Posted by stjames on October 17, 2000, at 1:36:13
In reply to Re: Doc Gave Me an Antipsychotic - Am I crazy?, posted by Mark H. on October 16, 2000, at 23:07:51
> Dear Glyn,
St. James is right, as usual. You're not crazy, and it is questionable from a medical standpoint for your physician to shun the benzodiazepines, which are relatively benign and highly effective in the treatment of anxiety, while prescribing one of the oldest major tranquilizers, a powerful anti-psychotic that is notorious for causing a serious nerve disorder with long-term use (look up "tardive dyskinesia"), for simple anxiety.
Doctors who refuse to prescribe Valium, Ativan, Xanax, Klonopin, etc., generally do so out of fear and ignorance. The exact same type of "let's just play it safe" thinking led to gross *overprescribing* of these same medications in the 1970s. However, there is plenty of room in between giving them to everyone for everything and not giving them to anyone because some people become addicted and blame their doctors when withdrawal proves to be an unpleasant experience (duh!).
A competent physician will be willing to let you try different anti-anxiety medications, since that is the ONLY way to find what will work best for you. Some people feel stupid or woozey on one medication, while others feel "normal" when they take it.james here.....
I agree with Mark. Benzo's are the prototype meds
for anxiety. All side effects and addiction to benzo's
are reversable. Not so with the AP's. The older one's can
leave one with movement disorders, even off the drug. The
newer ones "seem" better in this respect but time will
tell. Tardive Dyskinesa happens with the older AP's.
Tardive means late, i.e many years into treatment
a dyskinesia can start.It seems to me benifit/risk ratio between benzo's or AP's for anexity
is pitting addiction aganist movement disorder. Addiction, while sure to
happen with regular dosing, is reversable and carrys no negative effects
other than the addiction itself. Also GABA, in the body, is a major player in anxiety, and
benzos work on GABA receptors. This is why benzo's are so effective
on anxiety.It also bothers me that he/she gave you Meleril.
In the 1980's Meleril was the best we had but there
are much better AP's now with less side effects. Unless there was a consern
about you affording the newer AP's, which are expensive,
it would seem this doc is not current. If it were me I would 1) tell this doc I was not comfortable
with the side effect profile of AP's and ask to try benzo's first with
AP's as a fallback. 2) go elsewhere but be prepaired to do that anyway.james
poster:stjames
thread:46508
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001012/msgs/46532.html