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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tepi on October 10, 2010, at 21:25:08
What about using just small amounts of alcohol together with my benzo.
Imaging me , taking my normal daily dose of Xanax and then taking a little bit of those sweet liquors with flavor , like Baileys , Malibu, Vanilla ... how do you think my body reaction will be? any ideas come in your mind?
Posted by morgan miller on October 11, 2010, at 0:05:37
In reply to Can this combination work?, posted by tepi on October 10, 2010, at 21:25:08
Come on man, there are tons of alternative/herbal treatments out there you should be trying before resorting to any amount of alcohol. If your were perfectly healthy and stable and were using alcohol when going out with friends and having fun, I'd say go for it.
Some suggestions:(BTW, I bet there are also better ways to treat your anxiety out there than archaic memory killing addictive benzos)
GABA
Holy Basil-New Chapter's
Ashwagandha-Sensoril, Himalaya, or Avesta
Gotu Kola
Magnesium-glycinate or taurinate
Kava kava-low doses and not ever day as there is a very small risk of liver toxicity
Bacopa
Theanine
St. John's Wort-New Chapter's Serofin or Kira
Lemon Balm
Low dose Lithium Orotate-Vitamin Research Products
Niacin-nicotinic acid-the flush form
Picamilon
Afobazol-Russian drug-by it online
Moderate to intense exercise followed by a meditative full body stretch(stretching increases GABA levels
Meditation
Yoga
Posted by Phillipa on October 11, 2010, at 0:31:03
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by morgan miller on October 11, 2010, at 0:05:37
Morgan seriously 40 years of low dose benzos and used to drink with them and still have a great memory. Now I don't advocate doing what I did but at the time believe it or not my docs prescribed some alchohol at night with valium and was pregnant. True story. But Tepi you have been on nardil a long time and wasn't there a time you were drinking too much? Love Phillipa
Posted by morgan miller on October 11, 2010, at 1:23:09
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by Phillipa on October 11, 2010, at 0:31:03
I don't think everyone is susceptible to the kind of damage that benzos can do(same goes with any other drug), but why risk it if you can find other ways to treat anxiety?
Phillipa, how can you be sure your long term benzo usage hasn't caused any damage? It's hard to tell isn't it. I mean, you will never know what you may have been like at this age had you been lucky enough to have access to and find other ways to treat your anxiety. Not trying to be negative or make you feel bad, I'm just sayin. How are you doing these days? Are you feeling any better?
Morgan
Posted by Maxime on October 11, 2010, at 2:08:48
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by Phillipa on October 11, 2010, at 0:31:03
Sh*t, 40 years of Benzos? Wow. I guess it is impossible for you to stop taking is now. Have you ever tried to come of them and try something else? If yes, then do you remember what you tried and what happened?
Posted by moongoo on October 11, 2010, at 6:29:19
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » Phillipa, posted by Maxime on October 11, 2010, at 2:08:48
I have been on 1mg Ativan 3 times a day for 12 years. How is this worse than other meds people take for their conditions over a long period of time?
What is so terrible with this med that it makes you apparently die early or something as everyone is hyped up about it, oh my gawd, benzo, horrible horrible, but I am severe bipolar/FAD/PD---and this helps.
So am I going to drop dead or something. You guys have me seriously seriously terrified. Is it cancer? Do benzos cause cancer?
Is it like being an alcoholic who dies young of liver cancer or breast cancer or some other cancer?
Am I destined to an early grave because I have taken Seroquel 25-50 mg for 12 years too, and Lithium for a time, and then Lamictal for a time, and Amisulpride 200 mg. (sometimes 100 mg.--top dose of that is 12000, for active psychosis only, maintenance 300-600 mg., for depression--my reason, and it saved me from a terrible IP depression---50-200 mg.)
SO this is it, is it? Organs forever damaged, DNA messed up, I guess. I do have a very healthy diet---6-9 fruit and veg a day, low meat, beans , lots of water---daily exercise of 1-2 hrs---on disability to cut down on stress and its cotisol/adrenal problems---meditate, use mindfulness, journals, art, dancing---am now 54 as of last week and that age is making me feel like I have no chance---trying to be positive, trying to use my training in CBT to contradict negative, distorted thinking----
These anti-benzo posts are scaring me.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on October 11, 2010, at 14:35:42
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » Phillipa, posted by Maxime on October 11, 2010, at 2:08:48
Alcohol plus benzos normally equals sleep.
Posted by sigismund on October 11, 2010, at 15:32:27
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by ed_uk2010 on October 11, 2010, at 14:35:42
>Alcohol plus benzos normally equals sleep.
