Dr. Michael Bohan - What an amazing caring kind heart you have to go the extra distance for your patience. It is so rare to see. Your insights are so incredibly important to all patients feeling so misunderstood.
My Nana was given Xanex in 2005 for anxiety and insomnia and died in 2007 after simply giving up on life. I knew they were bad but still allowed myself to start them at the VA for ptsd. Well, after 13 months, it took me 10 months to get off. I've been off for 8 months and it's great. I still have anxiety but my sleep and mood is great. I basically feel like I was before i started, but it took several months to get here. Depending on how long and the dose strength, I think your brain can fully recover. Btw, i never encountered a Dr who had this guys perspective. Most are simply drug pushers, which is terribly sad.
Jackson..hi..you are so inspiring to me...I have also been prescribed xanax for sleep and anxiety a year ago, since last two months I am tapering it slowly but feeling horrible withdrawal symptoms. Even a little bit of taper is making it difficult to tolerate. If I knew it is so horrible to get off, I would never have started tapering as I was taking 0.5 mg of xanax at bed time. Can you please help and suggest how much should I reduce? were you taking xanax or other benzo. As you said you also took it for 13 months. I am feeling terrible blurry vision, depression, fear without any specific reason, aggression, restlessness, increased anxiety etc..did you feel these symptoms while tapering? I am so much frustrated. Please respond
@@ranim7618 Dr. Ashford method!!! Really works wonders. Basically, you need to swap over to a longer acting Benzo like Klonopin. I swapped over from 0.5mg of Ativan twice daily to 1mg of Klonopin at night only. I then went down to 0.75mg at night for several months and worked my way down to 0.5, 0.25, and finally 0.0625mg and the stopped 9 months ago. Also, you need to repair the gaba system in your brain that's damaged by Benzos. Zinc is great for this and is often a culprit for mental health issues, sleep issues and anxiety in over 60% of the population. Benzos wreck your natural calming system which is what Gaba is a neurotransmitor for. Lithium also works similar to Zinc, but people are usually given way to high of a dose, unless they are bipolar and need it for mania prevention. Most people can take 150mg of Lithium carbonate a day and it would repair the brain as well. Magnesium Taurate is my current anxiety pill and works great on boosting Gaba and calming tension. I take it on certain mornings when i feel anxious. I take 15mg of Zinc Picolinate at night and i feel sleepy and relaxed within 1 hour. Zinc regulates melatonin secretion from the Pineal gland among the other thing i already stated above. As for tapering, If you really want to stop Xanax, you're going to Have to swap over to Klonopin. Valium is recommended as well, but I've heard it's hard to get off of in the end. The half life of Klonopin is 30-40 hrs, which means you're body has more time to adjust before acute withdrawal hits. Xanax is about 8-10 hrs, meaning you hit acute with drawal in less than 1 day. Take all this in and reply if needed. Fyi! I've worked in health care for over 25 years and I just know alot about this topic. Good luck!
@@jacksoncurtain9612 thanks for replying. If I ever knew that tapering was so horrible, I would never have started it, as I was taking xanax 0.5 mg of xanax once at bed time. Two months ago without much knowledge, I tapered it fast, I was somewhat stable on 3/4 of it , but then I changed my brand ( as the old lot was finished) , and here I got all horrible withdrawals till date. Should I updosing a little bit or staying on the same dose will stabilize my symptoms? And once the withdrawals have started, that means we have developed a tolerance and can't be stabilized on the same dose even staying on it for few weeks? Or is it giving me a paradoxical effect ? Did you feel the same withdrawal symptoms during your taper from klonopin as I mentioned in my previous post?
This Doctor is so amazing and certainly one of a kind. Everything he says is so refreshing. It is the complete opposite of how I have been treated by all of the Doctors that I have had to suffer through over the past ten years, who have done nothing but humiliate me. God bless him. Great video.
DR. MICHAEL BOHAN you are an amazing man taking part in benzo addiction. So many people need your support in educating themselves. This video is amazing also.
Yeah, our loved ones can REALLY know how we feel, but if they can understand somewhat that it’s not our fault .. we took as prescribed, not knowing such a hideous family of meds.
My life’s been destroyed by Benzos even though I tapered off 3 years ago I haven’t been able to function to work & im in extreme stress not able to get my life back together now!!! I am crying everyday in FEAR having horrible panic attacks & paranoia & being stuck alone with no one understanding how Depressing this is to have had 10 years of my life completely distorted & now left unable to pick up the pieces!
Wow, I go nuts trying to wash dishes so cant function and I know this will continue. I cant stand to talk anymore! Wtf? Way too many insane symptoms happening
Blessings to ALL OF U Suffering like me🙏Someone should organize a Convention LIKE A BLACK LIVES MATTER MARCH!!! So we can All Be on TV telling the TRUTH how we were All DRUGGED BY DOCTORS & get 💰💰💰Compensation we DESERVE so we can Take care of ourselves & Our Kids & HEAL
What even the "benzo wise" doctors often fail to acknowledge is the fact that sometimes there is no taper that is easy. Usually by the time people understand their benzo RX is the problem they are already sick, and a Valium cross over doesn't always solve that because the receptor damage is done. For most of us a taper is learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable no matter how slow and minor the reductions. 70 years of suffering from this class of medicine, and the prescribers and the pharmaceutical companies are still not being heald responsible. This class of medication should be emergency room and hospital use only. There should never be a bottle of benzos in anyone's medicine cabinet.
No doctor or videos ive seen where they'll say its easy to taper, ive been on it for not a year even and i have to be careful to not get bad in dependence
I wish he would take new patients that weren’t local. I’m really struggling to get off of clonazapam right now. I’m on the verge of losing my job and I’m unable to hardly leave to check my mail at this point. I don’t know what to do anymore.
Jennifer Holmes please take a slow tapering I was on 1mg 3 times a day of clonazepam for 5 year's.. One year tapering and one year off its a very long process, and it's a long active benzodiazepines! Take a pill and cut it in half and go down another half every 3 to 4 months.. You will definitely feel each lowering dosage cut but at the end and you are no longer addictive to clonazepam you will literally be thanking your self!
I get you. The only way I will go out my door is on a gurney. 7 months ago dumb doctors forced cold turkey on me without my knowledge. I am too old to go through this. Hospitalized 71 days for seizure and collapsed lungs and docs wonder why I had a seizure? I want my life back. Its gone.
Please prepare for possible losses. I was fortunate in some regards to have a knee issue that had landed me on disability prior to my clonazepam taper. At least be conscious that you will be working hurt for a year AFTER discontinuing. It can be subtle, it with show itself in “weird” behaviors, even for you. You’ll struggle with “normal” situations and not realize how “excitable” you are being. This is a journey. Being conscious of it is HUGE. I wish I could of just comprehended that.
@@johnbartholomew1837 how did u manage to get off the benzodiazepines im on Xanax 9 years 0.25 every day but doctor prescribed me 1 mg day 1 mg night and i feel horrible i think its not working anymore do i need more??
How are you now, if I may ask? I'm 66, and took klonopin 1.5 to 2 mg as directed for 28-1/2 years. I asked my doc to stop taking them and she stopped me cold turkey. That was 32 months ago, haven't taken another since. The acute phase was insane for 5-6 months, but I'm still bad. Have extreme hypersensitivities to all my senses, temperatures, migraines. Severe burning and electric zapping in my body has been diagnosed as small fiber neuropathy. Pounding racing heart has been diagnosed as ventricular tachycardia. My personality has severely changed to extremely serious and easily angered. Will this ever get better?
I wish I had this doctor to help me taper off back in the day. I was on 135mg of methadone and 1.5mg of klonopin a day and I used to have my girlfriend wake me up in the middle of the night telling me to breathe. I am very lucky cause I was drinking too. This was all after my tolerances to those drugs were high so I think that's why I'm still here. It's amazing that these doctors just hand out these pills and they don't even know anything about them. To be a doctor nowadays is literally hearing someone's symptoms and then finding a pill or drug that will suppress those symptoms. I could do that. I could just type in the symptoms into google and prescribe what drugs show up. They literally only talk to you for barely 15 minutes and it's just a joke. Even antidepressants have a horrible withdrawal syndrome and have to weaned off slow.
@@katieward6235 yeah it was a bitch. I was having protracted withdrawal symptoms from coming off too fast and I went back to my doctor's thinking they'd put me back on Klonopin, but they all said no that I should feel fine by now. They think they're so much smarter than you is disgusting. It's like so you're telling me, someone who sits at home and does research on this topic all day from Facebook groups, Reddit, and UA-cam videos with doctors that actually know what they're doing other than the doctor that only learned what they told them in school and that's that. They owe a bunch of money and then think they're smarter than you. I had literally 3 doctors tell me to keep buying Xanax off the street and wean yourself off going a half or quarter pill a week. That could literally kill me, luckily I have a bomb ass connection where I can get bars, real ones, very cheap. But if I didn't have that I'd be using the RC benzos. You can't be on Klonopin for years at a time and then get detoxed in 5 days. That is absolutely the worst way to do it and I even told the doctors because of the drugs half life, how is 5 days enough? They pretended like they knew what they were talking about but they had no idea. I could see if you were taking Xanax here and there but to be prescribed a longer acting benzo like I was, I should've been tapered properly, thankfully back then my doctor's knee I was on it and that the detox didn't work so they actually got me down to I think .05mg and I jumped off and that withdrawal was insane. I thought that was low enough to jump off but nope. It was like being on acid and having the worst anxiety in the world. I was vomiting, and got about two weeks I felt like shit and then after a month I felt a little better, but I was acting very manic and I still had the prolonged symptoms from being on it so long. After that I was able to get ten pills a month for emergency but I ended up getting sick of going to that Dr every month for just ten pills. I was ok for a while and then I started going down on my methadone and that wasn't a good idea after just coming off Klonopin. Needless to say I'm back up on my methadone, which I never wanted to do, and I'm dependent on Xanax because no doctor would just write me a script for just ten or 15 Klonopin a month. The .05mg ones. Most doctors think you're lying to them when you mention these symptoms and label you as drug seeking but the doctors that actually do their research instead of just handing out these medications know that you aren't supposed to be on them long term like me and a lot of other people were. They are literally street corner drug dealers with white lab coats. I could be a nurse practitioner with all the shit I know. All they have to do is type the symptoms into Google and see what the cure is. Then prescribe that. Doctor's are way overpaid for just writing something on a piece of paper. The worst are the older doctors who think just cause they're older than they don't need to learn anything new about the next epidemic which will be benzos. It's already a hidden epidemic in a lot of other countries especially the UK and now America. A lot of the methadone patients were also forced off their benzos like me back in 2014. That Doctor literally has blood on his hands from doing that. I knew people that were prescribed 6mg of Klonopin a day at the clinic. It would take them at least a couple years to come off that dose the right way, which is a slow taper, ran by the patient and how he feels. These other doctors think you can just cut a quarter pill a week like opiates and be fine but these drugs change so much shit in the brain it's crazy. Sorry for the novel. Just had to get that off my chest. Yes patients know more than doctors. We have access to the same shit they read in medical school, which most are funded by big pharma. If that doesn't tell you something then idk what to tell ya. You just don't get it. There should be cures for all these diseases but then they'd lose money cause they make money off us being sick. So instead they just have you 'live" with the disease and keep pumping you with pills and to have you keep coming back to get that insurance money.
