Post Benzo Freedom Withdrawal Support Group

[[gi...]]

pretty,

 

That tightening is just terrible, isn't it?! I'm happy you found a way to lessen them! Nothing worked for me.  I became mindful of them, though, like you do and found that was the only way I could ride them out.

 

I hope you can get off the excedrin and aspirin soon. Regular use of them can erode your stomach.

 

[[pr...]]

yes, it's weird because the same kind of headaches have been happening at the same time, around 4pm every day this week along with another symptom. my brain is still moving about but when it stops in a certain place, it squeezes on itself which then makes my left heel feel crushed. my heel turns bright tomato red while every part of my foot and my right foot or a normal pink color.

 

so where ever my brain is squeezing, it's squeezing all those nerves right in that area of my heel.

so those two symptoms have been like clock work this week. seems as though i have new symptoms for the week.

so it will be interesting to see which ones go away and which symptoms i get this coming monday.

 

yes, i've been having to take a lot of aspirin and benedryl. only thing that helps along with my new massage and tapping. but mindful does help as well. i just kinda follow the pain and visualize someone massaging my head, or a deep golden grain light penetrating and healing it. i really hope that my brain is healing because when it crushes my left heel like that, it's so unbelievably painful.

pretty

[[Me...]]

I was tempted to take a benzo last night. I was having quite an intolerable panic quite unlike withdrawal... a normal garden variety panic attack after having to face a full day of misery and stress.  I have been suffering from depression for a couple of weeks because my son is oppositional and I am totally stressed out what a 5 year old is capable of doing!  So far he is academically average but is oppositional and emotionally developmentally delayed.

 

I feel sick to my stomach, I am on the verge of crying all the time and cried a lot yesterday.  I don't want to be a parent any more.  I am just feeling ill.  I am feeling far to lazy to go see a doctor but at least I cleaned up the cat box.  I really was suffering plus cat box stench!  It was unreal!  I am not sure exactly sure how I pulled out of the panic attach with the ativan so close by but I noticed it was hard to breath slow. 

 

I hope the depression lifts soon.  I want to avoid the ativan.  I am afraid of suffering withdrawal again.  I have no source of Valium and have been discharged from the psychiatrist even though I told him how difficult my son has been.

[[re...]]

Just logged on and see that this previously active thread is mostly dormant.  I guess without vertigo's wonderful stewardship it hasn't been kept active.

 

Just wanted to share with you that today is my 2 year anniversary of freedom and amazingly, wonderfully, thankfully I am 100% healed.

 

Have courage and stay strong because healing really does happen.  If you read my blog you will know how very ill and desperate I was 2 years ago.  This board was such a life-safer.

 

Sending love to all

 

Becca

[[Ne...]]

Becca, hello...such great words to read..Congratulations..

You may want to check out/in to PAWS/Post or Protracted Support Group--New.  Somehow, when Veritgo "graduated," gradually this group faded away..blessings, New Life

[[gi...]]

becca, that's fantastic news!!

Congratulations - here's to a new and happy life!

 

all the best,

ginger

[[pr...]]

Becca,

that is so fantastic and awesome! i love hearing story's like that. i'm stilll in hell. oooowwww

pretty

[[so...]]

Bravo Becca!

 

Today is my 1st day benzo - free. 

[[ve...]]

v

[[ve...]]

Hi everybody.  Just wanted to wish you all a very healthy and happy holiday season and New Year.  Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and a healing year in 2013 .  I finally managed to wean myself of my secondary "addiction to this forum" :-).  I needed to step away and focus on my life with my family more fully.  I still checked how you all were doing about once a week, but I think that final hurdle of healing has been to move on.  I still care about so many of you and wish you all the healing that you all deserve.  Congratulations to Rebecca on 2 years and achieving 100% healing .  Also, a hearty congrats to Southern as well. 

 

God Bless all you benzo and soon to be benzo free warriors!

