Did anyone else see that story on Sunday night about Xanax?

[ayjay]

I read the Age article - I don't watch telly current affairs (except for #qanda because I am a twitter whore ).

My main concern is that alprazolam gets restricted - then we just have to stick around and wait for the next benzo of the moment. Remember flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)? That's what my mates were dropping on (in combo with smack) in the 90s. Got scheduled to S8 and virtually disappeared. Then we had the temazepam gel cap (Normison etc) surge in the early noughties - the gels got removed from sale in Australia and now we have had the lovely xannies causing all the grief. Guess what happens when alprazolam gets rescheduled? We'll just have to wait and see. Already I think we are seeing more zopiclone (Imovane) out there, and that's going to be fun and games too. When will we learn that supply-side strategies are a very blunt instrument and don't work too well?

 

[eldub v7.0]

my next hot tip is whichever gets talked about for 40+ posts in the benzo thread:D

if xanax gets restricted i think it'd be easy to predict an increase in valium; the quiet one sitting in every ma and pa's medicine cupboard for when they've hit their max on the n+ and coffee quota after a long, stressful day

phenazepam never got much of a chance and never really took off which and for which i'm glad i never had the chance to get caught up in either.

 

[pinkanga]

in other news, breaking bad is back on go download that shit.

Hell yeah it is. Dunno about the episode length though... < 45mins for a final season season opener? Shame on you AMC. I paid good, uh, well.. I wasted valuable minutes refreshing my browser waiting for the episode to show up

Wouldnt see a 45min season opener on HBO

Anyway, back on topic.

 

[Crankinit]

Yeah xanax can be nasty stuff, but that article is seriously overblown.

That said, I think clonazepam is worse by far. It just seems to trigger something that none of the other benzos do, for me it always leads to blackouts and compulsive drug taking in a way that say, valium, or xanax, don't.

Ok what the fuck is up with that woman? There's no way xanax alone led to that kind of degradation. There must have been something else going on in her life.

 

[headdah]

Xannys just knocks me out, not in a black out mode knock out, but like in a sleep knock out .

Def agree with you on the clonazepam being the worst. Not only it leads to blackouts and compulsive drug taking behaviors it also makes you wana do crazy weird missions!.

When you are blacked out on clonaz's, your fear of cops etc goes right out the window. It gives you this weird kind of confidence that you can do anything and wont get in trouble for it etc. It makes you feel like you are 100% in control and not benzo'd out etc etc. Makes you think your motor function levels are fine or better than normal etc.

Another strong/nasty one is Lorazapam. Although I've only had 2 experience with it, or should I say On it. Blacked out on both occasions. First experience, the blackout caught me out by surprise, because I had assumed it was similar strength to clonaz etc. I left Jake's house at 6am, usually takes about 20mins to get home. I did not get home until close to midday. I do not have total memory of the entire 5hr or so, only have fragments and bits and pieces of the whole 5hrs of trying to get home. At one stage I had parked my car, did some pushups, ran around the block, did more pushups, (the idea was to do enough excersise to wake my self up so I can drive home etc) Also parked to have some pipes to see if that'll wake me up. That didn't work either. I remember being on my street at one stage, then next memory I was driving somewhere else like further away from home. At some point I had also gone shopping, bought some insence, which I've never bought before, I bought like one of each flavour insence they had too. (I only remember this because the next day or so I found this plastic bag in the car with all kinds of weird items that I normally def do not buy)

Anyways kiddies, I'm not encouraging drug'n'drive etc. Like I said, the blackout from loraz was a total surprise. If I knew I was that fucked up I would of just stayed and slept at jakes couch etc.

 

[spacejunk]

I guess I was strongly opinionated cuz it nearly ruined Eminem's life, as well as mine...Look at him now, compared to his early career. He dwells inside the mind of a common junkie throughout some songs on his latest 2 albums...like, he used to hide Vicodin and Valium pills in tissue paper throughout his house, and ends up ODing on methadone...

anything that can ruin eminem's life has to be a good thing, IMO.

nice one, bronson. so sad to see you go (again).
hahaha bye bye xox

 

[TaSiPtR]

Hmm I just caught end of this programme I rang my mother to say watch it 5 mins later I had a severe seizure (from xanax w.d lol) I aggree a lot of what was said is true but as usual came accross as scaremongering and overly dramatised & the (expert) who said the prices what a joke

 

[MrIbis]

Again, more ignorant bluelighters sticking up for shit like xanax or whatever it is there DOC happens to be at the time.

