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

[[Re...]]

GsGirl, some people have a reaction to magnesium during wd is all. I haven't been able to tolerate vitamin d3 supplements since wd so I'm not going to chance trying magnesium.

 

I also did a cold turkey off benzos after many years of higher doses. Might have made my system more sensitive than others.

[[La...]]

Hi GsGirl,

There's lots of back and forth on the magnesium issue around BB. I've decided to take it due to my fracture and my concern over long-term bone health. It's necessary for life. Whether we get it through food or supplements, we need it. I can understand, however, that taking large amounts of it would be problematic -- especially because it can cause diarrhea.

 

What's been your experience with it, GsGirl?

 

[[Gs...]]

I've been on magnesium lactate for about a year. My migraines are down about 90%. I noticed a difference after about 6 weeks. I only take 50% of the RDA, so it's not a large dose. My bloodwork shows I'm low on Vitamin D, so I take 2,000 IU daily as directed by my doctor, along with a small amount of calcium. Steroid use for lupus has caused some bone loss, and I'm 56, so my Rheumatologist is keeping an eye on things.  I stopped all of that for a few weeks to see if it made any difference in my WD sx, and the only thing that happened was my migraines tried to creep back in. I've tried other types of magnesium, but they bothered my tummy. This one doesn't, thankfully. 

[[La...]]

It sounds like you're doing all the right things for your conditions, GsGirl, which is all any of us can do. I'm doing the same and hoping for the best.

 

When it comes to reactions to things, it's pretty tough to gauge what's causing what. My dizziness has a life of its own, and individual factors don't seem to play a clear role. As an example, I had a better sleep last night, but my dizziness is worse today than it was yesterday. There's no logic in that! As far as supplements go, I cut out calcium and magnesium for awhile, but it didn't change things for me. Now I absolutely need them. Vitamin D3 and K2 are also important for bone healing, so I'm keeping those in my regimen (have been for awhile now).

 

I stay away from herbal things, however, because there are just too many question marks for my liking.

[[Gs...]]

You sound like me...no rhyme nor reason for the dizziness...I have facial numbness and pressure in my jaws and temples too...sometimes my ears hurt...and the tinnitus varies and makes me nuts. 

[[pr...]]

You sound like me...no rhyme nor reason for the dizziness...I have facial numbness and pressure in my jaws and temples too...sometimes my ears hurt...and the tinnitus varies and makes me nuts. 

 

 

GsGirl,

 

do you have any of that cotton/wool stuffed feeling with your facial numbness? i did mostly on the left side of my face around my lip and cheek area. i had it really bad for awhile but it's mostly gone away. i also get pretty severe pain in the left side of my jaw that sometimes radiates to my left ear. it's horrible. the left side of my got hit much harder than my right side.

 

i also still have that "glove & sticking" neuropathy all down my legs and feet. very bothersome and makes walking and balance very difficult.

 

by the way, i had tried The Ashton taper many times but couldn't do it. i thought it was still too fast but that was when i really didn't know that tapering off this drug was the best way to go so i actually ended up doing a cold turkey. i had done many cold turkeys as i never knew this was supposed to be tapered and even if i did, i just always had trouble with any kind of taper from anything. just can't do it.

[[Gs...]]

Hi @Pretty...yup, I have that weird numb, stuffy, feeling as well.  I get it mostly on my right side, but sometimes it's on both sides.  Sometimes it feels like the right side of my face is farther forward (weird, I know!) than the left side.  It's intermittent...some days it's awful, and some days it varies from hour-to-hour. 

 

I don't have full-on neuropathy, but I do have problems with part of my left foot near my big toe and the side of my foot.  It feels numb and tingly all the time.  I had problems with my right side for a while, but that stopped completely.

 

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to continue following the Ashton taper.  I think I'm going to go super slow and just try a liquid taper.  I can't go C/T because I have lupus and other medical issues, and I worry that it will cause more problems for me.

 

It's enough to make you want to bang your head against the wall...for sure! 

[[La...]]

GsGirl, please don't bang your head against the wall! You'll make it way worse! Did you know that there's a cute little bang-your-head-against-the-wall emoji?!  :brickwall:

 

 

Take care, Everyone, and I wish you all a better day tomorrow!

[[Gs...]]

I don't always see the emojis too well when I'm dizzy...and I promise not to bang my head against anything except a pillow. 

[[pr...]]

