Treatment of Meprobamate Withdrawal Syndrome

I can approve of the statement in "Death After Withdrawal of Meprobamate" that "similar clinical courses may occur in the terminal stages of fatal withdrawal of barbiturates and meprobamate." The authors recommend that in case of abuse meprobamate be withdrawn slowly, and if convulsions occur they recommend that dosage be increased and then again reduced over a longer period. Most psychiatrists in Denmark would do otherwise. According to our experience symptoms arising after abrupt withdrawal of short-acting barbiturates or of meprobamate are best treated with phenobarbital, 0.1-0.3 gm, given three times a day for two or three days. After this period phenobarbital is slowly withdrawn.