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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 14:02:58
Hey I was wondering if anyone had any information, knowledge or experience to share regarding this drug..... I know its not the most fashionable of benzos, but its the only one I've got! I haven't taken any yet, you see.
I'm not entirely sure I will - I've never taken a benzo before. What can I expect?
What are the side effects? I'm rather scared about it all, thinkinh I'll be addicted to benzos for the rest of my life, or suffer from respirtatory depression or something and die.
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by Phillipa on November 27, 2006, at 14:09:38
In reply to Serax/Oxazepam, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 14:02:58
Merri one of the only I haven't taken. It might make you a bit tired or less anxious. You didn't mention the dose either? You won't stop breathing as I know you don't take high doses of meds or combine unsafe ones and I know you'd only take one a doc prescribed. Love Phillipa
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 14:19:30
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » Meri-Tuuli, posted by Phillipa on November 27, 2006, at 14:09:38
Hello! Thanks Philipa. I'm glad to know that I won't stop breathing! I guess the dose is 15mg 1-2 times a day when needed. I guess I'm worried about my worry medication......!
M
Posted by Declan on November 27, 2006, at 14:51:08
In reply to Serax/Oxazepam, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 14:02:58
Well, if it's the only benzo you have, there you are.
It does have a couple of drawbacks:
It takes an hour to work, which is wierd.
It stains your teeth and tongue yellow if you chew it to make it work faster....not a good look. (This is Serepax, the Australian one.)
Some people report nightmares (but all benzos can do that).
It was alleged in the 70s (and never since, AFAIK) that it possessed some AD properties, perhaps because it causes a relatively large amount of amnesia.That wouldn't put me off, though. Just don't take more than you need. 30mg is a big dose.
But upsetting your system with dependance on it is also a real concern.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 15:04:10
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » Meri-Tuuli, posted by Declan on November 27, 2006, at 14:51:08
Well, yes it is the only one that I have. To be honest, the pdoc just suggested it, and I was/am pretty clueless about benzos, so just accepted it, being grateful to get any benzos at all. And anyway I'm sure if it doesn't work out I'm now in a better position to try another one.
I just looked - the tablets are white as snow. To be honest, I doubt I'll actually take any, unless I'm *really* bad and having some kinda major personal crisis! Its actually very soothing just having them sat on my desk, in case... that in itself is surprisingly benefical.
Basically I'm too scared to take one, although my little foibles are getting to me abit.
If I'm really nervous I might try 1/4 of a 15mg tablet. Thats not much is it? But then I don't what to suddenly get a drunk feeling or whatever. I guess part of the problem is I've never tried one, so I haven't the faintest idea what to expect. I have visions of suddenly being knocked out comatose for 12 hours straight or something.
M
Posted by Quintal on November 27, 2006, at 15:05:24
In reply to Serax/Oxazepam, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 14:02:58
Well, oxazepam is short acting (4-15 hours) and about the same potency as temazepam (weak). Duration of action is in the same ballpark as Xanax and lorazepam.
I expect it would generally relax nervous tension and help you fall asleep more easily - typical garden-variety benzo. It would be hard to develop a serious benzo habit with the amount of Oxazepam you have been prescribed. Respiritory depression is not a problem with benzos taken at these doses. It takes *huge* amounts to do that to a healthy person unless combined with other strong respiritory depressants such as alcohol, barbs, narcotics etc. Hence the old medical adage that the only way to die by benzos is to be suffocated in an avalanche of them. Take it from somebody who has survived doses of 20mg> clonazepam combined with 400mg tramadol that you are very, very safe with your 15mg Oxazepam in this respect ;-)
Hope you enjoy popping your benzo cherry.Q
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 15:15:18
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » Meri-Tuuli, posted by Quintal on November 27, 2006, at 15:05:24
Hello, thanks for the post, it was reassuring to know that they're pretty safe in terms of respiratory depression!
What do you expect side effects to be like? I just have never taken one before, so I don't know.
I guess the thing I have to watch out for is alcohol. I do sometimes have the occasional beer in the evening, which obviously isn't a good idea with Ox.
Meri
Posted by Quintal on November 27, 2006, at 15:35:19
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » Quintal, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 15:15:18
The feeling for me was a bit like having the first alcoholic drink on a Friday night. I felt my body relax and mentally everything felt well under control and I felt very comfortable with myself for the first time in a long while. I couldn't understand why I had been so worried about everything. In fact I'd say it was the first time I'd felt like a 'normal' rational person for a very long time.