This Doctor is a God send message thanks sooo much nicole for making this video soooo much people here appreciate it and amazing doctor God Bless him 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Yeah during the start of my taper I had extreme back pain and some stomach pain for the first 3 months. Back pain is gone stomach pain still comes randomly.
@@PatrickA1 I did a profoundly stupid thing.. I dumped all my psychiatric drugs cold turkey.. except the benzos, then tried twice to commit suicide on klonipin and ativan.(obviously failed). I'ts been a year and almost 8 mos. since I've taken ANY benzos. It is still a living f'g HELL, and still think of suicide almost every day. The pain in my lower back is almost unbearable. I sometimes have to scream into a pillow to keep my friend from hearing me. Parasthesia, anhedonia, tardive dyskinesia, headaches, brain fog, confusion, memory loss, on and on. YUP, it's an hr. to hr. struggle. Hang in there, don't give up!
Prayers that everybody gets off these grossly over prescribed drugs, plutonium for the nervous system. Hope everybody finds peace. I literally couldn't stand being around people with the toxic stress, panic disorder on and off prescription. Last 2mg left to remove of diazepam but I had to take it as I nearly died in seizures going from high dozes to 0 in desperation for the terror to stop. Being on them isn't conducive to life, I was dying a reclusive life in severe panic but my Dr's were pretty brutal and had no empathy until I ended up with 2 black eyes in an ambulance. Psychotic break for months with no adequate medication to detox safely and I refused to take xanax unprescribed.
Thank you for this wonderful interview and sharing! I am French speaking and I wish that would be so many more of these in French dude! Thank you for daring talking about themes that are so crucial in a world where emotional pain is medicated, Whilst it would want to be heard and understood!
Do you know any organizations in France that would help us do a community film screening there? One of our filmmakers is French speaking! Please email us at medicatingnormal@gmail.com
Time and hope, that is all you have in the journey to rid yourself of a benzo. There are no magic treatments....time and hope is all you have! 18 year clonazepam prescribed now 38 months benzo free. I feel really good most days, my life is soooo much better. The first 16 months were hard, had issues up to almost three years but it gets better over time.
@@laurenwallace861 thanks for asking. I will be five years benzo free in mid March. I feel really good, totally better. I sleep much better which is the key to recovering. I can actually think and reason. My brain works so much better. I am 66 but I still do math problems as I was an electrical engineer. I can be doing something during the day when I will realize a past event and go "oh that is what that meant". Memories are still coming back...I lost over 20 years of my life to that drug. Why do you ask?
14 years prescribed, and I am just seeing this video. I know this comments old but I was hoping you could say how much you were taking. Also how did you taper? Do you have any long term damage?
@@laurenwallace861 I am 63 months free of the benzo. I feel great in most ways. I have emotions, I can think, I can focus, I laugh, and I enjoy life now.....
He is very knowledgeable. He is the first Dr I have heard who really knows abt these things. I have had the pain he talks of, the mis diagnosis of that pain, when it is a wdl side effect. I have had the memory loss when I was on Loraz . My experience of tapering off Diaz has been extremely long, slow, roller coaster and at times torturous taper of which I am not even half way through - literally taking years. If we all could have a Dr like him who actually knows abt Benzo's - may help a lot of us get further a lot quicker and with the appropriate support. I was happy to hear him talk of the PAIN - it is INTENSE - I get it in the stomach, and in my neck - so intense you can't stand it. if I cut more than 0.5 mg i get horrendous pain in my neck. I cannot cut by 1 mg as Dr Ashton suggested. I have never felt "comfortable" when tapering - I would describe it more as "bearable" .
Ashton said when you get to 5mg you drop it by 0.5mg only....for 2 weeks....then stabilise and go again....I understand the pain....pain started for me as severe neuropathy at the 3month mark at tapering landing on 5mg....and I am getting more and more severe pain with the lower the dose....can barely walk.
Ive been on 23 years prescribed for seizure My first week off my meds has been hell, my son died last year and I'm going crazy with no dr help. Thank You for caring and sharing
@@rebeccascott8404 I need 💰💰💰To take care of my kids since I haven’t been able to Work I’ve been TOOO SICK for YEARS! I LOST MY BUSINESS I built All by MYSELF with My Own 💰💰!!! I was POISONED BY ATIVAN & KLONOPIN Having NO IDEA what I was being prescribed for an Anxiety Attack?? I should have NEVER BEEN GIVEN THIS POISON ☠️
I was taken off 75 mg a day of Librium took it for 7 yrs for anxiety and Paxil for 15 years for anxiety and being off immediately I have been to the phych ward and am losing everything it has been two months can’t work and these issues are worse than I ever was, the derealization and confusion and panick is far worse! I would love to hear a video about Paxil and Librium withdraws I feel as if I am losing my mind I’m 34. Hope doesn’t seem to be enough! This doc seems to maybe have the answer
I'd imagine you're on the otherside now. 75 Librium is essentially 30mg Valium, that is a lot to Cold Turkey most likely 8 to 9 months of pretty bad symptoms . I hope you're doing well now.
Can't watch, panic in response to thinking about what I've been traumatised with, no treatment in Scotland. Imagine offering talk therapy with no access to medical intervention, politicians are failing us here especially with access to online stuff proliferating society with no exit without brain and nervous system injuries. Wow this man shows my upper digestive tract problems, I've been having blood tests and convinced I was dying with some kind of cancer. Oh my this is a relief, it means I might actually get better in a couple of years hopefully. I'm in agony right now, pain all day and night yesterday, I was bent double with it. Don't care, will fight till I achieve homeostasis every single day. I sometimes have the excruciating body pain so bad it's like chronic arthritic agonies, all you can do is lie and it feels like your having your back smashed with a baseball bat, It makes me fight harder. Not beating me, die or get better I refuse to die in poisoning.
God bless you both. Ive tapered down from 6mg of ativan to 2mg a day. I did it slowly. Im still taking 1mg in the morning & 1mg at night. Im praying ill be free of this nightmare. Ive been on them for 30 yrs. I suffered agoraphobia. I wish they would have told me the real truth about benzos. Ty! I pray hard i can find a doctor like u. 🙏🏼👑👼🏼👑👼🏼♥️♥️
What an amazing video. What I have learned: - it takes a long time , be patient. You are in charge - tapering too fast below 10mg is a bad idea - avoid alchohol - its the same and will mess up your sleep and your taper. - pharmacy grade melatonin has helped (precription only in the UK - so I know what I am getting) - supplements - i am not sure yet. there is a long list. - plateus are ok
great video every doc in the usa should watch this, nicole you are a great person doing videos like this and the doc was great, my bro is having problems trying to come off xanax he can barely do him job and he can’t find a doctor that can help his doc won’t put him out of work i don’t think they realize how bad and hard it is to come off these drugs we need help
@@kenneth2321 So you began taking a Benzo? Are you tapering slowly? Which one are you taking? I'd do anything to make sure nobody else goes through what I'm still going through after 26 years on Benzos and having horrible protracted withdrawal for 3+ years and it's not getting better. Don't want to scare you Lisa, I'm just wanting to help you before it's too late and your damaged from Benzos. You can heal yourself from the panic attacks vs drugs/poison that can destroy your life. Xanax ruined My life.
@@BflyMom_212 I tapered my self off in a month ... I been benzo free for 115 Ish days ! I get good a month ago for like 3 weeks then I got in a bad wave because I took antibiotics! It was awful ... both were awful ....
Grocery store? She couldn't leave her house. Exactly. Imagine doing this without taper. Months in and still chronic pain But I can go to the supermarket and walk to the chemist now, I'm 44 BTW. 44 and I was disassociated, mentally ill, physically ill and I really felt I was already dead. 5 months ago I was asking for a walking stick and seriously thinking about it. It needs exposing here in Scotland and loudly.
Thank you for this Video. I've given up on life due to the suffering of Benzo Withdrawal. It's been over 3 years now and I'm not getting any better. I've been Diagnosed with Cancer and I'm not going to fight for this life of hell any longer. So, I'm actually committing Suicide in a different way because I can't get Help. I pray Other's don't get damaged by this Drug like I did for 26 years. Although this Class of Drugs needs more awareness, I hope that Doctor's don't rip Other's off Them without tapering slowly. To prescribe this Drug Class, (Benzos) Doctor's should have to take a Class to understand what They do to a Person and how to safely taper you off. God Bless All the Warrior's out there 🙏.
Really sorry to hear this BevAnn, I am permanently damaged as well and pray for death regularly, if I didn't have two children I would have ended this misery already. I don't blame you for wanting out and not wanting to fight the cancer. It was a surprise cancer diagnosis that put me back on benzos after being off 7 years and recovering about 85%, going back on them for 4 years was the worst mistake I ever made save going on them to begin with, I wish you peace my dear, no one should have to suffer the benzo withdrawal horror and then cancer as well.
@@GMHG777 Thank you for understanding. All My Doctor's know now and still won't Help Me. I don't have kids so I see no reason to fight for this Hell. I'm not living. I'm so sorry you got damaged again due to Cancer. I wish you healing and your health back. 💛🙏
@@BflyMom_212 Brings tears to my eyes and I don't know you nor you me... Just so sad how life can be so cruel to some of us. I am 54 years old, looking at your avatar you look quite young and beautiful too in that picture, just seems so sad that we (and soooo many other on these Benzo channel comment sections) have been handed such a "horrific sentence" of psychiatric issues that lead us to taking these poisons which then damaged our brains so badly. The cancer is another matter, but I am sure if you weren't sick from long term benzo withdrawal you would give everything you have to fight the cancer... I know this experience has left me devoid of a belief in a higher power, because if there is one, that son of a bitch is just a cruel sadist to do this to anyone. Peace to you BevAnn, I hope your suffering ends soon with a miracle !
