Post Benzo Freedom Withdrawal Support Group

[[Te...]]

Hello Buddies

 

 

 

Benzo Free!  Benzo Free! Benzo Free!

 

Yipee Yipee!!!

 

 

 

Teakettle

[[ca...]]

Yay Missy!!! Benzo free!  :yippee:

[[Mi...]]

Y'all crack me up!

 

Yes, 10-10-10, I'll call it my hat trick to benzo freedom.

[[ve...]]

Sometimes we need a few tricks up our sleeves to make it to benzo freedom

 

Quick update.  I cut my statin dose in half yesterday (pravastatin) from 20mg to 10mg.  After losing some weight, my cholesterol is undoubtedly improved.  Maybe it will help to reduce the statin to help with my remaining symptom, afternoon fatigue.  I will taper off prilosec after the holidays too, another pill that may be impacting my general energy levels. 

 

Verti

[[Mi...]]

How are you doing with the statin reduction, V?

[[mi...]]

hang in there

[[ve...]]

Hi Missy.  It's only been a couple days.  I think it will be at least a week or two before I notice any changes in energy levels.  Still on the antibiotic and probiotic for another week, virus/laryngitis seems to be gone.  Hopefully cutting the statin will improve things.  We'll see.  Thanks for asking .  How are you doing at a week post benzo freedom?

 

Best,

 

Vertigo (no more)

[[Re...]]

Hey Verti & All,

 

I'm throwing out 95% in the feel good department!  I am almost at 100%.  Im beginning to sleep like my old self again after 14 months of horrible insomnia (averaging 6-8 hours of sleep each night), and other then the insomnia, my only remaining, long time symptom is tinnitus; I have high hopes that this one will ultimately leave as well.  Life is oh sooo grand!

 

Continue to stay the course BB family!

[[le...]]

Retire...THANK YOU for coming by with such great news...that at 14 months off you are feeling close to 100%!  I am so happy for you!  You have been so great at encouraging all of us that are coming along behind you.  I am at 11 months...and would be SO happy with even 75-80%.  It is folks like you that help all of the buddies to "stay the course".

 

:smitten:Leena

[[Mi...]]

Thanks so much for sharing that, Retire!  It's very encouraging!

[[Mi...]]

V - I'm doing okay.  Had a rough day yesterday, but I think it's because I overdid it on Friday, plus I drank some hot cocoa.

 

Feeling better today, though.

[[Mi...]]

Today the right side of my body is cold, while the left side is warm.

 

That's a little odd.  Anyone else experience this post benzo?http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m575/maxmoo/Funny%20Pics/Smileys/pumpkin2.gif

[[ve...]]

Hi Missy.  Glad you're feeling better today.  Not sure about the temp changes on one side of the body.  Maybe somebody else can offer more feedback.

 

Best,

 

V

[[BY...]]

Hi Missy,

 

Yes, had the temp changes from side to side also. Even had that where it was from the waist down being cold, while the waist up was hot.

It's very strange for sure.

 

Mike

[[Mi...]]

Hi Missy,

 

Even had that where it was from the waist down being cold, while the waist up was hot.

 

Thanks, Mike!  I have this too and yes it is very strange.

 

Oh well....things could be worse so I'll take what I have

[[ve...]]

Hope all you post benzo buddies are doing well.  Haven't heard from some of you in a while.  I'll take it as a sign that things are improving. 

 

Still struggling with pretty much one symptom at 11 months off, fatigue.  It varies from day to day and mostly is in the afternoon.  I did have a virus/sinus infection the last couple weeks so that made things worse.  I just finished a 10 day course of antibiotics along with a probiotic.  Last week I cut my statin medication in half from 20mg to 10mg after losing about 18 pounds the last two months.  I have noticed an improvement in libido drive and maybe some improvement in energy, the jury is still out.  Will get my blood retested in two weeks, right around my 1 year post benzo anniversary . 

 

Have a great weekend all,

 

 

Vertigo (no more)

 

 

[[pa...]]

Hi V and all the rest!

V, I sent you a PM yesterday with an update on my condition. I wish I could say that things were improving, but alas, the tingling and burning sensations in my legs continue... The free clinic I went to a couple of weeks ago gave me a copy of the bloodwork done and I scored high marks there. I am starting to think that whatever pain this is, it has got to be some kind of neuropathy that has developed. I don't wish to make an appointment with my regular doctor until my part time insurance kicks in. So, here I wait...

Congradts on being 11 months free! I became 8 months free on Oct 19!

I may be turning a corner on this latest bout of depression that has been dogging me the last 2 months. Like you, I do have bouts of fatigue that hit especially on those late working nights when I don't get enough sleep.

I don't have too much else to report besides this. Still at an impass with the nerve problem in the legs. Hopefully this will improve.

Other than that, things are going well and I'm looking forward to celebrating the approaching Holliday seasons.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

[[ve...]]

Hey Pange.  Good to see you back.  Sorry to read about your setback with neuropathy and tingling.  Did you ever talk with your doctor about a baby aspirin to maybe prevent clots... You can try calling the doctor even if you can't afford to see him now.  You'll probably get a call from his nurse, but maybe that would be helpful.  I hope you are turning the corner with the depression. It could also be that you're exhausted from a longer work week and less sleep.  Hope you get some rest this weekend.  I also sent you a PM.  I posted an update on my blog as to your questions.

 

Best wishes,

 

Verti

[[pa...]]

Hi V!

I'm waiting for a call back from the doctor's office, so I can discuss the baby aspirin with him then. In the meantime, I have started taking 1 a day. My mom has also taken a baby aspirin a day for many years and she says that this has helped with her ankle swelling. I have a bottle of this in the medicine cupboard with 81mg strength.

Yesterday, when I left the cahtroom, I got a call from a friend of ours (a doctor) who agreed to let me come by their house so she could exam my legs. Also, she asked me many questions about my symptoms. She has ruled out, additional circulation issues, and nueropathy. She saw NO evidence of swelling.

She does think that I need to do some conditioning of my legs in order to get back into shape. Excercises she recommends are: walking, stretching and yoga. She said that basically, what is wrong with me is that I was working at a job standing in one spot for many years, also benzo use (which probably caused a lack of motivation to do much), and so my leg muscles are simply out of shape! She did say that I lack some muscle definition above my knees that she would expect to see. Her verdict? Soar muscles that have been strained.

I will continue to take a baby aspirin for now. Also, she recommends me to resume taking the Omega-3s. I have definetely ruled out allergic reactions to that.

You also asked about diosmin. Diosmin is a bioflavonoid which is often times included with vitamin C. Bioflavonoids help to increase blood circulation and help reduce swelling and pooling of fluids. I decided to stop taking that supplement only because I thought I may  have developed an allergy to it. Unfortunatley, the people at the medical center were uninformed as to supplements such as these, so it will be up to me to see how it benifits or reacts with my system.

I go to work this evening and also tomorow. I may be back on the forum in the mourning (as groggy as I may be!)

Hope everyone has a nice week!

[[gi...]]

Hi V(NM),

 

Thought I'd check in with you; I haven't been around much lately. I've been traveling a lot and I'm also getting burned out on what seems to be a daily grind around here.

 

I'm still operating at about 80% cognitively with my standard 5 chronic symptoms hanging around, trying to get the best of me.  I'm in the process of buying a business and the stress has caused an upswing in symptom intensity. My drumming/burning back is worse, my mouth is burning again like crazy and I also have hives again so I'm walking around itching all the time. Nothing seems to help it; it's all nerves.  Sleep ... good sleep for me is 2 solid hours followed by 5 hours of "drift". Lately, though, sleep has been 1 hour, max, of solid sleep followed by constant tossing, like I'm on a rotisserie! I'm so exhausted that today I actually passed out cold for 45 minutes - I didn't even know I was falling asleep - then I woke up, went to the couch, and passed out for another 45 minutes! This is the best sleep I've had in months. Too bad it was in the afternoon; I bet I won't be able to fall asleep tonight!

 

I'm very, very concerned that I won't be able to handle the business due to my limited cognitive abilities. I'm trying to psyche myself up, that I can do it, that I'm fine, but even reading a simple contract makes me stop down. I just go blank, it's like I can't see the words on the page in front of me.I have no comprehension whatsoever. Hubby can help but we're going to be apart for months so I really need to be able to rely on myself.

 

Ah, the joys of PWS...

 

22 months.... jeeze.

 

I'm happy you're down to one symptom but it's a drag it's fatigue. I've read of several people who've ended up with chronic fatigue syndrome.

 

I hope you stay well!!

 

ginger

 

[[...]]

Hello all,

It's been a long time since I posted on this thread. I see that i can judge my 'condition' by how often i check in to BB, or post something. I've seen  and 'talked ' with some of you on my blog recently...

After a very encouraging summer, almost 5 months of decent sleep, and very manageable anxiety (ocd) October has been a cruel month. My girlfriend says I'm always like this in the fall and she's right; only now, much more so. I wonder if others are suffering from end of summer, beginning of winter change / blues?

My last symptom is a return to of my pre benzo condition of 'sleep anxiety' = usually getting hit right before bed time. The difference is now , unlike 5 years ago, it is brought on by small incidents - or sometimes by nothing tangible at all. The biggest thing is the doubting that it is actually still caused by benzo wd, though every instinct in my body says it is. There is a general perception that only a very few people will have sx a year after stopping - ( I'm at the 11 month mark) - yet just this morning i found this in a British medical Journal, based on a 1985 study:

 

Success rates

....Though drop out rates from withdrawal

programmes are high when withdrawal is relatively

abrupt, on gradual withdrawal regimens almost all

(88-100%) volunteers are successful in stopping their

benzodiazepine intake. Roughly one third of these

patients are free of problems after withdrawal. Of the

remaining patients, about half tend to respond to antidepressants,

but many may return to using benzodiazepines.

