W/D heart attack risk???

[[OK...]]

I seriously just read someone had a heart attack from benzo w/d.... someone please reassure me that's rare... she did say she C/T but still.... my heart rate does jump a lot and heart attacks are one of my biggest fears

[[bu...]]

I seriously just read someone had a heart attack from benzo w/d.... someone please reassure me that's rare... she did say she C/T but still.... my heart rate does jump a lot and heart attacks are one of my biggest fears

 

 

 

Considering how many people discontinue ("withdraw") benzos, I'm sure some have heart attacks.  That does NOT mean withdrawal had anything to do with the heart attack.

 

Thousand of folks have heart attacks every day.  Most of them never took a benzo.

[[Ma...]]

A heartattack is absolutely possible. This withdrawal can cause almost anything. My brother works in a cardiac unit of the hospital and sais you can't believe how many young people come in with heart attacks and strokes. It's scary. Talk to a cardiologist and have them do some tests to make sure you're not at risk. They are very good at determining that.

[[bu...]]

A heartattack is absolutely possible. This withdrawal can cause almost anything. My brother works in a cardiac unit of the hospital and sais you can't believe how many young people come in with heart attacks and strokes. It's scary. Talk to a cardiologist and have them do some tests to make sure you're not at risk. They are very good at determining that.

 

But did he say the come in with heart attacks and stroke because they are withdrawing from benzos?

[[Ma...]]

Yes. Benzo withdrawal has caused some to stroke. That's what happens when high bp is left unchecked. Along with kidney failure and heart attacks. People need to be very careful. This is no joke. On their death certificate does it say benzo withdrawal caused it. No. But the benzo withdrawal caused the high bp and heartrate which caused the stroke and or heart attack. The number one drug that causes hospital visits in the US is benzos.

[[OK...]]

THis post is giving me severe anxiety 

[[bu...]]

THis post is giving me severe anxiety 

 

...like so many of the unrealistic fears  promoted here on BB.

 

Like I said, people have heart attacks every day, most of them never touched a benzo.

 

If you're going to taper off of a benzo, you don't need to waste energy on unrealistic fears.

[[bu...]]

On their death certificate does it say benzo withdrawal caused it. No. 

[[bu...]]

  The number one drug that causes hospital visits in the US is benzos.

 

1) Please provide documentation to substantiate that.

 

2)  "Hospital visits" do not equate cardiac events.

[[Ma...]]

Sorry for the high anxiety but people need to be careful. Avoiding something as dangerous as high bp is risky. We can't just say oh well it's just withdrawal. Yes it's withdrawal but it's symptoms are dangerous if left unchecked.

[[OK...]]

I go to the dr once a week... and a bp monitor at home... so I keep track

[[Ma...]]

That's great. Smart thinking. That should relieve your anxiety more than random onliners telling you to avoid them because its "just withdrawal". I see that alot here.

[[Be...]]

I have bp monitors at home plus sp02 sensor lol...Im ready to break these out again incase I get some bad sx when I jump.

[[Ma...]]

Congrats. On both being safe and getting off .

[[Lo...]]

There are adrenogenic receptors in the heart that receive the adrenaline, telling the heart to pump faster when needed. Withdrawal produces the excess adrenaline, which may cause palpitations, elevated blood pressure, fast heart rate and so forth, as there is excess adrenaline pouring into the heart. Usually, when the blood pressure and/or heart rate are pretty high, the doctor will put a patient on a beta blocker and/or blood pressure medicine. These will block the excess adrenaline, but may cause drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, etc. It's between you and your doctor to determine if such treatment is warranted.

 

[[Be...]]

When I was in tolerance w/d, I went to a bunch of docs and was finally diagnosed with Lupus by a Rheumatologist and Thrombophilia--at risk of stroke or MI, by a Hematologist.  I had a procoagulant antibody in my blood which can cause abnormal bleeding and blood clots.  I have a blood vessel type Lupus rather than the tissue type.  I'm sure the stress from benzo w/d can bring out an underlying condition.  If a person is young and was healthy before the benzo's and no family history of heart attack or stroke, I'm sure they'll be fine.  My father died of a heart attack, and stroke runs on my mother's side.  I personally believe the ongoing stress on our bodies can cause a heart attack or stroke in certain susceptible individuals.  It's quite a shock and stress to the system to cold turkey or have ongoing w/d symptoms.  Ongoing stress can bring out underlying health problems and/or make them worse.

[Guest [...]]

I seriously just read someone had a heart attack from benzo w/d.... someone please reassure me that's rare... she did say she C/T but still.... my heart rate does jump a lot and heart attacks are one of my biggest fears

One has to remember too that the heart attack may not been solely on benzoyl w/d. For instance the cold turkey could have brought out an underlying condition...for example exasperated a blockage, irregular heart beat, high cholesterol,  genetics. Bottom line, people, taper safely.  If you have a medical concern, seek medical care. Sometimes simply monitoring yourself at home may be enough, may not be enough. Your health.is serious.

