Cassette Monkeys #PressPlay

Dr Christy Huff [Part 1] - Surviving Harm from a Prescribed Medication with Dr Christy Huff: Director of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition. Prescribed Benzodiazepines, recovery and positive change.

October 30, 2022 Cassette Monkeys Season 1 Episode 7
Cassette Monkeys #PressPlay
Dr Christy Huff [Part 1] - Surviving Harm from a Prescribed Medication with Dr Christy Huff: Director of Benzodiazepine Information Coalition. Prescribed Benzodiazepines, recovery and positive change.
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Today’s episode features Christy Huff: Cardiologist, Director of Benzodiazopine Information Coalition and a fellow survivor of prescribed Benzodiazepine harm.

Christy shares her story of needing to taper off of Xanax for 3 years after just a 3 week prescription, and how she had no idea of the risks.  Despite the drugs being 60 years old, Christy explains how she never received training around these drugs. Experiencing up to 80 different symptoms, whilst being in survival mode for 4 years, Christy struggled to take care of her home and family, and live her life during that time. She eventually found the right doctor to help guide her through the crisis, and is now heavily focussed on advocacy to help create positive change on this issue.

For anyone who ’s new to the podcast - #PressPlay was set up off the back of feeling like someone had pressed the pause button on my life in 2017 for 5 years, having being severely injured by a prescribed Benzodiazpine, so this episode is especially poignant.

On a personal level I’m extremely grateful for Christy sharing her story, as it brings so much validation and perspective to what’s going on with these prescriptions.

Benzodiazpine Information Coalition is without a doubt in my mind saving lives, and provding knowledge, validation for potentially millions around the world that are on a Benzo, whilst helping provide awareness and education for everyone. For anyone who can relate to this situation / knows of someone who can, I highly recommend checking out and following their sites (links below).

Christy Huff
https://twitter.com/christyhuffmd
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-huff-m-d-83a3517/


Benzodiazepine Information Coalition - benzoinfo.com

The Ashton Manual - https://www.benzoinfo.com/ashtonmanual/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bzinfocoalition/



00.30 - Christy’s experience with Xanax

1.28 - Interdose withdrawal

3.06 - Looking for answers

3.35 - Realising the symptoms were linked to Xanax 

5.01  -Processing the realisation whilst in full blown crisis

5.45 - Stages of grief, loss & acceptance

6.25 - Processing once the healing starting

7.35 - Survival mode and mental symptoms 

8.48 - What were your greatest challenges with the recovery and how did you deal with those?   

9.49 - The grief process

10.37 - How are you now?

12.54 - Why do mornings tend to be worse? Link with adrenal glands. Toxic sludge feeling.

14.17 - How was it for you as a doctor realising that these drugs are being commonly prescribed without much awareness or understanding alongside?

15.01 - Lack of training, education and public awareness with these drugs. 

16.39 - Finding that patients are educating their doctors on this

17.54 - How did your doctor respond to this?

21.43 - Positives from the experience

23.10 - Path ahead for change

25.07 - Where to start looking for help for anyone going through this dire

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Disclaimer: The #PressPlay podcast sometimes covers health and well-being topics. Please conduct your own research and talk with trusted professionals when it comes to making decisions and changes around medications, nutrition and health. The conversations in this podcast aim to help share awareness and understanding, with an encouragement for each person to take full responsibility for their health, and make informed decisions based on quality research and experience from a variety of sources.

www.cassette-monkeys.com

Christy’s experience with Xanax
Interdose withdrawal
Looking for answers
Realising the symptoms were linked to Xanax
Processing the realisation whilst in full blown crisis
Stages of grief, loss & acceptance
Processing once the healing starting
Survival mode and mental symptoms
What were your greatest challenges with the recovery and how did you deal with those?
The grief process
How are you now?
Why do mornings tend to be worse? Link with adrenal glands. Toxic sludge feeling.
How was it for you as a doctor realising that these drugs are being commonly prescribed without much awareness or understanding alongside?
Lack of training, education and public awareness with these drugs.
Finding that patients are educating their doctors on this
How did your doctor respond to this?
Positives from the experience
Path ahead for change
Where to start looking for help for anyone going through this directly / witnessing someone else going through it