@@GMHG777 A miracle 🤔 I'm beyond a miracle. I don't feel a higher power anymore either. I'm actually older than you. My picture was just 5 years ago when I was 53 and not in Hell and pain. This has taken a toll on My entire body and Soul. I've wasted away to nothing but bones. It's hard to believe that there's a God that would put Anyone through this hell. But, it's actually Man that has caused this. How many more will have to die due to this Drug. It's been going on for decades. The only thing I hope to do before I die is prevent Someone else from going through this hell from Benzos or any psych drugs. I began Xanax at the age of 32 and right away, I was suicidal. I was never suicidal or depressed before Xanax. Lost My career, My identity and My dreams and now My life. It's pretty sad not be understood by Anyone except people who have been damaged by Benzos or psych drugs. Everyone looks at Me like I've lost My mind. Well, I have in a way but They will never understand it. I've told Everyone now, that I'm giving up on life due to the damage to My brain/central nervous system/gaba receptors. They won't do the research to try to understand. It's out here! If Everyone who's been damaged did a video about this hell it would be heard. But, We're too damaged to do it. I am. Anyway, Thank you for your kind words and your understanding. I truly hope that you do heal and can live the life you were meant to live and enjoy your kids and grandkids even. You are a kind Soul and deserve a life of peace and a Miracle too. Take care My Friend.
@@BflyMom_212 Everything you wrote above resonates intensely with me and breaks my heart for you. Yep this is a man made horror show and its absolute bullshit that it happens to sooo damn many people and like you perhaps the only solace I have is that my children who are trying to understand, but ultimately do not fully get it, both know what this fucking poison has done to me and I have begged them to NEVER EVER put a single does of this garbage in their body going forward if I do not survive this which is very likely. Seeing the pain and spiraling health that I have endured the last 2 years I pray they will be terrified to ever take this garbage. I wish you peace and and end in whatever way that may be from the suffering it's absolute bullshit we were born to only suffer like this. I am sending out a huge caring and compassionate hug to you my dear, you are a warrior but I get exactly where you are coming from believe me !
My Dr and family have no clue. Im trying to taper off on my own. This information needs to spread and the truth told. Benzos should be taken off the shelf. I take low doses but if i miss them even 1 day.. Then im feeling so sick. N that 1.5 mg a day.. Down to. .75 mg a day. I get depersonilization, body aches, diarrhea, headache. Light sensitivity. Its scary. I feel disabled.
I've being relapsing on benzos since 80s. I'm also a qualified addiction therapist. They are a very cunning drug. Worst than heroin, crack. As a patient u must be honest. I did cold turkey off 800mg tramadol and 4mg xanax a day, over three days. Hell on earth, I see jesus crucified. Emotionally, spiritual withdrawal, experience... Doctors shudnt perscribe without trying other medications. Clean now 2 year, its still tough. God bless for creating awareness
Don't cold turkey. Third day I was hallucinating when hospital. I was taking 16 xanax a day then just stopped. Now valium I'm addicted too. Doctor has me on 2mg valium. Keep edge off
Nichole, you have a mission that’s fantastic, and Doctor Michael is a wonderful man with so much love and understanding of this scourge Of Benzodiazepines, what a mess these meds have caused. I’m going to start this journey to get off this medication, 32 years on the Zanax I’ve figured out my years of perceptions and the number is 132 of them 3/4 milligrams per day, never abused them . 360 tabs for;3 months. I see my Doctor in four days, I’m so frightened that he will just stop my meds , he’s that type of Doctor. God help me!!!
Can "brain lock" be a symptom from benzo and tapering? Like you don't understand a simple and normal things get you overwhelmed. And you don't understand how people can do normal things. Please someone answer.
It's reliefing to hear that someone knows the feeling (of course don't wish this to anyone). I suffer it all day and have never felt this before my dog had to put to sleep at the age of 16 and I was having awful panic attacks and was prescriped big amount of benzo and didn't have any warnings and I became addicted to them, I have used them as prescriped and I had toi quick taper and now trying again with Ashton manual. Just suffering so much of that brain lock. Doctor says it's anxion and depression nyt I have had them before and never felt like this and had got over them. Thank you for answering.
I know of someone who is 75 yrs old and has been taking .5mg of Klonopin for 25 yrs for sleep and possibly underlying anxiety. They are now suffering from insomnia. Do you ever decide not to taper someone off of Klonopin because it would be too difficult and risky? Also, can you recommend any psychiatrists in Southern California who have expertise in helping patients with Benzo withdrawl or detox? Thank you so very much!
yes - some people should not come off. Elderly and the infirm often fall into that category. Detox from benzos is almost never recommended - they should be slowly tapered over months to years. There are some doctors who help. See: benzoinfo.com/doctors
To anyone reading the comments, I was prescribed both Clonopin AND Valium. 1-2mg of clonopin and 10mg of Valium. I bumped up the Valium to 20mg and dropped the clonopin altogether. It sucked for a week. Then I cut the diazepam from 20-15. Then 15-10. Then 10-7.5 then 7.5 then 7.5 to 5. Then 5 to 2.5. Then 2.5 to 1.2. Worked like a charm. Did the decreases weekly. Still on the 1.2mg. Hoping to drop it to zero soon. I got prescribed all this after a breakup (more like a divorce in my mind) that tore me up inside. Been a 2 year battle. Worst drugs ever. I can’t believe they still prescribe these.
@@albertodeulofeu5277 I was prescribed zanex and klonipin but not the two at one time. Which I had to ask my pp I wanted to switch because klonipin last longer and though I would take less.xI always say I was prescribed. See replays below.
Great to hear that! I'm on 0.5mg clonazepam at bedtime. I want to taper off as well. I'm thinking of crossing over or do a slow liquid taper straight from clonazepam. How are you doing now? Are you off it? Thank you for sharing your story.
@@paulie_b-007 if I were you, I’d taper using DIAZEPAM. Not clononazepam. I’m better now. Got off after a loooiing taper. but I was LOSING IT. They gave me Zoloft and rexulti. And noe I feel like myself again. Finally, after 2 years. The rexulti wasn’t necessary but it helps the Zoloft kick in faster. 2 weeks as opposed to a month
18 months off, after 6 months of prescribed. People will not believe me, I keep it from friends and family too, I don't want them to think I'm crazy. I have spikes nailed into the bottom of my feet, hammered in, glass shoved into my kneecaps, huge spikes, strangely from inside my head, punching out of the skull, electric torture is a relief from the spike torture. Zaps that can be anywhere, I pray so far not where it will be worse, so far so good. Sometimes, the head is in a vice, that one isn't too bad. I often cry secretly after I can't stand it anymore. I can be in public sometimes, and if the foot torture starts I have to make strange noises rather than scream. So I will often isolate. I can't tell anyone, I know they won't believe me, besides, there is nothing that can be done. I might be lucky, it might go in time.
@@dreamernator Do you have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or antibiotics toxicity? I had pre-existing subluxation in my neck,wrists, and left hip, but I don’t meet diagnostic criteria for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. I took antibiotics 6 years ago , but I don’t know if I have antibiotics toxicity.
I've been on Ativan for 1mg ten years then I decided I don't need these pills any more on the 3rd whoa that's when I researched and realized what? I never knew what was I doing to my body. So now I'm here 15 years on 2 MG. I am so scared to come off. But I definitely know I need help. My doctor won't help me if I mention it he may cut me off. How do I get help from Dr. Bohan? I am desperate for help.
There is a list of benzo wise doctors below but many patients find tapering very slowly is not something most doctors will allow them to do. Many taper at home at their own speed. www.benzoinfo.com/doctors/
I've been trying to get off benzos for 2 yrs. Was on 2mg of xanax for 10 yrs with no problems. Then got switched to 8mg of clonazepam for 3yrs. I got off clonazepam and they gave me valium for withdrawls. Im struggling to drop the last 8mg of vailum. And im brain dead. I struggle to function and do daily tasks
Thanks love this Doctor so wise -- would love him as doctor --I had a crap doctor all about Liability --Doctor who prescribed retired a few years back --So right omg my doctor did this gave me Ajax when husband died and now went cold Turkey 12 yrs later and grief is there on top of withdrawal -- omg so true - so now grieving was wondering why I was having those intense feelings again strong grief thought omg did I not grieve back then -? Guess not - push it back for sure - in anger stage 🙌🆘🙌 - thank you for having doctor
Help. At 24.20 he mentions a doctor from University of Toronto. What was his name? (collotti?). Why wasn't protracted wd mentioned? I'm seven years off all meds and suffering so badly. Was prescribed Ativan for insomnia caused by menopause. Never took more than 40 mg per year until a misguided taper. Why can't I function after so many years off. I've done everything I'm supposed to do. Seventeen years of my life ruined because of a prescription drug. And my doctor doesn't believe me. He thinks I just need an antidepressant even though he already prescribed several which made me worse.
I had severe chronic sinusitis. And doctors were not able to figure out what is wrong with me. My doctor is a good men he got desperate and after month of trying to help me he gave me Valium to cope with the severe neck pain that it gave me. Since it’s a good muscle relaxer and I was not able to sleep. I had no idea what it was now 5 years later after I been diagnosed and had surgery I’m watching this video. Very sad luckily I been on just 5mgs of Valium a day for 5 years never took more or less hopefully my withdrawal won’t be to bad
Has anyone experienced tolerance withdrawal? I think I am currently in it. I have a very bloated stomach that won't go down, heightened anxiety, palpitations, hyperventilation I'm on 0.25mg klonopin and IDK what to do from here. I'm refusing to up the dose
I can help you a bit , 2 months off Clonazepam ....TAKE HIGH DOSE MAGNESIUM , ZINC, Vitamin D For anxiety , Palpitations.... B9 , B12 and lactobacillus capsules for bloating
I'm glad he said he doesn't want to prescribe benzos, but he still has the idea that only medication can help things like panic attacks. It is too bad there is no discussion about getting NUTRIENTS in through food and supplements. THAT is the ONLY thing which can help long-term. S-T-R-E-S-S causes depletion, so we need to replenish.
Dr Bohan is the standing picture of emotional mental and physical health. All advice well taken. I see MANY patients w benzo and opioid addiction \ dependence There definitely is a place for the use of opioids. Is there a place for the use of benzodiazepines? particularly for what they are designed and marketed for?
@@joshuacaron5397 6 months 0.5mg 3x a day, I should have gone slower but I felt fine, slowed it down near end of taper. Yes I feel good but my vision is impaired from a seizure years ago from abrupt cessation of clonazepam.
In general doctors don't care or even consider how their patients are going to get off the medications they routinely prescribe. Years ago when I was on a combination of benzo's and anti depressants after having been on them for over 15 years I attempted to bring up the subject of getting off them with my doctor as I didn't think they were working anymore. But he's response was to tell me that they weren't doing me any harm either so I may as well continue taking them. Needless to say I wasn't exactly thrilled with he's medical advice. The awful truth is if you decide to get off these deadly medications you'll be most likely doing it alone with no support from anyone. So taper slowly and be very very patient. It's a long road to recovery but well worth it in the end.
I really want to send a video to my doctor, who doesn't understand the importance of slow tapering. Is this the best one to send? Or should I send him a link to Medicating Normal (the film)?
Am in healing process I having a real problem vulva and anal swelling burning prickly feelings either wet or dry I tried canesten duo five times after long spell antibiotics for post nasal drip yet still having the symptoms I have haemorrhoid also any advice pls what I need to do creams not taking it away I had swab it’s clear is this the healing of benzodiazepines withdrawal
To taper, you have to have been on a consistent dose each day. How would it work for someone like me? 10mg one day, 0mg one day, 5mg one day, 20mg one day? Does anyone have an answer to this?
Some would say to find a daily dose that your body can handle and keep it stable to begin your taper. But it also depends on how long you've taking benzos. I would ask what caused you to dose like that and if it's possible you are taking a larger dose to counteract the smaller dose days because of interdose withdrawal symptoms or that you have reached tolerance? Something to read: www.benzoinfo.com/benzodiazepine-tapering-strategies/#strategies
You can look at: (1) benzoinfo.com/doctors (2) madinamerica.com/provider-directory (3) survivingantidepressants.org/topic/14971-recommended-doctors-therapists-and-clinics Good luck!
I have been on 1mg for about 4 years tired to get help they said your not in a high dosage I’m struggling deeply I started not to feel okay not myself brain fog my mind feels off like I’m not 100 percent in my mind help also burning sensation all over my eyes burn always fatigue but can’t sleep losing weight can’t eat someone help me I’m not even working this is a nightmare I am a mom who needs helps I’m in California tapering slowly but I feel a mess not ok mostly in my head
I been taking Klonopin for 7 years 8mg I’m down to 2 1/2 of Klonopin it took me a few years to get that far one doctor wanted me get off the Klonopin within 3 weeks that’s not going to happen I’m 75 years I can’t go cold Turkey I think it would kill me I take 1 1/2mg Klonopin at night and 1mg in the day all I say is good luck if your taking Klonopin it’s a bad Drug
A agree a better way of treating anxiety would be counseling and meditation and EXERCISE. I had a terrible reaction to an SSRI. I got away from it in very short order, although I was assured it was side effect free dependence free.
The greatest thing I got out of this was what about the new anxieties that come after the ones you started to have after! Oh I would love this doctors number, If only in real life! There is always hope! Imagine a doctor saying your in charge, I'd love that!
I have been on 1 mg Xanax for 10 years. OMG and I am noticing the inter dose withdrawal I sometimes would take 1 mg and a half but I brought it back down to 1 mg half in the day half at night coupled with a muscle relaxer for sleep, trying to bring it down, don’t know the right way to do this. I have the Ashton manual as well. I feel a little cautious about getting on diazepam everything is different for everyone. I definitely need more help in guidance got the spiritual part down the meditation part down thank God.❤🙏🏼
My pp came me 9 MG. daily. He didn't care about raising my dose at all. He only got interested since the medical unit was talking about taking his license. He liked the fact that the patient has to keep coming back which means more money. I would love to get a class action suit against all people like me. He has ruined my life in every way. Question: I am 62 and have stage 4 CoPD. What is the reason to take me off. I have got down to 3 mg daily. Been on them for 30 years . The only time I feel normal and can leave my home or take care of my responsibles.
Valium is better to taper once you get down below 1mg of clonazepam. bc 1mg of clonazepam = 10 mg of valium. reduce dose in your case by 20% every 4-6 weeks
@@baggedtuned8569 I am now finished my" fast taper" which just about killed now I guess the PAWS is gonna finite off. Cannot believe Dr s take the oath to help their patients!!!
How come every doctor knows about opiates now but they don't know shit about benzos?? I literally had doctor's say to keep taking them off the streets and continue my taper. I need Klonopin. It's way easier to taper off of, especially if you have the .05mg pills and cut them into quarters.
How come so many addiction medicine doctors don't know about benzo withdrawal syndrome? I've had doctors tell me to keep buying the pills off the street and to keep weaning myself.... 😆. It's a joke but it's not funny at all. Every doctor especially an addiction Dr should know just as much as this amazing doctor in this video.
Jeff Galaska I'm starting to think that some do and some don't. Almost 37 mths off for me and I'm still housebound. Anxiety fear agoraphobia and many more mental and physical symptoms. I'm just about out of steam and ready to exit this world. I don't have the strength to live in this condition for years and years.
@@snafu22 COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE. atleast one cup a day and dont skip a day. if you have multiple cups a day and start having jerks while you are trying to fall asleep cut the coffee back atleast 9 hours before you go to sleep and make sure you dont drink more than 3-4 cups a day. im almost 2 years off 1mg clonazepam COLD TURKEY. after taking it daily 4 years. since i have been drinking coffee since July i havent had a Wave since.
Hello! My mother was on Ativan 2 mg a day..we are trying to taper off with diazapem, but she's going through hell..is it possible to get a confact from this wonderful doctor? Hope you will see this message.
I did a crossover from Xanax to liquid Valium. I’ve been using oral syringes. I have not been putting it down my throat, instead I basically put it on back of my tongue. I’m wondering if it would get to the stomach better by putting it in water or put it in a gel capsule and swallow it with water do it gets to the stomach????
Best information on UA-cam, I f your coming off hard and can't watch it atm there is a woman called judy who has a channel called Benzo withdrawal help. She's a bit easier to watch and not as loud on the ears
I read that the generic prescriptions can’t be liable. The Supreme Court ruled on this in like 2002,2012, something llike that. This is why they don’t prescribe anything but offbrand benzodiazepines. And wouldn’t you know? Antonin Scalia ruled on it..
Oh a voice in the deep dark wilderness! How this knowledge needs to be heard! Thank you,sir!
Dr. Michael Bohan - What an amazing caring kind heart you have to go the extra distance for your patience. It is so rare to see. Your insights are so incredibly important to all patients feeling so misunderstood.
My Nana was given Xanex in 2005 for anxiety and insomnia and died in 2007 after simply giving up on life. I knew they were bad but still allowed myself to start them at the VA for ptsd. Well, after 13 months, it took me 10 months to get off. I've been off for 8 months and it's great. I still have anxiety but my sleep and mood is great. I basically feel like I was before i started, but it took several months to get here. Depending on how long and the dose strength, I think your brain can fully recover. Btw, i never encountered a Dr who had this guys perspective. Most are simply drug pushers, which is terribly sad.
Jackson..hi..you are so inspiring to me...I have also been prescribed xanax for sleep and anxiety a year ago, since last two months I am tapering it slowly but feeling horrible withdrawal symptoms. Even a little bit of taper is making it difficult to tolerate. If I knew it is so horrible to get off, I would never have started tapering as I was taking 0.5 mg of xanax at bed time. Can you please help and suggest how much should I reduce? were you taking xanax or other benzo. As you said you also took it for 13 months. I am feeling terrible blurry vision, depression, fear without any specific reason, aggression, restlessness, increased anxiety etc..did you feel these symptoms while tapering? I am so much frustrated.
Please respond
@@ranim7618 Dr. Ashford method!!! Really works wonders. Basically, you need to swap over to a longer acting Benzo like Klonopin. I swapped over from 0.5mg of Ativan twice daily to 1mg of Klonopin at night only. I then went down to 0.75mg at night for several months and worked my way down to 0.5, 0.25, and finally 0.0625mg and the stopped 9 months ago. Also, you need to repair the gaba system in your brain that's damaged by Benzos. Zinc is great for this and is often a culprit for mental health issues, sleep issues and anxiety in over 60% of the population. Benzos wreck your natural calming system which is what Gaba is a neurotransmitor for. Lithium also works similar to Zinc, but people are usually given way to high of a dose, unless they are bipolar and need it for mania prevention. Most people can take 150mg of Lithium carbonate a day and it would repair the brain as well. Magnesium Taurate is my current anxiety pill and works great on boosting Gaba and calming tension. I take it on certain mornings when i feel anxious. I take 15mg of Zinc Picolinate at night and i feel sleepy and relaxed within 1 hour. Zinc regulates melatonin secretion from the Pineal gland among the other thing i already stated above. As for tapering, If you really want to stop Xanax, you're going to Have to swap over to Klonopin. Valium is recommended as well, but I've heard it's hard to get off of in the end. The half life of Klonopin is 30-40 hrs, which means you're body has more time to adjust before acute withdrawal hits. Xanax is about 8-10 hrs, meaning you hit acute with drawal in less than 1 day. Take all this in and reply if needed. Fyi! I've worked in health care for over 25 years and I just know alot about this topic. Good luck!
@@jacksoncurtain9612 thanks for replying. If I ever knew that tapering was so horrible, I would never have started it, as I was taking xanax 0.5 mg of xanax once at bed time. Two months ago without much knowledge, I tapered it fast, I was somewhat stable on 3/4 of it , but then I changed my brand ( as the old lot was finished) , and here I got all horrible withdrawals till date. Should I updosing a little bit or staying on the same dose will stabilize my symptoms? And once the withdrawals have started, that means we have developed a tolerance and can't be stabilized on the same dose even staying on it for few weeks? Or is it giving me a paradoxical effect ? Did you feel the same withdrawal symptoms during your taper from klonopin as I mentioned in my previous post?
So happy for you 🙏
@@jacksoncurtain9612that was a wonderful explanation I am going to screenshot thank you!!!
This Doctor is so amazing and certainly one of a kind.
Everything he says is so refreshing. It is the complete opposite of how I have been treated by all of the Doctors that I have had to suffer through over the past ten years, who have done nothing but humiliate me.
God bless him.
Great video.
All Doctors should be as kind and knowledgeable as this lovely doctor.
DR. MICHAEL BOHAN you are an amazing man taking part in benzo addiction. So many people need your support in educating themselves. This video is amazing also.
Thank you so much doctor. From India. Wish all doctors were so patient. Very informative and enlightening.God bless you doctor.
What a wonderful, understanding knowledgeable doctor. Everyone needs a doctor like this! Thank you!
Thank you for this wonderful talk..I shared it with my dad, 86, and he finally understood 💗
Wonderful! Glad it helped.
