Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

[Goldie_Aloe]

I saw this article and thought others might find it helpful. It says that prescription drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in the U.S. Legally prescribed xanax kicked the crap out of me when I was six years sober, and I never saw it coming.

Drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in U.S., Times analysis shows - latimes.com

[ThreeDogNight]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

I am just grateful that I never got involves in any prescription or other drugs! Just finished reading THE INTERVENTIONIST by Joani Gammill, and it delves into all kinds of addictions, inlcluding Joani's own addiciton to prescription drugs. I really recommend it.

TDN

[ATLThrash]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

Those benzos are insidious and unfortunately they are highly prescribed to those trying to withdraw from alcohol. I had a head injury years ago that disordered my sleep and other functions. The neurologist wanted me to sleep alot for 6 months to have the brain heal (I also did cognitive behavioral therapy and other things ot get my brain back working right). I was prescribed a benzo Restoril for sleep. I took it exactly as stated and when I tried to get off it I had horrid withdrawls-- which I am told can be as bad as heroin or worse. I have also at time taken xanax and klonopin for panic attacks. I no longer sleep well because of the damage from teh head injury and from the long term exposure to the benzos. I won't take them at all now willingly (I guess if I was having a colonoscopy or some other procedure where they use them as part of sedation to get the heart rate down-- that has happened to me when I had an endoscopy and was so dehydrated my heartrate was around 140-- they gave me some valium with the sedation-- but never again willingly. I do have killer migraines and sometimes take prescription pain meds but I am so scared of getting addicted i use them only sparingly. I guess the bigger question in society now is why is there a generation of people that want to numb themselves so much? Becasue that is what most of those drugs really do.

[Goldie_Aloe]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

ThreeDogNight;1179139 wrote: I am just grateful that I never got involves in any prescription or other drugs! Just finished reading THE INTERVENTIONIST by Joani Gammill, and it delves into all kinds of addictions, inlcluding Joani's own addiciton to prescription drugs. I really recommend it.

TDN

Thanks for the tip, TDN.

[Goldie_Aloe]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

ATLThrash;1179259 wrote: Those benzos are insidious

Isn't that the truth? I had never been on a benzo. Like you I was prescribed it to help ease another condition. It was about "numbing." PTSD in my case. I did not abuse it, but trying to get off it proved to be a trauma in itself.

I'm sorry to hear about your head injury. It sounds like it was life changing. I will say a prayer for you with migraines too. :l

[ATLThrash]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

If you read Steven Tyler (lead singer of Aerosmith) autobiography he details how getting off benzos-- xanax-- was the hardest drug he ever had to kick-- and he pretty much has done every drug known to man! I di a stupid thing and quit them cold turkey-- if I had taken my bp I would have freaked I am sure-- but I wanted them out right then. It worked out okay but it was hard. To this day my sleep is still disordered. I had months of going through a pattern of sleeping none for 3 days and hen maybe 3 or 4 horus out of exhaustion with horrible dreams annd almost hallucinations. Stupidly I stareted to drink more (for many reasons but sleep was one) thinking I woudl relax and eventually it became a source of the type of anxiety that benzos are usually prescribed for and I was not sleeping much again. After quitting the booze I am sleeping better-- maybe 5 hours a night and sometimes I can nap which used not to be the case. But it was tough. Thanks for your prayers!

[crazyforwine]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

I am also getting off Ativan, which was prescribed for anxiety and sleep, and Ambien. I was assured there was no addictive potential at the level prescribed, but I am feeling really crummy. I have no Ambien at all and have cut the Ativan down to 0.5 mg/night instead of the 1-3/day I was prescribed, and am down to two drinks/day. It's really a travesty what I/we do to ourselves. I am so anxious I could jump out of my skin, but I do know what is causing it (it's not REALLY work, etc) and that it will pass. I just went out for a short run which helps for the moment.

As someone said, you don't die from lack of sleep.

Would love to hear from any of you with similar experiences!

CW

[ATLThrash]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

In my opinion and this is just my opinion-- I think any of the benzos are highly addictive taken at any level if taken for more than a few consecutive days. It might be just physical but I think the numbing powers and quick acting nature gets us hooked psychologically. I know my doctor had good intentions with what he gave me-- I needed to sleep and my brian was badly injured. But it opened a huge can of worms. I was taking a huge amount-- sanctioned by him-- at the end and quit cold turkey. I have been told tapering is teh way to go and I know it is dangerous to just quit. I would think the level you are tapering to it will be easier to quit. I found drinking over time increased my anxiety so I got rid of that too.

As for not dying from lack of sleep-- I know that is true but I got ot the point where i was sleeping so little that I was constantly depressed, I looked rotten and I could not exercise very much-- I was just too tired-- but was not sleeping. I know I would not have died from it but the depression was profound and at certain points I was almost suicidal.

One thing that helped my anxiety was cognitive behaviorial therapy. I did it after my head injury to relearn some things and it also helped in addressing the way I was thinking when anxious.

[crazyforwine]

Xanax, pain meds deadlier than car wrecks

ATL,

I just sent you a PM. Hope you don't mind!

CW