What to expect at year 1 year 2 and year 3

[[sl...]]

Thanks Milky Way 

[[Ja...]]

Milky Way you are a rock starrrr

How did u deal w Akathesia for a whole year without going into a psych ward?!!

[[Mi...]]

Milky Way you are a rock starrrr

How did u deal w Akathesia for a whole year without going into a psych ward?!!

 

Thanks!  I almost did, I was offered a 6 months stay at a rehab clinic with psychiatrists and doctors. But I declined, i'm not the type. I wanted to do this my own way. I knew the clinic would just depress me even more and they would just stuff me full of other drugs. I found some solutions at home, like squatting. That helped, and also i'm a former athlete, so I did ALOT of exercises to wear my body out, so that I could lay down for a few minutes a day. Also taking ice cold showers helped stop the constant movement.

[[sl...]]

Hey Milky Way,

 

You don't have a signature.  Would you mind sharing with us when your jump date off meds was?  Just curious!

[[Ma...]]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I needed that today...

I should note down how I feel in every new month, but I stopped that. I did that the last 5-6 years and finally was so done with it... but I am wondering if it would help..

[[Mi...]]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I needed that today...

I should note down how I feel in every new month, but I stopped that. I did that the last 5-6 years and finally was so done with it... but I am wondering if it would help..

 

Hi! Thanks  Yes thats wise, also write down what you eat and drink. So you know what helps and what doesn't help. Some foods/suppliments help, but some also triggers pain and anxiety.

[[Ma...]]

Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. I needed that today...

I should note down how I feel in every new month, but I stopped that. I did that the last 5-6 years and finally was so done with it... but I am wondering if it would help..

 

Hi! Thanks  Yes thats wise, also write down what you eat and drink. So you know what helps and what doesn't help. Some foods/suppliments help, but some also triggers pain and anxiety.

 

I will do that! thank you

[[Mi...]]

Hey Milky Way,

 

You don't have a signature.  Would you mind sharing with us when your jump date off meds was?  Just curious!

 

Hi! I jumped off cold turkey. Not a smart choice, tapering is the best way to go, but at the time I just wanted the poision out of my body.

[[sl...]]

Actually, I was wondering what date you quit?  Just trying to figure out if you are well beyond 2-3 years off.

 

Yes, cold turkey is not smart.

 

Thanks!

[[Ph...]]

Milkyway, thank you so much for writing this.  Just excellent!  I will print it out and share it with my wife, who thought my battle would end when I jumped, when it fact it may only be beginning.

[[He...]]

Thank you so much for the post!  Going through a rough time right now!

[[Kg...]]

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.

 

Did you notice all of a sudden that your symptoms were improving? Is there anyone that you know of that has healed that just one day they woke up and their symptoms were gone? I am 33 months out and still can't remember what I did 5 'inured or even 5 seconds ago. I am hoping three years is the mark for recovery but I have been very depressed and feeling like there is no improvements in symptoms if anything getting worse. I just started a new job and feel like an idiot trying to learn all of this new information. 😜 Please tell me that there have been people that have healed that all of a sudden they wake up one day and are completely normal again?

[[Mi...]]

Actually, I was wondering what date you quit?  Just trying to figure out if you are well beyond 2-3 years off.

 

Yes, cold turkey is not smart.

 

Thanks!

 

It's been 4 years now, at year 3 I was 100% healed  And so will you.

[[Mi...]]

Milkyway, thank you so much for writing this.  Just excellent!  I will print it out and share it with my wife, who thought my battle would end when I jumped, when it fact it may only be beginning.

 

 

Hi buddy, i'm glad I could be of some help  Quitting this poision is the perfect chance to start you're new life. Hit the reset button and just focus on you're healing, diet and becoming a better man.

[[Mi...]]

 

Did you notice all of a sudden that your symptoms were improving? Is there anyone that you know of that has healed that just one day they woke up and their symptoms were gone? I am 33 months out and still can't remember what I did 5 'inured or even 5 seconds ago. I am hoping three years is the mark for recovery but I have been very depressed and feeling like there is no improvements in symptoms if anything getting worse. I just started a new job and feel like an idiot trying to learn all of this new information. 😜 Please tell me that there have been people that have healed that all of a sudden they wake up one day and are completely normal again?

