adrenal / health status and how it may impact our healing

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Hello - this may be one of my last posts...... - this forum has been beyond comforting in validating what i've been experiencing .  It is so upsetting that all of us are going through this - having been given medication by doctors who assured us it was safe / necessary, etc., 

 

the experiences here are so varied - for some - exercise helps tremendously - for others - it has caused real set backs.  this article helped me understand that one of the many factors that influence things is the status of our adrenal glands.  for me, i went through a 3 year battle with lymes and then 2 years of chronic pain from 2 herniated discs in my neck that then broke - i never once took pain meds as i fought to find the reason for my pain... point being my adrenals are shot from all of that and this even things like exercise or vitamin C overwhelms my system. this is frustrating - as i want to get better as quickly as possible but i realize after reading this article the more i stimulate my body - the slower my recovery actually will be..... i am going to work on mind strengthening games / software  and trying to work remotely to earn money, etc.,  i have been accepting more and more lately that this needs to run its course and i cannot force the healing to happen any faster. it is hard to watch my body break down, age, lose hair, break out, etc., but the more i focus on that - the worse it will get - i suppose..... so - i hope to continue my healing and will definitely enjoy reading all the success stories.  we are all fighting a strong fight.  we are warriors and we have earned our healing. 

 

there is a lot in this article i don't agree with but its nice to see something written up about this.  i had a consultation with dr lam a while back - he is extremely expensive and i don't think there is much he can do to help anyone who did a cold turkey but maybe he can help those who are tapering or who tapered properly.... 

 

https://www.drlam.com/blog/challenges-and-best-practices-for-overcoming-benzo-withdrawal/32416/

 

 

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Hi SSR1975

 

I am sorry to hear all the health issues you have been thru.  I am also dealing with hashimotos thyroidisis and adrenal issues.  In my case my adrenals were pumping out cortisol like there is no tomorrow.  I had a spit test to confirm this.  It has taken me 9/10 weeks of adrenal calming herbs to get my cortisol back in range, and if I take a dose too late I can feel the cortisol 'leaking into my system' with a pounding heart and panic rising. 

 

So it always pays to get cortisol levels tested as the symptoms of low and high can feel the same.  So I am concerned with Dr Lams article where he seems to assume that everyone going thru withdrawal will have low cortisol.  In fact there are many accounts on this board of people suffering from high cortisol due to the rebound effect of coming of Benzos.

 

Even tho I have high cortisol I am unable to exercise due to the withdrawal symptoms.  I just have to climb the stairs and my heart is pounding.  I hope this resolves soon as I feel like a couch potato and not feeling good for sitting around.  It feels even worse when the anxiety and adrenaline kicks in and I feel like running to get it out of your system, but I can't.

 

All I can do is breathing exercises, use homeopathy and just hope for the best.

 

I was wondering why this may be one of you last posts - sorry to hear that.  Have you considered low dose naltrexone for your lymes and the pain with your disks?

 

Take care and be strong - you can do it.

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agreed the assumption seems to be low cortisol.  i imagine early in WD it may be low since it was suppressed from the meds but i suspect it swings high for those who don't have burned out adrenals.  mine is actually very high at 3 points of the day.  like you - i have a crap load of nervous energy that i wish i could burn off but working out seems to dump more cortisol into my already stimulated system.... so - for now - its not an option....

 

everyone should get cortisol testing before doing any supplements , in my opinion, as you said the symptoms of high and low are similar.  i have been unable to tolerate any herb that lowers cortisol - so - i just have to pray mine begins to reduce soon by itself.

 

i am not going to be doing much posting or reading.  i find the amygdala is incredibly sensitive right now and i worry by reading - i end up creating symptoms.... for example at my 8 week post - feeling i had made progress-  i commented tinnitus was the only major symptom i didnt have and the very next day - what should appear -but high pitch whistling in my ears.... so - i don't want to read about things i don't have and end up creating them.  i know that sounds crazy but i've done a lot of reading about the amygdala and how it behaves during periods of high stress.  it has been beyond helpful to read and understand i am not alone.  i think we all agree time is the biggest element.  so - i am going to give myself that time - keep a journal for venting but otherwise try to engage my brain in reading about non benzo topics and hope that good distraction will help keep me moving forward.   

 

if i come across anything useful along the way - i will definitely make posts.  like this one - because although Dr Lam is certainly not a benzo WD expert - it was helpful for me to understand the status of my adrenals is influencing my recovery.  i am going to focus on gentle - dietary ways of strengthening my adrenals and see how that goes.....

 

i pray for healing for all of us. 

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Thank you for sharing this SSR! Love and healing to all of us. xoxo