I wouldn't be able to take care of myself. It's very depressing knowing I could have much more life if it weren't for the fear the government has put in Drs. Having to jump through hoops I don't have the energy to jump through taking more from my already limited life. And for what? People are overdosing more than ever before, they aren't saving anyone they're causing even more harm.

Less than fifty years ago the government classified marijuana with a Schedule 1 status: effectively lumping it in with drugs the following: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote. Now, according to the DEA, Benzo's are no different than Oxycontin says our drug enforcement agency, but they will still allow doctors to prescribe Oxycodone. By-the-way, even though legal In the United States, in 38 of 50 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use, it remains a schedule 1 drug. Free country? More like a fascist theocracy.

I agree! As long as the patient understands the risks of a medication, and most have risks it should be our decision not the governments on whether or not the benefits out weight the risks. For me they most definitely do. Most patients with chronic illness manage these medications very well, yet it us who pay the price costing us quality of life. Turns out even LSD has helped patients with treatment resistant depression when nothing else ever did. Good luck finding anyone who is willing to prescribe it, if they do it costs a fortune. So many people could have their lives back with these drugs. The government has seen to it very few will ever have access to these treatments. Benzos have helped people with paralyzing anxiety and insomnia. Lack of sleep causes so many other health and mental health problems. I got xanax from Mexico last year after my daughter suddenly died and I needed something to help. I took it for 5 days in place of the antidepressants I'm prescribed for sleep. I woke up feeling so much clearer, more refreshed than I remember ever waking up to. The antidepressants build up and dont really wear off making my narcolepsy and depression even worse. Yea I sleep but can't do much else being constantly lethargic along with a list of other side effects I deal with taking sedating psych meds. So it was beyond nice not feeling drugged everyday. If I had the energy I would go back and get more. My Dr will prescribe 10 or 15 if I ask but I know how much they worry about this especially taking 3 other controlled medications so I really feel terrible asking him to put himself in a position of possibly being flagged because my conditions require so much. So if I can get it on my own I will.

I have viewed Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring's excellent videos and I have contacted his taper clinic. However, he does not treat patients in Ohio. I am looking for a benzo-wise doctor willing to help me taper my meds.