COMING OFF TRANQUILLIZERS: MAURICE’S STORY
Maurice, aged thirty-seven, found it difficult to establish a normal sleeping pattern after frequent business trips to America. Mogadon was prescribed and he found the jet-lag easier to cope with. After three months he was not travelling so much and felt he did not need the tablets. His insomnia became worse than he had ever known it. He had palpitations and a tight feeling in his chest, and also had digestive problems.
His doctor was kind and sympathetic but said he did not think Maurice had been on the tablets long enough for dependence to have developed. The doctor suggested going back on the full dose to see what happened.
Maurice’s symptoms were much improved when he visited the surgery a week later. His doctor said that he had discussed the case with his partner who had two patients who had experienced similar problems, although they had taken the tablets over a longer period.
Complete withdrawal took six weeks. For the following three weeks Maurice felt ‘off colour’ but did not have any dramatic symptoms. After that he was back to normal.
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