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Jeanne - Los Angeles...... My name is Jeanne and I am an IC patient of Matia Brizman. I have been working with Matia for three years now. Under her special care, my bladder symptoms are almost completely gone. But that is not why I am writing this. I am writing because of an ordeal that I have had to go through in addition to IC. When I first started having IC symptoms in January 2003, I went to many doctors over a period of months trying to find out what was wrong. During that time, I was prescribed Ativan to help with anxiety and sleep. I was in so much pain and discomfort that any help was a blessing. I took .5 mg at night. I did not take it every night, but if I needed it. I was assured it was safe, just a little something to calm me down. As the months went by, I didn’t think about it too much. I was just trying to cope with having this terrible disease. I started seeing Matia in August 2003. After starting herbs and the diet, I was feeling some improvement. My sleep was very poor, so my Ativan was increased to 1 mg. I refused all other medications and came off the Ditropan I had been given a few months earlier. Because I felt my sleep was so important, I kept taking the Ativan. I had no idea at the time, what this would end up doing to me. I did not take it every night. There were some weeks that I did not take it at all. In January, I started getting very bad pains in my right shoulder and in my muscles. It lasted for about two months. I felt flu like as well. Was this fibromyalgia? I didn’t know. Over the next two years, I would have many strange and terrible pains, several times ending up in the ER. There they would give me more Ativan. In fact, one time I was in the ER for chest pain and an irregular heartbeat. As I was waiting there, after EKGs and X-rays my doctor said it might be some kind of muscle spasm, He said he would give me Ativan to help relax the spasms. A woman sitting close by overheard this and when I was getting ready to leave, she came over to me and told me that Ativan was the reason that she was there. Trying to stop taking it was making her life hell. She told me to be careful. I remembered thinking she was crazy; I didn’t have a problem with it. I didn’t take it that often, I couldn’t possibly ever be addicted. What was she talking about? I look back on this now and I wish I had been able to listen to her. In September of 2005 I had a very demanding job that was going to last 16 days straight. I knew I was going to need as much sleep as I could get, so every night I took an Ativan. I figured I wouldn’t take any after the job was finished. After the final day, I did not take the Ativan because I felt it was ok if my sleep was poor, I didn’t have to get up early. The following day, I started feeling really bad. I had horrible stomach pains. I was very agitated and I broke out in a burning rash on my knees. I thought, “What the hell is this?” Is it some kind of withdrawal? That night I took half of my Ativan. The night was literally a nightmare! I didn’t sleep at all; I was shaking all over and had stomach pain so bad that I was in a ball! I WAS IN WITHDRAWAL! I called my doctor the next day and she agreed that what I was experiencing was indeed withdrawal, but that she had no experience with this and I would have to contact a specialist. I got on the internet, I found out that Ativan is a class of drugs called a benzodiazapine. Valium, Xanax, Klonopin and many others belong to this group. It turns out that I could be in for a very rough time. These drugs can be worse than heroin to get off of and that the recommended tapering process can take many months and sometimes years! Benzodiazapines and their withdrawal syndrome affect every system in the body. I continued to take my regular dose of Ativan each day as I searched for the right doctor to help me through this nightmare. Even though I was still taking the medication, I was in horrible withdrawal. I could barely function. I had unknowingly gone “cold turkey” and I did not know how long it would take my brain to stabilize. I had accidentally become addicted to this terrible drug!!!!!!!!! With the help of a specialist, I started the tapering process. It took me four and a half months to complete the tapering. During this time, I experienced extreme muscle spasms, stomach pain, anxiety, insomnia, heart irregularities, twitching, burning muscles, tinnitus, dizziness, brain fog, panic attacks, and other withdrawal symptoms. Even now, seven months after my last dose, I am much better, but not symptom free. My doctor said I was doing better than most and that the average recovery is six months to a year and a half after you take your last dose! I just couldn’t believe that doctors prescribe these medications that can be so devastating for so many people. Apparently about 70% of the general population won’t have a problem getting off these drugs, but 30 % experience some to extreme difficulty. I just think that is too high a number. My doctor said that unfortunately there is no way to tell who will be affected. I hope to warn people of the danger, and so that they don’t have to go through this terrible withdrawal process. If you want more information, I am recommending the following websites. Please take the time to inform yourself about these drugs and their consequences. www.benzo.org.uk (THE ASHTON MANUAL)
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Disclaimer: The
purpose of this site is for information only. We in no way intend to offer
medical advice. This is not the official site for BOMA-Med. This
site has been developed by patients of Dr. Brizman, because of their faith in
her work, the belief in the effectiveness of her treatment, and willingness to
inform others of an opportunity to recover from the ravages of Interstitial
Cystitis. |