Hi @Pretty...yup, I have that weird numb, stuffy, feeling as well.  I get it mostly on my right side, but sometimes it's on both sides.  Sometimes it feels like the right side of my face is farther forward (weird, I know!) than the left side.  It's intermittent...some days it's awful, and some days it varies from hour-to-hour. 

 

I don't have full-on neuropathy, but I do have problems with part of my left foot near my big toe and the side of my foot.  It feels numb and tingly all the time.  I had problems with my right side for a while, but that stopped completely.

 

I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to continue following the Ashton taper.  I think I'm going to go super slow and just try a liquid taper.  I can't go C/T because I have lupus and other medical issues, and I worry that it will cause more problems for me.

 

It's enough to make you want to bang your head against the wall...for sure! 

 

 

nobody should ever cold turkey off this drug. i just didn't know any better so it was one cold turkey after another. i have some pretty severe symptoms because if it.

[[Yo...]]

Hi Lapis,

 

Checking in to see how you're doing! How's your foot coming along?

[[La...]]

Hi Shook!

Good to see you! Thanks so much for thinking of me! I'm, uh.....well, kinda so-so, thank you. I'll probably get another X-ray soon to see what's happening. There's still a fair amount of swelling and pain, which, I'm told, is par for the course. Uh-huh. I'm doing the best that I can, but really, it's been a very, very difficult time for me.

 

What about you? How goes the battle? I'd love to know the meaning of your picture. How's your floaty-boatiness these days?

[[...]]

Lapis, I know you're not doctor but i'm getting more and more tired to the point I fear about my health and Life... What do you think ?

I'm really afraid, I cant do much and its getting worse everyday

[[La...]]

Hi yong,

No, I'm definitely not a doctor, but as a fellow BB, I can say that this can be a real slog. There aren't any easy outs here, so we just have to keep moving forward the best we can. If you're concerned that something else may be going on, then by all means, do get it checked out and tested. But if you're pretty sure that your symptoms are from the benzos, then it's a matter of persevering and taking the best care of yourself that you can, given the circumstances. For me, that means eating healthy food, trying to get decent sleep without taking any meds, drinking enough water, doing whatever exercise we can -- even if it's only a bit, relaxing, breathing, keeping in touch with family and friends, reading, listening to music, learning things, etc.

 

Because I've got a fracture in one foot and some other physical problems, I've had to seek out medical help. If you've got anything that needs attention, don't neglect those things.

 

What helps you, yong? Anything? Music? Can you get out and walk a bit -- even with a cane or something? Fatigue is definitely part of benzo withdrawal. I think everyone has to deal with it. Again, there's no magic cure, but sleep is a major factor. Are you getting any sleep? If not, what have you tried? Meditation or music? Counting sheep? Etc.?

 

 

[[Yo...]]

Hi Shook!

Good to see you! Thanks so much for thinking of me! I'm, uh.....well, kinda so-so, thank you. I'll probably get another X-ray soon to see what's happening. There's still a fair amount of swelling and pain, which, I'm told, is par for the course. Uh-huh. I'm doing the best that I can, but really, it's been a very, very difficult time for me.

 

What about you? How goes the battle? I'd love to know the meaning of your picture. How's your floaty-boatiness these days?

 

 

Should the swelling really last that long? I'm sure you're doing your best under these very difficult circumstances.

 

In four days it'll be a year exactly since I first set foot on this seemingly interminable boat ride. I guess I shouldn't expect to get off until some time after I'm done tapering. But who knows... 

 

My latest avatar is a Japanese character called "Eyeball Daddy". He likes to soak in baths and relax... Hence his saying beneath. The literal translation is "Become a sloth!", but just means "take it easy".

 

Become a sloth, Lapis! 

[[...]]

Hi lapis. Sorry I didnt took Time to answer. I dont have much sleeping problem. But I feel extremely weak. I really think something Will happen, but doctors find nothing each time...

 

[[La...]]

Hi Shook!

Good to see you! Thanks so much for thinking of me! I'm, uh.....well, kinda so-so, thank you. I'll probably get another X-ray soon to see what's happening. There's still a fair amount of swelling and pain, which, I'm told, is par for the course. Uh-huh. I'm doing the best that I can, but really, it's been a very, very difficult time for me.

 

What about you? How goes the battle? I'd love to know the meaning of your picture. How's your floaty-boatiness these days?

 

 

Should the swelling really last that long? I'm sure you're doing your best under these very difficult circumstances.