Step back and take a look, sure the article is bullshit, the media flames it up - but every single one of you guys know the truth, xanax has very little use in medicine. VERY LITTLE.

The only reason for it to be scripted in this country is for acute panic disorder. How real of a medical issue that is, is still to be seen. Seeing as panic attacks and anxiety are fairly normal.

The main reason people get scripted/addicted is the simple "oh i can take a pill instead of breathing when i'm stressed" mentality that most people seem to have, myself included at one point or another.

Xanax doesn't have much use in general medicine, it's effects are too strong, short lived and useless for treating any real kind of illness - on the same token it's horribly addictive, probably more so than most of the other benzos as well.

In closing, all i can say is the fact remains - if it wasn't for the media scare mongering idiots, we'd have a lot more idiots fucked up on drugs posting on this site, and we have enough already. If pieces like this turn one moron off ever trying these drugs in a recreational setting - they've served their purpose.

 

[Halif]

Xanax doesn't have much use in general medicine, it's effects are too strong, short lived and useless for treating any real kind of illness - on the same token it's horribly addictive, probably more so than most of the other benzos as well.

I agree with that.

I see a few posters referring to an 'article' and saying it's full of shit.... Which article are we talking about? The one I read was in The Age online a couple of days ago and I thought it was good and balanced. If anyone is referring to the segment on the mainstream media current affairs show, then of course it was rubbish and sensationalist.

And Mr Ibis, you have lots of interesting insights and opinions which no doubt come from first-hand experience. I have enjoyed reading various posts of yours over the last few years. However, your tone is unfortunately condescending. I feel like you want to help people and that's why you post on here, but you also seem to think that a lot of people are too stupid to be helped.

If you feel like you're wasting your time because people are idiots then why post?

 

[spacejunk]

Their purpose isn't harm reduction though.
It is ratings. That's all.
The more shock and hysteria they can conjure up with their sleazy "journalism" the better, for them.

Drug hysteria plays out well for these slimy shows. Just as well as "dodgy builders" or "boat people taking our jobs and corrupting our young" or whatever horseshit they spin each week.
Dont think for a second that these people have any interest in sane attitudes towards drugs - it's just another folkdevil, another soft target.
Who is sticking up for Xanax?
People here would like for rational attitudes to prevail, rather than these tabloid shouters riling up every reactionary force against the "drug scourge". Fuck that.
As for "morons" being turned off these drugs in a recreational setting - that's all well and good in theory, but we all know that Australians will take all kinds of stupid shit to get high; from DMAA and piperazines to butane.
Hysterical demonisations of prescription medications really don't help anyone - if anything they turn more people onto the idea of taking them, and make it harder for people that need these medications (limited appropriate application or not) getting prescribed them.

How about we demand rational discussion of these matters, rather than take this tacky channel 7 tripe seriously?

 

[eldub v7.0]

If you feel like you're wasting your time because people are idiots then why post?

to stick it to "the man", why else?

ibis and i have history and i've got respect for his posts more so now that he has toned it down. i just wish you'd stop with the trolls, bro.

 

[Fieldy]

A Current affair, Today Tonight, Sunday Night are all just terrible shows period....Free to air Television in this country is just terrible....i hardly watch tv these days, only watch dvd/blu rays or play Ps3/wii. I don't want to waste what little time i spend watching tv listening to some bullshit media scare tactics. Those people need to just shut up and actually report on something that is of actual importance instead of just shit they scrub up in a few days. Poor journalism....now Ross Kemp that shit is good!

 

[junkie skumbag]

I saw the segment on Sunday Night or whatever it is called and it was TERRIBLE, I am typing one handed and would be here all night if I was to get into everything wrong with it. There was plenty of misinformation and an abundance of scare tactics and sensationalism, they didn't have one positive thing to say about it or even acknowledged that it helped anyone. I haven't come to expect any better from the media but this piece of garbage segment was brutal on xanax.

typical media for ya.DRUGS ARE BAD! Mkaayy

 

[Crankinit]

Again, more ignorant bluelighters sticking up for shit like xanax or whatever it is there DOC happens to be at the time.

Step back and take a look, sure the article is bullshit, the media flames it up - but every single one of you guys know the truth, xanax has very little use in medicine. VERY LITTLE.

