New to this..withdrawal symptoms, Ativan? Scared....

[Guest [...]]

Hi everyone. I am a new member as of today. And I am scared! I will be as brief as possible...

In July this past year after some health issues with my back and personal issues, complete with muscle twitches in legs, head, and arms. I had sort of what I categorize as a breakdown of sorts. My then physician tried me on zoloft, and I reacted badly. Then because I wasn't sleeping at all trazadone, which was the same, bad. I was placed on generic Ativan, at .5 to 1 mg a day as needed for anxiety. I take it only as prescribed. I never thought of a possibility of dependency until a few days ago. I had noticed that about mid afternoon if I took a dose in the night that I would get uptight and crying, almost on a daily basis. A few weeks ago, I didn't take it for a few days and my anxiety jumped through the roof, my twitches went through the roof, and my arms and legs would "jump." My body on two occasions felt locked up. I went to my doctor who after all the tests I have went through also did an MRI of my brain. Nothing. Fast forward to now. I haven't taken any Ativan since the morning before yesterday. Yesterday the twitches and anxiety returned, almost to a panic. I am so scared...I never have drank alcohol or used any drugs before. What if I have developed a dependence? Does this sound like it to anyone, even though I only used it as prescribed, since this past early July..about 5 days a week on average? The muscle twitches, jerks, headaches, stomach aches, increased anxiety...withdrawal?? Like I said, at 39 years old, I have never drank alcohol, used drugs, or misused medications...and I am scared! I so want to be a good wife and mom, and certainly don't want to be a slave to this of fear. I want my life back!!! Thank you, and blessings!

[[ne...]]

Welcome,

 

You found a place of hope.

 

Be aware that you are in a place now where any story may upset you or induce fear.

You are in a healing process and you will get better.

Just because you read a symptom doesn't mean you will have it any more than reading about tattoos will one show up on you.

 

Your journey will be your own, your own story as unique as your own DNA.

 

I was in incredible fear from all the information / symptoms on this site.

I went looking for knowledge and science.

 

I found the following and it took so much fear out of this process.

 

I hope you find comfort and power in the following:

 

What is happening to us:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0

 

Layman's Guide

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=77803.msg1026651#msg1026651

[Guest [...]]

Thank you for sharing this with me! It sure kind of helps me to understand a little better! I guess just the thought scares me, and I wonder what I have unknowingly done to myself. Thank you for replying to me. It gives me some comfort!

[[ne...]]

Glad to help.  Those links gave me a lot of hope when all tests and doctors had no answers.

[[be...]]

Hi everyone. I am a new member as of today. And I am scared! I will be as brief as possible...

In July this past year after some health issues with my back and personal issues, complete with muscle twitches in legs, head, and arms. I had sort of what I categorize as a breakdown of sorts. My then physician tried me on zoloft, and I reacted badly. Then because I wasn't sleeping at all trazadone, which was the same, bad. I was placed on generic Ativan, at .5 to 1 mg a day as needed for anxiety. I take it only as prescribed. I never thought of a possibility of dependency until a few days ago. I had noticed that about mid afternoon if I took a dose in the night that I would get uptight and crying, almost on a daily basis. A few weeks ago, I didn't take it for a few days and my anxiety jumped through the roof, my twitches went through the roof, and my arms and legs would "jump." My body on two occasions felt locked up. I went to my doctor who after all the tests I have went through also did an MRI of my brain. Nothing. Fast forward to now. I haven't taken any Ativan since the morning before yesterday. Yesterday the twitches and anxiety returned, almost to a panic. I am so scared...I never have drank alcohol or used any drugs before. What if I have developed a dependence? Does this sound like it to anyone, even though I only used it as prescribed, since this past early July..about 5 days a week on average? The muscle twitches, jerks, headaches, stomach aches, increased anxiety...withdrawal?? Like I said, at 39 years old, I have never drank alcohol, used drugs, or misused medications...and I am scared! I so want to be a good wife and mom, and certainly don't want to be a slave to this of fear. I want my life back!!! Thank you, and blessings!

 

They really are meant to take for several weeks or less for a variety of reasons. One is that a dependency can develop in as little as two weeks. Also taken past that they need to be tapered. All of the symptoms you describe are classic withdrawal symptoms. Right now you are in the acute phase of withdrawal. This is when symptoms are their very worst. During this time symptoms can be severe. The acute phase lasts about a month on average with some marked improvement felt after.  You will get your life back.

[Guest [...]]

Thanks so much for replying! It gave me the momentary boost of encouragement and comfort that I need!! Good thing is that I go to my doctor early next week and hopefully we can come to terms on a plan. If not...looks like it might be one on my own and visiting here quite a bit. Thank you for also letting me know that I am not losing my mind and these may well be withdraw. I now at least have a basis! Thank you, thank you!

[[Da...]]

Hi Pumpkin2005. Yes you are starting this process. It is a different road for each person. You are in acute still and that is rough. You will heal. Post here as much as you want to get advice and understanding from people. It is hard to actually get that outside of here.

[Guest [...]]

Davis1

Oh yes,  finding that out real quick. I guess that no matter how much someone might think that they do, they don't. I am finding that each walk is our own.  I feel comfortable here.

[[no...]]

Dependency developed extremely fast with benzos, even at prescribed doses. Most people here aren't addicts, only caught up in benzos through their doctors. Your body will develop a dependency if the time you have the chemical in your system is higher than the time it hasn't been. And if you have taken it daily, it's been in your blood daily and your body will start to change to accommodate the depressed cns. And then, once you stop, it hasn't been producing the chemicals that normally regulate stress/anxiety/ and your central nervous system, so it takes time to get back to a balanced state of normalcy. You were taking a relatively low dose over a short period of time. Symptoms should start to ween within the next week, and then hopefully will go away all together. Don't scare yourself, most of the population generally has no problems long term after stopping. Just a brief acute period. There are some people that have longer withdraw, but you can't compare yourself to them. Every persons withdrawal is different. You may be fine in a couple days. Don't count your chickens yet wish you the best

[Guest [Cl...]]

Hi everyone. I am a new member as of today. And I am scared! I will be as brief as possible...

In July this past year after some health issues with my back and personal issues, complete with muscle twitches in legs, head, and arms. I had sort of what I categorize as a breakdown of sorts. My then physician tried me on zoloft, and I reacted badly. Then because I wasn't sleeping at all trazadone, which was the same, bad. I was placed on generic Ativan, at .5 to 1 mg a day as needed for anxiety. I take it only as prescribed. I never thought of a possibility of dependency until a few days ago. I had noticed that about mid afternoon if I took a dose in the night that I would get uptight and crying, almost on a daily basis. A few weeks ago, I didn't take it for a few days and my anxiety jumped through the roof, my twitches went through the roof, and my arms and legs would "jump." My body on two occasions felt locked up. I went to my doctor who after all the tests I have went through also did an MRI of my brain. Nothing. Fast forward to now. I haven't taken any Ativan since the morning before yesterday. Yesterday the twitches and anxiety returned, almost to a panic. I am so scared...I never have drank alcohol or used any drugs before. What if I have developed a dependence? Does this sound like it to anyone, even though I only used it as prescribed, since this past early July..about 5 days a week on average? The muscle twitches, jerks, headaches, stomach aches, increased anxiety...withdrawal?? Like I said, at 39 years old, I have never drank alcohol, used drugs, or misused medications...and I am scared! I so want to be a good wife and mom, and certainly don't want to be a slave to this of fear. I want my life back!!! Thank you, and blessings!

 

My body locks up during withdrawal, too. I am currently in withdrawal mode and my body is feeling "locked up" so I am staying in bed all day.