 

In four days it'll be a year exactly since I first set foot on this seemingly interminable boat ride. I guess I shouldn't expect to get off until some time after I'm done tapering. But who knows... 

 

My latest avatar is a Japanese character called "Eyeball Daddy". He likes to soak in baths and relax... Hence his saying beneath. The literal translation is "Become a sloth!", but just means "take it easy".

 

Become a sloth, Lapis! 

 

Hi Shook!

Thanks so much for the tour of your avatar! So cool! A sloth in broth! I can only think of delicious miso soup now. Or maybe some soba noodles in broth...mmmmm!

 

I wish I could do the sloth thing, but the pain is making me wired. Of course, I've been forced to minimize my weight-bearing, but type of disequilibrium I/we have makes it impossible to keep the weight off in the way I need to. Using crutches is not possible if one is dizzy and/or has issues with the other foot (like me). I fall forward into the fracture site when I try to brush my teeth or put in/take out my contact lenses. The act of going from sit-to-stand involves a very painful weight shift that makes me cry just about every time. Really, it's been intense. I'll be doing another X-ray soon, so until then, I can only do my best to function. In the meantime, there's calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin K supplementation, and lots of pleading with my body to heal this thing as soon as possible.

 

How are things with you? As far as boat-rides ending, it's entirely unpredictable, as far as I can tell. The benzos are known to interfere with vestibular compensation (see first few pages of this thread for good links to info), so that's a contributing factor. Individual variations seem to account for the rest. I wish we had more answers, Shook. Some people's dizziness seems to go away quickly, but for others, it lingers for awhile. Why? Man, if we had the answers......

 

Anyway, in the meantime, I'm still checking PubMed semi-regularly to see if there's anything that pertains to us and posting those things here. I also check out the Success Stories, because they remind me that yes, this does end.

 

It's the best I can do for now.

[[La...]]

Hi lapis. Sorry I didnt took Time to answer. I dont have much sleeping problem. But I feel extremely weak. I really think something Will happen, but doctors find nothing each time...

 

Well, it's good that the testing is showing no major issues, yong! Weakness and fatigue are pretty common symptoms, as per the Ashton Manual and many BBs around here. We just have to roll with it, I think, and do the best we can. Things can change as time goes along, and really, that's what we're all counting on.

[[La...]]

Hi Dizzy Buds,

I just wanted to post a link to a thread about dizziness where a poster is doing better. It's great to see! I hope others can gather some positive thoughts based on how well this BB is doing. Her name is erp8, and I think she has posted here before. Have a look at the fourth post down:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=191966.msg2516053#msg2516053

[[...]]

Do your symptoms are changing every five minutes too ?? In fact my dizziness is changing for a kind of back weakness when I stand up and head Buzzing... Too much different symptoms ... Doctors arent understanding

[[Gs...]]

I'm doing the same thing.  I'm 'great' for an hour, and then the next hour I feel like my head is going to fly off and the buzzing in my body is going to make me deaf!

[[...]]

I'm really wondering if It is whitdrawal or my own anxiety... I begin to lose hope... It Will get so long to get better

[[La...]]

Hi yong,

I know it's hard to stay hopeful, but really, it's absolutely necessary that you keep that little light inside you alive. From what I can tell, you were on multiple medications, some of which you started or stopped fairly quickly. That can be tough on the body, so try to give yours a chance to normalize and heal. We all want to get better as soon as possible, but we have to be patient. As far as I can tell, there's no way to speed things up, but who knows? You might get better very soon. 

 

 

 

[[La...]]

I'm doing the same thing.  I'm 'great' for an hour, and then the next hour I feel like my head is going to fly off and the buzzing in my body is going to make me deaf!

 

Hi GsGirl,

Well, I'm glad you're getting those little windows of great moments! You can use those times to give you strength to get through the other stuff. I tend to get an every-other-day pattern. Today's a bad one, but yesterday was better. I wish I understood the mechanism, but it's a mystery.

 

 

[[pr...]]

Lapis, I know you're not doctor but i'm getting more and more tired to the point I fear about my health and Life... What do you think ?

I'm really afraid, I cant do much and its getting worse everyday

 

 

yong,

 

even though you were not on all these pills for very long, from your signature it looks as though you had been what they call "poly-drugged" - but it's good that you tapered because it could be worse if you just had done a cold turkey from everything.

how long was your taper?