 

 

Vertigo

[[...]]

so great to see your name.  hope your year is awesome.  you are a blessing

[[ve...]]

so great to see your name.  hope your year is awesome.  you are a blessing

 

Thank you Pan.  I hope all is well with you as well. I just wanted to stop by and make a final wish to all the benzobuddies and to Colin and staff that 2013 will be a healthy and prosperous year for all.

 

and God Bless

 

V

[[...]]

visit when you can vertigo.  it is like a ministry in a way.  we would be a mess if those on the other side didn't come by with their hope

 

i am in month 19 off and just got slammed big time.  like in the beginning.  terror, crying for 2 days for no reason.  and the  stomach gurgling  - sunny said antibiotics did that to her.  i took 1/2 of a bacitrim for a bladder infection.  could that have sent me in this tailspin i wonder.

i am in the protracted withdrawal group now i guess guys.  dang it all.

off this week; trying not to obsess on how bad i feel. 

love to everyone

reached out to these people who help stories take flight;  maybe they will help me finish my dvd.  wish i could set up a place where folks could get off benzos together; peaceful, gardens, people reading to each other, kind

xoo

[[ro...]]

Hi V:

 

Happy New Year to you and your family!!  Please stop by occasionally -- like visiting the "old folks home."

 

Pan:

 

I am almost 21 months off, and will be in the protracted group too.  I just tapered off Unisom (the 3rd time).  Getting hit with insomnia and benzo stuff again too.  But I'm hoping it will be only a few weeks tops!  Dang!  Guess our CNS will need more healing time. 

 

Best of all to you both,

Rocko

[[...]]

hey rocko - great to see that name.  sorry you are getting hit again.  unisom never helped me sleep;  guess i am lucky on that one.  u can do it.  phew

[[Su...]]

Hope-friend,

I'm at 21 months off and the dizziness came about a week ago and it is horrible. Like you I'm afraid to drive very far because of it.  I even went to the doctor for some blood tests just to make sure it was not anything else.  I see many people at about 21 months to 2 years get this same symptom.  Hope it doesn't last long.

Hugs

Kristin

 

I've been searching for answers as to why I have been having the floaty boat feeling.  Well what do you know !!  I am 22 months off, and haven't felt this since I got off the drug about 2 years ago.

This is unreal....how we all have so many of the same symptoms.

 

Sunny girl

 

[[ve...]]

Hi V:

 

Happy New Year to you and your family!!  Please stop by occasionally -- like visiting the "old folks home."

 

Too funny Rocko .  I'll be honest.  I really didn't truly feel significantly better and memory fully back until roughly 4-6 months ago.  Yes, progress was made in years 1 and 2 off the poison, but it seems that final hurdle came around 30-36 months (at least for me).  That doesn't mean one can't get on with one's life and be mostly healed within six months to a year post benzo.  Just seemed to take longer for me to fully heal and get to a "better place than before benzos."  Life is so much better off the benzo so hang in there everybody.

 

 

V

 

 

Best of all to you both,

Rocko

[[to...]]

Hi guys, It's been months since I stopped visiting BB, almost like 3 months, I am now 26 months off plus 5 days, and things are getting really well, I will try to make it short as I am still recovering from CT xanax and AD's all in one day after a short use of 5 month on daily basis, I didn't thought that these drugs can make that harm to anyone for soooo long, I guess I discovered the hard hard hard way ) but I guess time is the only healer as I am discovering this now,

plus offcourse ups and downs through the days and months, anyway I will make it short as this is an update not a full recovery victory.

 

The question anybody will ask after 2+ years: what's left? well this is waht's left

1- Symptoms is general got less intense on the whole only getting a little rough between 9AM and 2PM lol, don't ask me why, I don't know probably excitable glands secreating hormones or daily cycle and gets worse cause lack of GABA, after 3PM everything gets low and it happens every single day but it's shrinking in period and intensity

 

2- Food sensitivity: food is my only challenge now, but I am not paranoid by food like old days, I sometimes over eat and eat stuff I never dare to eat before, thats an improvment for me, but it wacks me for days, so I change again   still depending on quality and quantity

 

3- CNS sensitivity (Anxiety and DR are still there in a way but sometimes I don't get them as I said they wax and wane but shorter periods only to get worse by food as my stomach is still nervous sometimes and bloated but the acidity is gone:) which is great

 

4- a lot of sxs have faded away with no return thank god, (dizziness - fatigue - vertigo - muscle pain - joint pain - back pain - headaches - head stabbing - acidity - the though of going crazy - hullucinations - OCD ) GONE and many more which I don't remeber good for me

I still have some muscle tension in the GI track and some in the body but no remarkble pain like before, which is Normal

 

The only thing that is still there is some cog function some memory loss and some anxiety and DR still bothers me sometimes, but as I said when I introduce new selection of foods or eat outside, I feel it gets worse, as all my problem is still in GI track

(stomach and colon) but not like before it gets better only with time and as I said and to my knowledge 80% of your nerves and neurotransmitters are in your GI system (Your small brain)

So when the digestive system heals for me I think everything will fall into place cause I think it's linked to the brain by the vargus nerve and it's still pulse every once in a while, meaning it's still not balanced yet, but as I said not like before

 

So the conclusion is everything gets better it will all go away, I hope to overcome food sensetivities soon, cause I love cooking and eating:

Life still haven't got the same appeal as before the drugs, sometimes I get enthusiastic about doing things or planning things and sometimes it fades away but not too long, I think with more time things will get even better

 

Now diet as I am doing it, it might help people suffering from food sensitivity like me:

I eat food rich in potassium and magnesium ( fish - rice - vegtable - fruits (no cause of sugar)except some banana everyonce in a while

I eat grains some people cannot tolerate them but everybody is diffrent (but they said it's good for you) Whole grains I mean

what I avoid completely are : SALT - REFINED SUGAR - FAST FOODS - TOO MANY SPICES - I try to make it as simple as I can get it, for easy digestion and avoid Alcohol ofcourse and stay on water, that's all, and I will make another update soon as things get more better hope that helped.....we will heal in time,

(YOU ARE WHAT YOU ATE) I GUESS I AM CONVINCED OF THAT SAYING PRETTY MUCH AFTER GOING THROUGH THIS )

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[ve...]]

Hi guys, It's been months since I stopped visiting BB, almost like 3 months, I am now 26 months off plus 5 days, and things are getting really well, I will try to make it short as I am still recovering from CT xanax and AD's all in one day after a short use of 5 month on daily basis, I didn't thought that these drugs can make that harm to anyone for soooo long, I guess I discovered the hard hard hard way ) but I guess time is the only healer as I am discovering this now,

plus offcourse ups and downs through the days and months, anyway I will make it short as this is an update not a full recovery victory.

 

The question anybody will ask after 2+ years: what's left? well this is waht's left...

The only thing that is still there is some cog function some memory loss and some anxiety and DR still bothers me sometimes, but as I said when I introduce new selection of foods or eat outside, I feel it gets worse, as all my problem is still in GI track

(stomach and colon) but not like before it gets better only with time and as I said and to my knowledge 80% of your nerves and neurotransmitters are in your GI system (Your small brain) So when the digestive system heals for me I think everything will fall into place cause I think it's linked to the brain by the vargus nerve and it's still pulse every once in a while, meaning it's still not balanced yet, but as I said not like before

 

So the conclusion is everything gets better it will all go away, I hope to overcome food sensetivities soon, cause I love cooking and eating:

Life still haven't got the same appeal as before the drugs, sometimes I get enthusiastic about doing things or planning things and sometimes it fades away but not too long, I think with more time things will get even better

 

 

