expediting our healing - yes, it's possible

[[er...]]

Hey All,

 

Now, after the initial suffering with my taper and after a few months post jump, I do believe there is something we can do to "expedite the process (of healing)".  It's simple, but not easy..

 

  I think most of us have spent loads of money on doctors, supplements, etc.. in an effort to find some kind of a faster way to heal..  I think this is it!

 

 

The book talks about how exercise creates so many beneficial chemicals for our brain, and that exercise grows new brain cells and makes existing cells better.

Basically, it's old fashioned, hard cardio-vascular exercise..!  Most of us have spent loads of money on doctors, supplements, etc.. in an effort to find some kind of short cut to healing - I urge you all to spend about $17 more on a book, called, "Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain" by Dr. John Ratey (a harvard psychiatrist)..

It has case studies, and lots of research behind it.. The human body is designed for movement, and movement helps us in all ways.. there is a chemical called BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) that is created by exercise that acts as a "miracle grow" for the brain!  The more exercise we do, the more BDNF is produced - a proven fact.

 

All these chemicals created by exercise make us feel much better and they actually improve our brains.  A proven fact.

 

I've been exercising for 2.5 months now, and I absolutely know it is significantly helping me in all areas.. I think all of us that can do it, definitely owe it to ourselves to try it - it's a game changer.

 

Hope all are as well as possible today! - Eric

 

 

ps: I know this isn't "new" news, but I thought to post this concept again as it can definitely help us in post withdrawal recovery.

 

 

[[be...]]

I have removed the book title. Promotion of goods or services for sale is against forum guidelines. Also, what works for one does not always work for another.  I am glad it has worked for you.

[[Ni...]]

I have the book just haven't read it yet.  Will try to!

[[er...]]

I have removed the book title. Promotion of goods or services for sale is against forum guidelines. Also, what works for one does not always work for another.  I am glad it has worked for you.

 

The "removal" of the book title, ended up butchering my writing..  Wish I was making a commission on the book, it's a national bestseller!  Anyway, this whole concept is a big winner and I think it offers a lot of hope for all of us suffering from benzo w/d..

 

btw, I think it's safe to say that exercise is good for any living organism (unless of course we have a heart condition)

[[fe...]]

Thanks eric, I needed to read this today. I knew exercise produces endorphins. If it helps my brain power I'll try it. I have arthritis in my knees which hurts when I walk or run. I'm going to either join a gym or a swim membership..ferggie

[[Er...]]

I like to direct people to this thread about exercise which is awesome to read all the way through: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=77609.0

 

In short, exercise if you can.  If you can do strenuous exercise without significant sxs, do it.  If you can't do strenuous exercise, anything helps.

[[1w...]]

Agoraphobia has kept me from it.  Never was afraid to go to the gym before.  To exercise one must even have a level of health...

[[Kl...]]

Right now if I exercise its like my body and mind feel like I'm back in acute withdrawals (heart racing, sweating, muscle twitches). It's weird how my brain goes back to that just because some of the physical symptoms are the same.

[[si...]]

Yep,Exercise intolerance is a real wd symptom of benzo wd. a lot of people get extreme anxiety from exercise or it revs up their symptom while in withdrawal. Even people that have exercised prior to coming off benzos.

I would say, that exercise is good during wd even if it is just walking to the mail box.

 

[[Ti...]]

Agoraphobia has kept me from it.  Never was afraid to go to the gym before.  To exercise one must even have a level of health...

 

THIS.    This is exactly right.  Could not have said it better.

[[Er...]]

Agoraphobia has kept me from it.  Never was afraid to go to the gym before.  To exercise one must even have a level of health...

 

If it's only the agoraphobia that keeps you from it, it's not a good excuse.  You can do all kinds of stuff in your house.  if it is other sxs, then I understand.  good luck!

[[Er...]]

Yep,Exercise intolerance is a real wd symptom of benzo wd. a lot of people get extreme anxiety from exercise or it revs up their symptom while in withdrawal. Even people that have exercised prior to coming off benzos.

I would say, that exercise is good during wd even if it is just walking to the mail box.

 

Very true.  I worked out prior to benzos and LOVED dead lifts.  Now I can't do them because they totally throw me into a wave.  Way to taxing on my CNS.  I do what I can 

[[1w...]]

Agoraphobia has kept me from it.  Never was afraid to go to the gym before.  To exercise one must even have a level of health...

