I started a petition to the FDA to ban long-term use of benzos. Hopefully you received an email asking you to sign. We need 100 signatures to get going. ( I did it via change.org)
I hope you will consider signing and asking other benzo buddies to sign.
I will be 2.5 years off this month.
I am still healing, but it is much better.
Keep the faith. Hold onto hope. Our brains and bodies heal.
Much love and deep respect to you all,
Jennifer
Thank you for your help and encouragement. We do appreciate you SO much. Keep healing!!!!
I was prescribed Xanax over 10 years ago–have been on it ever since. I was diagnosed with panic disorder. Told to take 1 mg 2 x a day. I have been ROBBED of a life. I can’t remember anything it seems. I am trying to taper, and the withdrawal symptoms are a nightmare. If I had EVER been told this is what this Xanax can do, I would have NEVER even started taking it.
sweating
shaking
unexplainable fear
poor coping skills in daily life
can not have caffeine, sugar, supplements or any minerals
unable to work
high blood pressure
suicidal thoughts
depression
loss of interest in life
memory loss
loss of sexual desire
flu like symptoms
facial and neck numbness
isolation
loss of friends
derealisation
sensitivity to light and sound
insomnia
racing heart
daily anxiety
vertigo
digestive issues
neck stiffness
over stimulated central nervous system
where do we sign?
http://www.change.org/petitions/fda-ban-long-term-prescriptions-of-benzodiazepines
I think you can reach it from here. thanks
signed..thanks, Jennifer, for remembering me, and inviting me to do so. We have come so far!
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it so much. You keep healing too.
Shannon it does get better, although ever so slowly for most of us. It takes time for the receptors to heal and the CNS to reset itself. But it will. Keep the faith.
Hi Dr. Jenn:
I signed the petition and, since I have been sharing my situation of Facebook, I shared it there, too. There is quite the lively debate happening on my Facebook page, I’ll tell you. Thank you for writing the letter. I’ll be sending it to all my friends and family members, too.
Dear Dr. Jenn
I know its very real and truthful as far as the length of time it takes to recover fully from long term benzo use. I just want to know how to explain how something that I take from a Dr. as prescribed can be so devastating to come off of.
No one that I’m personal around or the Drs. that I’ve been to, thinks that it isn’t what I say it is.. in other words, I’m exaggerating or making the whole benzo thing up. Can you elaborate?
Brian
very few doctors are educated. If you read Don’s latest post you will see that at one doctor read the Ashton Manual and got educated. I had handfuls of doctors tell me my mental sx were A. my old anxiety (it was NOT!) or B. Withdrawal ”unmasked” a new mental illness ( it did not, it CAUSED my mental condition) or C. I was making it up. I was also told by almost every doctor that they “had never seen anyone have a hard time getting off of a benzo” and made it sound as if I was some freak anomaly.
I learned early on to NOT trust doctors. I rarely visit doctors now. I don’t bother to try to educate them about withdrawal.
I think ALL of us in withdrawal as asking why it takes so long to heal from the damage these drugs do. And I believe we all scratch our heads and wonder how in the world can these things be legal to prescribe? It makes ZERO sense.
Doctors have known about the dangers of benzos since the 1060’s. Hell, they even made a movie out of the one woman’s story: “I am dancing as fast as I can.” It’s not like benzo addiction and withdrawal insanity and sickness is new news.
Hang on. It does get better.
Jenn
Jenn, Thank you for your quick response. I agree totally, I know longer have much trust in Drs. and I gave up on the Dr. visit quest! I know there are many of us in the Benzo boat, but to the general public, we are simply very misunderstood and isolated.
I’m very glad that you are trying to help others and make some awareness about this issue.
I still find all of this that we have and are going through totally insane!
I know without a shadow of a doubt that benzo withdrawal symptoms can produce any physical and mental ailment. I know because, I have had multitudes of symptoms that is unexplainable, but indeed they were very real!
I can’t speak for all health conditions, but as far as mental/ anxiety; I’m no longer seeking medical care for it. All they have ever done, is offer me pills to take, and we all know that over the long run these pills produce worse problems than we had inicially!
With this battle of the benzo: PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE!