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

[[La...]]

Well, I ain't no doc, but I do like to read stuff. It's good to read stuff before you take stuff because then you'll know stuff. Inquiring minds wanna know.

 

:)

[[Yo...]]

You're not a doctor but I bet you could out-doctor some doctors.

[[La...]]

Well, yessiree, I'd love to have a chat with a few of them! I've got a few things to discuss. Actually, I have quite the stack of medical literature now, so perhaps I can prepare a two-hour talk on a particular subject matter that's of interest to those around here. 

 

 

[[Yo...]]

When you dim the lights to start your PowerPoint presentation, I'll duck out of class. 

 

[[He...]]

Went to neurologist today.... he said there's no problem with my inner ear... did fine in the examination.  Said my sxs were due to the taper .  Told me to be more active .  Any thoughts... coping tips.... also severe fatigue.  My taper has been nasty.  Still have a ways to go.  Feeling confused and hopeless at times... many times.  Hate the bobbing and weaving feeling.

[[La...]]

Went to neurologist today.... he said there's no problem with my inner ear... did fine in the examination.  Said my sxs were due to the taper .  Told me to be more active .  Any thoughts... coping tips.... also severe fatigue.  My taper has been nasty.  Still have a ways to go.  Feeling confused and hopeless at times... many times.  Hate the bobbing and weaving feeling.

 

Well, it's good news that there's nothing else going on! And it's also good to hear that your doctor has acknowledged the role of the medication when it comes to your dizziness. Not everyone is so lucky.

 

Are you able to do some walking, Healing seeker? Outside or perhaps on a treadmill? Or a stationary bike? Any stretching or light strengthening exercises with light weights? Safety is the most important thing, but if you can keep up some strengthening and stretching, that might help you feel a bit better. Also, it's good not to get too weak, because that can feed on itself in a negative way.

 

Fatigue is really, really common. It's tiring to be dizzy. It's tiring not to sleep well. It's tiring to have your body adjust to all the CNS changes. I doubt there's an easy cure for that one....except time.

[[He...]]

I try to walk outside but I can't go very far... also have a chronic pain condition in my legs. CRPS

[[La...]]

Healing seeker, just do whatever you can do. Maybe you can add some strengthening and stretching exercises (in sitting, standing, lying) to supplement your walking. The dizziness can make certain things hard to do (e.g. stretching in standing), but there's often a number of ways to strengthen or stretch a certain area.

[[La...]]

Hey Dizzy Buddies,

I just wanted to share this final paragraph from the Ashton Manual, dated 2013:

 

Conclusion

 

The advice and explanations given in the Supplement may seem inadequate. They no doubt illustrate how much more we still need to know about benzodiazepines. However, it is important to remember that by far the greatest majority of long-term benzodiazepine users do recover from withdrawal - given time. Even protracted symptoms tend to decrease gradually, sometimes over years. The individual needs to know that the actual drug withdrawal is only the first step towards recovery. It may be followed by a prolonged period of convalescence during which the damage caused to the person's body - and often to his whole life - needs to be repaired as far as possible. But the brain, like the rest of the body, has an enormous capacity for adapting and self-healing. That is how life survives and how ex-benzodiazepine 'addicts' can be optimistic about their future.

 

She's referring to the neuroplasticity of the brain, and I think we likely all need to remember that concept from time to time -- especially when we feel stuck and scared about our situation.

 

We're healing.

[[...]]

Thanks, Lapsy, that's a very good paragraph to highlight.    Hope you're having an easier day, my friend.

 

Sooo, I received a pm from our dizzy bud, Jenn13, and with her permission am posting and replying here because I know everyone's always looking for hope, so why not spread it around! 

 

Hi ABCD,

I wondered if your boaty rocking feeling ever subsided. Mine is awful.  I am 17 months off and cannot hardly walk.  I just wondered.  I am looking for hope. 

 

Thanks and I hope you are better.

 

Best,

Jenn

 

Regarding how I'm doing with my rocky boat?  My answer to everyone reading is to please not look to me as someone to follow.  I'm an anomaly here - my "boatiness" is quite different from anyone else's, i.e. muscle related pulsating - to the point where I'm constantly questioning whether I'm even on the right forum.  I have one foot in and one foot out, I could make a very strong argument for both, so it's the best I have for right now and I just hang around hoping BB or Google will send me some clues.

 

That said, there's lots n lots n lots of hope to offer those peeps with the typical garden variety rocky boat.  The evidence can be found in this thread alone, if you take the time to read back, most people come and go within a fairly decent timeframe.  Except for a few of us old-timers who like to wear out the welcome mat.    Remember, it seems everyone gets hit with a stubborn symptom or two - for some it may be cognitive or dr/dp or GI issues, and on and on.  And for a handful of us, we just happened to draw the rocky boat card. 

 

Some *hopeful* links: 

 

Lovingmother, if you read through her past posts, she had it badly, as well as dealing with Lyme Disease, going to work every day and having to care for a toddler.  (There are many, many more, I just happen to know LM well).  Here's her latest update:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=128947.msg2391225;topicseen#msg2391225

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=128947.msg2271630;topicseen#msg2271630

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=128947.msg2271647;topicseen#msg2271647

 

Much love to everyone!  Am wondering where the peedoodles 2200 is these days, hmmm?  And Steph, if you see this, thinking of you too!

 

[[La...]]

Thanks for that, abcd! I think it's hard to get any clear perspective on this problem. If we look around us on BB, we see a lot of suffering and fear. But we have to keep in mind that people get better and they move on. And for better or worse, they forget -- or don't have time -- to come back and reassure us. We can't blame them at all, but it does create a void. We need that positivity. The best solution I can think of is the Success Stories section. Go and get a hit of hope whenever you want! There are pages and pages of them.  :)

 

The vast majority of people get better. We need to keep that in mind as much as possible.

 

Here's a Success Story that just rose to the top of the pile. It's worth checking out!

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=10779.0 

[[Yo...]]

If you've been in a support group—even if just for awhile—and you spontaneously heal, it would be a small courtesy to drop in and say thanks and hang in there.

 

You're too darn nice, Lapis!   

[[La...]]

To me, it's a karma thing. We all need to be good to one another. The survival of the species depends on it. 

[[so...]]

Hi Dizzy Buds,

 

I want to give you all hope.  This really does leave.  We all heal.  I never EVER thought it would, but it's going.

 

My days are so mild.  70 symptoms are gone.  The two buggers I got the day I jumped are still hanging around, but much softer. 

 

This all leaves, my dizzy buddies.  Every last stinking, soul-sucking physical and mental symptom disappears one by one.  I know it now.  You know how awful my dizziness was, how I cried out to God in miserable wails and outbursts, begging Him to take me home.  You also know the dizzy drunk cement head left me quite awhile ago.  Other hitchhikers thumbed a ride and took a seat in my car, but the obnoxious dizziness left.  None of these symptoms are permanent passengers.  Not one of them.

 

We all heal 100%.  Benzodiazepines do not cause permanent damage.  Does it take a long time for our brains to reset and rebalance.  You betcha.  Too long.  Does it feel unworldly and alien and scary to heal from the damage we incurred?  Absolutely!  Does it eventually rebalance and "kick in" again back to normal?  You damn right it does!  It's happening to me right now.

 

I don't care what you read.  I don't care what you're told.  Our bodies are like self-cleaning ovens.  Believe in your body's innate ability to heal itself.  Believe in your God who didn't put you on this earth without a survival suit.

 

The tunnel I've been walking for 31 months in the pitch black, with all its twists, bumps, jagged rocks and slippery boulders is well lit now.  I can see my surroundings.  It's not scary anymore.  If you are still groping through the parts of the tunnel with no visible way out, just tug on the rope I've tied around your waist.  It's attached to me up ahead and I can see the way out right in front of me.  I won't leave you behind.

 

I believe now.  If you can't believe yet, just trust.  Trust God, trust your body and trust the people ahead of you who aren't in the darkness anymore.  It happens for all of us.  Please believe it.

 

Sofa

 

[[Yo...]]

Hi Dizzy Buds,

 

I want to give you all hope.  This really does leave.  We all heal.  I never EVER thought it would, but it's going.

 

My days are so mild.  70 symptoms are gone.  The two buggers I got the day I jumped are still hanging around, but much softer. 

 

This all leaves, my dizzy buddies.  Every last stinking, soul-sucking physical and mental symptom disappears one by one.  I know it now.  You know how awful my dizziness was, how I cried out to God in miserable wails and outbursts, begging Him to take me home.  You also know the dizzy drunk cement head left me quite awhile ago.  Other hitchhikers thumbed a ride and took a seat in my car, but the obnoxious dizziness left.  None of these symptoms are permanent passengers.  Not one of them.

 

We all heal 100%.  Benzodiazepines do not cause permanent damage.  Does it take a long time for our brains to reset and rebalance.  You betcha.  Too long.  Does it feel unworldly and alien and scary to heal from the damage we incurred?  Absolutely!  Does it eventually rebalance and "kick in" again back to normal?  You damn right it does!  It's happening to me right now.

 

I don't care what you read.  I don't care what you're told.  Our bodies are like self-cleaning ovens.  Believe in your body's innate ability to heal itself.  Believe in your God who didn't put you on this earth without a survival suit.

 

The tunnel I've been walking for 31 months in the pitch black, with all its twists, bumps, jagged rocks and slippery boulders is well lit now.  I can see my surroundings.  It's not scary anymore.  If you are still groping through the parts of the tunnel with no visible way out, just tug on the rope I've tied around your waist.  It's attached to me up ahead and I can see the way out right in front of me.  I won't leave you behind.

