Benzos Is memory loss from Benzos permanent?

[supermaniac]

Ive taken xanax 2mg a day for 5-10 years or so, on and off, including zolpidem, and during that time I graduated summa cum laude with a 3.92. So memory loss? Nah. Probably just normal aging. I am however, very concerned about certain sleep meds, including Sonata. I did have short-term memory loss the 2 days I took that.
Besides, the brain has an amazing aptitude to re-normalize itself. Stimulate your brain, learn new things, if there is any memory-loss problems then train your brain back to normal. I believe it can be done.

 

[dez79]

Alcohol is the real amnesia alziemers dementia whatever inducer

 

[AA357]

It's temporary.
One of my friends (who has NO TOLERANCE) recently ate 160mg Valium in 2-3 hours. 2 days later he was still fucked up and didn't know what day it was. It took him almost a week to recover, but he's fine. He will never remember what happened that weekend, but the cognitive impairment is long gone.

 

[when I dream]

I like how you guys can just completely deny the legitimacy of the results of a perfectly reasonable (and legitimate) study. Just because n=1 and you haven't had any permanent effects yet doesn't mean someone else won't, or that you just haven't experienced the permanent effects that are on their way yet. Maybe one of you should read the study before you start telling the world that you know for a fact that these drugs have no possible permanent repercussions just because they haven't happened to you yet.

Consider that doctors and dentists use high doses of benzos to sedate people for minor surgical procedures; do you think they would use them if they carry a risk of permanent memory impairment?

Yes, unfortunately I do. It wouldn't be the first type of medication to fall out of use because of side effects that don't become apparent until long after use begins (and therefore were never realized until years after all the preliminary testing sent back positive results).

Is it really that hard to believe that we may have decided benzos were safe a little too early? It was only 5 years after chlorodiazepoxide was discovered that Hoffman la Roche began marketing it as Librium. Is 5 years really long enough to know that these drugs couldn't potentially have permanent negative effects?

Consider this - what condition/disease do the acute effects of a high dose of benzos very closely resemble?

I guess I should make it clear that I'm not saying that anyone who is prescribed benzos should discontinue taking their medication, or even that recreational users should stop using. I just want to make the point that no one here can know for sure if benzos can cause permanent memory impairments, and that this study presents something to think about.

 

[sigmond]

I like how you guys can just completely deny the legitimacy of the results of a perfectly reasonable (and legitimate) study. Just because n=1 and you haven't had any permanent effects yet doesn't mean someone else won't, or that you just haven't experienced the permanent effects that are on their way yet. Maybe one of you should read the study before you start telling the world that you know for a fact that these drugs have no possible permanent repercussions just because they haven't happened to you yet.



Yes, unfortunately I do. It wouldn't be the first type of medication to fall out of use because of side effects that don't become apparent until long after use begins (and therefore were never realized until years after all the preliminary testing sent back positive results).

Is it really that hard to believe that we may have decided benzos were safe a little too early? It was only 5 years after chlorodiazepoxide was discovered that Hoffman la Roche began marketing it as Librium. Is 5 years really long enough to know that these drugs couldn't potentially have permanent negative effects?

I agree with just about everything you said here.

Consider this - what condition/disease do the acute effects of a high dose of benzos very closely resemble?

BZD- (Bonafide-Zombie-Disease) or perhaps Dementia.

 

[changafingers]

Perhaps some nootropics could help speed up the recovery, or even reverse the damage if its permanent? Various nootropics such as Piracetam, noopept,etc... have been shown to increase memory, sometimes significantly, and actually increase brain elasticity. I have no basis for if this has ever been attempted for use with benzo related memory problems, but I imagine it could be of some use possibly.

 

[sigmond]

Perhaps some nootropics could help speed up the recovery, or even reverse the damage if its permanent? Various nootropics such as Piracetam, noopept,etc... have been shown to increase memory, sometimes significantly, and actually increase brain elasticity. I have no basis for if this has ever been attempted for use with benzo related memory problems, but I imagine it could be of some use possibly.

I think one issue would be giving these drugs to people with anxiety disorders. Perhaps a weak nootropic but not something like Adderall. Although, I had an experience with Adderall where it seemed to retrieve dormant memories, but unfortunately it also gave me a minor panic attack.

fwiw: Taking benzos for a day, week, month is of course a lot different than being on them for 5-10 years. Also, it seems rather obvious that long term alcohol use can cause cognitive impairment but that doesn't mean it's any worse than benzos.

I have another one: BZD (Brain-Zapping-Drugs)

 

[Mycophile]

Jeez, thanks for TRYING to get me worked up again guys.

