http://www.bcnc.org.uk/
"Do You Have a Problem with Benzodiazepines or Z drugs?
Do You Need Help and Support?
The group is known as: Benzodiazepines Co-operation Not Confrontation (BCNC). It is primarily aimed at prescription supplied benzodiazepines, although help will be given wherever it is needed...
We need people to join us in helping to run this group which will be a local branch of what will eventually be a nationwide group whose aim amongst others is to challenge current knowledge of benzodiazepine and Z drugs in the medical profession and to change it for the better. This will include reducing prescribing rates for benzodiazepines and Z drugs beyond 2 - 4 weeks to new patients and improved withdrawal guidance and knowledge for managing long term users of benzodiazepines or Z drugs.
The benzodiazepine problem is largely a medically induced one and if it is to ever change it will require the medical profession to change. This website it is hoped will provide knowledge for the long term users of benzodiazepine or Z drugs internationally, to recruit volunteers to take up the task of changing the medical professions views on benzodiazepines and Z drugs and as well as to serve as a platform to get our views across to the medical profession.
Long term use of benzodiazepines is associated with considerable numbers of both general and mental health problems Included amongst these are over sedation, which has contributing effects on Road Traffic Accidents, accidents in the home and also accidents at work, forgetfullness, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional blunting, suicidal thoughts, and an extreme or irrational fear of open or public places (agorophobia).
These side effects as well as others are more pronounced in the elderly often causing mental confusion and dizziness which results in falls and fractures which often leads to hospitalisation.
There are over 1.2 million people dependent on this class of drug in the UK. Are you or any of your family affected by the dependency on long term prescription supplied benzodiazepines, which can be used by the medical profession for a variety of illnesses both of the physical and psychological nature?"
Showing posts with label withdrawal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label withdrawal. Show all posts
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Treatment for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal by Charles Gant, N.M.D., Ph.D.
http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/benzo.htm Link
Treatment for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal by Charles Gant, N.M.D., Ph.D.
(This protocol should not be used in place of a recommended treatment provided by your health care provider and should only be used with their approval. I have found this protocol to be useful for many of my patients but I cannot guarantee that it will be effective for everyone. Normally, I would recommend a full integrative medicine workup including amino acid plasma levels, RBC minerals, essential fatty acids and other diagnostic testing to determine precisely which of the interventions noted here are actually needed.)
Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs often used as tranquilizers. Full information on "benzo" problems is available at www.benzosupport.org
Here is my current and ever-changing protocol for benzodiazepine withdrawal.
1) GABA 500 to 2000 mg., two or three times a day (GABA, like tyrosine, may not cross the BBB unless the patient is very stressed and it appears that the studies that suggest that GABA does not cross were done on unstressed subjects.)
2) Theanine 200 to 600 mg., two or three time a day (Theanine competes with glutamate receptors to mitigate the neuroexcitatory effects. In another elegant balancing mechanism, the brain balances glutamate (excitatory) which is made into the generally inhibitory GABA (requires B6) The theanine in green tea may be one reason that the also present caffeine does not seem to stimulate tea drinkers as much.)
3) P5P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) 50 mg. - One capsule two or three times a day (Some people don't phosphorylate B6 well). (Vitamin B5)
4) Glutamine powder - One level teaspoonful twice a day to three heaping teaspoonfuls a day, dissolved in water, one hour before meals, last dose at bedtime (Especially important for hypoglycemic patients, as glutamine deficiency is by far the main immediate cause of hypoglycemia and glutamine is the precursor for glutamate).
5) Magnesium taurate - 1000 mg. twice a day to 2000 mg. three time a day
6) Salt food lightly with NuSalt/NoSalt (potassium chloride)
7) 5HTP - 100 mg. twice a day to 200 mg. three times a day
8) Purified soy lecithin - 1000 mg. three times a day (B5 (pantethine (not pantothenic acid) needed to acetylate the choline to acetylcholine, generally relaxing and downregulating of catecholamines)
9) Pantethine 500 mg. - One twice a day
10) Optizinc - 20-30 mg. twice a day. (Lowers the commonly high copper, which inhibits 5HTP decarboxylase. Activates digestive enzymes to help with amino acid absorption.)
11) Lipoic acid - 300 mg. twice a day (oral chelation for neuroexcitatory heavy metals, especially mercury)
12) Mutivitamin/multimineral
13) Distilled fish oil (omega 3) 4000 mg a day and Borage oil (omega 6) 1000 mg. a day (Essential fatty acids ultimately increase the neuroplasticity of cell membranes, possibly assisting receptor activity).
14) Add herbal "sedatives" if necessary
http://www.understand-andcure-anxietyattacks-panicattacks-depression.com/5-htp-Melatonin.html Did you know that sleep deprivation is used as a torture technique? Sleeplessness can occur during meds withdrawal, and Melatonin and 5HTP can help - this article explains need-to-know biochemistry.
Treatment for Benzodiazepine Withdrawal by Charles Gant, N.M.D., Ph.D.
