What to expect at year 1 year 2 and year 3

[[Mi...]]

Recovery is VERY individual, remember that, this post is from my personal experience and yours may differ a lot. Some are healed after a few months, some can spend several years healing. But everyone ends up 100% healed. 

 

This is a general summary on what i experienced every 3-6 months over 3 years. Alot of others have had exactly the same experience as me.

 

0-3 months. Was complete hell, don't need to be specific here, you guys know what this means. I had every symptom in the book, plus another 1000. I was on benzo's for 10 years. And i was very stupid and drank alcohol while on benzo's. Big mistake, never do this. I couldn't "think" properly, mind couldn't focus or evern string together a sentance. I felt like a retard.

 

3-6 months. At month 6 I could eat more normal foods again, for 6 months I was only eating fruits/veggies and drinking smoothies due to insane benzo belly. Severe symptoms got 25% better. Other symptoms were messing with me big time, especially nerve pain, all over my body. I still went days and days without sleep at a time. Brain fog is still there.

 

6-12 months. SLEEP! I could finally sleep again, for almost 1 year I couldn't sleep, and when I got sleep it was only 3 hours a night. This is not good for the brain and immune system. Symptoms were now 50% better. Still alot of nerve pain, especially on my head. My vision was getting better, but I still couldn't write and read to much, or watch TV. BRAIN FOG WAS BETTER. The sleep helped the fog go away and I now started playing chess again.

 

12-18 months. A sense of semi-normality was back. I could now sit down again, I could eat more normal food and even go for walks. Exercise a few times a week and emotions were coming back. I laughet for the first time since I wen't off benzo's. I could taste food again. Symptoms were 75& better. Still alot of nerve pain in my hands, head and feet. Eyes were getting better, I could now watch TV again. And I was back at playing chess at a higher lever. Brain fog almost gone.

 

18-24 months. I could see the end. I now knew i had defeated this poison, I won, benzo's lost. The feeling of kicking the ass of this poison was the best feeling I have had in ages. I could start making changes in my life, start making future plans again, exercise 3 times a week, eat healthy normal food. I could now watch tv and movies again, i could laugh and smile again. I still had nerve pain on my hands and head. But the severity was now very reduced. BRAIN FOG GONE FOR GOOD!!! Pain was hit and miss, one day off one day on.

 

24-30 months. I was now sleeping very good, sleep was 100% healed! I started eating different food types again. Exercise 5 (mild) times a week and I was going out with friends again. Anxiety and depression was almost completely gone. Nerve pain was still there but very mild now. I gained alot of much needed muscles and weight. Felt fresh again, I was running and playing chess at a regular basis. I only felt pain 2 days a week.

 

30-36 months. It's over!!!! Nerve pain is gone! Sleep is great, brain fog is completely gone, in fact, I now had a better chess rating than I ever had in my life. I could even eat sushi again. Exercise, playing soccer again, go out and be a human being again! I felt relaxed an calm again. No anxiety and adrenaline rush. Sharp focus, benzo belly completely gone, laughter in my life again, felt normal and strong again, my life was back.

 

Remember, this is very individual, you might manage to be completely healed withing only 1 year, or even months. And if you still feel symptons after 5 years THATS ALSO NORMAL. So don't worry, you're constantly healing. 

My advice is make a benzo diary, follow you're own progression, make notes of the food you eat, what works, what doesn't. Exercise if you can, even if it's for only 5 minutes. Try to laugh and smile when you can. Do puzzles or play chess. Take sensible suppliments that work for you, and most importantly, GET SLEEP! Do everything you can in order to regulate you're sleep.

[[An...]]

Mw:  Thanks for this. I, for one, like to hear how people navigate what is put in front of them.  Somehow, it is encouraging, especially when the final chapter is being healed.  Good post1

[[ed...]]

Thanks Milkyway for this post.  I recognize myself in it !  This confirms my symptoms are not just between my two ears !!!

[[Sa...]]

I appreciate the input. The sad thing about this whole ordeal is the fact it's going to possibly take a year or two to recover. I should be having the time of my life... yet here I am in my early 30's stuck with such horrendous brain fog that I can't socialize with friends because talking is even too difficult.

 

 

[[so...]]

Thank you for your positive and uplifting post, Milkyway.  I hope I soon see some major improvements and can visualize the end of this journey like you did.

 

Sofa

[[Sp...]]

Whats your chess rating out of interest?

[[of...]]

Thanks for taking time to write this.

 

The improvements you noticed in month 12-18 are what I'm noticing now at month thirty. I was on a very high dose so I'm sure that's probably why.

 

Take care

[[Bh...]]

Thank you so much for coming back and posting this for us.  You have no idea how much this means. It gives me so much hope that. 

[[we...]]

Thank you very much for this positve an informative post.We all need to hear that we are healing!Bless your heart!!!wen

[[ve...]]