Side effects if you take too much are drowsiness and tiredness. Maybe dizziness if you really overdo it or you have a balance problem to begin with. It's a sliding scale similar to alcohol, in fact it may be helpful to think of the benzo as dry alcohol for this purpose. It will very likely have a similar effect to those beers you enjoy in the eveing. Any unwanted effects will wear off within a few hours in any case with Oxazepam being short acting.
It is safe to take benzos with moderate amounts of alcohol, it just takes less alcohol to have the same effect. So you can save a bit on your beer money if you feel inclined ;-)
Q
Posted by naughtypuppy on November 28, 2006, at 11:12:12
In reply to Serax/Oxazepam, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 27, 2006, at 14:02:58
> Hey I was wondering if anyone had any information, knowledge or experience to share regarding this drug..... I know its not the most fashionable of benzos, but its the only one I've got! I haven't taken any yet, you see.
>
> I'm not entirely sure I will - I've never taken a benzo before. What can I expect?
>
> What are the side effects? I'm rather scared about it all, thinkinh I'll be addicted to benzos for the rest of my life, or suffer from respirtatory depression or something and die.
>
> Kind regards
>
> MeriI've been on oxazapam for years, mainly to calm me down enough to help me sleep with no problems at all. You won't die from them unless you take a very high overdose, (like the entire prescription at once) of them. As far as benzos in general being addictive, this is just hysteria that is stirred up by a small vocal group of opponents that unfortunatly are listened to by many physicians. With chronic benzo use you have to taper off of them rather than quit them suddenly or you can feel quite miserable for a while. If the anti benzo fanatics used the same criteria then antidepressents would be declared additive as well, since you can't quit cold turkey with many of them. I have quit them several times, entirely of my own accord with no problems whatsoever, when I am on another med that helps me sleep. As far as dosage goes, cutting a 15mg tablet in half and seeing what it does at first sounds like a good idea to me since you have never used meds of this class before. Just be careful with things like driving that require a lot of attention, as the oxazapam may relax you and cause you to become innatentive (like the rest of the people on the road). These side effects usually were off in a bit, otherwise you might have to decrease the dosage or split it up more though a 24 hour cycle.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 28, 2006, at 11:24:45
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » Meri-Tuuli, posted by Quintal on November 27, 2006, at 15:35:19
Hey,
Thanks for the advice! I like the sound of them. Yes I guess I should consider them to be rather like alcohol. Actually, thinking about it, I've drunk ALOT of alcohol and that is a CNS depressant, and I've survived, so I guess benzos aren't that bad. I just worry too much, hence the Ox!!
Anyway, I'll try one out sometime when I don't have anything to do or something.
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 28, 2006, at 11:32:05
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » Meri-Tuuli, posted by naughtypuppy on November 28, 2006, at 11:12:12
I share exactly the same sentiments as you regarding benzo use. Although I've never tried them but still. What I don't understand, is that if they're so evil, then why do countries other than the UK prescribe them more liberally? Surely these other countries would have also come to the same conclusion? But they haven't. Its just so sad that this situation has arisen in the UK. Its true what you say about ADs - you ever missed a dose of venlafaxine?
Anyway. Thanks for the info. Yes I'm supposed to take '1/2 to 1 tablet 1-2 times a day when necessary' And I have 60 tablets. But I'm one of those souls who are super sensitive to these meds.
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by naughtypuppy on November 29, 2006, at 12:54:50
In reply to Re: Serax/Oxazepam » naughtypuppy, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 28, 2006, at 11:32:05
> I share exactly the same sentiments as you regarding benzo use. Although I've never tried them but still. What I don't understand, is that if they're so evil, then why do countries other than the UK prescribe them more liberally?
Funny thing is that my gp would only prescibe 30 of them and let it be clearly known that I wouldn't be getting any more, yet my pdoc asks me about how many I use a night and prescibes the maximum amount on a 8 month repeating prescription. I think they are both about the same age, so it's not a generational thing, but more of an attitude or who taught them.
Surely these other countries would have also come to the same conclusion? But they haven't. Its just so sad that this situation has arisen in the UK. Its true what you say about ADs - you ever missed a dose of venlafaxine?
>
> Anyway. Thanks for the info. Yes I'm supposed to take '1/2 to 1 tablet 1-2 times a day when necessary' And I have 60 tablets. But I'm one of those souls who are super sensitive to these meds.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Meri
This is the end of the thread.
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