We are losing soldiers in the fight. Jennifer Leigh and Recovery Road

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I've always found Dr. Leigh to be very helpful.  Her blog was a lifeline to me when I was in the acute before I found the benzo buddies.  Some people on this website could be a little kinder.

[Guest [De...]]

 

If you read Dr. Jenn's comment she tested with "high viral load." I said to myself before she even posted that info that she probably had a virus. And, then she posted she has POTS which is most likely viral. I do not buy that her relapse has to do with benzo wd anymore. Sorry. Nor does mine. Nothing to do with being kind or critical. It's just reality. Neurotoxicity, viruses, infections are simply a fact of life and a result of a damaged and weakened immune system. Benzo Buddy members post success stories and do have relapses from other meds down the road...it happens. I'm one of them. I was recovered 7 years. I don't blame benzos this time. That's yesterday's news.

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If you read Dr. Jenn's comment she tested with "high viral load." I said to myself before she even posted that info that she probably had a virus. And, then she posted she has POTS which is most likely viral. I do not buy that her relapse has to do with benzo wd anymore. Sorry. Nor does mine. Nothing to do with being kind or critical. It's just reality. Neurotoxicity, viruses, infections are simply a fact of life and a result of a damaged and weakened immune system. Benzo Buddy members post success stories and do have relapses from other meds down the road...it happens. I'm one of them. I was recovered 7 years. I don't blame benzos this time. That's yesterday's news.

 

I'm thankful you posted this Deziner, it relieved my anxiety about symptoms hitting me down the road.

[Guest [Ru...]]

 

Deziner, thank you for your insightful post. I hold Dr Jen in very high regard. And yet I agree with you that in many cases of 'relapse' or 'protracted withdrawal', infections and a weakened immune system play a huge role. About 80% of the immune system is located in the gut - and benzos/most meds damage gut function. It's definitely reversible, but in some instances time alone won't do it - more proactive gut-/immune-healing measures might be necessary. The good news is that it's doable, even in 'protracted' cases...

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All I can say is that I definitely had a set back after recovering from the flu last Fall  :'(

It is what it is  :'(

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If you read Dr. Jenn's comment she tested with "high viral load." I said to myself before she even posted that info that she probably had a virus. And, then she posted she has POTS which is most likely viral. I do not buy that her relapse has to do with benzo wd anymore. Sorry. Nor does mine. Nothing to do with being kind or critical. It's just reality. Neurotoxicity, viruses, infections are simply a fact of life and a result of a damaged and weakened immune system. Benzo Buddy members post success stories and do have relapses from other meds down the road...it happens. I'm one of them. I was recovered 7 years. I don't blame benzos this time. That's yesterday's news.

 

Withdrawal may no longer be the right term to use when symptoms return years later, but I don’t believe I would have had this happen if not for the damage the drugs caused. I’m convinced the root of the problem for me is persistent receptor alterations that are very slow to reverse, leaving the brain and nervous system highly sensitive. Stress, other drugs etc can wreak havoc. Neurotoxicity I think is a better term.

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Withdrawal may no longer be the right term to use when symptoms return years later, but I don’t believe I would have had this happen if not for the damage the drugs caused. I’m convinced the root of the problem for me is persistent receptor alterations that are very slow to reverse, leaving the brain and nervous system highly sensitive. Stress, other drugs etc can wreak havoc. Neurotoxicity I think is a better term.

 

You are absolutely right, withdrawal isn't the correct term, but it isn't just when symptoms return, it shouldn't be called withdrawal after a certain period of time has passed despite the ebb and flow of symptoms.

 

I don't pretend to know where that line should be drawn, but it is crazy to think that this is "withdrawal" beyond the point where reinstatement would not alleviate all symptoms. And most of us are well aware that at some point reinstatement is a bad idea.

 

I also don't believe that this illness "morphs" into some kind of secondary illness. Our bodies may be more sensitive to other things due to the ongoing effects of the benzo damage and that might make us more susceptible to other things flaring symptoms, but trying to explain away a recurrence of symptoms as "something else" is just a defense mechanism. Most of us know that there isn't much that can be done to actively heal benzo damage, but if it's something else then it gives hope that there might be something that can be done about it.

 

We are either healed or we aren't. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably safe to assume that it's still a duck.

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To the last few posts, you all are looking for viral connection.  It's all in your heads, until then get her tested.  Leave Dr. Leigh alone, no pun intended, but you all have no idea what you're talking about.  Always trying to force and falsely match suggested things against your own symptoms, while missing the boat. Oy.

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Thank you. I saw a doctor today. I've developed POTS. My heart rate goes to 160 and my blood pressure isn't even measurable when I stand. That's causing a lot of it. But what's causing it? It's a symptom. Not a disease. I was not the debilitated the first Wd so hard to know if it's Wd related. I do feel I'm back in Wd. The burning, tingles, jerking, shaking, etc is the same as last time. They took 25 tubes of blood. I guess I'll know something soon. I started a tiny dose of inderal  (suggested by Ashton) hoping it helps a bit. Swallowing that pill took courage. I have developed a paranoid loathing of any and all drugs. But I've to try and stabilize so I can stand up. I have the boaty stuff going on as well. Fun fun.

 

I'm so sorry for your setback.

 

POTS was one of my main symptoms in acute withdrawal. It did take many many months to resolve. I was eventually rxd Clonidine which seemed to help but it may be that the POTS had started to resolve on its own by then. The Clonidine certainly helped with the tachycardia component. I had minimal side effects from the drug & after taking only as needed for a while was able to stop completely without withdrawals.

 

Although I have returned to a pattern of severe waves, after the sudden deaths of my 2 siblings, husband's cancer & being primary caregivers for brother in law with dementia, the POTS is one symptom that has never returned. I hope it passes for you.