Hi Milkyway,

 

I just want to say thank you so very much. I really appreciate seeing this timeline.

[[pa...]]

Thank you so much for this uplifting and positive post.  At what point did you see your anxiety start to subside??

[[Mi...]]

Thank you so much for this uplifting and positive post.  At what point did you see your anxiety start to subside??

 

Hi! The anxiety started to go away at around 12 months. I had it for 2 years, but the second year it was very mild and easy to handle. 

[[Mi...]]

Whats your chess rating out of interest?

 

Hi, i'm 1789 ELO. 

[[Mi...]]

I appreciate the input. The sad thing about this whole ordeal is the fact it's going to possibly take a year or two to recover. I should be having the time of my life... yet here I am in my early 30's stuck with such horrendous brain fog that I can't socialize with friends because talking is even too difficult.

 

Hi buddy, I completely understand, that's the exact feeling I had during my recovery. Wasting my life, all of my freinds were traveling, going out, having fun, living life. While I was home in my bed being sick, I hated it. But let me tell you, I wouldn't chance anything even if I could, this experience has completely changed me, for the better. So my advice is this, use these years of recovery wisely. Reflect on you're own life, imporve yourself in any way possible. Read, write, think, make plans. Life isn't over at 35. In fact, i'm just starting out on my new life, and I love it! It's a new chapter, new beginning, fresh start. You'll have you're life back buddy, how you start you're new life is up to you

[[Mi...]]

Thank you for your positive and uplifting post, Milkyway.  I hope I soon see some major improvements and can visualize the end of this journey like you did.

 

Sofa

 

Hey Sofa! I'm sure this christmas will be pretty awesome for you  And next year you'll be on track to getting 100% healed!

[[Mi...]]

Thanks for taking time to write this.

 

The improvements you noticed in month 12-18 are what I'm noticing now at month thirty. I was on a very high dose so I'm sure that's probably why.

 

Take care

 

Hi! Yes, it's very very normal for some symptoms to linger on, i'm sure you'll be 100% healed next year  The high doses might prolong the symptoms yes.

[[Sp...]]

Is that a Fide rating? How long did it take you to get that?

[[Mi...]]

Thank you so much for coming back and posting this for us.  You have no idea how much this means. It gives me so much hope that. 

 

Hey! I'm just glad I could help, even just a little bit 

[[Mi...]]

Is that a Fide rating? How long did it take you to get that?

 

Yes, FIDE rating. Hmm it took me around 10 years. But if you're good enough you can reach that rating withing a few years. Even months if you'e a chess maestro. 

[[Sp...]]

I have been playing about a year. I am about 1200 Fide, lol. I practice most days and my end goal is to get to about 1800. I dont mind if it takes me 10 years to get there.

[[Mi...]]

I have been playing about a year. I am about 1200 Fide, lol. I practice most days and my end goal is to get to about 1800. I dont mind if it takes me 10 years to get there.

 

Hey, that's impressive! 1200 is pretty good for just one year, i'm sure you'll reach 1800 alot faster than I did 

[[Ja...]]

Milky Way

Did u have Akathesia where you were pacing and couldn't sit down etc? You seem so strong I envy your attitude

[[sl...]]

Thanks for sharing your experience!  Could you elaborate a bit more on your sleep?  At what month did it get to a point where you felt like it was "good enough"?

 

Did you ever have cardiovascular issues?  My pulse is constantly around 90 at rest, and now I'm having chest pains.  I'm 14 months off and I thought this would have improved by now!

[[Mi...]]

Milky Way

Did u have Akathesia where you were pacing and couldn't sit down etc? You seem so strong I envy your attitude

 

Yes, this was my first symptom, was horrible and I had it for 1 year. I literally couldn't sit down, was walking around non stop. But this went away at around 12 months. Also my pulse was high all the time, this lasted for about 14 months. Don't worry, all of this will go away.

[[Mi...]]

Thanks for sharing your experience!  Could you elaborate a bit more on your sleep?  At what month did it get to a point where you felt like it was "good enough"?

 

Did you ever have cardiovascular issues?  My pulse is constantly around 90 at rest, and now I'm having chest pains.  I'm 14 months off and I thought this would have improved by now!

 

Hi, yes my pulse was high almost all the time, our body doesn't know how to relax during withdrawal, I also was really hot all the time, felt like a fever, but it wasn't. As our body regulates this will go away. I also had chest pain and even cramps, I was scared I was having a heart attack, but don't worry, its not.

After about 12 months I could sleep again, deep sleep, but only for about 2-3 hours. After about 16 months I was sleeping longer and longer, and after 2 years I was sleeping good almost every day. I had issues sleeping even before i touched a benzo so i'm used to this. I used anti histamines during witdrawal for sleep, they really work and are safe and non addictive, talk to you're doctor about them. The thing that last the longest is pain, chest, head and belly pains. But after 3 years, all of my pains were gone. Good luck