(This protocol should not be used in place of a recommended treatment provided by your health care provider and should only be used with their approval. I have found this protocol to be useful for many of my patients but I cannot guarantee that it will be effective for everyone. Normally, I would recommend a full integrative medicine workup including amino acid plasma levels, RBC minerals, essential fatty acids and other diagnostic testing to determine precisely which of the interventions noted here are actually needed.)
Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs often used as tranquilizers. Full information on "benzo" problems is available at www.benzosupport.org
Here is my current and ever-changing protocol for benzodiazepine withdrawal.
1) GABA 500 to 2000 mg., two or three times a day (GABA, like tyrosine, may not cross the BBB unless the patient is very stressed and it appears that the studies that suggest that GABA does not cross were done on unstressed subjects.)
2) Theanine 200 to 600 mg., two or three time a day (Theanine competes with glutamate receptors to mitigate the neuroexcitatory effects. In another elegant balancing mechanism, the brain balances glutamate (excitatory) which is made into the generally inhibitory GABA (requires B6) The theanine in green tea may be one reason that the also present caffeine does not seem to stimulate tea drinkers as much.)
3) P5P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) 50 mg. - One capsule two or three times a day (Some people don't phosphorylate B6 well). (Vitamin B5)
4) Glutamine powder - One level teaspoonful twice a day to three heaping teaspoonfuls a day, dissolved in water, one hour before meals, last dose at bedtime (Especially important for hypoglycemic patients, as glutamine deficiency is by far the main immediate cause of hypoglycemia and glutamine is the precursor for glutamate).
5) Magnesium taurate - 1000 mg. twice a day to 2000 mg. three time a day
6) Salt food lightly with NuSalt/NoSalt (potassium chloride)
7) 5HTP - 100 mg. twice a day to 200 mg. three times a day
8) Purified soy lecithin - 1000 mg. three times a day (B5 (pantethine (not pantothenic acid) needed to acetylate the choline to acetylcholine, generally relaxing and downregulating of catecholamines)
9) Pantethine 500 mg. - One twice a day
10) Optizinc - 20-30 mg. twice a day. (Lowers the commonly high copper, which inhibits 5HTP decarboxylase. Activates digestive enzymes to help with amino acid absorption.)
11) Lipoic acid - 300 mg. twice a day (oral chelation for neuroexcitatory heavy metals, especially mercury)
12) Mutivitamin/multimineral
13) Distilled fish oil (omega 3) 4000 mg a day and Borage oil (omega 6) 1000 mg. a day (Essential fatty acids ultimately increase the neuroplasticity of cell membranes, possibly assisting receptor activity).
14) Add herbal "sedatives" if necessary
http://www.understand-andcure-anxietyattacks-panicattacks-depression.com/5-htp-Melatonin.html Did you know that sleep deprivation is used as a torture technique? Sleeplessness can occur during meds withdrawal, and Melatonin and 5HTP can help - this article explains need-to-know biochemistry.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
White Bird
Birds are symbols of the spirit,
and white birds represent the soul.
This video with the music of the Incredible String Band expresses the sorrow and loss of soul that can come from the use of drugs - and the joy of recovery. In two parts.
If you are an "accidental addict" looking for information about withdrawal from psychotropic medications, please see our links in the right hand column. And take comfort - the journey is not easy, but it is worth it!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
LA Times on Stopping Antidepressants
Hopelessly simplified; totally inadequate. People are going to get hurt. FAIL.
For links to the facts about antidepressant dangers please go here to Dr. Heather Ashton's site and check out other withdrawal resources listed in our FRIENDS links - David Healey's is of special note: Halting SSRI's PDF
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Video: Get Past Your Addiction To Prescription Drugs
Dr. Gary Kohls explains how he helps patients get off their addictive psychiatric medications.
One of a series of videos featuring this compassionate doctor; to see more, go to the site. Recommended.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Malic Acid and Magnesium for Brain Zaps
Image inspired by R.CrumbIf you are withdrawing from meds - antidepressants - you may have brain zaps or other painful symptoms as part of what the pharmaceutical industry wishes us to benignly think of as "discontinuation syndrome".
As many who have been through SSRI withdrawal know, the experience can be a kind of Hell. You can read descriptions of brain zaps here.
To ease brain zaps, you may consider using supplements of Magnesium and Malic acid, described in the link below. Magnesium is the main ingredient in baby powder and Epsom salts, and Malic acid is also found under the name Apple Cider Vinegar. Link
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Melatonin during meds withdrawal
The Nightmare by Henri FuesliFood for thought about melatonin, Ambien and other sleep and mood medications. It is particularly interesting that antidepressants can cause depletion of the body's melatonin. Link
Dr. Heather Ashton on Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
More videos in this series are available at Youtube.
The Ashton Manual is online here: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
How Prozac killed poetry: Leonard Cohen on antidepressants
"It's been 15 years since I stood up on the stage. Fifteen years ago when I was 60 - a young kid with a crazy dream - then I took a lot of Prozac." Then he reeled off the names of other prescription mood-enhancers he had taken over the years.
Did Leonard Cohen lose 15 years to antidepressants?
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