What a ride

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Hi

 

I had cervical spine surgery about two years ago, I was prescribed Clonazepam a week before the surgery, then Ativan 3 times a day after the surgery for three weeks.

 

After Stopping the Ativan, I started experiencing muscle stiffness and severe spasms, I was put in Clonazepam again for Anxiety. .5 to 1 MG per day as needed, I took it every other day. After three months I stopped cold turkey and my nightmare began. I started getting burning pains, muscle stiffness, spasms, panic attacks, paranoia.

 

Went to many neurologists did, many tests, and they found nothing abnormal, was hospitalized twice. I was put on different medications, (muscle relaxers, anti convulsants) at one point taking 14 pills a day.

 

I did research about Benzo withdrawals and could not believe that none of the doctors saw this. I took clonazepam for almost two years and started tapering 6 months ago.

 

I stopped 4 weeks ago, and I recovered some of my former life but I'm still in a lot of pain specially muscle burning, twitching, stiffness, tremors and anxiety. But I'm coming back to life little by little. Symptoms are on and off. Worse when I sit for a long time.

 

Took: Depakote, Lyrica, Baclofen, Ativan, clonazepam, Gabapenting, Keppra, Dopamine agonists, and levodopa.

 

I'm just taking Flexeril 10mg to sleep and 750 mg of Keppra, down from 3000...

 

Need some support because sometimes the symptoms get out of hand, and I feel that I have something else. But I never had this before taking the benzos...

 

[[ma...]]

Hello chs Welcome to BenzoBuddies!

 

Well done getting off benzodiazepines.  I am sorry you had such a rough time, these drugs should never be stopped abruptly. The withdrawal symptoms can be severe, they are temporary  and you will heal eventually.  It just takes time, the amount of time healing takes varies from person to person.  Congratulations on being benzo free

 

You might like to check out The Ashton Manual it is an authoritative source on what to expect in withdrawal and recovery.  Dr. Ashton is an expert in the field.  She describes and explains withdrawal symptoms,.

 

Please feel free to post to any of the dedicated boards, I am sure one of our members will be along shortly to welcome you, we have a wonderful community of people here, who will give sound advice. Members have been through all aspects of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal and are more than willing to share their experiences.

 

Members discuss their symptoms on the Post withdrawal recovery support.

Please take the time to Create a Signature.  This will allow others to see where you are in the process so they can better support you.

 

Welcome aboard

 

Magrita

 

[[Mo...]]

Hi chs,

For some reason majority of Doctors are clueless all over the world !

Gosh, what an awful ride this must have been for you, but now its

time to look forward and push through till you have recovered. It's a pity

you didn't join us earlier, would have been much easier for you.

 

what is happening in the brain, interesting !

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

 

Good to have you with us and all the best.

Claudia.

 

[[De...]]

Hello chs,

 

I too would like to welcome you to the forum 

 

Congratulations on being benzo free!

 

I'm sorry to hear what you've been and are still going through. 4 weeks benzo free is still very early days in terms of a full recovery. You are, almost certainly still in the acute phase of withdrawal when symptoms are at their strongest. The strong symptoms will ease the further out you get but it can take a little while for the central nervous system to fully recover. You will make a full recovery with time, that's for sure. All of the symptoms you are describing sound withdrawal related, I've had all of these myself but if you would like feedback about these or any other symptoms please feel free to post questions on The Post Withdrawal Recovery support board, Magrita has given you a link to it.

 

The link that Claudia has given you is definitely worth a read, I'm sure it will help to give you a better understanding of what you're currently going through.

 

I'm glad you found us and I wish you a speedy recovery.

 

Debbie

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Thanks for your support. I never took a single pill before all this happened. It crept on me, after my surgery I didn't take pain killers because of the risk of addiction, the "muscle relaxers " were Ativan I have never heard about benzos before...  I could not walk more than 100 feet after I stop taking it cold turkey... I though I had a brain tumor...

 

I need to work on my signature...

[[Wi...]]

Either these docs should be sued for malpractice or the drug companies need to take the blame for spreading misinformation. It seems like you are hanging tough one day at a time.  When I first went of Xanax after .3mgs a day for 7 weeks, I had the most incredible tension in my neck, upper back and in the sides of my head. The heating pad was my best friend. Thank God I have a very understanding wife and kids. If I didn't have their understanding and support it would have been even worse. I am about 5 weeks free, but had to get on seroquel after not sleeping for 2-3 weeks. I also needed a small 200 mg a day dose of Neurontin for that muscle tension, and it has worked phenomenally. I take that dose just once a day. I cant wait to stop taking pills to help me with benzo withdrawal.

Willy

[[ba...]]

Hi CHS ,

 

I feel really bad reading about your health i wish i could help im not familiar with Clonazepam i took xanax its been 3 months since i quit , most of the benzo users here  seem to be Clonazepam users so i think you can find great help and support , im very thankfull coming here i had great guidance from people who took xanax and quit successfuly

i took their advice and guidance that made me successfull quitting xanax . .

 

again i want to welcome you here Mr. Chs i hope your pains have ceased i saw a neurologist too several times since seizures from alcohol abuse made me need to start taking xanax

again nice to meet you CHS , god bless you ,

katie 

 

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Thanks guys

 

It's been four weeks after and 8 month taper. Two years of hell but I see the light at the end of he tunnel!

 

My name is Chris, thanks for all your support

[[...]]

Either these docs should be sued for malpractice or the drug companies need to take the blame for spreading misinformation. It seems like you are hanging tough one day at a time.  When I first went of Xanax after .3mgs a day for 7 weeks, I had the most incredible tension in my neck, upper back and in the sides of my head. The heating pad was my best friend. Thank God I have a very understanding wife and kids. If I didn't have their understanding and support it would have been even worse. I am about 5 weeks free, but had to get on seroquel after not sleeping for 2-3 weeks. I also needed a small 200 mg a day dose of Neurontin for that muscle tension, and it has worked phenomenally. I take that dose just once a day. I cant wait to stop taking pills to help me with benzo withdrawal.

Willy

You are right, they put me on all these pills. Two doctors told me just to up the doses.

Luckily I never took more than 2mg. Still it has been he most horrible experience of my life... It's incredible. Not a single one mentioned anything about stopping slow or not taking them for more than two weeks..