long term xanax use

I’m shocked and appalled at how many people are going through this…I remember when my doctor reduced my supply of Ativan by more than half without even having a talk about it..he would even leave messages at the pharmacy for me and that’s when I realized I was being shamed by the doctor who made me sound troubled and uncooperative..this was not the case at all…I had to research to find out what was going on…it’s pretty much happening everywhere…I don’t want to say anything that will cause others more anxiety but the data is out there…now I ask myself what my solution is…I’ve battled lung cancer twice since the pandemic and you would think that the doctor is more sympathetic knowing my history but it’s not the case.. I don’t feel that I can cope with everything anymore and go through a benzodiazepine withdrawal.. I should also add that I’m 72 years old and definitely not as tough as I have had to be in my life

Ah yes, I too shared such an experience when my doctor took me off Zoloft. It would take too long to describe my experience being placed on Zoloft and being taken off Zoloft and the offer by my doctor to put me back on Zoloft at a point where I was supporting my wife’s efforts to address Pancreatic Cancer. Too often drugs are simply a convenient way for the doctor to address a problem they simply feel they can’t address correctly.

I truly understand how you feel, I too have a dependency on ativan, another brand of benzos and as I've said before, I didn't really have any issues with this med, it controlled my anxiety and panic attacks and I was never aware of any specific side affects. I always knew it was a drug that becomes addictive but no one ever bothered me about my usage...sometimes my family doctor would say that it's a tough medication to stop but he never enforced me to try. In recent years this medication started getting more attention and it primarily linked up with the pain medication epidemic because it was highly lethal to combine the two meds. Now everyone is getting on board with trying to eliminate these meds because they don't want a bigger problem so now they are putting undue pressure on patients who've been taking them a long time, in fact the majority of these people are in their older ages, it's just cruel to push all these desperate people away because the doctor doesn't want to be associated associated with these drugs, hence they abandon their patients without conscience... I've notice that doctors are more apathetic today, they don't really care as much anymore, they complain about being overworked, etc. I understand they are human but their job is to help people in trouble and to be there for them, instead they just want to sweep you under the carpet like a bad secret. Someone mentioned here a subject called med shaming, I was initially startled to see this but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was happening to me as well, I just didn't connect the dots at the time. I truly don't know what they plan to do with people like us, stopping our meds is just going to lead to more problems not to mention it's heartless and cruel, after all it's like they want to punish us as though we're solely responsible for getting into this mess.

My psychiatrist called me a "drug addict" because I had been prescribed Lorazapam for years. I stopped cold turkey. It was complete hell. I was ok for a bit, but my panic attacks have resumed, my anxiety is through the roof, and I have experienced tachycardia for almost 2 hours. I still have not been able to see a cardiologist nor my psychiatrist. It's been almost a month since the tachycardia episode. I totally agree with you about doctors today. They are not interested in the best interests of their patient's mental health, only covering their own asses. It has caused a great deal is suffering. By the way, I am 64 years old.

That’s what I hear each time this subject comes up…everyone has a sad story about callous behaviour from the doctors…I don’t know how other senior women are being treated out there by doctors.. they know what they are doing to us and they don’t care..we’re on our own with this problem and I fear what’s ahead for us, God help us amen

I had been on Lorazepam for 25 years. I took 3mg a day. I made sure I never ran out. I’ve been able to get off it ( I still take .5 when I have to be around my family) only because of radical lifestyle changes. Before I stopped it I began exercising two hours five days a week. I like to lift weights ( I’m 60) but walking , biking anything works. I also cut all sugar out of my diet, takes a lot of label reading and I uped the protein and fats while reducing carbohydrates (turns to sugar) and caffeine by about 75%. I was able to simple stop. I was a little grumpy at first but in two days I was fine. I am convinced it was the diet and exercise changes.

My provider was very supportive, she is a less is more prescriber. You might want to grab a book “Brain Energy” it’s by a Harvard psychiatrist by the name of Palmer. It change my life.

I realized I had to take responsibility for my own healing when I was prepared and set to blow my head off with a shotgun. It’s my life or it isn’t.

Do your research and tell your docs what you want they’re usually happy to make it your choice; they don’t really know what to do anyway. I think this Palmer, guy gets. He is also a psychiatrist at McLean hospital arguably the best in the world.

Be kind to yourself and know you are loved.