 

Hi! No, there was no miracle transistion, but at around 12 months I suddenly had a whole week of almost no symptoms. It was amazing! I though I was healed, but the symptoms returned again. It's like a yoyo, up and down all the time. Even at year 3 there was alot of ups and downs, so don't worry. Eventually all of the symptoms will go away. It takes some people 5 years or more. Focus on eating right and taking care of you're symptoms as best as possible. They will all be gone within 24 months I think. You brain need time to re-boot, don't do too much too fast ok. Tell you're boss about you're situation.

[[sl...]]

Thanks for clarifying! 

[[ve...]]

Hi Milkyway,

 

Need some support if you're still around. Tomorrow is 9 months since my cold turkey jump. Haven't even gotten a window yet. Cannot read or learn whatsoever.

 

Started my dream career 9 months ago as well and I'm about to lose it all due to poor performance because I simply cannot cognize. I am quite literally retarded. I almost can't even form thoughts... let alone trying to understand and comprehend someone elses.

 

I have had no windows or days of relief either since the whole thing began. I only know of "windows" from what I've read here... haven't been so fortunate as to experience a single one.

 

Were you working at all during this time? I work in a high level professional career, 10+ hrs a day, 5 days a week. If not, when did you return to work? Do you read books at all? Or just internet articles and this sort of thing? If so, how long until you could sit down and read a book again? I am an avid reader (my library nears 1000 titles currently) and fear I've permanently lost my ability to read fairly complex and complicated books... it's a struggle beyond belief to comprehend a sentence, a paragraph, an article, let alone anything beyond that. To have lost one of my truest of true loves in life (reading) is devastating to me beyond words. All I can do is sit here weeping, looking at the shelves of books which line this apartment and thinking about just how fucked I might be.

 

Really doing my best to stay strong but I'm coming undone tonight. Struggling very badly here Please keep me in your thoughts everyone...I need it :(

[[Mi...]]

Hi Milkyway,

 

Need some support if you're still around. Tomorrow is 9 months since my cold turkey jump. Haven't even gotten a window yet. Cannot read or learn whatsoever.

 

Started my dream career 9 months ago as well and I'm about to lose it all due to poor performance because I simply cannot cognize. I am quite literally retarded. I almost can't even form thoughts... let alone trying to understand and comprehend someone elses.

 

I have had no windows or days of relief either since the whole thing began. I only know of "windows" from what I've read here... haven't been so fortunate as to experience a single one.

 

Were you working at all during this time? I work in a high level professional career, 10+ hrs a day, 5 days a week. If not, when did you return to work? Do you read books at all? Or just internet articles and this sort of thing? If so, how long until you could sit down and read a book again? I am an avid reader (my library nears 1000 titles currently) and fear I've permanently lost my ability to read fairly complex and complicated books... it's a struggle beyond belief to comprehend a sentence, a paragraph, an article, let alone anything beyond that. To have lost one of my truest of true loves in life (reading) is devastating to me beyond words. All I can do is sit here weeping, looking at the shelves of books which line this apartment and thinking about just how fucked I might be.

 

Really doing my best to stay strong but I'm coming undone tonight. Struggling very badly here Please keep me in your thoughts everyone...I need it :(

 

Hi Verax, you're certainly not retarded. I know people that have top executive jobs that can't write a sentance as good as you. So don't even worry about that.

During our healing the central nervous system is in shock and trying to recover. Healing takes alot of time, you shouldn't be focusing on learning new things at this time. Just healing. I felt like a retard for a very long time myself. Couldn't write, read or even form a thought. And it took me 2 years to get back to the point where my CNS got back to normal. I didn't work the first year at all. Not until year 2. I also love books and reading, i'm also a writer and couldn't write anything for a long time. At 9 months I couldn't even read or write a sentance, so you're way way ahead of me in terms of healing, this can only mean one thing. Soon you'll be 100% healed. I'm guessing 2 years and you're 100% back to normal. Give it time buddy, don't do too much too fast, and focus on eating right.