The Cause of Benzo Belly?

[[...]]

 

          Hi Folks,

                            I'm not sure where to put this post or if it's been answered elsewhere.

 

    I've been on Xanax 1 1/2 mg a day at bedtime for a  2 1/2 years and am tapering soon........For quite awhile now, (about a year or so), one of the side effects is my belly.......I've always been on the stocky side and a bit of a belly, but now my stomach protrudes to almost a stretching maximum point.

 

      I don't overeat and some days hardly eat at all and there it is pushing out!

 

  I've heard the term "Benzo Belly" and was wondering what caused it and does anyone else here have it and did it go away?

[Guest [ba...]]

I think there are several possible causes.  The same GABA receptor that benzos target in your brain are present throughout your GI tract.  The same stress that your mind encounters during withdrawal hits your body.  Your body will respond to this stress - perhaps with more food sensitivities, perhaps with more reflux, perhaps with diarrhea or constipation or IBS-like symptoms.  Metabolism is affected.  It ramps way up for some people, while it seems to plummet for others.  Activity level is also often affected as are dietary choices (some people eat more 'comfort foods' which from my experience tend to be less healthy choices).  Lessened activity/exercise can change your body shape from weight gain and from loss of muscle tissue. 

 

I imagine there are more possibilities. 

 

I initially lost weight, but then gained.  Took me several months of increased exercise to get the weight back off.

[[...]]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense..............Some days more bloaty than others, even when I eat less!