11-05-2017, 08:17 AM
Hey all,
After 30 years of counseling emotionally-troubled client's, I have seen my share of anorexia. There are 4 or 5 conventional appetite stimulant's available by script. Most are used by patient's undergoing chemo. Not once have I seen one of our prescribing doc's write for one of those drugs. We used benzo's to break through the anorexia. When the anorexia is caused by a fear of gaining weight (anorexia nervosa), treatment with benzo's was only moderately effective. When it was treated by lack of hunger for no apparent cause (anorexia), the results were stunning. Very few cases that weren't resolved. After a couple of weeks, we could remove the med and the lust for eating continued! Of course, we live in a world of benzophobic doc's who rather prescribe harsh, potentially life-threatening medications in place of a simple benzo. My personal opinion is that benzo's are a Godsend. I can't think of a medication that I have seen help more people. Yes, there are abusers...and they harm themselves and they harm legit users), but the majority of scripts are written for the truly needy. Benzo's can save lives, just as much as an antibiotic, or a heart medication, or a blood pressure drug can. Yet so many have trouble getting access. Anorexia is only one example. It's an under-reported problem in the US. It could all but be wiped out if doc's wouldn't be so hesitant to give a patient what they need.
After 30 years of counseling emotionally-troubled client's, I have seen my share of anorexia. There are 4 or 5 conventional appetite stimulant's available by script. Most are used by patient's undergoing chemo. Not once have I seen one of our prescribing doc's write for one of those drugs. We used benzo's to break through the anorexia. When the anorexia is caused by a fear of gaining weight (anorexia nervosa), treatment with benzo's was only moderately effective. When it was treated by lack of hunger for no apparent cause (anorexia), the results were stunning. Very few cases that weren't resolved. After a couple of weeks, we could remove the med and the lust for eating continued! Of course, we live in a world of benzophobic doc's who rather prescribe harsh, potentially life-threatening medications in place of a simple benzo. My personal opinion is that benzo's are a Godsend. I can't think of a medication that I have seen help more people. Yes, there are abusers...and they harm themselves and they harm legit users), but the majority of scripts are written for the truly needy. Benzo's can save lives, just as much as an antibiotic, or a heart medication, or a blood pressure drug can. Yet so many have trouble getting access. Anorexia is only one example. It's an under-reported problem in the US. It could all but be wiped out if doc's wouldn't be so hesitant to give a patient what they need.