 

If it's only the agoraphobia that keeps you from it, it's not a good excuse.  You can do all kinds of stuff in your house.  if it is other sxs, then I understand.  good luck!

 

EricSS I have many more sxs but getting out of the house is the biggest.  Terrible head pressure and pain and sinus pain makes it difficult for me to even keep my head up a lot.  Guess I didn't want to wax and wane on my sxs.  I do need to look into what I can do at home...

[[er...]]

For me, for a while (especially during my taper) I felt too terrible to even attempt exercise.. My heart was beating strangely, I felt sick, and I was really dizzy, so I didn't bother with exercise, I don't think I could have done it.. However, there were times after my jump when i just "thought" I felt too badly to exercise, but in hindsight, I probably could've "pushed" my way through each workout, one day at a time. 

 

Yet, finally, a few months after I jumped I began to go to the gym again.  For me, it was key to start slowly, and then work my way up from there, but to always try to "push" myself.  I started by stretching, then by stretching and doing about 5-10 minutes of light cardio, and now I'm up to lots of stretching and doing over 50 minutes of cardio, and I'm sweating like I've never done before!  There's a sign at my gym that says, "sweat is fat crying" - I like that, just like I like the quote from the book, that "exercise is like miracle grow for our brains".

 

I notice my attitude is way better after a work out, and my anxiety is way less!  Also, my legs don't feel so weak / rubbery as they did before and I can move around a lot better now, which also makes me feel better.

 

This book, Spark, talks about all the ways exercise helps us (words on the front cover): "supercharge your mental circuits to beat stress, sharpen your thinking, lift your mood, boost your memory, and much more.."

 

So this is all way more than just "endorphins" being produced - which is what i thought prior to learning about this - the exercise actually grows our brains and helps our nervous system function better.

 

this is the one thing i really believe in to help us heal faster.. then "time".  I see that a lot of people in the "success stories" mention exercise as being a key to their recovery, and I'm sure they're telling their truth.

 

I don't know exactly what I originally posted, however, what's there, is definitely not all of what I wrote, or is it all still in order.. some of it became duplicated..?  the moderator really tweaked it when she was removed the book title, and then put it back.. oh well, i seriously do appreciate all of their hard work in helping us to have this site!

 

- Eric

[[si...]]

I have a life long history in exercise/health and competing. It was the thing that kept me grounded and what I loved in my life. Cardio,lifting, competing in Power lifting, Strongman and Body Building.

So I can tell you that you can not just pull yourself up by the boot straps and exercise your way out of this mess.

People that have exercise intolerance, Find that the more they try to exercise the worse their symptoms get. There is just no silver bullet to this wd except time.

What works for some people does not work for others.

The cns will heal in its own time. We all are doing what we can do and that has to be good enough for now.

I plan on getting back in shape and enjoying cardio and lifting but it's not there yet.

[[Sh...]]

I have a life long history in exercise/health and competing. It was the thing that kept me grounded and what I loved in my life. Cardio,lifting, competing in Power lifting, Strongman and Body Building.

So I can tell you that you can not just pull yourself up by the boot straps and exercise your way out of this mess.

People that have exercise intolerance, Find that the more they try to exercise the worse their symptoms get. There is just no silver bullet to this wd except time.

What works for some people does not work for others.

The cns will heal in its own time. We all are doing what we can do and that has to be good enough for now.

I plan on getting back in shape and enjoying cardio and lifting but it's not there yet.

 

I agree with you Silveralpha.  I too was a lifelong exerciser - cardio, stretches, strength training, yoga.  It was all part of my daily routine. When acute withdrawal hit, there was no way I could continue it.  I had symptoms of POTS where I could barely stand up without fainting.  My BP was fluctuating wildly and I was too dizzy to walk across the room.  I resent the implication that if we don't just power through, we are making excuses.  At about the 1 year mark, I began to exercise again.  But not anywhere to the level I had done before.  Now I walk almost every day and do some stretching, but that's about it.  I will challenge myself when my body tells me I am ready.  That's not now and as you said, that has to be good enough for now.  We will get there again perhaps.

 

She

 

 

[[si...]]

I continue to monitor my ability to exercise again enough to get into shape. I do walk on the weekends.

I also have a very physical job right now. I install and service fitness equipment. Because of wd this has been very hard but necessary in order to pay my bills.

So I am in gyms everyday and I can test where my abilities are.

My point is if exercising was the silver bullet to healing from benzo addiction, I think I would be healed by now and that is far from the truth.