Complete recovery is slow, and patients are likely

to have symptoms for a year or more.'

 

I find it reassuring that my experience is validated by research; Yet most MDs out there say it can't last more than a few weeks/ months.

[[gi...]]

Bill -  Sorry to see you're still not 100% but that seems to often be the case.  Studies show that roughly 15% of bz w/d sufferers go into protracted w/d, or develop Post Withdrawal Syndrome. (I think I found that in ashton.)  Through my own estimation I've determined that to be about 2 million people in the US alone.  I wouldn't call that "small"!

 

 

This is from Toxicity, Cognitive Impairment, Long-Term Damage & The Post Withdrawal Syndrome, by Dr R F Peart BSc, PhD, December 2000

 

"(This is a) selection of extracts from representative and key papers on cognitive impairment, long-term damage and the post withdrawal syndrome..

...In general much of the impairment is slowly reversible. Some aspects show improvement after six years, some are semi-permanent or permanent.

...Borg  S. (1987)  Sedative  Hypnotic  Dependence:  Neuropsychological Changes and Clinical Course. Nord. Psyhiatr. Tidsskr., 41, Suppl.15,17-19:  "Neuropsychological impairment present in patients, independent of abuse,  dependence or non-dependence. Impairment still present after abstinence of 1, 4 and 6 years. "

...Bergman H. et al. (1989) Dependence on Sedative Hypnotics, Neuro-Psychological Impairment, Field Dependence and Clinical Course in a 5 yr Follow Up Study. Br. J. Addiction, 84, 547-553: "Cerebral disorders present 4-6  years after drug discontinuation  - permanent? CT scans show dilation of ventricular system in brain."

 

The studies have established that the PWS is:

•        linked with biological abnormalities - up to 3.5years

•        Linked with permanent changes to the central nervous system.

 

(end extract)

 

 

then there's this...

 

Ashton H. (1987) Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Outcome in 50 Patients. Br. J. Addiction, 82, 665-71. Patients assessed from 10 - 42 months after withdrawal. 48% had slight symptoms, 22% had moderate symptoms,16% had severe symptoms interfering with life, 6% were polysymptomatic and on other medication, 8% had relapsed on benzodiazepines.

 

 

 

I hope this helps.  For me, accepting that I could very well be like this for the rest of my life helps me cope. It's better than walking around, wringing my hands and saying "when? When will this be over?"  At least I'm operating at 80%. It sucks that I'm not 100% but I could be worse!

 

Hang in there,

 

ginger

[[...]]

Ginger,

Wow. I don't know how I missed those numbers from Ashton. Maybe i didn't want to think , when i was getting off the stuff, that almost a year later I'd still be other than I want to be....! If i read those numbers right, out of 50 patients, every one had at least some symptoms, and half of those folks were  suffering either moderately , or worse...

Amazing how educated I am getting on this stuff. My acupuncturist wants me to write a book. Maybe we could all write one, collectively. Actually i guess that's what this site is.

I see the amazing stuff you are doing; I think it's fantastic. I can relate , I think, to what some of your struggles must be. You are very courageous.

Bill

[[gi...]]

I found this paper a few months after my last dose, when I was in the thick of it. It definitely made me cry!  I never thought I'd be one of the ones that are on the tail end of those studies, though. I thought for sure that at 12 months a little switch would click off and I'd be normal. Then I thought that again at 18 months. Now... well, based on what the other "old timers" around here are reporting, I shouldn't have my heart set on the 2-year mark, either.

 

I'm doing amazing stuff?    Courageous??    Moi??    The way I see it, I can sit around and "wait" or I can "live" - whatever that means.

Keep up the good fight!

g

[[ve...]]

Hey Bill, Ginger and the rest.  Since I was never feeling more than about 90-95% "pre benzos", my expectation post benzos is not 100% anyway .  I'm aiming for a range fo 95-98% 90% of the time, if that makes any sense.  The important thing is that both of you have made much steady progress over the last year or so as have I.  I will be posting my one year update in about 2 weeks. 

 

Bill, I also have some blues around change of summer to Fall.  It's interesting since I generally have found Fall to be my favorite season of the year, yet I do get hit with some blues every year.  I have a friend who is bipolar and inevitably goes into a down cycle end of September to early October annually.  I've also had anxiety in the mornings but no more than before benzos and manageable like you said Bill.

 

Ginger, I hope you will continue to heal and get improved sleep.  I forget whether you are still tapering one more medication?  Perhaps once completely free of medications, you will see even more progress.  I still have to taper prilosec which I'm not looking forward to but I know may impact things since the gut is very sensitive to all of it.

 

Pangelingua.  Always good to see an update and hear from you.  Glad that your doctor has indicated your leg situation is not too serious.  I hope the fish oil and baby aspirin will help and that you will also soon finish your last taper as well.

 

Best wishes,

 

Verti