The only reason for it to be scripted in this country is for acute panic disorder. How real of a medical issue that is, is still to be seen. Seeing as panic attacks and anxiety are fairly normal.

The main reason people get scripted/addicted is the simple "oh i can take a pill instead of breathing when i'm stressed" mentality that most people seem to have, myself included at one point or another.

Xanax doesn't have much use in general medicine, it's effects are too strong, short lived and useless for treating any real kind of illness - on the same token it's horribly addictive, probably more so than most of the other benzos as well.

In closing, all i can say is the fact remains - if it wasn't for the media scare mongering idiots, we'd have a lot more idiots fucked up on drugs posting on this site, and we have enough already. If pieces like this turn one moron off ever trying these drugs in a recreational setting - they've served their purpose.

I have to disagree, I think it has a place in short term or sporadic treatment of panic attacks. For someone who has severe, but occasional, panic attacks, having xanax on hand if they need it once or twice a month makes perfect sense. Or if someone is experiencing more frequent attacks, giving them enough xanax to last a few weeks of irregular use until they can get onto some other form of treatment would be acceptable.

It's when doctors prescribe it improperly by trying to use it as a daily drug that problems occur. It's the physicians responsibility to ensure that the drug is prescribed and used appropriately, but too many doctors (especially GP's) are lazy and would rather just hand someone a bottle of pills and tell them to take it whenever they feel bad than actually instigate proper, long term treatment. The level of ignorance and irresponsibility among doctors is astounding, and that's why you end up with people addicted taking 6mg of xanax every day just to function or something absurd like that.

 

[Divine Moments]

It's when doctors prescribe it improperly by trying to use it as a daily drug that problems occur. It's the physicians responsibility to ensure that the drug is prescribed and used appropriately, but too many doctors (especially GP's) are lazy and would rather just hand someone a bottle of pills and tell them to take it whenever they feel bad than actually instigate proper, long term treatment. The level of ignorance and irresponsibility among doctors is astounding, and that's why you end up with people addicted taking 6mg of xanax every day just to function or something absurd like that.

I don't want to turn this into a debate about doctors' responsibilities, but you do realise it isn't entirely their fault, right? Most GPs don't choose to churn through patients, they have to - some because of contracts (particularly at superclinics, one of the worst creations in the health system), or to keep waiting lists/time down, or to keep the practice financially viable, or a variety of reasons. It's a system problem not just doctors being lazy, though that obviously is a factor for some. The majority of doctors would love to give each patient the amount of time they really need to provide ideal management. Unfortunately then they would see less than half as many patients as they currently do - and I can't count how many times already this year I've heard people bitch about waiting times for doctors. There is simply no easy solution to this problem.

 

[revolve]

I have to disagree, I think it has a place in short term or sporadic treatment of panic attacks. For someone who has severe, but occasional, panic attacks, having xanax on hand if they need it once or twice a month makes perfect sense. Or if someone is experiencing more frequent attacks, giving them enough xanax to last a few weeks of irregular use until they can get onto some other form of treatment would be acceptable.

It's when doctors prescribe it improperly by trying to use it as a daily drug that problems occur. It's the physicians responsibility to ensure that the drug is prescribed and used appropriately, but too many doctors (especially GP's) are lazy and would rather just hand someone a bottle of pills and tell them to take it whenever they feel bad than actually instigate proper, long term treatment. The level of ignorance and irresponsibility among doctors is astounding, and that's why you end up with people addicted taking 6mg of xanax every day just to function or something absurd like that.

This is pretty spot on IMO. I also agree with everything people have said about the media. Their main objective is viewers/ratings.. not HR.

Anyone with an adequate amount of common sense wouldn't follow what the media say religiously though.

 

[MissNervosa]

Ok I didn't see the show,but I do have a relevant comment.

My boyfriend has recently been prescribed 3-4mg of Xanax a day by his psychiatrist for acute panic disorder with agoraphobia.He spent a year in therapy that didn't help much,he knows all the breathing exercises,is on antidepressants,goes to hypnotherapy for anxiety attacks weekly and takes helpful vitamins.

He only uses it when he absolutely has to,and no more than 1mg every couple of days.It basically came down to taking Xanax or he would end up losing his job.