Yeah, our loved ones can REALLY know how we feel, but if they can understand somewhat that it’s not our fault .. we took as prescribed, not knowing such a hideous family of meds.
@@MedicatingNormalhi how do I find this Dr ?
@@isabelregalado913 he is retired and is not taking patients
Watching this from the UK! What an amazing doctor. Thank you so much for this video ❤️
My life’s been destroyed by Benzos even though I tapered off 3 years ago I haven’t been able to function to work & im in extreme stress not able to get my life back together now!!! I am crying everyday in FEAR having horrible panic attacks & paranoia & being stuck alone with no one understanding how Depressing this is to have had 10 years of my life completely distorted & now left unable to pick up the pieces!
Wow, I go nuts trying to wash dishes so cant function and I know this will continue. I cant stand to talk anymore! Wtf? Way too many insane symptoms happening
@@doublehelix1185 I relate praying for you mine is sleep meds🙏🙏🤗🤗🤗
Blessings to ALL OF U Suffering like me🙏Someone should organize a Convention LIKE A BLACK LIVES MATTER MARCH!!! So we can All Be on TV telling the TRUTH how we were All DRUGGED BY DOCTORS & get 💰💰💰Compensation we DESERVE so we can Take care of ourselves & Our Kids & HEAL
So sorry---
@@doublehelix1185 the dishes thing is no fun
What a beautiful loving Dr God bring more men that understand he travels to see people that’s a beautiful blessing from God
What even the "benzo wise" doctors often fail to acknowledge is the fact that sometimes there is no taper that is easy. Usually by the time people understand their benzo RX is the problem they are already sick, and a Valium cross over doesn't always solve that because the receptor damage is done. For most of us a taper is learning how to be comfortable being uncomfortable no matter how slow and minor the reductions. 70 years of suffering from this class of medicine, and the prescribers and the pharmaceutical companies are still not being heald responsible. This class of medication should be emergency room and hospital use only. There should never be a bottle of benzos in anyone's medicine cabinet.
Yeah exactly! Even this doctor doesent know whole truth.
He also said propanolol am serequel aren't addictive. That's not true at all
That is the truest thing I've heard anyone say yet.
No doctor or videos ive seen where they'll say its easy to taper, ive been on it for not a year even and i have to be careful to not get bad in dependence
great video i wish every doctor would practice this. i'm going through hard withdrawal
I wish he would take new patients that weren’t local. I’m really struggling to get off of clonazapam right now. I’m on the verge of losing my job and I’m unable to hardly leave to check my mail at this point. I don’t know what to do anymore.
Jennifer Holmes please take a slow tapering I was on 1mg 3 times a day of clonazepam for 5 year's.. One year tapering and one year off its a very long process, and it's a long active benzodiazepines! Take a pill and cut it in half and go down another half every 3 to 4 months.. You will definitely feel each lowering dosage cut but at the end and you are no longer addictive to clonazepam you will literally be thanking your self!
I get you. The only way I will go out my door is on a gurney. 7 months ago dumb doctors forced cold turkey on me without my knowledge. I am too old to go through this. Hospitalized 71 days for seizure and collapsed lungs and docs wonder why I had a seizure? I want my life back. Its gone.
Please prepare for possible losses. I was fortunate in some regards to have a knee issue that had landed me on disability prior to my clonazepam taper. At least be conscious that you will be working hurt for a year AFTER discontinuing. It can be subtle, it with show itself in “weird” behaviors, even for you. You’ll struggle with “normal” situations and not realize how “excitable” you are being. This is a journey. Being conscious of it is HUGE. I wish I could of just comprehended that.
@@johnbartholomew1837 how did u manage to get off the benzodiazepines im on Xanax 9 years 0.25 every day but doctor prescribed me 1 mg day 1 mg night and i feel horrible i think its not working anymore do i need more??
@@doublehelix1185 You sound exactly like me. This is inhuman and pure torture. I am losing mind.
I’m four years off and not fully healed. Thank you for the conversation.
How are you now, if I may ask?
I'm 66, and took klonopin 1.5 to 2 mg as directed for 28-1/2 years. I asked my doc to stop taking them and she stopped me cold turkey. That was 32 months ago, haven't taken another since. The acute phase was insane for 5-6 months, but I'm still bad. Have extreme hypersensitivities to all my senses, temperatures, migraines. Severe burning and electric zapping in my body has been diagnosed as small fiber neuropathy. Pounding racing heart has been diagnosed as ventricular tachycardia.
My personality has severely changed to extremely serious and easily angered.
Will this ever get better?
@@Rollwithit699how are you today? I hear cold turkey is a dangerous route. So sorry
I have been given HOPE, thank you so much
I wish I had this doctor to help me taper off back in the day. I was on 135mg of methadone and 1.5mg of klonopin a day and I used to have my girlfriend wake me up in the middle of the night telling me to breathe. I am very lucky cause I was drinking too. This was all after my tolerances to those drugs were high so I think that's why I'm still here. It's amazing that these doctors just hand out these pills and they don't even know anything about them. To be a doctor nowadays is literally hearing someone's symptoms and then finding a pill or drug that will suppress those symptoms. I could do that. I could just type in the symptoms into google and prescribe what drugs show up. They literally only talk to you for barely 15 minutes and it's just a joke. Even antidepressants have a horrible withdrawal syndrome and have to weaned off slow.
Literally feel you on this so much xxx
@@katieward6235 yeah it was a bitch. I was having protracted withdrawal symptoms from coming off too fast and I went back to my doctor's thinking they'd put me back on Klonopin, but they all said no that I should feel fine by now. They think they're so much smarter than you is disgusting. It's like so you're telling me, someone who sits at home and does research on this topic all day from Facebook groups, Reddit, and UA-cam videos with doctors that actually know what they're doing other than the doctor that only learned what they told them in school and that's that. They owe a bunch of money and then think they're smarter than you. I had literally 3 doctors tell me to keep buying Xanax off the street and wean yourself off going a half or quarter pill a week. That could literally kill me, luckily I have a bomb ass connection where I can get bars, real ones, very cheap. But if I didn't have that I'd be using the RC benzos. You can't be on Klonopin for years at a time and then get detoxed in 5 days. That is absolutely the worst way to do it and I even told the doctors because of the drugs half life, how is 5 days enough? They pretended like they knew what they were talking about but they had no idea. I could see if you were taking Xanax here and there but to be prescribed a longer acting benzo like I was, I should've been tapered properly, thankfully back then my doctor's knee I was on it and that the detox didn't work so they actually got me down to I think .05mg and I jumped off and that withdrawal was insane. I thought that was low enough to jump off but nope. It was like being on acid and having the worst anxiety in the world. I was vomiting, and got about two weeks I felt like shit and then after a month I felt a little better, but I was acting very manic and I still had the prolonged symptoms from being on it so long. After that I was able to get ten pills a month for emergency but I ended up getting sick of going to that Dr every month for just ten pills. I was ok for a while and then I started going down on my methadone and that wasn't a good idea after just coming off Klonopin. Needless to say I'm back up on my methadone, which I never wanted to do, and I'm dependent on Xanax because no doctor would just write me a script for just ten or 15 Klonopin a month. The .05mg ones. Most doctors think you're lying to them when you mention these symptoms and label you as drug seeking but the doctors that actually do their research instead of just handing out these medications know that you aren't supposed to be on them long term like me and a lot of other people were. They are literally street corner drug dealers with white lab coats. I could be a nurse practitioner with all the shit I know. All they have to do is type the symptoms into Google and see what the cure is. Then prescribe that. Doctor's are way overpaid for just writing something on a piece of paper. The worst are the older doctors who think just cause they're older than they don't need to learn anything new about the next epidemic which will be benzos. It's already a hidden epidemic in a lot of other countries especially the UK and now America. A lot of the methadone patients were also forced off their benzos like me back in 2014. That Doctor literally has blood on his hands from doing that. I knew people that were prescribed 6mg of Klonopin a day at the clinic. It would take them at least a couple years to come off that dose the right way, which is a slow taper, ran by the patient and how he feels. These other doctors think you can just cut a quarter pill a week like opiates and be fine but these drugs change so much shit in the brain it's crazy. Sorry for the novel. Just had to get that off my chest. Yes patients know more than doctors. We have access to the same shit they read in medical school, which most are funded by big pharma. If that doesn't tell you something then idk what to tell ya. You just don't get it. There should be cures for all these diseases but then they'd lose money cause they make money off us being sick. So instead they just have you 'live" with the disease and keep pumping you with pills and to have you keep coming back to get that insurance money.
This Doctor is a God send message thanks sooo much nicole for making this video soooo much people here appreciate it and amazing doctor God Bless him 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
It's not just the brain. Benzos affect the gaba receptors in the other organs of the body as well.
Yeah during the start of my taper I had extreme back pain and some stomach pain for the first 3 months. Back pain is gone stomach pain still comes randomly.
@@PatrickA1 yes really bad back pain and gastronomy problem big time
@@PatrickA1 I did a profoundly stupid thing.. I dumped all my psychiatric drugs cold turkey.. except the benzos, then tried twice to commit suicide on klonipin and ativan.(obviously failed). I'ts been a year and almost 8 mos. since I've taken ANY benzos. It is still a living f'g HELL, and still think of suicide almost every day. The pain in my lower back is almost unbearable. I sometimes have to scream into a pillow to keep my friend from hearing me. Parasthesia, anhedonia, tardive dyskinesia, headaches, brain fog, confusion, memory loss, on and on. YUP, it's an hr. to hr. struggle. Hang in there, don't give up!
@@Walsh25 Don't give up!
@@PatrickA1 yup, I have the back pain as well, massive back pain
Prayers that everybody gets off these grossly over prescribed drugs, plutonium for the nervous system. Hope everybody finds peace. I literally couldn't stand being around people with the toxic stress, panic disorder on and off prescription. Last 2mg left to remove of diazepam but I had to take it as I nearly died in seizures going from high dozes to 0 in desperation for the terror to stop. Being on them isn't conducive to life, I was dying a reclusive life in severe panic but my Dr's were pretty brutal and had no empathy until I ended up with 2 black eyes in an ambulance. Psychotic break for months with no adequate medication to detox safely and I refused to take xanax unprescribed.
That's awful
Thank you for this wonderful interview and sharing! I am French speaking and I wish that would be so many more of these in French dude! Thank you for daring talking about themes that are so crucial in a world where emotional pain is medicated, Whilst it would want to be heard and understood!