I know I know, you are just trying to say that benzos CAN have side effects, which of course they can because all meds do.

However, what I was trying to ascertain is whether LARGE numbers of people who use benzos are going to lose their cognitive abilities because of their meds, and as such whether I am likely to.

And I DON"T think it's likely I am.

I did take Klonopin every day for 11 years, but I still have a great memory.

So I occasionally forget a few things but who doesn't.

I was just trying to calm myself down about any possible repercussions of taking Klonopin for so long.

As someone with anxiety I am not looking for MORE reasons to worry and would like to be able to assume that most likely I'm not going to get dementia because of my Klonopin use.

 

[sigmond]

Well there is no clear answer, so no need to worry.

I am curious about the topic as well. If it wasn't obvious I don't care for benzos all that much. Extremely over-prescribed, insufficiently researched drugs imo.

 

[Mycophile]

Well there is no clear answer, so no need to worry that much.

I am curious about the topic as well. If it wasn't obvious I don't care for benzos all that much. Extremely over-prescribed, insufficiently researched drugs imo.

It's fine that you don't care for them, but that should just mean that you PERSONALLY avoid them but don't tell others what to do.

As for me, Klonopin has been a GOD SEND.

I don't know if you suffer from anxiety like social anxiety or GAD, but if you do it's hard to find anything MORE effective short term than benzos and they can allow people like me to go into all kinds of uncomfortable situations without feeling horrible.

They are AMAZING tools when used properly, and on the contrary to being "overprescribed" i see far too many doctors who are overly hesitant to prescribe them to people because they think of them as being "drug seekers" and are so overly puritanical regarding whether or not they should have a right to medications which might be "addictive".

Regardless of whether or not they require more research everyone who wants them for legitimate issues should be allowed to have them.

I can't understand how anyone could argue the contrary.

 

[sigmond]

I didn't tell anyone what to do.

cheers

 

[Mycophile]

I didn't tell anyone what to do.

cheers

Fair enough.

 

[sigmond]

It's fine that you don't care for them, but that should just mean that you PERSONALLY avoid them but don't tell others what to do.

As for me, Klonopin has been a GOD SEND.

I don't know if you suffer from anxiety like social anxiety or GAD, but if you do it's hard to find anything MORE effective short term than benzos and they can allow people like me to go into all kinds of uncomfortable situations without feeling horrible.

They are AMAZING tools when used properly, and on the contrary to being "overprescribed" i see far too many doctors who are overly hesitant to prescribe them to people because they think of them as being "drug seekers" and are so overly puritanical regarding whether or not they should have a right to medications which might be "addictive".

Regardless of whether or not they require more research everyone who wants them for legitimate issues should be allowed to have them.

I can't understand how anyone could argue the contrary.

Yeah, some DR's are more hesitant to prescribe benzos today than they were 10 years ago, same with pain meds, and for basically the same reasons.

I agree, someone in a situation like you should have access to the most effective drug available.

As for me, I could make what I believe is an entirely rational argument that I should be able to treat my anxiety with an opioid which I prefer. Unfortunately, that would be futile considering it isn't even an option.

 

[dez79]

I'd rather be little hazy occasionally forgetful than a full fledged paranoid anxious lunatic , leave my benzo be..

 

[BlueberryfishY]

Today i took 5, 2mg Klonopin (10mg total, not all at once) in about a 4-5 hour time span, and experienced no memory loss at all or whatever he's talking about.. i also took 70mg's methadon this morning. they only thing i've felt from the Klonopin is sedation, and complete loss of anxiety...which is perfect cause that's why i take it.

 

[Mycophile]

Today i took 5, 2mg Klonopin (10mg total, not all at once) in about a 4-5 hour time span, and experienced no memory loss at all or whatever he's talking about.. i also took 70mg's methadon this morning. they only thing i've felt from the Klonopin is sedation, and complete loss of anxiety...which is perfect cause that's why i take it.

That's good, but I can't help but comment on why anyone would take a whopping 10mgs of Klonopin!?!?!

I take 1.5mgs MAX and it works for anxiety, but I have a hard time believing anyone needs THAT much for anxiety.

It's cool I guess if people want to just experiment with that much for any reason, I mean it doesn't hurt anyone else, but that's a MASSIVE dose of a drug that isn't really generally known for getting anyone high anyway but just helping with anxiety relief.

I've never understood the massive doses of Klonopin that some people take.

If I took that much I think I'd feel like shit for DAYS.

Probably just fall asleep and not want to get out of bed like EVER again...