B12 Aggravates Benzo symptoms ??? !!!

[[mo...]]

Hi,

I just read this in another post.

I'm taking B12 injections almost daily.

I do have horrible anxiety and depression, and the feeling of wanting to crawl out of my skin - which I of course

attribute to Benzo withdrawal.

I'd like to hear from others about this.

I'll quit taking it if it aggravates the Benzo symptoms !!!!!!!!!

Thanks,

mourningperson

[[cl...]]

well unfortunately mourningperson.  b12 and all b vitamins are well known to amp up symptoms.  i am not an expert on why.  i think it has to do with b vitamis and there "stimulant" effect. i know it's crazy to think that a vitamin can make withdrawal worse than better for you.  but it's pretty well documented.  a lot of things can amp up symptoms and make withdrawal worse.  believe me i've been a victim of several.  and they can really effect your withdrawal success and time line and your experience.  my advice is go all natural.  that's me.  there is a forum dedicated to supplements and wha thas worked and not worked for some individuals.  go check it out.  but yeah i'm pretty sure b vitamins are up there with caffeine for amping up symptoms...sorry    this whole process is enough to drive you bonkers. 

 

ttyl,

click

[[ic...]]

I read about this too, but I have been taking a "Super B-Complex" and extra vitamin C for about 2 weeks now. Maybe it's too soon to tell, but I haven't noticed any changes in how I feel. I also take a huge all organic/natural women's super (there's that "super" again vitamin, but I've always taken that but still no changes. So maybe like everything else, this only happens to some people?

[[mo...]]

Hi Click,

I talked to my doctor today about this issue.

He's a "functional medicine" doctor, and is an M.D., but is into integrative medicine.

He's really knowledgeable about nutrition, vitamins, herbs, etc......

He said that it's true that added B complex, (to the liquid multi that I'm taking), can cause a boost in energy, and manifest, therefore, as anxiety for some people.

 

He did say though, that B12 was o.k. for me to continue.

He said that it would aid in my depression, and mental clarity.

He said that it can give energy, but he didn't feel that it was in the same class as adding the xtra B complex.

 

I do the injections, by the way.......

There are 2-3 different kinds of B12 injectables, and apparently the one I'm on will not aggravate my anxiety.

I ran out the other day, so will be off for a few days until it arrives - then will start again.

It will be good to have the "break", so that I'll be able to better be able to monitor whether or not it's aggravating things.

Thanks for that heads up about the B complex.

I had just ordered it, and had just started taking it - now, no way......

With love,

mp

[[...]]

When I took B vitamins early in my taper I noticed an immediate rev up in my symptoms.  I stopped taking them and I calmed down again.

 

Question though re your dr - he may be knowledgeable about vitamins and herbs, but is he understanding of benzo withdrawal?  I'm not trying to discourage you from seeing him but many medical professionals are truly unaware of the benzo withdrawal process. 

[[cl...]]

 

 

Question though re your dr - he may be knowledgeable about vitamins and herbs, but is he understanding of benzo withdrawal?  I'm not trying to discourage you from seeing him but many medical professionals are truly unaware of the benzo withdrawal process.   

 

my sentiments exactly.  unfortunately 99% of them have no idea of the seriousness of benzo withdrawal.  just keep it in mind.  you need a smooth ride.  has anyone on here benifited from the b vitamins?  do a search.  i'm just saying from my experience and what i have read a lot about on here is it ramping up symptoms.  not sure if there's anything in the ashton manual.  i know there is about n saids and cipro anti biotics.  i'm not to sure about supps.  just be suspect to wah tany doc says "IN REGRDA TO WITHDRAWAL".  i woul nver suggest to dissmiss it of course that would be silly but just be suspicious and extremely cautious.

 

click

[[...]]

 

I had a negative experience just taking regular B vitamins....reved up my symptoms bad....this varies from person to person.....but mark me down in the reved up symptoms category...

 

TC

[[mo...]]

I am so fed up and aggravated by what all doctors have to "advise".

I don't know who to believe about what!

I told this doctor about everything I'm going through with the withdrawal, but he still recommended the B12 injection, but to maybe lay off of the multi B supplements.

My taper doctor, who is helping me using the Ashton Protocol, who is the only one I've been able to find in Northern Cal., prescribed St. John's Wort to me. (I have found his name on this site, as someone who was a "life saver")

The other doctor (B vitamins, functional medicine m.d.), told me that he didn't think I should be on St. John's Wort, as Valium is metabolized by the liver (?), and somehow St. John's Wort may cause a contra indication.

The benzo dr. prescribed Phenobarbital, for when I'm truly freaking out.

It only caused me to feel completely drugged out, but still cry my head off, and I researched it and found that it exacerbates depression.

My HMO/OB-GYN dr., the other day, totally put down my functional medicine m.d., for prescribing a "topical, compounded progesterone cream", as I'm in Menopause, and tests showed that my Progesterone levels were very low.

My Estrogen was fine, as I'm on bioidentical Estrogen (Vivelle dot).

She said that she was going to stop prescribing the Estrogen to me, if I pursued the compounded Progesterone cream - which I've read some good things about on the "Alternative therapies" forum.

She said that she wanted me to get on a "normal" progesterone, or the progesterone IUD (Mirena), that the topical, compounded cream wasn't FDA approved (big deal), and there was no proven data to back up it's effectiveness.

I left her office feeling that the functional medicine doctor may not know what he's doing, although he's supposed to be a "specialist" in balancing the hormonal system.

I quite trusting my HMO dr.s, ages ago, but I'm so frail, emotionally, that when she put him down, it shook my faith in him.