 

I believe now.  If you can't believe yet, just trust.  Trust God, trust your body and trust the people ahead of you who aren't in the darkness anymore.  It happens for all of us.  Please believe it.

 

Sofa

 

This should be posted everywhere on BB like wallpaper. Thank you Sofa.

[[La...]]

Oh, Sofa, I'm fighting back the tears here. Thank you. So, so, so beautiful. In your inimitable, gifted way, you have brought us hope and created word pictures of lifelines. Thank you so much. I will re-read your post. Having just barely gotten through another horrific weekend, I will hang onto your golden words so that I can re-fuel my low-running hope tank.

 

Just lovely.

 

[[so...]]

Lapis, my dear friend,

 

One thing I know for sure, is that we completely heal 100% from this temporary imbalance.  That's all this is.  It is NOT damage, as many others call it.  Don't believe it.  Our bodies are intact and every single day they are pulling us closer and closer to balancing the scales evenly.

 

You are going to recover, Lapis, wholly and perfectly.  When you do, you are going to post a new avatar.  You're going to replace your precious little blue dog with a picture of you on your beautiful bicycle.  Your legs will be strong and sturdy, the muscles inside smooth and lean, ready to take you anywhere you want to go.  No more pain and compensation to overcome the dizziness.  There will be no more imbalance.  Your eyes will be looking forward and all around you, outside the walls of your house and into the world that's been waiting for you to explore and enjoy.

 

Lapis, you are recovering.  You are safe and secure in your home while your body is slowly coming back to life.  It won't be much longer, my friend.  You are doing everything right to nourish your brain and body.  Your healing is inevitable. 

 

Heather Ashton was a pioneer.  As with all pioneers, she only scratched the surface on the tip of a huge iceberg.  She didn't follow her patients for years.  She observed them for only a small portion of the whole journey which led her to conclude that people heal much earlier than they really do.  She concluded they were "done" when they got beyond the abject horror of the first third of their journeys.  This process, as you know, takes much longer than 18 months to resolve.  You are not broken beyond the "norm" which Ashton's conclusions make you fear.  You ARE the norm.  The REAL norm, not the archaic norm of an incomplete and outdated study.  You are progressing nicely and systematically.

 

The neuroplasticity of your brain and your bodily systems are all moving towards health in a delicate dance, forming and reconfiguring the most efficient pathways possible.  You are healing at a molecular level.  You are being recycled in most profound ways.  Allergies and weaknesses your body has developed over the years will be gone.  Areas of deterioration inside your body, of which you were unaware, are being restored and replaced with vigorous new working parts.  We feel so lousy during this process because this is how it feels to be completely recycled and restored.  Think of the scarecrow in the Emerald City, laying on that table being "restuffed" with fresh straw.  Ouch!  But then look at him afterwards, meeting up with the rest of the gang, everybody looking healthy, well-oiled and beaming.  Well, that's us, Lapis.  Out of this pain, comes a beautiful life.  And bodies that will carry us through any adventure we decide to explore.

 

I love you, Lapis.  Your beauty and grace has never been lost on me or any of us who have stayed by your side.  Let your body evolve into the "house" your inner grace deserves. 

 

Bless you, my friend.

 

Sofa

[[He...]]

That was beautiful.....gives me the courage to go get a shower..........thank you....

[[La...]]

Oh my, oh my, oh my. Sofa, I'm freely bawling now! Oh my goodness! I don't.....I don't have the right words. What an exquisite piece of writing! It's profoundly beautiful, and although I know it's directed to me, I know that others here will take strength from it and use it today and in the days ahead to gently move them along the pathway. Thank you so much! Thank you for sticking around, and for coming back, and for sharing your loving, thoughtful, intelligent and insightful ideas on what -- as you well know -- is a test of everyone's strength of soul.

 

I dream of riding my bicycle. Yes, as the temperatures soar in our city, and my friend tells me of life in the busy bike lanes, and the music festivals animate our waterfront and parks, I yearn to be out there. I want to be part of it again. Perhaps I'll take my little blue dog with me and we'll snap a photo of us dancing at a festival!

 

I love the image of the scarecrow being re-stuffed! Perfect! On this thread, Oz never seems to be far from our thoughts. Perhaps we'll all click our heels together three times and discover that we've been wearing our Ruby Red Slippers all along!

 

Once again, I must say thank you, Sofa. Thank you for the loving kindness. I'm sending it right back atcha.

 

Lapis 

[Guest [...]]

Sofa,THANKYOU!!!What an inspiring post to send us all!I printed it to read again and again.I sure needed to hear this today,and like Lapis,Shook and Healing seeker,I am so grateful!You have such a magical way with words that is so sincere and inspiring!