Hi Tommy.  That is what I was referring to in my last post.  The cognitive functions took a while to fully heal for me, but many things were much better by 18 months.  Anxiety has also been a challenge for me for some years before benzos so no surprise that this was also an area that took longer to "manage".  It seemed to take close to 3 years (for me)  to get to a place where I truly and finally  feel better than before benzos.  Just to reiterate from my previous post, no discouragement to those who are more recently off the benzo.  I was feeling close to 80% by six months off.  It's that final 20% that seemed to ebb and flow for another couple years, but I was not homebound or unable to function.  It was the first few months that were the most challenging but by four months, I was traveling and flying cross country, though not feeling 100%.  Each individual will have their own timeline.  Some may heal in shorter periods.  In my case, I also got shingles at six weeks off, which seemed to complicate the damage and healing needed for my CNS.  Others may have other issues such as other medications or longer term benzo use, other medical problems/history...  We'll all get there in our own time.  Hang in there Tommy.  You're almost there .

 

Vertigo

[[ch...]]

Hi vertigo........just popping in to ask how long it took before the vertigo and off balance feeling went away.i remember you suffered with it when i first came on to bb a few years ago.

 

It is nice to hear from you again.so pleased you are feeling better and that you are getting your life back again.

 

                        luv chrissy  xx

[[ve...]]

Hi vertigo........just popping in to ask how long it took before the vertigo and off balance feeling went away.i remember you suffered with it when i first came on to bb a few years ago.

 

It is nice to hear from you again.so pleased you are feeling better and that you are getting your life back again.

 

                        luv chrissy  xx

 

Hi Chrissy.  My vertigo went away after I reinstated back in 2008.  So it's been almost five years.  However, I did experience some milder visual issues/balance things here and there in the first six months off valium.  Some of it turned out to be related to elevated blood pressure which is not uncommon as a side effect after going off a benzo.  I had a few mild balance/visual things on occasions in the second year after consuming a 2nd glass of wine here and there, but again, not significant to worry about. I've not had any balance/dizziness in over a year. 

 

Best ,

 

V

[[to...]]

Thank you Vertigo for your comment, I realy believe that I am doing even better than last year, it's just the DR and the sense of being out of the ordernary is keeping me in the house sometimes that's it, and specially when I eat stuff that makes my GI irritable,

 

I travel to places now go fishing with friends even going out with my girlfriend, and friends, but things are still rough sometimes (food issues) I guess my CNS still can't handle stuff, and I had no anxiety problems before benzos, it's only a stupid Dr, and I trusted him not knowing what these drugs can do, but I am sure I didn't needed them in the first place all I had is some troubles in my colon,

 

I am sure I will find relieve in time, the point is that it's really slow and a roller coaster but sometimes it feels like heaven, no anxiety and the world just looks diffrent, then I get more encouraged to do more or eat more and I collapse again, but this time I learn, and I am changing my diet and will see how it goes, the point is giving what your body can handle in diffrent stages in recovery, with time we can handle more, as your body heals more

 

Thanks again bro, we will keep you posted on more improvments we all get through and life will be better than before I am sure

[[ch...]]

Thanks vertigo...........im so glad its gone away for you.mine started in 2006 when i first got sick and its still with me now.doctor just says its my condition,he has no answeres.im now about 32 months off benzo,but i tapered off my a/d and im 8 and a half months off that.it has really knocked me back in my healing.i feel like it is all hitting me all over again.

 

Its just a waiting game is'nt it

 

                            thanks alot  chrissy xx

[Guest [Ce...]]

I'm interested in the vertigo issue too - having now experienced it.  It's good to see it goes away in time.

[[ve...]]

Thanks vertigo...........im so glad its gone away for you.mine started in 2006 when i first got sick and its still with me now.doctor just says its my condition,he has no answeres.im now about 32 months off benzo,but i tapered off my a/d and im 8 and a half months off that.it has really knocked me back in my healing.i feel like it is all hitting me all over again.

 

Its just a waiting game is'nt it

 

                            thanks alot  chrissy xx

 

You're welcome Chrissy.  I hope you get some relief soon.

 

 

Vertigo