The Dizziness Group: For those who are floating, boating, falling or flying

[[La...]]

Kirkhero, you are most definitely NOT alone! We've got a boat full of dizzy folks here on BB! It's a pretty common effect of being on and coming off the meds. Some people get it worse than others, however, and of course, there's no way of knowing why. Just hang in there! I think everyone here is trying to do the same, and it's good to have some buddies along for the wavy voyage. 

[[La...]]

Hi All,

I wanted to share part of an article that looks at different types of dizziness. I did not find a specific reference to dizziness caused by benzodiazepines or other medications in this article, but the paragraph below contains some positive information from which we can draw some hope. In particular, it says that the prognosis is good because the "function improves" or vestibular compensation occurs. From other reports here on BB, it seems that people DO get better.

 

Also, the wide variety of types of dizziness described in the article is a reminder that it's important to get proper check-ups to determine the cause. Often, it's a process of elimination.

 

I'll give a link to the article, just in case you're interested in reading it, and I'll paste the paragraph below it.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002631/

 

"The prerequisite of every treatment of vertigo and dizziness is a correct diagnosis, which can be simply made in most patients on the basis of the patient history and the clinical examination even without any laboratory examinations. Depending on the aetiology, the various forms of vestibular disorders can be treated with pharmacological therapy, physical therapy, psychotherapeutic measures or, rarely, surgery. Before beginning any treatment, the patient should be told that the prognosis is generally good for two reasons: (a) vertigo often takes a favourable natural course (e.g. the peripheral vestibular function improves or central vestibular compensation of the vestibular tone imbalance takes place) and (b) most forms can be successfully treated (mainly with drugs or physiotherapy). Several agents are now available for the specific treatment of certain forms of vestibular and ocular motor disorders."

[Guest [...]]

Lapis2,Im so glad you are less dizzy!I hope it doesnt come back!22 months is such good progress,good job Lapis!!I now get some days where Im just slightly woozy,then out of the blue the dizzies come back to visit.The ear ringing is still daily,but that bugs me less than the dizzies.I have gotten that antsy anxious feeling crop back up the last three days,where I feel like Im racing and my chest wall hurts and I feel like I cant breath or calm down.I remember in the last few years that would send me running to the ER thinking the big one was coming,only to be told after lots of fun heart tests that it was panic attacks.Does anyone get a weird pulse like feeling between their upper chest that goes down to their upper stomach,sort of like you feel your heart beat down into your stomach?It sort of feels like anxiety palps,but maybe more like a pulse you can feel?I notice it more when sitting.It always shows up with the antsy anxious,cant calm down feeling,and goes away when Im calmer.I was so hopeful too,as the anxiety part was really starting to get so much better before the last few days.It just shows up out of the blue.

[[La...]]

Hey 2200, I'm still a dizzy dame, but thanks for the good wishes and encouragement! I think I'll need a whole month of being less dizzy before I start to feel like I'm on dry land. Today, I'm back to rockin' and rollin' and cryin' and generally moanin' about it all.

 

It sounds like you're dealing with some anxiety symptoms, which are very, very common in benzo withdrawal. The dizziness is enough to set most people off, but there can be other triggers or just spontaneous heart palpitations, etc. The best tactic is to remind yourself that it'll pass, that you're okay, that it's all part of the FUN (yeah, right!) that we call benzodiazepine withdrawal. Does deep breathing work for you or a little walk or music or anything else? If that's a picture of your dog, maybe s/he can provide some comfort. If I had one, I'd be having very long chats with it all day long! 

 

 

[[mo...]]

Hi Fellow Floaty Boaters,

I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing today. I've been less dizzy today, so that always gives me some hope and allows me to move around with a bit more ease. If I keep my fingers and toes crossed, perhaps I can have a second day in a row that's not too dizzy!

 

I'm nearing 22 months off the benzodiazepine (and more than 10 months off the Prozac) so I really hope healing is near.

