Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SteelyDan on February 11, 2008, at 17:19:47
My Pdoc told me taking benzos for a long time can cause "Benzo Dementia". I've been on benzos for 27 years, but i am currently tapering off of Klonipin (.25mgs a week). I really think Klonopin is partially causing my depression, it doesn't work for me anymore anyway as i have developed tolerance to it, but i've also developed dependence to it...thus the slow taper. I was on 3mgs. daily, i'm down to 2.25 now and will reduce to 2 mgs. on thursday. I really want to get off of it. BUT..i'm not bashing benzos, i think they are great meds and i'm thankful they are available to us..but for me, just me, i believe at this time they are causing more harm to me then helping me.
Posted by Phillipa on February 11, 2008, at 18:08:17
In reply to Ever hear of Benzo dementia?, posted by SteelyDan on February 11, 2008, at 17:19:47
No and I keep forgetting to google it so maybe I have it? Anything on it in googleland? Love Phillipa
Posted by rskontos on February 12, 2008, at 15:10:45
In reply to Ever hear of Benzo dementia?, posted by SteelyDan on February 11, 2008, at 17:19:47
Steely Dan, all I could find was perhaps it could aggravate it or
maybe bring it on early, but nothing I found so far says it might cause it. But then again, maybe logically speaking anything like a benzo is a chemical altering your brain, so long term effects could be anything right? So I guess it is not out of the questions.I think I will check crazymeds.us to see what they say about this. rsk
Posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 15:20:06
In reply to Re: Ever hear of Benzo dementia?, posted by rskontos on February 12, 2008, at 15:10:45
> Steely Dan, all I could find was perhaps it could aggravate it or
> maybe bring it on early, but nothing I found so far says it might cause it. But then again, maybe logically speaking anything like a benzo is a chemical altering your brain, so long term effects could be anything right? So I guess it is not out of the questions.
>
> I think I will check crazymeds.us to see what they say about this. rskYeah, i don't think you can really "prove" that benzos causes it..it would be more of a hypothisis. Thank you for your imput.
Dan
Posted by rskontos on February 13, 2008, at 10:58:20
In reply to Re: Ever hear of Benzo dementia? » rskontos, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 15:20:06
Steely Dan,
I went that other site and they all concluded no it is given to elderly patients with dementia to ward of hostilty but no research that they knew of said it had been link to it. I am on a benzo for my anxiety so I admit I was interested when I saw this.
Good luck with your research. on this.
rsk
Posted by Phillipa on February 13, 2008, at 19:10:34
In reply to Re: Ever hear of Benzo dementia? » rskontos, posted by SteelyDan on February 12, 2008, at 15:20:06
Dan guess what just googled benzo dementia and your thread or posts came up. Love Phillipa
Posted by SteelyDan on February 13, 2008, at 20:37:25
In reply to Re: Ever hear of Benzo dementia? » SteelyDan, posted by Phillipa on February 13, 2008, at 19:10:34
> Dan guess what just googled benzo dementia and your thread or posts came up. Love Phillipa
LOL..how funny! :)
Dan
Posted by yxibow on February 14, 2008, at 17:41:43
In reply to Ever hear of Benzo dementia?, posted by SteelyDan on February 11, 2008, at 17:19:47
I'm not sure of dementia, after a long time it can cause forgetfulness, they are amnesics, and can lose their original usefulness. I'm sort of having that problem because I've been on Valium for quite some time -- underneath it actually was and may still be helping me at a fairly high dose but I don't feel that "ah" anymore. It doesn't mean it isn't still doing something.
I'm sort of going through a bump in things in trying to reduce it a bit too fast.
I mean its possible in an outpatient setting to reduce it 25% a week but sometimes you can't take it, because the half life of Klonopin or Valium can be part or a whole day, it all depends on how fast one metabolizes it so it can stretch over days the lag time that it affects your condition.
-- tidings
This is the end of the thread.
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