Connect
← Return to Benzodiazepine class action law suit
Discussion
Benzodiazepine class action law suit
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Jun 20 9:57pm | Replies (332)Comment receiving replies
You need to be aware of folks in the Mayo forums. I was just told by a person that I didn’t know what I was talking about. I had mentioned that Wellbutrin and Buspar were the same. I stood corrected but the person went further by telling me to mind my own business and not to mess with his health because of the statement I made that Benzodiazepines should be removed from pharmacy shelves.
He went on to say that if it wasn’t for benzodiazepines he would not be here and would have died by suicide and how would I feel if benzodiazepines were removed from pharmacy shelves. In other words. I would be responsible for his death and “how would you feel?”
I researched benzodiazepines as addictive and he asserted that they aren’t.
My research resulted in my conclusion that benzodiazepines are addictive. The person that told me to mind my own business was in a group about class action lawsuits regarding benzodiazepines.
Why would they be talking about filing class action lawsuits regarding benzodiazepines unless there is some evidence that it can be.
He claimed that only people with addiction problems should not take benzodiazepines and that he is aware of the harm that they can cause. Besides my own research many people on this thread are of the same opinion. That benzodiazepines are addictive.
They are a controlled substance and carry a black box warning.
There are many medications that should not be used while on benzodiazepines, including depression medications and about 20 side effects.
I asked if it was the horrible withdrawal symptoms that caused it to be addictive because the medication itself is not addictive but they are in a sense because people can’t get off them and go back to taking them again to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms.
I’ve heard it from people that are on benzodiazepines that they are addicted to them and it could take up to a year to recover completely using the weaning off method. I take 0.5 in the morning and 1 mg at 4:00 so I’m probably one of the lucky ones that could wean off my klonopin fairly easily.
I was impatient in a hospital for something unrelated and my chart of current medications was lost by the hospital so they used a medication chart that was 3 years old and I wasn’t on Klonopin then so they cut me off cold turkey and refused to give me any klonopin for 20 days and I’m not going to get into how horrible it was to quit abruptly but I wanted to die.
Was it because I was no longer given klonopin or something else in my drug cocktail. Funny though when I finally got home I took a 1 mg tablet of klonopin and I immediately calmed down within 20 minutes. Apparently it’s helping the person who told me he’d be dead without them so I guess it works differently on other people.
Replies to "You need to be aware of folks in the Mayo forums. I was just told by..."
I have been on this forum for many years and have found everyone here to be extremely respectful and helpful. I have never felt the need to “be aware” of anyone. Sorry you feel this way. You may want to try another forum.
I have been on opiates 30 years now. I take them specifically to reverse the very debilitating fatigue and cataplexy from Narcolepsy. I cannot handle the side effects of stimulants. Many people have the same attitude towards opiates. For me they gave me back life I would not have had without them. As far as addiction, I don't go through withdraw that others have described. I end up without my meds more and more for days to weeks for things like my Dr going out of town, the pharmacy is out, things due to over regulation. I can't say it;s fun going without them. I almost immediately deep dive into depression because I can't function, drive, think clearly and never feel awake, my life comes to a stop. I feel I have no control over when I can or can't do things, live life. It depends on my Dr, his staff, pharmacy staff and them being there to do their job. Even if I did go through terrible withdraw, I would not even consider going off my medication. To be able to have some kind of quality of life, spend time with my kids it's worth it. My pediatric specialist told me when I was 17, (I am 58 now)it's up to me to educate myself, do my own research as much as possible on my medical condition, treatments and medications available for it. It's up to me to know what I am prescribed and taking, both benefits and risks. If I'm having an issue with a medication, discuss it with my Dr. Don't wait until it's become a serious problem. This is what Dr's should encourage patients to do. Now we have the government bullying Dr's, intimidating them to the point they no longer want to deal with controlled medications. Clinics are making it policy to cut back and limit what patients are prescribed regardless of how much quality of life their medication provides that they have now been robbed of. Now more patients are going under medicated and without medication than not according to a recent study. The fact is there are patients who rely on these medications to have any kind of life worth living and they are increasingly being denied those medications. As far as I'm concerned this is the new American health crisis! In so many cases it's down right cruel, inhumane the way patients are being left to suffer. You want to blame someone, blame the government. It's not that Dr's don't care about their patients, it's about office management requiring them to reduce the amount of controlled medications prescribed per patient and in total per Dr and clinic. The man said he'd be dead without his medication. Patients are indeed taking their own lives as a result of having medication greatly reduced or denied and the loss of quality of life as a result of it.
Connect
Andy, you bring up a very good point. Mayo Clinic Connect is a forum where people can share their experiences. It is important to recognize, as you have, that everyone is different and that each person has to do what is right for them.
Medications have both benefits and risks. For some a particular drug or therapy may be life-saving, while for someone else the same drug or therapy may be ineffective or even cause side effects that undermine one's quality of life.
Thank you for respecting that we are all different and that each person's experience is unique to them.