 

Thinking of you all. Stay strong! Stay afloat! Hang on tight!

 

Hey Lapis — That is good news!  :thumbsup:Have a happy steady day...

 

 

Mo

[Guest [...]]

Hi Lapis!Thankyou for the encouragement!I do try and deep breathe,but for some reason the chest tightness makes me feel like its sooo hard to do that!I think its because Im so anxious I feel like I cant calm down.Gosh,I remember when I felt like that ALL DAY for over 3yrs.in inter dose and withdrawal.I was sure I was gonna die!I do feel less dizzy today,more light woozy.Someone said that when the dizzy changes to more woozy more often its a sign of getting better.Boy,I sure hope so!I hope that encourages you too-less dizziness on some days inbetween the bad days and more lighter stuff!No,thats not my dog,its one of the pics you could choose from on here.I do have a pretty great dog if I do say so myself,and when it comes to hanging with me shes a darn good listener too!Sometimes our dog and cat are all we have to talk to,family and friends get awfully sick of listening to benzo talk.

[[mo...]]

Hi Lapis!Thankyou for the encouragement!I do try and deep breathe,but for some reason the chest tightness makes me feel like its sooo hard to do that!I think its because Im so anxious I feel like I cant calm down.Gosh,I remember when I felt like that ALL DAY for over 3yrs.in inter dose and withdrawal.I was sure I was gonna die!I do feel less dizzy today,more light woozy.Someone said that when the dizzy changes to more woozy more often its a sign of getting better.Boy,I sure hope so!I hope that encourages you too-less dizziness on some days inbetween the bad days and more lighter stuff!No,thats not my dog,its one of the pics you could choose from on here.I do have a pretty great dog if I do say so myself,and when it comes to hanging with me shes a darn good listener too!Sometimes our dog and cat are all we have to talk to,family and friends get awfully sick of listening to benzo talk.

 

Hi 2200 - This may seem weird, so feel free to ignore it, but here is a link to one of my favorite guided meditations that I practice on a regular basis. I swear the breathing and focus words that I practice while lying relaxed on my bed and reaching for nirvana at home, really have become almost automatic and super helpful to me in real world stressful situations — like when I am in the grocery store and the aisles are undulating or if I start feeling one of those adrenalin surges... Here is the link:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ves5wEA7c&index=2&list=PLz21meG_6NQ0jbWFYMr6LTPD4xeBeZckJ

 

I hop you feel better soon,

 

Mo

[[Te...]]

Anybody have dizziness that goes away for 3 months and then comes back again? That's what's happened to me. I thought it was gone forever. Now I'm getting it more often. It doesn't last 20 minutes at a time like it used to, and I only got a slight bit of vertigo last night when the dizziness came on, but this is not something I thought I would get again.

 

 

[Guest [...]]

Thankyou Mo for the link to a meditation video,I will check it out!It would be nice to be able to rein in the anxiety/cant calm down feeling instead of just having to be miserable until it leaves.Its so weird its like it definitely is a physical thing from the withdrawal,how it just comes over me even when Im not anxious about anything in particular.Terry38,I havent been lucky enough to have the dizzy feeling leave for more then a few days as of lately,but even if it does Im still woozy,so I wish I could help!I think if its been gone,but just comes back here and there,you are definitely on the upswing in healing.Another thing could be a small side effect of any meds you might be taking,low blood sugar,and even CNS still healing from the benzos and kicks back in here and there.If you are able to walk around alot better,and not feel like you are going to fall over from being off balance,I think you are doing amazingly better!!!

[[La...]]

Yes, thanks Mo for the meditation. I'll have a listen to that too. Good for you to be able to use it "on demand"! That's the goal...grocery store, mall, outside, at home, wherever....just a word and you're able to calm yourself. Perfect!

