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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 4:42:41
....Was a headline in the newspaper I read yesterday! (Dailymail)
Its Alprazolam. The experiemental gel code-named AP-1002, gradually seeps through the skin and into the system over several hours.
They've taken (Antares Pharma) alprazolam and turned it into a gel that uses a lower dose of the drug, but could be just as effective as the tablets.
The gel is applied once a day using a device called a metered dose pump. This hand held gadget delievers a precise amount of the gel every single time, so that the dosage will not vary.
Once the colourless gel is applied to the arms, shoulders or abdomen, it takes two mintues for the surface to dry.....over 24 hours it gradually releases small quantities of alprazplam through to the blood stream.
So far the gel has been tested on animal studies and clinical trials will be needed..
It could be available in the next couple of years.
Professor Heather Ashton (psychiatrist) said the gel was an interesting develepment but questioned if it was really needed.
"Alprazolam is a very potent drug which you need to take 3 times a day and can be dependent on"
"You can prescribe it privitely in the UK but not on the NHS. In the US they use it to excess."
"We already have long acting drugs such as diazepam, which are really just as effective."
Ashton is clearly a benzo phobic.
I think it shows some extreams though which are not right...The UK are very afraid of prescribing drugs...but across the water in the US there widely available.
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:17:38
In reply to Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks...., posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 4:42:41
Posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:22:33
In reply to Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks...., posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 4:42:41
Here it is.........
~ed
Posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 9:55:24
In reply to Xanax Gel » Nickengland, posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 9:22:33
Thanks Ed!
LOL - I just had to write an 'amateur' report with the newspaper in front of me, covering the main points!
Glad you managed to find the orginal ~ I didn't have much luck with a couple of seaches with google lol
Kind regards
Nick
Ps ~ what do you think of it?...Marketing $$$...or actually benefitial?
Posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 10:18:28
In reply to Re: Xanax Gel » ed_uk, posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 9:55:24
Hi Nick,
>what do you think of it?...
If it *really* does last 24 hours, it might be useful :-)
Kind regards
~Ed
Posted by Glydin on August 17, 2005, at 14:29:43
In reply to Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks...., posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 4:42:41
Hi there Nick,
I like the thought of research and development being put into alternate med delivery systems. A number of meds have gone this route and I like the idea of finding ways of thinking about a steady blood level - something that does not always occur when the gut is the vehicle, IMHO.
Very interesting stuff for me.
In terms of the antibenzo commentary you noted - I'm not going to go there but to say MOST of the mission statements and "set in stone" information of that "experts's" site is not in keeping with my findings for myself. (smile)
Best to you,
Glydin
Posted by Phillipa on August 17, 2005, at 20:19:46
In reply to Re: Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks.... » Nickengland, posted by Glydin on August 17, 2005, at 14:29:43
Must be like the natural hormone creams that are good for 24hours. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Empathy on August 17, 2005, at 23:48:08
In reply to Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks...., posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 4:42:41
Sounds good to me! Yeah, I don't understand the XanaxPhobia thing, it irks me.
Posted by Ktemene on August 24, 2005, at 16:03:50
In reply to Re: Xanax Gel » Nickengland, posted by ed_uk on August 17, 2005, at 10:18:28
Hi Ed,
I was curious about something. If xanax is a small enough molecule to be able to get into the body through the skin, and there is some advantage to taking the medicine this way, then why don't our pdocs just tell us to crush a xanax pill and mix it with curel or some other skin cream and use our own homemade xanax gel? (I've wondered this about selegiline too. Why is my pdoc waiting for the patch; why not just mix some selegiline powder with a skin cream and slap it on...) I reckon you know more than enough about pharmacology to answer a question like this, so I thought I would ask you.
Ktemene
> Hi Nick,
>
> >what do you think of it?...