But also giving in to health anxiety is even more serious. I have been there, and still am sometimes. Learn calming techniques. I am not one for meditation, but I do pay attention to my breathing to try to calm down.  My "fear" is by giving into health anxiety and fears it will be like a self fulfilled prophesy of sorts. Handle what I am feeling right now, so I have a better outlook going forward.

I have my times, more waves than Windows, but am hopeful for the future.

[Guest [...]]

  The number one drug that causes hospital visits in the US is benzos.

 

1) Please provide documentation to substantiate that.

 

2)  "Hospital visits" do not equate cardiac events.

Builder, if I may....(hope you don't mind).

Benzos alone do not count for the number one visits to hospitals. That is actually all psychoactive substances, a blanket term that includes not only benzos, zdrugs, opiods, antidepressants, and even illegal and synthetically produced drugs. Lately the deadly rise in opioid use, both legally and illegally has pushed opiods to the forefront. Recently look at Ohio. Also another portion of hospital visits that are due to psychoactive prescription involve the elderly whose bodies are compromised, those that may have compromised systems, adverse reactions with other medications, adverse reactions while using alcohol,  and of course, withdrawal. This is not limited to benzo alone, which in itself is a psychoactive drug, at least here in Missouri according to the Department of Health and Human Services, along with the National Alliance of Mental Health.

I hope I didn't hog your thread Builder! I just simply wanted to put in my two cents worth for those of us with health anxiety that benzo related hospital visits represented a fraction of a bigger picture and that they alone don't count for the most, it's a blanket term of psychoactive drugs, which right now the current trends are opiods and herrione for example.

[[No...]]

Where on earth are you getting this information? Quite a claim to make off the top of your head.

 

I don't believe benzo withdrawals cause heart attacks. I've never read or heard of anything of the sort. Anything that happens to someone tapering doesn't mean that is the cause. It's a bit naive to post that and even more so to needlessly scare people with false facts.

[[bu...]]

Where on earth are you getting this information? Quite a claim to make off the top of your head.

 

I don't believe benzo withdrawals cause heart attacks. I've never read or heard of anything of the sort. Anything that happens to someone tapering doesn't mean that is the cause. It's a bit naive to post that and even more so to needlessly scare people with false facts.

 

:thumbsup:

 

Many BBs are obsessed with posting unfounded, unsubstantiated scary info that actually makes WD more difficult for many folks.

[[bu...]]

 

Builder, if I may....(hope you don't mind).

Benzos alone do not count for the number one visits to hospitals. That is actually all psychoactive substances, a blanket term that includes not only benzos, zdrugs, opiods, antidepressants, and even illegal and synthetically produced drugs. 

 

I would accept that drug issues taken as a whole (overdose, side effects, "bad trips", interactions, unexpected reactions, etc) might be the major category of ER visits.  And it is  absolutely correct that benzos are not a major factor.

 

Benzos are only class IV controlled substances because they are rarely drugs of abuse.("Substances in this schedule have a low potential for abuse...").  Since they are not commonly abused, overdoses are rare, and even more rarely life-threatening.

 

http://detoxanswers.com/questions/236/what-are-the-dea-schedules-for-controlled-substances

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine_overdose

[[OK...]]

I'm sorry I started this post.. didn't mean to cause drama :/

[Guest [...]]

I'm sorry I started this post.. didn't mean to cause drama :/

Please don't feel that way! Your having fear is very common. Many of us experience it. And it's not unfounded for sure. It's very real, the concerns. Withdrawal can cause a multitude of symptoms... Things I never even thought of, and health anxiety is one of my most prominent besides tinnitus. You seem to be keeping a good check of yourself, as well as with your doctor. Make sure that if the heart attack risk bothers you to speak with them. Remember that you are your first advocate. Take it  as easy as possible, and breathe. We got this!

[[Ca...]]

I'm sorry I started this post.. didn't mean to cause drama :/

Please don't feel that way! Your having fear is very common. Many of us experience it. And it's not unfounded for sure. It's very real, the concerns. Withdrawal can cause a multitude of symptoms... Things I never even thought of, and health anxiety is one of my most prominent besides tinnitus. You seem to be keeping a good check of yourself, as well as with your doctor. Make sure that if the heart attack risk bothers you to speak with them. Remember that you are your first advocate. Take it  as easy as possible, and breathe. We got this!

OK121, Just ignore... There is one in every crowd...

On Health issues... I would say, Keep your mind open, be aware of changes and if worried be Pro active in a sensible fashion... Dont fixate on things, just gently deal with them... But, for example, if you have been checked a few times for an issue, and it still keeps worrying you, it would be time to consider health anxiety... Its a balance and it takes time for each person to work their own situation out, and with that comes peace of mind... Obviously some things are more critical than others, and its prudent to be cautious...

 

Best wishes...

[[OK...]]

Thanks everyone. I'm 24 years old, so I try not to worry too much about it. 10 ekgs and a bunch of blood tests I should feel fine but that darn health anxiety gets me so much. I had it even before the benzos but it's on steroids now.