Question for the "Pro's" out here

[[Ka...]]

Hi all,

 

It's been a long time since I've been on here.  I'm 17 months off now! As we all know, when we feel better, it's easy to drift away.  BUT, I got hit by a nasty wave in January that hasn't gone away.  Before this wave the only real symptom I had left was tinnitus and it was usually so low that I forgot about it most of the time.  I have had multiple symptoms return, but these are the worst:

 

Insomnia - my brain has set a clock that doesn't allow me to deep sleep until around 3 a.m. (I get up at 6 a.m.) then it's ready to sleep again at 3 p.m.

Benzo belly - bloating and gas is horrible

Pimples!  Never had this problem before, I've had two pop up on my leg, not just my face!

Intrusive thoughts - My brain is convinced that the bloating and gas is due to colon cancer and any pimple or bump is skin cancer.  I literally fight myself to think about something else!

Tinnitus is roaring again too  Ugh!

 

So, my question is, since I am this far out and in such a wave am I considered protracted now? 

 

For anyone just starting this journey, I want to say this isn't meant to depress or scare you.  I have lived my life, worked and socialized this entire time.  I felt GOOD for 6 months prior to this and now I'm just pissed off that my brain has decided to railroad me right now.

 

Thanks for reading guys!  Any thoughts are appreciated!

[[do...]]

I don't know if there's an exact timeframe for protracted. I thought it was 2 years, but this board suggests 18 months.

 

I'm 17 1/2 months out, so it's with all likelihood I will be protracted. But at this point, being this far out, it's all the same to me. I'll just be commenting on a different part of the website 

 

 

[[Ch...]]

I wouldn't get caught up in the 'protracted' worry.  It sounds to me like some sort of stressor set off a wave.  Christmas, the holidays?  The flu?  At 17 months off your central nervous system is still sensitive, just not as sensitive as it was.  It's normal to still overreact to stress for awhile. 

 

Keep your life as simple and stress-free as you can manage for now.  Avoid alcohol, rest and take care.  It will pass with a little time.

[[TA...]]

Hi, I am 22 Months off and benzo bello was a long lingering symptom for me ..It got worse with the passing months ..bloated and hard ..the top abdomen was like an alien in there ..I could feel it spasm and move and I could hardly sit for it ...walking was horrible too ...I felt of balance and it was painful because of the size ...It just started to lessen for me a couple of weeks ago ...It felt so good ..I looked slimmer all over although it didn't completely go flat ... this week I was bloated a little again so it must be either a food or a juice i am thinking or It will bloat now and again....My Insomnia is on/off and I had one great nights sleep a couple of weeks ago too ... not again though I just have this tetchy sleep were I wake every half hour ...I can open my eyes when I am sleeping if my mind asks or wonders if I'm sleeping ...It's awful but I am getting some now  so things are healing ...just give your bb time because nothing makes it go down .not diet or supplements ...not mine anyway .... time is the healer ...best wishes Tass .

[[Ka...]]

Thank you all for your replies! 

 

Tassie, the other day my stomach was so weird it actually felt like I was pregnant and the baby was kicking.  Very strange this all is