Not for long
Posted by Phillipa on October 11, 2010, at 19:50:57
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » ed_uk2010, posted by sigismund on October 11, 2010, at 15:32:27
It for me was a wonderful refreshing sleep that gave me huge amounts of energy used in excercise, work, traveling about. I guess it must have been about 30 years on both when passed my national certification for psychiatric nursing. And had the highest score of all the RN's I worked with which took the national test. So guess benzos and alchohol were fine for me. No at times just didn't need any meds at all or alchohol and simply stopped them. And continued on with life. Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on October 12, 2010, at 5:29:19
In reply to Can this combination work?, posted by tepi on October 10, 2010, at 21:25:08
Alcohol in any amount might help you feel better in the short run, but is guaranteed trouble in the long run. If you want to continue to get worse, take alcohol. That said, if any at all, make it a half serving of red wine only.
The degradation products of alcohol...such as acetyldehide...cause much more severe problems in patients with chronic illnesses. Neurotoxic stuff.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on October 12, 2010, at 13:27:37
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » ed_uk2010, posted by sigismund on October 11, 2010, at 15:32:27
> >Alcohol plus benzos normally equals sleep.
>
> Not for longNope, you still have to get up to pee (hopefully).
Posted by tepi on October 12, 2010, at 19:40:57
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by bleauberry on October 12, 2010, at 5:29:19
do you think my body is gonna need everyday more alcohol to have the same effect?
Lets said I just need a half glass of alcohol... with the time Im gonna need the complete glass to have the same effect?Its easy to say use others things , but none have helped
An yes my memory has been seriously affected , but I dont think not only because of benzos but for all the drugs I have taken in the past..
Posted by Phillipa on October 12, 2010, at 20:08:22
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by tepi on October 12, 2010, at 19:40:57
Tepi do you feel you have an addictive personality? If I felt needed more would stop. Phillipa
Posted by sigismund on October 14, 2010, at 15:48:21
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by tepi on October 12, 2010, at 19:40:57
>Lets said I just need a half glass of alcohol..
How much are we talking about?
If you are drinking no more than a few standard drinks a day, there's nothing to worry about.
Posted by tepi on October 14, 2010, at 21:39:24
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? (nm) » sigismund, posted by tepi on October 14, 2010, at 21:37:11
> >Lets said I just need a half glass of alcohol..
>
> How much are we talking about?
>
> If you are drinking no more than a few standard drinks a day, there's nothing to worry about.
I havent started with this plan on the mornings ,(Job,noon ,etc). I have been do it in the nigth ,when I arrive home
I take 1 or 2 coups of red wine (350 ml) so I can stablish better conversations on the messenger and sometimes I can speak by phone with my parents....my worry is that what if in this moment I need 2 coups of wine to feel a little better , maybe in some times I will be needing 3 , then 4 , then 5 until I become an alcoholic
I have some uncles that know my problem , they are not doctors , they are worried and they tell me , ok , if you find relief on alcohol go on , maybe you haave to live in that way in order to stay with us and not commit suicide and other things
Im just worried about becoming an alcoholic and the danger to start conuming little amounts of alcohol during my job ....
Posted by tepi on October 14, 2010, at 21:44:25
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » tepi, posted by Phillipa on October 12, 2010, at 20:08:22
> Tepi do you feel you have an addictive personality? If I felt needed more would stop. Phillipa
No , I know that If I want , I have the will to stop drinking in the moment I want ....
I do it because I need sometimes to forget about everything and feel a little bit normal...I havent reach to the point in wich I need more and more to have the same effect
That is what worries me , that even drinking small qtys in this moment I can become an alcoholic in the near future....
Posted by Phillipa on October 15, 2010, at 0:01:49
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » Phillipa, posted by tepi on October 14, 2010, at 21:44:25
Sounds like a couple glasses of 4oz wine this is the standard messure for wine is relaxing you and it's at night . Just that right? Than I see no harm. The minute you feel the need for more then stop and seek help. Phillipa
Posted by sigismund on October 15, 2010, at 1:30:02
In reply to Re: Can this combination work?, posted by tepi on October 14, 2010, at 21:39:24
>I have been do it in the nigth ,when I arrive home
>I take 1 or 2 coups of red wine (350 ml) so I can stablish better conversations on the messenger and sometimes I can speak by phone with my parents....Under the circumstances, Tep, that is fine.
Just try to keep it at that.
People have done that for centuries.
Posted by emmanuel98 on October 15, 2010, at 20:00:50
In reply to Re: Can this combination work? » Phillipa, posted by tepi on October 14, 2010, at 21:44:25
Most alcoholics report that they started drinking too much almost as soon as they started drinking. They didn't just build up gradually, but got drunk from the first time they tried drinking. So I wouldn't worry too much about being alcoholic if you're just having one or two drinks. One or two drinks, especially of wine, is supposed to be very good for health.
This is the end of the thread.
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