Posted by sonic_gb on November 30, 2007, at 12:49:30 [reposted on November 30, 2007, at 22:39:17 | original URL]
In reply to Re: Stopping Benzodiazepines - Please Help » yxibow, posted by Sigismund on November 30, 2007, at 12:20:23
OK, so I'm obviously not too smart about this whole thing. I met with my Doctor, and tried to subtly imply that I want to think about stopping benzo's slowly as I was concerned about dependence and side effects. He's tapering me off 2mg of clonazepam over 1 week, and then 30mg of oxazepam over the following week. This is going to be a brutal, punishing taper for me, and I told him that, but he thinks "it's in my best interest". He doesn't believe in slow tapers or diazepam conversions, as he thinks they just prolong the withdrawal period.
I'm starting to learn that you need to be really manipulative with Doctors to get satisfactory care. It makes me feel like a slimy "drug seeker". It's unfortunate that honesty results in punishment, because it reinforces dishonesty. I'm starting to have a lot more sympathy for manipulative "drug seekers" than I used to. Being in Canada, getting a steady pdoc is very difficult due to doctor shortages. Basically my alternative is to dump this guy and go to a walk in clinic, where the standard of care is even lower. I'm on a long wait list to see a psychiatrist, so maybe things will improve when I see him, but in the mean time I'm going to be in pretty rough shape. I imagine the withdrawal will worsen my depression, which is already not controlled at all by AD's. His only suggestion was that I go to an emergency room if I wasn't handling things well. I'm sure they will have loads of sympathy for someone asking for a controlled substance. Sigh... Not having a good day.
Sonic
> The reason I felt strongly about this Yxi is that I've been on methadone maintenance, and everything said here about benzos is doubly true when it comes to that.
>
> I've seen some punishing tapers.
poster:sonic_gb
thread:797166
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20070929/msgs/797982.html