Editorial Note: This post is by Wendy Murray. It comes from a chapter in her new book that deals with the problems many of us have with prescribers of all kinds for medications of all kinds when we question their judgment. Their attitudes can kidnap us just as much as a detention can. I had reached the stage of taking a very low dose (6.5 mg) of citalopram during my second … [Read more...] about Medical Kidnap: Withdrawal & Non-Compliance
Withdrawal
A Kidnapped Daughter 2
Continued from Part 1. Put on mirtazepine my daughter deteriorated rapidly. The crisis intervention team descended. They started by counting pills. When they found the number correct, they assumed I had destroyed the pills. They seemed perplexed. One of the team would take her out for some one–to-one. They would visit the local park, go to the café and drink some cocoa. … [Read more...] about A Kidnapped Daughter 2
Medication and Withdrawal
The RxISK website has been undergoing major renovation. There is still a great deal of work going on behind the scenes to look at new ideas and better ways to make available the best tools and information about prescription drug side effects. The old site had a Symptoms on Stopping Zone – a Withdrawal Zone. Withdrawal is an important feature of RxISK, so we are hoping to … [Read more...] about Medication and Withdrawal
United States of Adderall
Ed Note: This post is by Johanna Ryan who covers most of our stimulant related topics. Dr. Larry Diller is a pediatrician who specializes in children’s behavioral problems, especially Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He’s by no means anti-medication; he has prescribed stimulants to kids for decades. But twenty years ago he was already concerned about their … [Read more...] about United States of Adderall
Greg’s Dilemma: Feeling Blue
Magic bullet In Greg's Dilemma 1 and Dilemma 2, Greg outlined more than one dilemma linked to getting hooked to antidepressants and benzodiazepines. The responses to these posts were all over the shop - from pull yourself together, to entrust your life to God, to support for descriptions of positions others find themselves in. The responses also split in terms of what the … [Read more...] about Greg’s Dilemma: Feeling Blue
Greg’s Dilemma: Riding a Backwards Bike
Greg’s dilemma is one we all share – even John Junig. The easy bit of the dilemma has to do with dependence and withdrawal. Dr Junig’s line that he’s trained in neuroscience and behavior and can confidently say that Greg’s – or anyone else’s – difficulties on treatment with benzodiazepines, antidepressants or mood stabilizers, are just in their mind, just a matter of … [Read more...] about Greg’s Dilemma: Riding a Backwards Bike
Greg’s Dilemma: Riding a Bike Backwards
Editorial Note: Last week in Greg's Dilemma, Greg outlined the difficulties he had with dependence on and withdrawal from serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines. The first comment was from a therapist who seemed to say "pull yourself together". This eerily echoed the next part of Greg's dilemma - that could have been posted last week but was held over till this week. … [Read more...] about Greg’s Dilemma: Riding a Bike Backwards
Greg’s Dilemma
Editorial Note: This post on the difficulties of withdrawal comes from Greg. There will be 3 parts to it. In Part 2 Greg gets some standard psychiatric advice and in Part 3, we offer a response to the advice. Way, way down in a hole, there is no feeling Because when you're so far below the floor, everything's a ceiling -Death Cab for Cutie Unfortunately for me, being down … [Read more...] about Greg’s Dilemma
Down These Mean Streets
Editorial Note: This post that neatly ties together drug induced violence and dependence and withdrawal, the theme of the next few posts, is by Mickey Nardo. It featured on OneBoringOldMan a few weeks ago. It has a ring of a Raymond Chandler novel. Hence the image and the postscript. It was towards the end of today’s clinic. He was a big guy, friendly, seemed neither anxious … [Read more...] about Down These Mean Streets
Tracking Down the Cause of Withdrawal and PSSD
Editorial Note: Between now and the end of the year, RxISK will have a major revamp. Among the first new features will be a Complex Withdrawal and PSSD research section. The philosophy behind this is that no-one knows what Protracted Withdrawal Syndromes and PSSD actually are and it's more difficult to find an answer if we don't know. Both are conditions that cannot be found in … [Read more...] about Tracking Down the Cause of Withdrawal and PSSD