>
> If it *really* does last 24 hours, it might be useful :-)
>
> Kind regards
>
> ~Ed
Posted by ed_uk on August 24, 2005, at 16:23:03
In reply to Re: Xanax Gel » ed_uk, posted by Ktemene on August 24, 2005, at 16:03:50
Hi K,
>I've wondered this about selegiline too. Why is my pdoc waiting for the patch; why not just mix some selegiline powder with a skin cream and slap it on......
I expect that the amount of drug absorbed from a homemade concontion would be too inconsistent for therapeutic use, and probably very minimal.
Kind regards
~Ed
Posted by Ktemene on August 25, 2005, at 14:58:16
In reply to Re: Xanax Gel » Ktemene, posted by ed_uk on August 24, 2005, at 16:23:03
Thanks, Ed,
Yes, I see your point. The thing that got me wondering is that skin cream companies have to calculate how much e.g. vitamin E will get into the skin given the size of the vitamin E molecule, the percentage of vitamin E in the cream, the lipid composition of the base cream, etc. Given that a lot of that sort of research has been done, I was thinking that maybe more could be predicted about a medicinal cream. But I can see that the standards for a medical treatment would be lots higher than those for any cosmetic cream. (Just by the by, I did ask my pdoc why the local pharmacist couldn't just mix up a selegiline cream, and he said he did not know!)
Ktemene
> Hi K,
>
> >I've wondered this about selegiline too. Why is my pdoc waiting for the patch; why not just mix some selegiline powder with a skin cream and slap it on......
>
> I expect that the amount of drug absorbed from a homemade concontion would be too inconsistent for therapeutic use, and probably very minimal.
>
> Kind regards
>
> ~Ed
Posted by utopizen on August 28, 2005, at 5:43:28
In reply to Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks...., posted by Nickengland on August 17, 2005, at 4:42:41
> "Alprazolam is a very potent drug which you need to take 3 times a day and can be dependent on"This is true, but irrelevant to the drug the reporter's questioning him on-- it is highly dependent, but the drug under development is 24-hr. release.
Also, I have no idea how much they can "lower" the dose necessary, but if it's able to markedly lower the dose necessary, that's also an improvement to its dependency potential.
I wouldn't take Xanax, because I did take Xanax XR once for three weeks, happened to switch docs, and the new doc had me take 2 months "weaning" off of it before giving me Klonopin (wouldn't prescribe Xanax).
So even when withdrawl isn't an issue, it's an inconvience, because they are paranoid.
> "You can prescribe it privitely in the UK but not on the NHS. In the US they use it to excess."
>
> "We already have long acting drugs such as diazepam, which are really just as effective."
>
> Ashton is clearly a benzo phobic.This is unfair. I don't see how saying "diazepam is really just as effective" is being "benzophobic," since it too is a benzo. Most docs who prescribe benzos don't prescribe Xanax, and honestly, I question any patient who claims they respond to it over slower-to-leave-the-body benzos like Valium or Klonopin, which are just as effective in clinical trials without the PHYSICAL dependence. Xanax causes physical dependence-- Klonopin only psychological. (So does benadryl).
>
> I think it shows some extreams though which are not right...The UK are very afraid of prescribing drugs...but across the water in the US there widely available.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Nick
>I am assuming you didn't read the article you're quoting?
Posted by ed_uk on August 28, 2005, at 7:44:41
In reply to Re: Revolutionary Skin Gel Can End Anxiety Attacks, posted by utopizen on August 28, 2005, at 5:43:28
>> Ashton is clearly a benzo phobic.
>This is unfair. I don't see how saying "diazepam is really just as effective" is being "benzophobic," since it too is a benzo.
Ashton used to run a benzo withdrawal clinic. She strongly believes that benzos are only suitable for short term use.
>Xanax causes physical dependence-- Klonopin only psychological.
All benzodiazepine anxiolytics cause physical dependence. Klonopin is no different. Klonopin withdrawal can induce prolonged seizures.
~ed
This is the end of the thread.
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