Transcription
Hi, this is Christy Huff, Director of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition. And today, I'll be talking with you about how to talk with your doctor about your benzodiazepine experience.
Now, you're going to need a supportive physician or prescriber if you're planning on embarking on a benzodiazepine taper or if you're experiencing adverse effects. So, you're going to need to talk with this person to get them to understand what you're experiencing because you need somebody who can fill a script so you can taper safely off the medication and also to help deal with any medical issues that might arise during the taper.
So today, I will be talking about my own experience with benzodiazepines, both as a doctor and a patient, and I'm going to give you 10 tips for talking to your own doctor. Now, none of this is meant to be taken as direct medical advice. I'm not talking to you as a doctor today, but as a fellow patient and benzodiazepine survivor, and also an advocate. And I'm just simply going to relate what I've learned from my own experience. And I'm just going to say that I found this very challenging to come up with these tips because there's not really a magic formula that is going to guarantee success for you. This is a challenging issue.
Number one, if you are cut off abruptly, you need to go to the emergency room if you are unable to get a new prescriber in a timely fashion because benzodiazepine withdrawal can be serious and life-threatening. It's best to have a backup plan before you talk to your doctor. The best thing that you can do here is to find a benzo-cooperative prescriber. This is probably your best chance of being successful.
Now, you're going to need to manage your expectations here. Many of these doctors are not going to be experts in the true sense of the word, but you don't need an expert. You just need somebody who's going to support you through the taper and is willing to help you. So, where are you going to find this doctor? Um, first of all, we keep a list on our website of benzo-cooperative doctors who are willing to help with the taper. You can also get recommendations from other benzodiazepine patients on the online forums. And don't forget about your real-life contacts, your friends, your family, other healthcare providers. I got the name of my psychiatrist that helped me from a trusted physical therapist and friend that I had known for years.
Now, what are you looking for in this prescriber? First, you want someone who's going to listen to your concerns and takes a collaborative approach. Somebody who's willing to receive new information. Somebody who's willing to supervise a slow taper at a rate required for you to keep your withdrawal symptoms tolerable. Somebody's who willing who's willing to refill the prescription for the duration of the taper. And now, most prescribers are going to require frequent visits to monitor your progress and use of the medication. This is normal, and make every effort to attend these appointments. Also, you need somebody who is willing to accommodate switching to a liquid formulation or a longer-acting benzodiazepine at the appropriate equivalence if that's what is required for you to taper. And also, somebody who doesn't necessarily push you to add on other medications that might not be helpful.
Make a list. Come prepared with an agenda. Sit with goals for the appointment and also any questions that you have so that you can get what you need from the appointment. This is because doctors have limited time. Appointments are usually booked in 15-minute time slots, so you really want to be focused. And you know, we all need to focus. We've got benzobrain, so this helps a lot. I mean, I, I have an outline here today. I'm not gonna lie. Rehearse what you're going to say ahead of time.
Number six, when you're actually in that appointment speaking to the prescriber, best thing you can do is remain calm and respectful. And I know this is hard because we're scared. It's terrifying, and we feel like our life is under threat because it, it may well be. But being angry and confrontational is just gonna make things go the wrong way. It will put your provider on the defensive, and you might not get your needs met during the appointment. You also need to make every effort to be concise. Don't ramble and be honest about your symptoms of what you're experiencing.
Now, I know there's no words to describe how bad this is. I mean, trust me, I've been writing about this for several years now, and I, I still don't have the words to describe it well. So, I know this is a challenge, but I do know that honesty is always a good policy, and that's going to shine through for you. Um, and on this note, I'd like to bring your attention to a document on benzoreform.org. It's called "How to Generate Productive Conversations with Your Prescriber" by Jane Violet. And she's an expert on communications, and it has very good, um, a very good suggestion to use collaborative language in this situation. So, specifically, use "we" or "us" pronouns, like, "Can we work together on this?" as opposed to "you" pronouns, like, "This Klonopin you prescribe is making me sick." So, you can hear that that sounds much more confrontational.
Resources to bring to your doctor. Now, many prescribers are wary of Dr. Google, you know, with good reason. There's some crazy things on the internet. So, the best thing you can do is bring evidence-based information. Now, what is that? That's, that's a challenge with benzodiazepines. Um, but the best thing we've got right now is the Ashton Manual because that's got her direct clinical observations and also her research and protocols for tapering off benzodiazepines. And I'm aware that many prescribers are not going to have heard of it, so that's going to require some reading and research on that their part. None of my doctors knew either, but it is available in PDF and also, um, Kindle form on the BAC website.
And beyond that, there's something I'm really excited about. Um, the FDA, as I mentioned earlier, updated their boxed warning, and it specifically addresses the problems of physical dependence and withdrawal and recommends a gradual taper. So, you can, I just noticed in the last week, they have actually updated the medication guides for Xanax and Ativan. You can see here's the one, the first page of the Ativan label, and there's actually a black box. And, um, the third point here, it deals with dependence and withdrawal and specifically says, "Don't cut patients off abruptly or too quickly," and you need a gradual taper. So, don't be afraid to take this to your doctor because, I mean, I don't think they can argue with that.
Um, you know, as far as anything that you bring to your doctor, don't expect that they're gonna, especially if it's linked, the information, don't expect they're gonna be able to read it right away. There's just not always time in the setting of a busy clinic. If you can come prepared with a suggested taper plan, it might not be what you and your doctor decide on in the end, but at least something to to guide the conversation. So, let your doctor know why you want to taper and how you think it will make your life better, like, what's your motivation for doing this? And just know that when you're looking at taper plans, you know, it's going to vary with the individual. So, do your research and figure out what you think would be best in your individual situation. Um, BIC's tapering strategies and solutions on our website is a very nice review of the different options.
Nine, and this is a great tip for anybody going to the doctor, not just benzodiazepine patients, but bring a supportive family member. They can provide an extra set of eyes and ears. They can corroborate your experience, and they may ask questions that you didn't think of. And I can tell you with my experience, um, you know, when I was a practicing physician, the appointment just always went better because that family member, my, 99% of the time, they had the patient's back.
And this is probably, [Music] you know, beyond finding that supportive prescriber, the most important thing is to not give up because this problem is solvable. It just may take some persistence. It may take your doctor a few visits to come around, or it may become obvious to you that they never will. In that case, seek another doctor because your life could potentially depend on it.
So, there you have my 10 tips for talking to your doctor about your benzo experience and hopefully getting the help you need. Now, you can do everything right, but not all prescribers are going to be ready to hear what you have to say. So, a lot of this is just searching for that benzo-cooperative provider that's going to be a good fit for you. But I really do hope that you can take something from my experience that I've shared today and these tips and apply them to your own situation. And I'd really love to hear about your experiences talking to your doctor in the comments. And thanks so much for your time today.