Do you know any organizations in France that would help us do a community film screening there? One of our filmmakers is French speaking! Please email us at medicatingnormal@gmail.com
@@MedicatingNormal i will look In’to it! And also here in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 and Belgium ! Lets be in touch ! And Switzerland !!!
Time and hope, that is all you have in the journey to rid yourself of a benzo. There are no magic treatments....time and hope is all you have! 18 year clonazepam prescribed now 38 months benzo free. I feel really good most days, my life is soooo much better. The first 16 months were hard, had issues up to almost three years but it gets better over time.
How are you now?
@@laurenwallace861 thanks for asking. I will be five years benzo free in mid March. I feel really good, totally better. I sleep much better which is the key to recovering. I can actually think and reason. My brain works so much better. I am 66 but I still do math problems as I was an electrical engineer. I can be doing something during the day when I will realize a past event and go "oh that is what that meant". Memories are still coming back...I lost over 20 years of my life to that drug. Why do you ask?
14 years prescribed, and I am just seeing this video. I know this comments old but I was hoping you could say how much you were taking. Also how did you taper? Do you have any long term damage?
@@laurenwallace861 I am 63 months free of the benzo. I feel great in most ways. I have emotions, I can think, I can focus, I laugh, and I enjoy life now.....
@@TheSdn12 I tried to answer you question but I am not seeing my response. IF you dont see it then comment back and I will try to answer again...
God bless you Doctor🙏🏻 I wish you were my doctor.💙
My goodness- I hope this helps others as much as this as helped me. Much thanks!!
He is very knowledgeable. He is the first Dr I have heard who really knows abt these things. I have had the pain he talks of, the mis diagnosis of that pain, when it is a wdl side effect. I have had the memory loss when I was on Loraz . My experience of tapering off Diaz has been extremely long, slow, roller coaster and at times torturous taper of which I am not even half way through - literally taking years. If we all could have a Dr like him who actually knows abt Benzo's - may help a lot of us get further a lot quicker and with the appropriate support. I was happy to hear him talk of the PAIN - it is INTENSE - I get it in the stomach, and in my neck - so intense you can't stand it. if I cut more than 0.5 mg i get horrendous pain in my neck. I cannot cut by 1 mg as Dr Ashton suggested. I have never felt "comfortable" when tapering - I would describe it more as "bearable" .
Are you talking about coming off Xanax or Klonopin?
Ashton said when you get to 5mg you drop it by 0.5mg only....for 2 weeks....then stabilise and go again....I understand the pain....pain started for me as severe neuropathy at the 3month mark at tapering landing on 5mg....and I am getting more and more severe pain with the lower the dose....can barely walk.
Ive been on 23 years prescribed for seizure My first week off my meds has been hell, my son died last year and I'm going crazy with no dr help. Thank You for caring and sharing
There should be Millions of 💰Of Compensation for us that were WRONGLY PRESCRIBED THESE POISON PILLS 💊
Absolutely. We need to file a class action suit!!!
@@rebeccascott8404 I need 💰💰💰To take care of my kids since I haven’t been able to Work I’ve been TOOO SICK for YEARS! I LOST MY BUSINESS I built All by MYSELF with My Own 💰💰!!! I was POISONED BY ATIVAN & KLONOPIN Having NO IDEA what I was being prescribed for an Anxiety Attack?? I should have NEVER BEEN GIVEN THIS POISON ☠️
@@rebeccascott8404 bless u
I’m In Ativan destroyed my life
@@katrinamenzies9398 we need 💵💵💵💵💵💵COMPENSATION !!!!!!
Your a amazing man definitely. You listen. Most don't understand you as a patient
I was taken off 75 mg a day of Librium took it for 7 yrs for anxiety and Paxil for 15 years for anxiety and being off immediately I have been to the phych ward and am losing everything it has been two months can’t work and these issues are worse than I ever was, the derealization and confusion and panick is far worse! I would love to hear a video about Paxil and Librium withdraws I feel as if I am losing my mind I’m 34. Hope doesn’t seem to be enough! This doc seems to maybe have the answer
Hope your doing much better.
I'd imagine you're on the otherside now. 75 Librium is essentially 30mg Valium, that is a lot to Cold Turkey most likely 8 to 9 months of pretty bad symptoms . I hope you're doing well now.
How are you now?
Can't watch, panic in response to thinking about what I've been traumatised with, no treatment in Scotland. Imagine offering talk therapy with no access to medical intervention, politicians are failing us here especially with access to online stuff proliferating society with no exit without brain and nervous system injuries. Wow this man shows my upper digestive tract problems, I've been having blood tests and convinced I was dying with some kind of cancer. Oh my this is a relief, it means I might actually get better in a couple of years hopefully. I'm in agony right now, pain all day and night yesterday, I was bent double with it. Don't care, will fight till I achieve homeostasis every single day. I sometimes have the excruciating body pain so bad it's like chronic arthritic agonies, all you can do is lie and it feels like your having your back smashed with a baseball bat, It makes me fight harder. Not beating me, die or get better I refuse to die in poisoning.
God bless you both. Ive tapered down from 6mg of ativan to 2mg a day. I did it slowly. Im still taking 1mg in the morning & 1mg at night. Im praying ill be free of this nightmare. Ive been on them for 30 yrs. I suffered agoraphobia. I wish they would have told me the real truth about benzos. Ty!
I pray hard i can find a doctor like u. 🙏🏼👑👼🏼👑👼🏼♥️♥️
What an amazing video.
What I have learned:
- it takes a long time , be patient. You are in charge
- tapering too fast below 10mg is a bad idea
- avoid alchohol - its the same and will mess up your sleep and your taper.
- pharmacy grade melatonin has helped (precription only in the UK - so I know what I am getting)
- supplements - i am not sure yet. there is a long list.
- plateus are ok
great video every doc in the usa should watch this, nicole you are a great person doing videos like this and the doc was great, my bro is having problems trying to come off xanax he can barely do him job and he can’t find a doctor that can help his doc won’t put him out of work i don’t think they realize how bad and hard it is to come off these drugs we need help
Oddly enough right around the beginning of covid I believe Benzo Buddies had about 40K members and last I looked it was close to 70k I think.
Wow ... I believe it .... I had to Join this year
Lisa did you start a benzo b/c of Covid ?
@@Remi-bt7tp I think its the reason I started having bad panic attacks
@@kenneth2321 So you began taking a Benzo? Are you tapering slowly? Which one are you taking? I'd do anything to make sure nobody else goes through what I'm still going through after 26 years on Benzos and having horrible protracted withdrawal for 3+ years and it's not getting better. Don't want to scare you Lisa, I'm just wanting to help you before it's too late and your damaged from Benzos. You can heal yourself from the panic attacks vs drugs/poison that can destroy your life. Xanax ruined My life.
@@BflyMom_212 I tapered my self off in a month ... I been benzo free for 115 Ish days ! I get good a month ago for like 3 weeks then I got in a bad wave because I took antibiotics! It was awful ... both were awful ....
Omg doctors don’t want to give confirmed consent ??? Omg that’s drug dealing period 😡🌸😡
This guy is a legend
Grocery store? She couldn't leave her house. Exactly. Imagine doing this without taper. Months in and still chronic pain But I can go to the supermarket and walk to the chemist now, I'm 44 BTW. 44 and I was disassociated, mentally ill, physically ill and I really felt I was already dead. 5 months ago I was asking for a walking stick and seriously thinking about it. It needs exposing here in Scotland and loudly.
This doc can’t leave is face alone. Never seen that with a Doc.
😆😆😆
Thank you for this Video.
I've given up on life due to the suffering of Benzo Withdrawal. It's been over 3 years now and I'm not getting any better. I've been Diagnosed with Cancer and I'm not going to fight for this life of hell any longer. So, I'm actually committing Suicide in a different way because I can't get Help.
I pray Other's don't get damaged by this Drug like I did for 26 years. Although this Class of Drugs needs more awareness, I hope that Doctor's don't rip Other's off Them without tapering slowly. To prescribe this Drug Class, (Benzos) Doctor's should have to take a Class to understand what They do to a Person and how to safely taper you off.
God Bless All the Warrior's out there 🙏.
Really sorry to hear this BevAnn, I am permanently damaged as well and pray for death regularly, if I didn't have two children I would have ended this misery already. I don't blame you for wanting out and not wanting to fight the cancer. It was a surprise cancer diagnosis that put me back on benzos after being off 7 years and recovering about 85%, going back on them for 4 years was the worst mistake I ever made save going on them to begin with, I wish you peace my dear, no one should have to suffer the benzo withdrawal horror and then cancer as well.
@@GMHG777
Thank you for understanding. All My Doctor's know now and still won't Help Me. I don't have kids so I see no reason to fight for this Hell. I'm not living.
I'm so sorry you got damaged again due to Cancer. I wish you healing and your health back. 💛🙏
@@BflyMom_212 Brings tears to my eyes and I don't know you nor you me... Just so sad how life can be so cruel to some of us. I am 54 years old, looking at your avatar you look quite young and beautiful too in that picture, just seems so sad that we (and soooo many other on these Benzo channel comment sections) have been handed such a "horrific sentence" of psychiatric issues that lead us to taking these poisons which then damaged our brains so badly. The cancer is another matter, but I am sure if you weren't sick from long term benzo withdrawal you would give everything you have to fight the cancer... I know this experience has left me devoid of a belief in a higher power, because if there is one, that son of a bitch is just a cruel sadist to do this to anyone. Peace to you BevAnn, I hope your suffering ends soon with a miracle !
@@GMHG777
A miracle 🤔 I'm beyond a miracle. I don't feel a higher power anymore either. I'm actually older than you. My picture was just 5 years ago when I was 53 and not in Hell and pain. This has taken a toll on My entire body and Soul. I've wasted away to nothing but bones.
It's hard to believe that there's a God that would put Anyone through this hell. But, it's actually Man that has caused this. How many more will have to die due to this Drug. It's been going on for decades. The only thing I hope to do before I die is prevent Someone else from going through this hell from Benzos or any psych drugs. I began Xanax at the age of 32 and right away, I was suicidal. I was never suicidal or depressed before Xanax. Lost My career, My identity and My dreams and now My life.
It's pretty sad not be understood by Anyone except people who have been damaged by Benzos or psych drugs. Everyone looks at Me like I've lost My mind. Well, I have in a way but They will never understand it. I've told Everyone now, that I'm giving up on life due to the damage to My brain/central nervous system/gaba receptors. They won't do the research to try to understand. It's out here! If Everyone who's been damaged did a video about this hell it would be heard. But, We're too damaged to do it. I am.