 

I, too, think it's a good sign if the dizziness has left for awhile and/or turns from dizziness to wooziness. If I've learned anything by being here, it's that it's NOT linear at all. I wish it were, since I've had a few days when I thought, "Wow! I'm pretty stable today!" And then, BOOM, I'm back to a 9 out of 10 like today. I still think it's strange that "wooziness" sounds good from a dizziness perspective! Strange, isn't it?! Woozy beats dizzy. And dizzy beats falling down. And falling down...well, that doesn't beat anything. NO FALLING DOWN, OKAY?! Good. If you're falling down, just take a break.

[[Te...]]

Thanks, 2200 and Lapis!!

 

2200, I wish we all knew why we have dizziness when others don't. Maybe it is that my bp pills are playing a bigger part now. Low blood sugar - who knows. It's hard to figure it out.

 

And Lapis, I agree about the variations. It's crazy that woozy beats dizzy beats...whatever else is better than falling down!

 

 

[[La...]]

I would LOVE to know why we have the dizziness when others don't. I'm sure the factors are numerous and likely have to do at least partly with genetics. I've wondered if some benzos are more likely to cause it than others, e.g. clonazepam/Klonopin and/or lorazepam/Ativan and/or diazepam/Valium, but I'm sure they all have the potential to cause it. I believe these ones are the most commonly prescribed benzos anyway.

[Guest [...]]

I wanted to mention that there are 2 members of my family on my husbands side who will not stop benzos.They say they help them to sleep and for stressful times at work,etc.I have noticed as a few yrs.have gone by,they are both getting very forgetful and dont remember things they used to.Its really noticeable.I get concerned they are from the pills,and nicely mentioned it to them a couple of times,but they made it clear they dont want to hear it.Ive read cognitive function sure gets messed up on benzos,and hope none of that lasts after we heal.

[[Al...]]

2200 You can't make anyone go off a benzo unless they want to. My aunt who is 76 years old is brilliant and knows everything. She was on Xanax for 25 years and then went off of it. In Feb she went back on .50 of Xanax twice a day. She is telling me it's a very small dose ( it's equivalent to 10 mg of valium, not so small). I emailed her the Ashton manual and she emailed me back and she has NO interest to read it. She said "different strokes for different folks".. I tried to help her but no cigar.

[[La...]]

Oh my goodness, it's such a difficult issue, isn't it? I think you're right. If you share the info with someone, and they just reject it, they're not in the right frame of mind to consider it. I believe many, many people prefer to stay on the pills for the rest of their lives rather than face the truth of what they can do. Forgetfulness, unsteadiness, poor coordination, poor sleep, slower reflexes/reaction time, cognitive decline and more likely await those who continue to take them. It's sad, really, but I think we all understand how that can happen.

[[La...]]

This letter was written in response to last fall's British Medical Journal article which looks at the connection between benzos and Alzheimers. The letter points out that the risks of taking benzos outweigh their benefits.

 

http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5205/rr/777842

 

The facts are there, but someone has to be open to reading/hearing them.

 

Here's the full study:

 

http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5205

[[Al...]]

Lapis2-My Aunt has been so supportive to me. She is always so positive about my recovery, however she doesn't want to hear anything about what a Benzo really does to your brain. My personality is to always help others...I tried.

 

My hair won't stop shedding UGH!!! One of my worse s/x ever!! I might have to start a new group called bald buddies:)

 

I hope you are feeling well.

Fran:)

[[La...]]

Hey Fran, I understand your concern about your hair, but hang in there. It will normalize at some point. It's part of the mess of symptoms. Well, you could get some cool hats in the meantime -- baseball? French beret? Scottish tam? I didn't think mine would stop falling out but it did. Yours will too.

 

Personally, I think there should be a massive public health campaign about benzodiazepines. Some people likely consider them to be benign little pills, but the connection with cognitive decline, falls/fractures and motor vehicle accidents is inescapable. "Death" is another little side effect that might bother some, but I think that people might not pay attention until they're forced to face the facts.

[[Te...]]

