9 months off Benzos and getting so much worse I'm losing it!

[[Ma...]]

I know I've posted a few times but I'm really scared and my symptoms continue to increase and are getting so much worse! Even over the last few days they have elevated and become so much more intense to where I'm literally hanging on by a thread and can not breath or even function at all!

 

On top of the severe pressure burning numbness tightness and physical pain in my head which continues to get worse and increases it seems on a daily basis just over the last few days extreme nausea, insomnia, and extreme levels of anxiety have kicked in to the point of having actually panic attacks and felling that panicked feeling like I'm suffocating and can't not breath and like I'm gonna pass out which it has not been to this level since before Detox and is getting so bad I can not eat hard to sleep or rest distraction is not working in complete misery and torment almost to the pacing terror I was in before the hospital it's crazy!

 

And these emotional symptoms continue to increase as well extreme confusion, DP/DR, horrific intrusive thoughts a complete non reality state in constant suffering with no end feeling like I'm losing my mind and I'm trying to hold on but this is getting really bad and I haven't had a panic attack up till this point but the anxiety and fear is taking over and I can feel it coming on big time!

 

The problem is I don't know what to do cause I've been off Xanex now 9 months and since the end of month 6 this has continued to get so much worse and I was out on Zoloft in the hospital of course I didn't know what I know now and after 9 months on that mess I really don't know what is Benzo WD and what is Zoloft it's really scaring me and I don't know what to do?

 

I switched over to liquid or dissolving the 100mg tablets of Zoloft in month 4 off Xanex or out of the hospital and made and initial cut down to 87.5mg then but have been holding ever since and now I was instructed to get a graduated cylinder to make it more accurate and try to reduce again which I'm working on now to see if it helps but I'm scared and I feel like I'm crawling out of my own skin like my head is gonna explode extreme anxiety and nausea back to that panic attack feeling again and in really and shape can't eat can't sleep walking around in complete terror this nuts and I need major prayer and a miracle at this point!

[[Gr...]]

Hi Maize, I'm sorry you feel so bad right now. From what I've read on here it isn't that unusual for someone who ct'd/detoxed to still be having bad symptoms at nine months out. But I also wonder if the Zoloft could be overstimulating you at this point, based off my own experience with it. I tried it once many years ago and only lasted for a month because it made my anxiety and panic spike up so bad. I stopped taking it and within days I felt much calmer. I didn't taper since I was only on for a month. Have you asked your dr about it? My doctor at the time told me about 20% of people have a bad reaction to Zoloft.

[[Ma...]]

Well as far as my doctor he is useless and doesn't even believe me when I tell him I'm still suffering in part from Benzo WD after 9 months he just looks at me like I'm crazy and our last visit only lasted about 5 mins then he gave me a 6 month refill and basically said your on your own see you in 6 months so not much help there!

 

As far as the part of this that is Benzo WD it's hard to believe it is still this bad after 9 months and still getting worse and the Zoloft I'm working with SA now to try and slowly step off it as since I've been on it this long I can't just quit taking it but it concerns me too not only wajtbside effects I'm getting now but what the WD from the Zoloft is gonna add to the Benzo symptoms and how much worse this is gonna get as I'm barley hanging on now!

[[Gr...]]

Sorry you wound up with a lame doctor, that's so frustrating. I guess if you're feeling brave you could try just skipping the Zoloft for one day and see if you feel calmer. I felt better real quick when I did. It's a tough call what to do, especially when the "professionals" don't have any good advice.

[[Ma...]]

Yep I feel completely alone in this and it was partly the doctors that got me into this mess and now can't help me at all and there answer is just more drugs when it was the drugs that have made me sick and have destroyed my life!

 

The only think I know to do is small gradual cuts on the Zoloft and see if that helps

[[...]]

Hi Maize! I just went through a similar wave and could not figure out what was going on. It never crossed my mind that I had c/t off Lexapro the month before. I went through pure hell, really just felt like I was a breath from dying, it is truly scary and I am so sorry that you're having to go through it. I started doing some research (I went to school to be a nurse before Klonopin stole my life) and realized during WD our neuro-transmitters are all over the place. I found out L-theanine helped a lot of Benzo Buddies deal with the morning adrenaline/cortisol rush because it elevates serotonin levels naturally. I had a bottle of it and tried it. I'm on my 3rd day and I feel SOOOO much better. I walked 4.5 miles when I got up (I was going to walk until I got that dread feeling out), I haven't hit the floor in excrutiating pain or waves of emotional pain/terror. Some people have said that supplements rev up their symptoms, I started at a low dose at night. I'm not a doctor and I know this won't help everyone, but if you're going through issues coming off an AD and a benzo you might need a little extra help evening out the brain chemicals like me. Message me if you'd like to know anything about it. Prayers for a fast healing for you.

 

Tae

[[Ma...]]

Yeah I don't understand it's so bad and getting so much worse and I'm losing hope because their seems to be no end in sight and knowing I still have to deal with the Zoloft scares the crap out of me!

 

I went through a nightmare last summer after I had been off all meds for 6 months then after my divorce my symptoms came back and ever since trying to get back in mess it's been a living hell and has completely destroyed my life!

 

First they tried to reinstate the orozac I was on before and that didn't work then they tried lexapro for 6 weeks and I couldn't tolerate the drug and had horrible WD for another 6 weeks after and the whole time I had no idea what Xanex was doing to me until it was too late and the damage was already done and then ended up in the hospital in severe tolerance WD and probably had kindled at that point and was CT off it and then the crazy doctors put me back in Zoloft and now 9 months off the Xanex I'm worse now than I've ever been and don't know what to do?