Anyway, Thank you for your kind words and your understanding. I truly hope that you do heal and can live the life you were meant to live and enjoy your kids and grandkids even. You are a kind Soul and deserve a life of peace and a Miracle too. Take care My Friend.
@@BflyMom_212 Everything you wrote above resonates intensely with me and breaks my heart for you. Yep this is a man made horror show and its absolute bullshit that it happens to sooo damn many people and like you perhaps the only solace I have is that my children who are trying to understand, but ultimately do not fully get it, both know what this fucking poison has done to me and I have begged them to NEVER EVER put a single does of this garbage in their body going forward if I do not survive this which is very likely. Seeing the pain and spiraling health that I have endured the last 2 years I pray they will be terrified to ever take this garbage. I wish you peace and and end in whatever way that may be from the suffering it's absolute bullshit we were born to only suffer like this. I am sending out a huge caring and compassionate hug to you my dear, you are a warrior but I get exactly where you are coming from believe me !
Tolerance / Withdrawal is now called BIND (Benzo Induced Neurological Dysfunction)
My Dr and family have no clue. Im trying to taper off on my own. This information needs to spread and the truth told. Benzos should be taken off the shelf. I take low doses but if i miss them even 1 day.. Then im feeling so sick. N that 1.5 mg a day.. Down to. .75 mg a day. I get depersonilization, body aches, diarrhea, headache. Light sensitivity. Its scary. I feel disabled.
I've being relapsing on benzos since 80s. I'm also a qualified addiction therapist. They are a very cunning drug. Worst than heroin, crack. As a patient u must be honest. I did cold turkey off 800mg tramadol and 4mg xanax a day, over three days. Hell on earth, I see jesus crucified. Emotionally, spiritual withdrawal, experience... Doctors shudnt perscribe without trying other medications. Clean now 2 year, its still tough. God bless for creating awareness
Noel how r u now
@@sangeetalambh6389 still in recovery. 2mg daily
@@noelkemmy1694 did u feel depersonalization
@@sangeetalambh6389 oh yes very much, sharp pains in legs, nerve jumping in bed. Like taser.
Don't cold turkey. Third day I was hallucinating when hospital. I was taking 16 xanax a day then just stopped. Now valium I'm addicted too. Doctor has me on 2mg valium. Keep edge off
Where is this Dr at ?
If you find him let me know
@@isabelregalado913 retired
retired
Nichole, you have a mission that’s fantastic, and Doctor Michael is a wonderful man with so much love and understanding of this scourge Of Benzodiazepines, what a mess these meds have caused. I’m going to start this journey to get off this medication, 32 years on the Zanax I’ve figured out my years of perceptions and the number is 132 of them 3/4 milligrams per day, never abused them . 360 tabs for;3 months. I see my Doctor in four days, I’m so frightened that he will just stop my meds , he’s that type of Doctor. God help me!!!
Good luck, Make sure you educate yourself first.
Here are some resources:
benzobuddies.org
benzoinfo.com
benzoinfo.com/ashtonmanual
benzowarrior.com
Thank you
Can "brain lock" be a symptom from benzo and tapering? Like you don't understand a simple and normal things get you overwhelmed. And you don't understand how people can do normal things. Please someone answer.
I feel like I have experienced this, though have never heard someone describe it before. Thank you.
It's reliefing to hear that someone knows the feeling (of course don't wish this to anyone).
I suffer it all day and have never felt this before my dog had to put to sleep at the age of 16 and I was having awful panic attacks and was prescriped big amount of benzo and didn't have any warnings and I became addicted to them, I have used them as prescriped and I had toi quick taper and now trying again with Ashton manual. Just suffering so much of that brain lock. Doctor says it's anxion and depression nyt I have had them before and never felt like this and had got over them. Thank you for answering.
Did you have that feeling just for a moments or longer?
YES -- complete brainlock can happen. Look at things and nothing registers in brain.
I know of someone who is 75 yrs old and has been taking .5mg of Klonopin for 25 yrs for sleep and possibly underlying anxiety. They are now suffering from insomnia. Do you ever decide not to taper someone off of Klonopin because it would be too difficult and risky? Also, can you recommend any psychiatrists in Southern California who have expertise in helping patients with Benzo withdrawl or detox? Thank you so very much!
yes - some people should not come off. Elderly and the infirm often fall into that category.
Detox from benzos is almost never recommended - they should be slowly tapered over months to years. There are some doctors who help. See: benzoinfo.com/doctors
Oh what a wonderful Dr. Sure wish there a Dr. in the Cincinnati area.
To anyone reading the comments, I was prescribed both Clonopin AND Valium. 1-2mg of clonopin and 10mg of Valium. I bumped up the Valium to 20mg and dropped the clonopin altogether. It sucked for a week. Then I cut the diazepam from 20-15. Then 15-10. Then 10-7.5 then 7.5 then 7.5 to 5. Then 5 to 2.5. Then 2.5 to 1.2. Worked like a charm. Did the decreases weekly. Still on the 1.2mg. Hoping to drop it to zero soon. I got prescribed all this after a breakup (more like a divorce in my mind) that tore me up inside. Been a 2 year battle. Worst drugs ever. I can’t believe they still prescribe these.
Sounds like you have a Dr. who is willing to work with you. That is great. Most of us suffering and our whole lives ruined do not. Sad but true.
@@rebeccascott8404 what do u mean? U weren’t prescribed it?
@@albertodeulofeu5277 I was prescribed zanex and klonipin but not the two at one time. Which I had to ask my pp I wanted to switch because klonipin last longer and though I would take less.xI always say I was prescribed. See replays below.
Great to hear that! I'm on 0.5mg clonazepam at bedtime. I want to taper off as well. I'm thinking of crossing over or do a slow liquid taper straight from clonazepam. How are you doing now? Are you off it? Thank you for sharing your story.
@@paulie_b-007 if I were you, I’d taper using DIAZEPAM. Not clononazepam. I’m better now. Got off after a loooiing taper. but I was LOSING IT. They gave me Zoloft and rexulti. And noe I feel like myself again. Finally, after 2 years. The rexulti wasn’t necessary but it helps the Zoloft kick in faster. 2 weeks as opposed to a month
Where can I find this doctor? Does he have an email?
He's in Virginia Beach, VA and does not see patients unless they are local.
@@MedicatingNormal I really need to reachout to him. I'm not trying to be seen. Does he have an email?
Thank you sooo much for this video .. I wanna get off Ativan omggg 😓😭😭😭
18 months off, after 6 months of prescribed. People will not believe me, I keep it from friends and family too, I don't want them to think I'm crazy. I have spikes nailed into the bottom of my feet, hammered in, glass shoved into my kneecaps, huge spikes, strangely from inside my head, punching out of the skull, electric torture is a relief from the spike torture. Zaps that can be anywhere, I pray so far not where it will be worse, so far so good. Sometimes, the head is in a vice, that one isn't too bad. I often cry secretly after I can't stand it anymore. I can be in public sometimes, and if the foot torture starts I have to make strange noises rather than scream. So I will often isolate.
I can't tell anyone, I know they won't believe me, besides, there is nothing that can be done. I might be lucky, it might go in time.
Try researching Akathisia
There are Facebook support groups
6 months wow😢 how much were you taking daily how are you now?
I tore many ligaments and tendons due to benzos induced muscle weakness. I’m bedridden.
Same
@@dreamernator I’m sorry to hear that. Are you able to walk? I can barely walk.
@@MK-pl4fr Yes, but the level of difficulty varies day to day. Hell of a way to live. I'm so sorry you're going through it...
@@dreamernator Do you have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or antibiotics toxicity? I had pre-existing subluxation in my neck,wrists, and left hip, but I don’t meet diagnostic criteria for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. I took antibiotics 6 years ago
, but I don’t know if I have antibiotics toxicity.
I've been on Ativan for 1mg ten years then I decided I don't need these pills any more on the 3rd whoa that's when I researched and realized what? I never knew what was I doing to my body. So now I'm here 15 years on 2 MG. I am so scared to come off. But I definitely know I need help. My doctor won't help me if I mention it he may cut me off. How do I get help from Dr. Bohan? I am desperate for help.
There is a list of benzo wise doctors below but many patients find tapering very slowly is not something most doctors will allow them to do. Many taper at home at their own speed. www.benzoinfo.com/doctors/
@@MedicatingNormal thank you so much, I would love to be guided by a medical professional. If it all possible. Thanks again for the link.
I've been trying to get off benzos for 2 yrs. Was on 2mg of xanax for 10 yrs with no problems. Then got switched to 8mg of clonazepam for 3yrs. I got off clonazepam and they gave me valium for withdrawls. Im struggling to drop the last 8mg of vailum. And im brain dead. I struggle to function and do daily tasks
U basically have same history as me. I'm on 16 mg of valium from a 180mg taper.
I cant go any lower dude like I'm in severe pain idk what to do anymore. Love you and I'll pray for you I don't know if I'm gonna make it
Thanks love this Doctor so wise -- would love him as doctor --I had a crap doctor all about Liability --Doctor who prescribed retired a few years back --So right omg my doctor did this gave me Ajax when husband died and now went cold Turkey 12 yrs later and grief is there on top of withdrawal -- omg so true - so now grieving was wondering why I was having those intense feelings again strong grief thought omg did I not grieve back then -? Guess not - push it back for sure - in anger stage 🙌🆘🙌 - thank you for having doctor
Help. At 24.20 he mentions a doctor from University of Toronto. What was his name? (collotti?). Why wasn't protracted wd mentioned? I'm seven years off all meds and suffering so badly. Was prescribed Ativan for insomnia caused by menopause. Never took more than 40 mg per year until a misguided taper. Why can't I function after so many years off. I've done everything I'm supposed to do. Seventeen years of my life ruined because of a prescription drug. And my doctor doesn't believe me. He thinks I just need an antidepressant even though he already prescribed several which made me worse.
I had severe chronic sinusitis. And doctors were not able to figure out what is wrong with me. My doctor is a good men he got desperate and after month of trying to help me he gave me Valium to cope with the severe neck pain that it gave me. Since it’s a good muscle relaxer and I was not able to sleep. I had no idea what it was now 5 years later after I been diagnosed and had surgery I’m watching this video. Very sad luckily I been on just 5mgs of Valium a day for 5 years never took more or less hopefully my withdrawal won’t be to bad
Yea just taper your 5mg for at least 6 months ok? Preferably a year.
Has anyone experienced tolerance withdrawal? I think I am currently in it.