I am a advocate for exercise and believe it should be a huge part of peoples lives to have a healthy rounded life.

But can not shorten or cure for benzo wd symptoms and in some cases it can make them worse.

[[er...]]

I continue to monitor my ability to exercise again enough to get into shape. I do walk on the weekends.

I also have a very physical job right now. I install and service fitness equipment. Because of wd this has been very hard but necessary in order to pay my bills.

So I am in gyms everyday and I can test where my abilities are.

My point is if exercising was the silver bullet to healing from benzo addiction, I think I would be healed by now and that is far from the truth.

I am a advocate for exercise and believe it should be a huge part of peoples lives to have a healthy rounded life.

But can not shorten or cure for benzo wd symptoms and in some cases it can make them worse.

 

Hey, I'm not saying it's a "silver bullet" and exercise is going to magically heal us from the damage benzos have done, but the science is there.. that's why I mentioned the book, so you can see for yourselves.. Exercise does help our brains improve - that's a fact.. and if my brain will 'improve' by adding exercise, then I'd be a fool not to do it. 

 

I for one, have had a helluva lot of cognitive problems from benzo use, and w/d, so if there's something out there that can help my brain, then I'm all for it.. I think it's very useful information - and I'm sure as hell glad I'm using this information, rather than just sit on my hands and hope only time will heal me.  But, of course, our bodies have to be ready for it.. mine wasn't for a long time.. and i'm grateful that it is now!

[[Er...]]

Speaking of stretching, I have 2 foam rollers and love them. I highly recommend them for everyone. I'm fortunate to not have muscle spasms much in WD but for those that do, try one. It's painful at first but they make you feel so good.

[[Kl...]]

I walk even more than I did while on benzos but any cardio gets my heart racing, my stomaching spasming and I feel like I'm in acute withdrawal again.  it's awful as I would love to ride my bike, etc. I can't "push through" it either as when I tried, I ended up so sick.

[[er...]]

I walk even more than I did while on benzos but any cardio gets my heart racing, my stomaching spasming and I feel like I'm in acute withdrawal again.  it's awful as I would love to ride my bike, etc. I can't "push through" it either as when I tried, I ended up so sick.

 

Hey Klonopinupgirl,

 

I hear you.. I looked at your signature, and you did an awesome taper!  To me, that's so impressive.. I tapered off clonazepam, but it took 7 months, and I couldn't really exercise at all till I was 3.5 months after my jump.  My heart was just acting a little funny, I was too dizzy and I felt like crap most of the time.. I guess I listened to my body and started when I felt I could.  I think, maybe I could have started a little earlier, but I'll never know.. My guess, is that it might still be too early for you right now?  I'm sure the "exercise intolerance" will go away pretty soon for you! : )  The book, "spark" is compelling, at least to me.. : )  Thanks for your responses!

[[Re...]]

Agoraphobia has kept me from it.  Never was afraid to go to the gym before.  To exercise one must even have a level of health...

 

You don't need a gym to exercise. I have always done a significant amount excercise from home. Since I have a toddler finding time was hard so I figured why not just workout with my kid around. Bing bang boom problem solved.

 

My two cents on the book,I can't workout because it makes my muscle pain worse. So this book doesn't really apply to my situation. Though I am aware of the benefits it has on the brain,body and mind. So I push myself as much as I can. Which isn't much right now . I think if you can workout then you should workout as much as you can to accelerate the healing process.

 

I was working out 5 days a week till all these muscle symptoms popped up. I did a bike ride every morning and also cardio and weight lifting . Now I can't do shit besides light walking and lifting 6 pound weights. Anything else causes flare ups and even the walking causes muscle pain.

[[Fi...]]

I have removed the book title. Promotion of goods or services for sale is against forum guidelines. Also, what works for one does not always work for another.  I am glad it has worked for you.

 

Nobody can talk about a book here anymore?  Fran of Alwaysfrantastic used to mention this book in every other post!  I read it on her say so and found it amazing.  If nobody can recommend books because books cost money, then doesn't it follow that nobody can mention any kind of supplement or treatment or really anything at all?  Because after all, they all cost money!  Doctors expect to be paid just as writers do.  This is pretty extreme.

[[Sh...]]

Agreed with exercise. However, it's only not that I've been off for a couple of months that I have the motivation to do it and feel better from it. During my taper I tried to do it but I was in such a deep hole I felt there was no point. But yes it's definitely helping NOW.

[[Ex...]]

Exercise is the only way I survived this hell. That and Tea.