So the HMO dr., the "functional medicine dr.", the Ashton taper dr., all say something that opposes each other.

I research on the Internet, but you can find ANYTHING on the net  - pro or con.

I feel so lost, I don't feel I can rely on any medical professional, even my taper dr., who is so overworked, that he never returns my calls - so I'm just left hanging almost all of the time.

I have TONS of vitamins to take, and I can't take that many pills.

I feel like I'm "trying to crawl out of my skin", I can't relax or get comfortable.

I'm in total agony 99% of the time, and nothing seems to help.

I'm taking the Natural Calm powder (Magnesium), and Holy Basil for anxiety.

Tryptophan and Sam-E for depression, and about a zillion other supplements, most of which I've stopped.

I'm in such despair. I cry all the time, I feel so hopeless.

I've been going through trying to get better for 6 years now, (severe depression), and 0 - NOTHING has worked.

I don't know who to believe or trust, and feel like I'm going through a living h##l.

mp

 

[[cl...]]

mouringperson:

 

                      i know all of this is frustrating.  when you take advice form any of us you have to remember that it is in our opinion and what we've experienced.  I am so done with supplements right now.  i do not take any.  i use to be a supplement freak.  i use to be in the gym 5 days a week and took multi vitamin, fish oil, amino acids, glutamine, magnesium, protein powder, anti oxidants and so and so forth.  i am so sensitive to everything that i don't anything anymore.  every supplement id suspect when it comes to benzo withdrawal.  i would stick with Ashton doc.  although a lot of these so called benzo docs"  either only know of the ashton method and use it or have their own method.  it's not like you are working with prof ashton or any of her team or Dr. reg peart or someone who REALLY knows the ins and outs of this game.  if yo u already take sam-e and tryptophan why would you also take st. john's wort.  same and st. john's wort taken in combo can lead so serotonin syndrome can't they.  i would definitely ask my doctor about this asap.  these are very serious supplements.  they have sides of their own. 

 

your also on drugs for your hormones (estrogen) which i have no idea about.  all i do know about is that i have a wicked sore throat and constant cough and earache right now and have for the last several days and i won't even take dayquil, motrin, asprin, robitussin NOTHING.  I don't want anything.  i'm having such a complicated withdrawal/taper i do not want to mess it up with anything.  all i use is cough drops.  if it was strep then i would have to take an anti body but i would be so upset.

 

so when it comes to supps and meds during taper.  the least amount the better.  there is nothing out there that helps.  that is the HUGE problem with benzo withdrawal...it's the worst of any.  all the others they can give you a fist full of other drugs to help you through your withdrawal.  this is bruuutal...especially when complicated like you and i.  it's unfathomable how ridiculous it is.  there is no REAL help for this....just time and patience.  and i can tell you that personally i am wearing very thin!!!

 

take care,

click

[[mo...]]

Hi click,

I'm taking St. John's Wort and Sam-E together, just the Sam-E.

I'm going to just stick to a couple of the supps that help with anxiety, and the Sam-E and tryptophan for depression and sleep.

If I don't get any relief from these, I'll quit them.

I'm so worn out after going on 6 years of severe depression, and now going through the taper.

I want out.....

My only hope is that getting off the benzos will make me better, that's all that's left for me now.

I'm hoping that everyone here is right, and that the benzos had a lot to do with, if not most to do with my worsening depression of the past years.

I just get so hopeless, what if I get off the benzos and I'm still very depressed?

I've tried EVERYTHING - there's nothing left.

I wish I could be more upbeat in my posts, but I'm in total agony, and so worn out.......

Hope you feel better click,

thanks for getting back to me.

Love,

mp

[[mo...]]

Hi click,

I meant to say, I'm NOT taking the Sam E and St. John's Wort together - just the Sam E.

mp

[[cl...]]

don't worry mourning.  we are very sick.  not all of us are out of the woods or having a smooth taper.  we are aloud to vent and be negative.  i try to be upbeat.  bu t when i'm fed up and pissed i vent on here.  so do the same no worries.  this is an awful and very scary situation that we and many others are in.  there are those that have gone through it that come on here and they help with support and care because they know what we are going through and there are the lucky ones that have mild to no sides during their withdrawal. 

 

so different strokes for different strokes.  i am personally very scared, tired , and fell alone when it comes to this withdrawal and gettin g no help from docs or anyone.  so that's why BB helps me.  i hope it helps you as well.  so lets make sure i got this straight you are NOT taking same-e and st. john's wort together correct.  if you ever do decide to ask your doc and be aware of serotonin syndrome...google it if your not sure what it is.  it's basically when you are taking two differerent drugs that both act on serotonin.  just in case it slips a docs mind or their unaware of that.  that seems to happen a lot hunh?? 

 

be safe,

click

[[mo...]]

Hi Click,

I'm definitely not on both together - just the Sam e.

Finding Benzo Buddies has been very, very helpful for me.

I really thought I was all alone in this.

I also had no idea that there was a possibility that the benzos might be making my depression severe.

 

Now I know that tons of people are going through the same thing.

It's so sad, I try to say prayers for all of us, but my faith is being sorely tried - not just about this, but about everything- all the terrible suffering in the world..

BB is making me feel like there MAY be some hope.

I just don't know how to make it through each day, as I can't even do the simplest task, or have even get a tiny bit of enjoyment - like reading, knitting or watching tv.

They all drive me nuts now!

Thanks for replying to me, and I hope you start feeling better real soon!

I guess, if we can make it through this, we can make it through anything....

With love,

mp