Have you or someone you love been prescribed a benzodiazepine like Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Librium, Restoril or Klonopin?
Did you know that they:
- are among the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medications in the U.S.?
- have significant potential for physical dependence and addiction?
- can cause life-threatening overdose or withdrawal syndrome?
- should be tapered and not stopped abruptly?
My guest today is on a mission to educate and inform patients and physicians about benzos!
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In this episode, Cardiologist Dr. Christy Huff & I discuss Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome including answers to the following questions:
- What are benzos used for?
- How did Dr. Huff start benzos?
- What are the possible side effects of benzos?
- What are the symptoms of benzo withdrawal syndrome?
- How can a patient become more informed about possible side effects / adverse effects of medications?
- What is the best way to stop taking benzos?
- What is the difference between physical dependence and addiction?
- How did benzo dependence affect Dr. Huff's life as a physician and a mom?
- Why did it take so long and such a extensive medical workup to determine that Dr. Huff's symptoms were being caused by benzo withdrawal?
- How did Dr. Huff eventually come off of Xanax?
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Christy Huff, MD, is a cardiologist and director of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition, a nonprofit that educates about the adverse effects of prescribed benzodiazepines. Dr. Huff attended medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern where she graduated Alpha Omega Alpha. She completed an internal medicine residency at Washington University in St. Louis and a cardiology fellowship at U.T. Southwestern, with a focus in advanced cardiovascular imaging and noninvasive cardiology. Dr. Huff is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and was a private practice cardiologist in Fort Worth,Texas until 2011, when she became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her daughter.
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Dr. Huff experienced benzodiazepine adverse effects and injury firsthand after three weeks of prescribed Xanax use for insomnia in 2015. Over a three-year period, she slowly tapered off benzodiazepines utilizing Valium, and suffered a protracted and disabling withdrawal. Her personal experience led her to realize the serious risks of these medications and the severity of the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, neither of which were emphasized during her medical training. Dr. Huff specifically advocates for better education of physicians regarding the adverse effects of benzodiazepines and how to safely taper patients off these medications.
For more from Dr. Huff check out:
www.benzoinfo.com
or
IG: @christyhuffmd
IG: @bzinfocoalition
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Thanks so much for listening!
If you enjoyed the show and want to hear more, please leave a review, subscribe and share!
You can always find more information on my website:
www.drlexlifestylemedicine.com
and....
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www.therealmichaelvm.com/music
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All my love & gratitude to:
my guest: Dr. Christy Huff,
my inspiration: my patients,
my idea guy & confidence booster: Edward,
my intro crew: Izzy, Lance & Lucia,
my tech & equipment guy: Pop,
my angel: Susie,
my music & sound guy: Mike VM,
my mascot: Jules,
my creative director & cheerleader: Emily,
my love, Michael.