What they teach in Medical School...The Things Doctors Say -

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Mon, 27 Sep 2004 22:26:30 -0400

 

 

[sSRI-Research] **What they teach in Medical School...

The Things Doctors Say -

 

" This drug is perfectly safe. "

 

" That's ridiculous, you haven't been on long enough. "

 

" You have been off Xanax for a month now. Because of its short half

life you could not possibly be still experiencing withdrawal symptoms. "

 

" This must be due to some underlying psychological problem. I am

going to switch you to Klonopin. "

 

" You have a chemical imbalance in your brain, it's like being a

diabetic.

 

You will probably need this drug for the rest of your life. I think

you need Paxil (Zoloft, Prozac - fill in the blanks) to handle your

depression. "

 

" I am the doctor here. "

 

" You heard about this on the internet??? "

 

" You haven't given it (the anti-depressant) enough time yet.

Withdrawal symptoms should only last for a couple of weeks.

 

You might feel a little " antsy " and like you have a bit of the flu

for a few days. " (Actually said to me by an addiction doctor who

knew I was undergoing a 6 day taper from Ativan)

 

" And don't stop taking this medication, because if you need to start

again later, it won't work anymore. " (He was talking about Seroxat,

aka Paxil.)

 

" Fourteen years?! I heard they used to use them a lot before the

newer drugs came along. " (Young UK Casualty doctor)

 

" The worst of the withdrawals should be over in about three days. If

you're no better in a week, see your GP and he'll give you

something. In the meantime get some sleep, you look terrible. " (Same

young UK Casualty doctor)

 

" I could give you a shot of Valium but I can tell you wouldn't thank

me. " (ditto)

 

" You're having a difficult time because you are too sensitive to

medication! "

 

What my doctor says whenever she tries to convince me SSRIs are safe

and I disagree with her: " Well, there have been studies. "

 

" Take two, they're small. "

 

" So, you say you are feeling better after tapering Xanax...the Xanax

wasn't making you feel bad to begin with...you have simply

" re-wired " your brain. "

 

" People with anxiety disorders cannot become dependent upon

benzodiazepines. "

 

" You cannot possibly be addicted to Xanax...you never escalate your

dose and you do not indulge in drug-seeking behavior. "

 

" The withdrawal will be over within two weeks, tops. "

 

" You are feeling agitated; restless and you can't sit still or

concentrate? I am changing your diagnosis to manic depression. "

 

" Why do you even bother to read that internet trash and upset yourself? "

 

" You will never be able to function without Xanax. You cannot handle

absolute reality. "

 

" Stop this nonsense (while in withdrawal from a benzo), if not the

men in the white coats are coming to get you. "

 

" And so what!!! Who cares if you are addicted to it? It's a small

price to pay. By the time you need to take higher dosages you will

be too old to come off and die addicted. If it bothers you, hang a

picture of your mother in the garage and throw tomatoes at her. "

 

" It's impossible to get addicted to something that your body really

needs. "

 

" Be careful about listening to people on the internet. Anyone with a

keyboard can post there. "

 

On Xanax: " Don't worry about addiction, because you are on such a

low dose for your size and weight, addiction will never be an issue. "

 

" If you take it every day on schedule you won't have to worry about

addiction. "

 

" Yes, I might have heard some depression could be possible, so I'm

going to write you a prescription.... "

 

" I can't help you if you don't take your medicine. "

 

About tapering and looking down on me: " You only take 1mg. No,

sorry, no idea about withdrawal.... "

 

" This is the perfect drug for you....it's not addictive. "

 

" All that's wrong with you is your nerves! " (said in an angry tone

from the same doc who put her on Xanax, while she was in ER)

 

" It's just like diabetics need insulin...blah, blah. " (same doc in ER)

 

" The withdrawal is over! " (said by psych after detoxing her off

Xanax cold turkey and then off Klonopin in six weeks)

 

" What you have is deep depression. " (same psych)

 

" I never heard of such a thing!!! " (after I told another psych about

one of Dr. Ashton's articles that there is such a thing as protracted

withdrawal)

 

" Well maybe you should just take her to that doctor in California

[he meant England]. " (same psych)

 

" Some people just have to take a little all the time. " (3rd psych)

 

" That's very SLOW. " (referring to taking my mom off about 1.25mgs of

Ativan in TWO weeks)

 

" It can't be from withdrawal, it's been 2 weeks. He must have

developed a seizure disorder. "

 

" You could take it (this small amount) for 50 years and never get

addicted. "

 

" I'm not convinced this could be withdrawal. It is out of your

system. You have underlying depression that needs to be treated. Why

not go on 60mg Celexa? "

 

" I've never heard anything like it. I've never heard of anyone

having so much trouble with benzodiazepines! Most people just have

the *jitters* for about two weeks and that's it. "

 

" You can't quit now, I have 6 more payments to make on my Mercedes

Benzo...uh...I mean Benz. Hey...you look depressed, I can fix that! "

 

" Take two of these and call me next week when you wake up. "

 

" The reason you're feeling blue is because you took the yellow one

with the green. "

 

" Your problem is because you were born in the blitz. "

 

" Your problem is because you were born in a thunderstorm. "

 

" These pills are OK, it's only the blue ones that are addictive. "

 

" Get down on your knees and pray, you're an alcoholic. "

 

" You'll never see an addict wake up in the night with withdrawal. "

 

" You will take Valium for the rest of your or I will not treat you. "

 

" If you don't agree to ECT I will put you on a section. "

 

" You have been abused by hospitals and the drug companies, sue the

bastards. "

 

" Go away, I'm striking you off my patients list. I don't want

addicts on my register. "

 

Patient to doctor:

 

" I'm no longer frightened of hell because I've been there. "

 

" It's funny I had a dream last night about the devil and he looked

exactly

like you. "