 

I have been struggling lately,and didn't feel up to posting.Sometimes you just gotta drop off for a bit to pout,heal and get whatever chores done that are on the gigantic list that never gets done while sick.

 

I wanted to tell you guys that I had one very surprising,stupendous day last week.I woke up feeling about 95% better.It was so amazing,I was afraid to breath or it might vanish like the wind.I was almost completely dizzy free,brain was clear,energy back,almost no anxiety,it was so cool!

 

I did a whole bunch of things I needed to get done while it lasted,and almost cried when I went to bed,cause as you all know,once you sleep,this monster can crawl back out from under the bed and bite you in the backside and start the whole evil process again!

 

And by the next day,all was back,and sadly my great day left,and only a wonderful memory to linger of that really,really cool day!

 

Today the health fears are bad,and that toxic anxious feeling and being off balance is bad.Oh well,I got a great window,that made me believe the healing is a comin'!

 

How is everybody doing today?I pray you guys are all having a better Monday,with some good breaks in there.Even when I am not on here,I think about you all so much!

 

The other day,I felt up to washing my king size comforter.Got it all fresh and clean,and back on the bed,and felt so happy to have it done.

 

I woke up the next morning,and my cat had thrown up all over one side of it!

 

I pointed at it and asked my cat ''Did you do this?"and she just looked at me like ''Yeah,so what?"

 

Such a difference between cats and dogs.If my dog does something bad,and I point at it,she looks extremely guilty, gets in her bed and acts ashamed for 2 hours.

 

 

 

 

[[La...]]

THE CAT! Omigosh, 2200, I don't know what to comment on first. That dang cat of yours needs a talkin' to! What the heck was she thinking? Our dear 2200 tries so hard every day to slog through the swampy days of dizziness, and then that dang cat went and barfed on that nice, soft, CLEAN comforter! She's baaaaad! 

 

HOWEVER, 2200, that magnificent gift of a day where you felt 95% well needs to linger in your heart and soul for as long as it can. Keep it close. Remember it. Know that there will be more. It was a sign of the good things to come. I'm so happy you had that! 

 

 

 

[[Yo...]]

2200,

 

It's great to see you here again. Hold on to that dizzy-free day and know that there will be more!

 

As a cat lover, your story gave me a good laugh! I'm only sorry that it was at your expense!

But you seem to take it all in stride and with humor, which is invaluable to your healing.

 

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/ab/87/6cab87558709899220e717782cd425c2.jpg

 

[[so...]]

2200,

 

You got a gift, my friend.  A big fat one.  You know your body is fully capable of getting to that place of utter bliss and perfect health.  It would be rare if any of us got that one blessed day and it just stuck there in place.  This is a winding road of stops and starts, idling and revving.  It could all just magically resolve one day but, if it's a bumpy landing, so what?  We get to our destination safely and that's what's important.  You got a big snapshot of your future, 2200.  Hold that snapshot in your hands until it's sweaty and dog-eared from rubbing and wishing.  Photographs are evidence that memories are real.  You got your photo.  Frame it and keep it close to your heart.  It is more real than these fleeting symptoms.  You lived your future for one glorious day.  It was your FUTURE.  It was your TRUTH. 

 

Love, Sofa

[Guest [...]]

2200,

 

It's great to see you here again. Hold on to that dizzy-free day and know that there will be more!

 

As a cat lover, your story gave me a good laugh! I'm only sorry that it was at your expense!

But you seem to take it all in stride and with humor, which is invaluable to your healing.

 

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/ab/87/6cab87558709899220e717782cd425c2.jpg

 

 

:laugh:Thanks Shook!This is great!''''Hang in there baby!""Reminds me of the poster in Science class in the 70's!It still works in 2017!

 

I really do love my cat.She is such a great little buddy when I'm being an evening couch potato.Our dog is on one side of the couch,and the cat is sleeping on me while I'm reclined back, so I can't breathe or see the TV.Looks like the pussy cat lounge at the old folks home!Except no booze.

 

Wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[Guest [...]]

2200,

 

You got a gift, my friend.  A big fat one.  You know your body is fully capable of getting to that place of utter bliss and perfect health.  It would be rare if any of us got that one blessed day and it just stuck there in place.  This is a winding road of stops and starts, idling and revving.  It could all just magically resolve one day but, if it's a bumpy landing, so what?  We get to our destination safely and that's what's important.  You got a big snapshot of your future, 2200.  Hold that snapshot in your hands until it's sweaty and dog-eared from rubbing and wishing.  Photographs are evidence that memories are real.  You got your photo.  Frame it and keep it close to your heart.  It is more real than these fleeting symptoms.  You lived your future for one glorious day.  It was your FUTURE.  It was your TRUTH. 

 

Love, Sofa

 

 

Sofa,you are such a peach!How blessed we all are to know you!I have never met you,and yet you are such a sweet friend!