Now today,we went to a different pharmacy to our normal one get his script filled.I was waiting nearly 20 mins in the car wondering why it was taking so long.Turns out the douchebag pharmacist was cross examining him over his Xanax use! Not just the normal "have you taken it before,don't drive on this stuff" but asking why he was taking it,how many per day and a big long lecture about how he should take vitamins and go to therapy instead of taking Xanax.He then only gave him one box,and said he'd run out and he'd have to come back in a week to get the other box,when there was clearly about 5 boxes within plain sight.He also wrote down the link to the story and told him to watch it before he took anymore.My boyfriend was nearly in tears explaining that Xanax was a last resort for him and he took it responsibly.

When he came back to the car shaking and upset,he had to drag me back into the car by force,because I was so angry I was going to go in there,and rip the guy a new one!

What the fuck kind of rights does a pharmacist have treating my boyfriend like a junkie?! Oh and btw,my boyfriend was wearing a suit and tie when he went in and is very clean cut and not the least bit sketchy looking.

Anyone else experienced this kind of vigilantism? I'm so fucked off over this I suspect the more we see these articles and programmes,the more common this will become

 

[Crankinit]

I don't want to turn this into a debate about doctors' responsibilities, but you do realise it isn't entirely their fault, right? Most GPs don't choose to churn through patients, they have to - some because of contracts (particularly at superclinics, one of the worst creations in the health system), or to keep waiting lists/time down, or to keep the practice financially viable, or a variety of reasons. It's a system problem not just doctors being lazy, though that obviously is a factor for some. The majority of doctors would love to give each patient the amount of time they really need to provide ideal management. Unfortunately then they would see less than half as many patients as they currently do - and I can't count how many times already this year I've heard people bitch about waiting times for doctors. There is simply no easy solution to this problem.

I don't deny that the problems you're discussing exist, and have an effect on patient care, but to claim that wait lists or financial viability are to blame for doctors irresponsibly and inappropriately prescribing patients daily doses of a highly addictive drug like xanax when they should know better is a cop out. There's no excuse for that level of ignorance or apathy from a doctor, especially not "oh I only have 20 minutes with this patient so I'll just give them their 4mg a day of xanax and move onto the next patient instead of taking the time to refer them to proper treatment for their anxiety". The reality is that too many doctors, and again GP's are especially guilty here, are blatantly ignorant when it comes to anything beyond handing out anti-biotics or giving flu shots. They see a patient with anxiety, so they check a book (or more likely remember what the pharmaceutical rep told them) and throw some xanax at them then move onto the next patient.

 

[spacejunk]

^ i think it is more complicated than blaming the doctor or the patient.
medicine as an industry has a huge range of problems. rather than treat the causes of certain things (psychological afflictions) it is much easier to manage the problem with drugs, not to mention the way drugs are marketed to prescribers (ie doctors).
it's a pretty complicated issue, and i don't think blaming docs, drug-seekers or legitimate patients is really helpful to anyone.
i absolutely agree that some doctors are irresponsible, lazy or careless in the care they provide, but there are a huge range of pressures, restrictions and regulations that will play into this.
there are also some really professional, caring, reasonable medical people who do everything they can to help people despite these issues.

as dangerous as benzos are, they are safer than a lot of the older generations of tranquilisers/sedatives (such barbiturates) and i am troubled by this new focus on the dangers of benzos that seems to be a recurring theme in the media at the moment.
no shit they're addictive! they've been with us for decades, and this is a well understood problem - but what we need, rather than fear, blame or further externally imposed restrictions is EDUCATION.

if patients and doctors were more informed and aware of the dangers and pros/cons of such drugs, there would be less harm caused, and less reason for this tabloid fear-mongering. most people probably have no idea that benzos are highly addictive and that withdrawal can kill you, but the same can be said for alcohol. it is a complicated matter, and one that requires more calm, reasoned discussion and less A Current Affair or Today Tonight barely-literate "stories".

 

[Crankinit]

if patients and doctors were more informed and aware of the dangers and pros/cons of such drugs, there would be less harm caused, and less reason for this tabloid fear-mongering. most people probably have no idea that benzos are highly addictive and that withdrawal can kill you, but the same can be said for alcohol. it is a complicated matter, and one that requires more calm, reasoned discussion and less A Current Affair or Today Tonight barely-literate "stories".

That's the problem though, most doctors believe that by merit of having been to medical school they know everything there possibly is to know about drugs, so even though a lot of them have serious misunderstandings, they aren't open to new information.