Posted by SLS on December 31, 2008, at 14:39:31
In reply to Re: Permanent damage from Benzodiazepines?, posted by SLS on December 31, 2008, at 10:22:49
> I wonder if any of the anticonvulsants can be used to mitigate the withdrawal syndrome induced by benzodiazepine discontinuation. I would think that Depakote would help. If the withdrawal syndrome (overshoot) is buffered, perhaps sequalae involving kindling can be avoided. Kindling might be a contributor to some of the persistent adverse effects that people report.
Is anyone game for giving Depakote a try to minimize the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome? Subsequent to my last post, I found some investigations designed to evaluate the use of Depakote to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
One study I came across suggested that Topamax might be a better drug for benzodiazepine withdrawal than Depakote. Depakote seems to be particularly effective to treat alcohol withdrawal.
- Scott-------------------------------------------------
1: Alcohol Alcohol. 2000 Jul-Aug;35(4):319-23.Click here to read Links
A role for valproate in the treatment of sedative-hypnotic withdrawal and for relapse prevention.
Harris JT, Roache JD, Thornton JE.Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78284-7953, USA.
In the human central nervous system, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor complex undergoes changes with both acute and chronic exposure to sedative-hypnotic drugs. These changes contribute to both the acute effects of these drugs as well as the chronic effects of sedative-hypnotic dependence, withdrawal, and drug craving. Clinically these chronic effects are difficult to treat in patients dependent on ethanol or benzodiazepines. Valproate may return the GABA type A receptor function to a state more closely resembling its normal function. By this mechanism, it is possible to reduce the symptoms of sedative-hypnotic withdrawal and relapse.
poster:SLS
thread:871465
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081223/msgs/871645.html