I think a lot of people taking these drugs just figure that "it won't happen to me" when it comes to cognitive and other problems stemming from long-term use. Maybe it's part of being in denial. My sister's sister-in-law has frequent vertigo and has been to doctor after doctor. No one has found out any reason for the vertigo. She's taken Valium for many years. Maybe she's been in tolerance for a long time. I don't know her well, so I have no idea, but I've heard about the vertigo for years. Symptoms could keep popping up for people on benzos, but the dots aren't ever connected unless the person starts looking into it closely and is willing to realize that the problem all along has been the benzo drug. 

[[La...]]

Yes, I agree, Terry. The changes might be subtle enough over time that no one makes the connection between the benzo and the symptom.

 

For me, the dizziness was intense and ongoing and until all of the other possible causes were ruled out, it was hard to point to the benzo. It became obvious, though, and a savvy naturopath really nailed it. Eventually, the diagnosis was confirmed. It took two years, and I wasted that whole time since I was still on the drug. If there had been some sort of test or someone with benzo experience, perhaps the connection would have been made earlier.

[[Te...]]

Yes, you've nailed it right there with what you said!

[[Al...]]

Lapis2-thank you for your supportive positive words. I had a weird night sleep last night...it started off with a jerk that literally made my body jump, it was so scary. I then started to feel some panic and I was scared. I took a deep breath and listened to my meditation oasis and I fell back to sleep till 4:00 AM. I kept telling myself not to be scared it's the Benzo doing it and I'm not a scared person pre benzo!! These benzo's are just terrible!!

 

Do you remember how long your hair was shedding for? I do see some new hair starting to grow in. I'm thinking of getting my hair colored today.

 

I also felt some boatiness when I got into bed last night but that has now passed:) It's a new day right?

Fran

[[La...]]

Fran, I'm sorry to hear about your rough night. I get a lot of those weird jerky-panic-type things happening, but almost always in association with the boatiness. In my case, I think it's called "dread".   

 

As for my hair loss, I can't say exactly how long it lasted. Suffice to say, it was a number of months. We even devised a little "thingamajig" to pick the hair up out of the carpet! Yup! I don't have a good vacuum cleaner, so we placed a rubber crutch tip on the end of a broom handle and then just dragged it along. Voila! The hair gathered into a little pile and then it could be picked up easily. Creative, right?! Okay, maybe a bit desperate.

 

It seems like your boatiness isn't too bad, so that's a lucky thing.

All the best,

Lapis

 

 

[[Al...]]

Lapis2-I can always count on you for making me laugh thank you!! I'm thinking of starting a wig business called Benzo Buddie Wigs:)...even offer a 2 for one special.

 

On a lighter note my nails are holding up and growing again so that's a good sign...LOL

 

This is going to sound crazy but you are smart and you will know the info. About two years ago I had my first ear infection in my right ear. I had vertigo and then pain in my ear so I went to the doctor and she confirmed I had an ear infection. After my infection healed I always had a little lymph node under the right ear. I went to my doctor and an ENT they said it's nothing. If you touch it, it will get bigger so leave it alone. They said it was related to my ear infection. I just touched it and it seems smaller. Do you think it could be draining now since I went off a benzo? Anything is possible in the wild wacky world of benzo's...hahaha

Fran

[[...]]

Today's a big day!

 

Huge Congratulations

To Our Very Dear Dizzy Dame

Ms Lapis

 

 

Twenty Two Months

Benzo-Free

Today

 

 

 

http://scontent-b.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xpf1/t51.2885-15/10011403_1492308620990268_605885033_a.jpg

 

 

 

I know this isn't the thread to add a million jumping jacks

So here's just one in celebration of this wonderful milestone

 

So, so very proud of you, my dear friend.

Am so wishing for speedy healing for you and the big break you so deserve.

You're such a trooper, keep believing and staying positive, and you WILL beat this cursed symptom!

Can't wait to see you back up on that bicycle and zipping around town again.

 

Big Hugs!