Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives AS Pharmacy Addictive versus Non-addictive.

Hi All,
What is your opinion of a statement where it claims that a drug is non-addictive, but yet also warns that abrupt discontinuation may cause serious withdrawals?

Take this real quote for example:

How can they say this class of drugs or particular drug is non-addictive, when other drugs with much less withdrawals are? Aren't withdrawals supposed to be a sign of addiction or dependency? Are drug companies classifying the addictiveness only by the level of habit forming characteristics?

What do you think?
Take care,
James

PS. I blanked out the names so the medication isn't singled out.

Sounds like some of the antidepressants....Effexor comes to mind (brain shivers).

I take 'non-addictive' to mean 'doesn't cause drug-seeking behavior'. But abrupt withdrawal for stuff like SSRIs, Ambien, will be very unpleasant, but it won't kill you, most likely.

Benzo withdrawal can cause seizures <raising hand...did this one> and it was under medical supervision! Other addictive stuff can cause worse.

Probably, it's best to check with doc to see if tapering would be a good thing if you have to stop something you've taken for a while.

A doc once told me that sometimes a medicine is taking the place of a usually normal body process, like prednisone keeps inflammation down, but your own body does make 5 mg of the stuff naturally, when the body senses there is 20 mg coming in, it ceases to make its own 5 mg. So if you stop taking it suddenly, your body isn't used to it, so it's not making the 5mg either and then you can have a renal attack.


I suppose the same could be said with endorphins and saratonin. If you are on an SSRI then tapering would be necessary so your body can start making it's own naturally again.

Purely speculation here! And if you understood any of that, then GREAT JOB! I knew there was a good reason I didn't become a DR!!!

Oh My Goodness...I SO know what you mean about Effexor..I was on it for 10 years and if I forgot like a day of taking it I always called it little electrical shocks in my head, thats what it felt like..pretty horrid. It didn't make me crave the drug but it did make me get on the ball and take it so that feeling would go away. I have been on MANY, MANY, drugs over the years and never had any real issues with coming off any of them (actually most just stopped cold turkey except for pred) except for Effexor BUT it was a wonderful depression drug that helped me greatly for 10 years.

Donette,

You are SO right about the prednisone, I can not stress enough to be careful with this stuff. I have been on and off of it for 19 years now, much to much Im afraid but in 1990 when all this started they didnt have alot else or maybe alot of options for me.

It is very true what you said about our bodies naturally making our own cortisol and although pred has been like gold to me, it comes with some horrid side effects and can have horrid results.

I know at one time and I think this is unheard of know but my Dr. who was just a GP (loved him) but he was with me thru the hospital all the suffering, cortisone shots, draining joints...(he had copies from my rhumy) and he would prescribe me 20mgs X 60 qty NOW in his defense I have always known the risks and we talked at length about dosages ect...
My things was that I could have a flair come on so quick and when it was just a few steroids standing between me getting better versus going to the ER trying to explain to them, then them deciding what to do and costing thousands and thousands of dollars here was a little $3.00 bottle of medicine that would help. I can not tell you how many hospital trips it saved me and I promised I would keep him informed of my usage and what was going on symptom wise and I would go in like every 6 to 8 weeks to check kidney and liver function if I had been on several. If it was a huge flare then I would call his office and talk to him to get proper dosage for how many days ect..and then taper off. I highly doubt these days you could find a Dr. to do that and I wouldn't normally recommend that but i felt like I knew what to do and was comfortable with it.

I don't want to scare people aways from pred because it is still the number 1 inflammation fighter to bring it down QUICK but if it can be done other way then it should be, but pred has saved me several times and thats from Iritis too with the Pred Forte Drops.

Hugs,

Lisa

Actually, that makes alot of sense.

Hi Lisa,
Grrr. I got those electrical shocks while using Lexapro and Effexor, and it did it all the time when I was taking them too, especially while I was trying to fall asleep. My Pristiq does it too, but nowhere near as bad or as often.

I have a few personal horror stories with different types of meds, but they are all history now... thank goodness. Ativan was my best friend... and secret worst enemy at the same time (hidden benzo addiction).
Take care.
James

James,

Im sorry you went thru that because I know..but i am glad to know that I wasn't alone.

Sounds like maybe you are a little lined out better like me I hope and are doing better.

Hugs,

lisa

Hi Lisa,
My anxiety and depression has been doing so much better than it used to be. It still could be even better I think, but I'm so glad that I'm not in that place that I was before. I'm still taking the Buspar and Pristiq. These days I can look out the window at a thunderstorm and not feel like I am about to have a heart attack. I'm glad to know you have been doing better too.
Take care,
James

Yes..isn't funny how things affect us...mine is alot of when I have an anxiety attack i want all my family together RIGHT NOW! maybe to know they are all ok..not sure. Like you I have been doing really well with my meds, anxiety can leave you crippled literally and I love talking about it and depression to our members here because i have pretty much been thru ALL of it or anything you could possibly think about it. Im a big advocate for people with Anxiety and depression and that it's OK to take meds..most people do not realize 1/2 of all disorders like this are hereditary and alot are a lack of a chemical in our make up that we need and some of these drugs replace what we dont have..nothing wrong with it and nothing wrong talking about it and nothing wrong with getting help for it and getting counciling, meds whatever you need to do for it.

Glad your feeling better.