I have a very bloated stomach that won't go down, heightened anxiety, palpitations, hyperventilation
I'm on 0.25mg klonopin and IDK what to do from here. I'm refusing to up the dose
I can help you a bit , 2 months off Clonazepam ....TAKE HIGH DOSE MAGNESIUM , ZINC, Vitamin D For anxiety , Palpitations.... B9 , B12 and lactobacillus capsules for bloating
@@vishal9030 thank you
How was your withdrawl and taper?
@@vishal9030 stop. Some people do not tolerate vitamin d bs or magnesium
I'm glad he said he doesn't want to prescribe benzos, but he still has the idea that only medication can help things like panic attacks. It is too bad there is no discussion about getting NUTRIENTS in through food and supplements. THAT is the ONLY thing which can help long-term. S-T-R-E-S-S causes depletion, so we need to replenish.
Dr Bohan is the standing picture of emotional mental and physical health. All advice well taken.
I see MANY patients w benzo and opioid addiction \ dependence
There definitely is a place for the use of opioids.
Is there a place for the use of benzodiazepines?
particularly for what they are designed and marketed for?
They are very effective in anxiety disorders and insomnia but make the problems worse once they are stopped
I am in Virginia Fairfax to be exact going through withdrawals the pretty bad right now severe nausea headache tremors
Benzodiazepine destroyed my brain and body. I have mimic EDS or ALS. 😭
Good video,
I'm glad im off clonazepam now..23 years taken as prescribed
How are you doing, are you fully recovered?
@@mardishores4016 yes I'm doing good.
Shana neidig how long was your taper? You fully healed? What dose?
@@joshuacaron5397 6 months 0.5mg 3x a day, I should have gone slower but I felt fine, slowed it down near end of taper. Yes I feel good but my vision is impaired from a seizure years ago from abrupt cessation of clonazepam.
I don't have 23 yrs. Not even 1.
Am suffering from withdreal..was stopped cold turkey .5 chlonezapm..going thru hell
How are you now Rohit. I am also in withdrawal from 0.5 chlonozepam 😞😞😞
In general doctors don't care or even consider how their patients are going to get off the medications they routinely prescribe. Years ago when I was on a combination of benzo's and anti depressants after having been on them for over 15 years I attempted to bring up the subject of getting off them with my doctor as I didn't think they were working anymore. But he's response was to tell me that they weren't doing me any harm either so I may as well continue taking them. Needless to say I wasn't exactly thrilled with he's medical advice. The awful truth is if you decide to get off these deadly medications you'll be most likely doing it alone with no support from anyone. So taper slowly and be very very patient. It's a long road to recovery but well worth it in the end.
Is it the same problem to quit zolpidem? Now I'm so scared!
Awe I wish had been my dr.
Thank you for the video. 😊
Why are all knowledgeable Dr s about benzos and withdraws always doing videos. Sure wish I could find a knowledgeable Dr to help me!!!
I really want to send a video to my doctor, who doesn't understand the importance of slow tapering. Is this the best one to send? Or should I send him a link to Medicating Normal (the film)?
Now this is a great doctor
Am in healing process I having a real problem vulva and anal swelling burning prickly feelings either wet or dry I tried canesten duo five times after long spell antibiotics for post nasal drip yet still having the symptoms I have haemorrhoid also any advice pls what I need to do creams not taking it away I had swab it’s clear is this the healing of benzodiazepines withdrawal
To taper, you have to have been on a consistent dose each day. How would it work for someone like me? 10mg one day, 0mg one day, 5mg one day, 20mg one day? Does anyone have an answer to this?
Some would say to find a daily dose that your body can handle and keep it stable to begin your taper. But it also depends on how long you've taking benzos. I would ask what caused you to dose like that and if it's possible you are taking a larger dose to counteract the smaller dose days because of interdose withdrawal symptoms or that you have reached tolerance? Something to read: www.benzoinfo.com/benzodiazepine-tapering-strategies/#strategies
I need a doctor who will help me taper in south Florida. Any suggestions
You can look at:
(1) benzoinfo.com/doctors
(2) madinamerica.com/provider-directory
(3) survivingantidepressants.org/topic/14971-recommended-doctors-therapists-and-clinics
Good luck!
I have been on 1mg for about 4 years tired to get help they said your not in a high dosage I’m struggling deeply I started not to feel okay not myself brain fog my mind feels off like I’m not 100 percent in my mind help also burning sensation all over my eyes burn always fatigue but can’t sleep losing weight can’t eat someone help me I’m not even working this is a nightmare I am a mom who needs helps I’m in California tapering slowly but I feel a mess not ok mostly in my head
Have Benzos been banned... I have seen reactions here in Canada.
I been taking Klonopin for 7 years 8mg I’m down to 2 1/2 of Klonopin it took me a few years to get that far one doctor wanted me get off the Klonopin within 3 weeks that’s not going to happen I’m 75 years I can’t go cold Turkey I think it would kill me I take 1 1/2mg Klonopin at night and 1mg in the day all I say is good luck if your taking Klonopin it’s a bad Drug
So sorry. I feel your pain 😩🙏
Can anyone direct me to a benzo wise doctor in Florida or Ohio?
A agree a better way of treating anxiety would be counseling and meditation and EXERCISE. I had a terrible reaction to an SSRI. I got away from it in very short order, although I was assured it was side effect free dependence free.
Everyone has a plan (yoga, meditation,exercise,) UNTIL they get Punched in the face by true anxiety ,phobia……..!😂
The greatest thing I got out of this was what about the new anxieties that come after the ones you started to have after! Oh I would love this doctors number, If only in real life! There is always hope! Imagine a doctor saying your in charge, I'd love that!
I have been on 1 mg Xanax for 10 years. OMG and I am noticing the inter dose withdrawal I sometimes would take 1 mg and a half but I brought it back down to 1 mg half in the day half at night coupled with a muscle relaxer for sleep, trying to bring it down, don’t know the right way to do this. I have the Ashton manual as well. I feel a little cautious about getting on diazepam everything is different for everyone. I definitely need more help in guidance got the spiritual part down the meditation part down thank God.❤🙏🏼
It's been 2years with benzo withdrawal do I have to go back on it and taper to stop the withdrawal symptoms
HOPE YOU DIDN'T JUST GETS WORSE. IT WILL CEASE❤
My pp came me 9 MG. daily. He didn't care about raising my dose at all. He only got interested since the medical unit was talking about taking his license. He liked the fact that the patient has to keep coming back which means more money. I would love to get a class action suit against all people like me. He has ruined my life in every way. Question: I am 62 and have stage 4 CoPD. What is the reason to take me off. I have got down to 3 mg daily. Been on them for 30 years . The only time I feel normal and can leave my home or take care of my responsibles.
Also the benzos He prescribed were xanex and now klonipin since he is wanting to taper
Also I never had the consent
Valium is better to taper once you get down below 1mg of clonazepam. bc 1mg of clonazepam = 10 mg of valium. reduce dose in your case by 20% every 4-6 weeks
@@baggedtuned8569 I am now finished my" fast taper" which just about killed now I guess the PAWS is gonna finite off. Cannot believe Dr s take the oath to help their patients!!!
On 5 meds prescribed by neurologist for akathisia-how to decide which med to start tapering without exacerbating akathisia and TD?
I am almost 65 years old. Should i try tapering off 20 mg diazepam or just stay on them?
How come every doctor knows about opiates now but they don't know shit about benzos?? I literally had doctor's say to keep taking them off the streets and continue my taper. I need Klonopin. It's way easier to taper off of, especially if you have the .05mg pills and cut them into quarters.
40 years prescribed here. Amazingly difficult.
How come so many addiction medicine doctors don't know about benzo withdrawal syndrome? I've had doctors tell me to keep buying the pills off the street and to keep weaning myself.... 😆. It's a joke but it's not funny at all. Every doctor especially an addiction Dr should know just as much as this amazing doctor in this video.
Here in Florida need benzo wise doctor.any recommendations? Will travel out of state !!
Look up Kelly Brogan in Miami or try "free range psychiatry" who does telehealth.
Medicating Normal Thank you so much for responding.I am about 160 miles from Miami I will check Kelly out.Thanks again bless you!!
Medicating Normal Kelly brogan
1mg rivotril cozepam pls help what is the lowest tapering doze is safe
Ive been in severe withdrawal for 6 in a half months. Its hell !
Hru now?? Sorry😢
@@PinkScorpion333 still not doing good. I have nueroinflanattion from the benzos.
I called Dr Bohan office but they said me being in Tx he can’t talk with you
What is the best way to reach out to him?
Do ppl really heal from this? Where is this doctor located?
He is in Virginia Beach, VA but cannot take patients that are not local.
Jeff Galaska I'm starting to think that some do and some don't. Almost 37 mths off for me and I'm still housebound. Anxiety fear agoraphobia and many more mental and physical symptoms. I'm just about out of steam and ready to exit this world. I don't have the strength to live in this condition for years and years.
@@snafu22 do you have n email?
@@jeffgalaska8269 don’t want to give out my email here but can I find you on FB or messenger
@@snafu22 COFFEE COFFEE COFFEE. atleast one cup a day and dont skip a day. if you have multiple cups a day and start having jerks while you are trying to fall asleep cut the coffee back atleast 9 hours before you go to sleep and make sure you dont drink more than 3-4 cups a day. im almost 2 years off 1mg clonazepam COLD TURKEY. after taking it daily 4 years. since i have been drinking coffee since July i havent had a Wave since.
Hello! My mother was on Ativan 2 mg a day..we are trying to taper off with diazapem, but she's going through hell..is it possible to get a confact from this wonderful doctor? Hope you will see this message.
Hi, so sorry, but he’s retired.
You can check: benzoinfo.com/doctors to see there is one in your area
@@MedicatingNormal thank you very much for your reply..I have gone through the list, but no one is at least near Slovenia. Thanks anyway!
Anxiety is a Symptom of faulty Cortisol functioning
More info please
I did a crossover from Xanax to liquid Valium. I’ve been using oral syringes. I have not been putting it down my throat, instead I basically put it on back of my tongue. I’m wondering if it would get to the stomach better by putting it in water or put it in a gel capsule and swallow it with water do it gets to the stomach????
Best information on UA-cam, I f your coming off hard and can't watch it atm there is a woman called judy who has a channel called Benzo withdrawal help. She's a bit easier to watch and not as loud on the ears
I read that the generic prescriptions can’t be liable. The Supreme Court ruled on this in like 2002,2012, something llike that. This is why they don’t prescribe anything but offbrand benzodiazepines. And wouldn’t you know? Antonin Scalia ruled on it..
It is so hard to find a good taper doctor that charges normal fees.
Exactly! I’ve called many places, ranging from 500 per hour to 85k for a few months ugh