[[Hu...]]

100 mg of zoloft! I thought the maximum was 80mg. I'm crying right now because I want to help you so bad. If you don't think the er is an option because they just won't get it try benydril tablet. It saved me so many times . A nurse told me about it when I was in the er for a panic attack and wouldn't take their  adivan. We are all begging for something that actually helps relieve these horrible symptoms and until someone finally recognizes this epidemic we only have each other! I will pray for you really hard.

[[Ma...]]

I am trying so hard to hang on but after over 9 months of suffering the worst physical and emotional pain you could imagine it is just getting worse and I don't know what to do?

 

I can't handle much more just over the last week and even the last 24 hours my symptoms have increased especially the severe pressure burning numbness and physical pain in my head continues to climb and is getting worse everyday I don't know how much longer I can hold on this is insane!

[[pu...]]

Once I got off anti depressants it got better. I went cold turkey. The withdrawal from the antidepressants was not compared. I think it was around two weeks. Being on anti depressants while going through benzo withdrawal just made me panic and sick.

 

That being said, things were rough at 9 months for me too. But I started seeing occasional big improvements.

 

 

[[Ma...]]

Well I've been on the Zoloft now 9 months since coming out of the hospital so I can't just quit taking it and I've been told to try and come off it now with my symptoms being so severe would not be recommended so I don't know?

[[1w...]]

I am trying so hard to hang on but after over 9 months of suffering the worst physical and emotional pain you could imagine it is just getting worse and I don't know what to do?

 

I can't handle much more just over the last week and even the last 24 hours my symptoms have increased especially the severe pressure burning numbness and physical pain in my head continues to climb and is getting worse everyday I don't know how much longer I can hold on this is insane!

 

I'm right there with you...same exact symptoms.  It's so bad I can't sleep and that only adds to the suffering.  Prayers!

[[Ma...]]

I'm sorry to bother you again but I'm really scared and having a hard time with all this and really don't know what to do?

 

The head pressure burning numbness tightness buzzing pins and needles in my brain continues to get worse and more severe everyday and today even I've been slammed with and emotional wave that is insane and very scary about as bad as it was when I went into the hospital or the first few months out just severe confusion DP/DR extreme anxiety nausea and fatigue feeling like I'm completely losing my mind with all this horrible intrusive thoughts that I know are not me and are very scary feeling of hopelessness and deep depression and anxiety and fear that I will never heal and this is gonna go on forever not knowing how much worse this is gonna get completely debilitating can't work can't function at all all the distractions that were working before aren't working anymore just under so much physical and mental torture I really don't know how much more I can take or if I will survive this and I don't understand if this is not Zoloft or what to really do about that and if it's not just making me so much more sick and now being on it 9 1/2 months of I'm not in real trouble here? If this is a wave of benzo symptoms it's not letting up after over 2 months since I noticed the change or increase of symptoms and I feel at a loss and don't know what to do?

[[Fa...]]

So sorry for what you are going through I can't even imagine! It's been just over two months for me and I already feel like I need a miracle...I really hope things start to get better for you really soon!

[[Ma...]]

Am I going to go completely crazy and lose my mind? Hearing violence and all that other with Zoloft knowing you can kindle and develop tolerance with that and my serotonin being jacked up too is this gonna get so much worse? I don't wanna go crazy or lose my mind and knowing I have been on AD before this nightmare with Xanex it feels like I'm having a psychotic breakdown on top of the physical pain and pressure in my brain this is horrible what do I do?

[[Bh...]]

Hey! If you have been on the Zoloft for a while, I wouldn't get off of it right now. Your brain hasn't stabilized from the benzo withdrawal yet. Supposedly there are withdrawal symptoms from ssri's....so you are throwing your nervous system into 2 withdrawals. Way too much. That's just my opinion.

 

I'm 20 months off from a CT and still suffering intensely on some days. Usually one-two days a week are incredibly unbearable. I had this type of window/wave pattern even before I got pregnant. Now that I'm expecting my withdrawal symptoms have intensified from the hormones. Fortunately, I understand this, and know I will be better once I give birth. I'm sure I will have many tough days over the next few months, but it will all be worth it.

 

As for being 9 months off of a cold turkey, I would not expect to be better yet. Some people are, and that's amazing, but not the majority. I remember hearing 1 1/2 years as being the magic point. I think the 2 or 2 1/2 year point will be my major turning point. Everyone heals differently. Just know that it does get worse sometimes, but you are still healing. On my bad days each week, I feel like I'll never heal, and then the next day comes, and I'm much better. During my bad days, I can't find anything good about my life because I'm in such pain/misery. On your bad days, just accept it for what it is and go easy on yourself.  Believe it or not, you will heal. I will too! 

[[Ne...]]

I feel for you so sorry....I'm almost 8 months out and feel like crap too. We will heal I take is hour  by hour. Blessing to all of us.

[[Sp...]]

Oh Maize I feel so sorry for you, you might want to try L-theanine, but that, too, binds with the Gabas but I think it will help with your symptoms right now and then you can worry about stopping it later.  I at 14 months have had a worsening of symptoms and have just been told I have Lyme Disease, not sure what portion of my symptoms is Lyme and what is Benzo Withdrawal, or is the Lyme making the B Withdrawal worse....such a mess, rather like for you, is it the Zoloft making things worse or will it be worse if I just stop it.....a dilemma, my prayers go out to you....and just try and find another doctor, my doctor won't admit to Benzo Withdrawal, but is not pushing drugs at me any more.....Hugs,  Spazzie