Looking for short term users?????

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Sorry to hear that magnesium didn't work for both of you. I use magnesium gycinate.  And also take l tryptophan ar night. 500mg capsule. I also read in some studies that magnesium is a must for people that suffer from anxiety and depression, since we use it up to fast. But who knows, just use what works for you.

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I was only on for 9 days.  I’m two and a half years off and still have some lingering side effects.  I’m doing okay though.  But I still get hit with acute like ways every six months or so.  My 24/7 no window symptoms are tinnitus hyperacusis and visual dusturbances.  My acute withdrawal was horrific with just about every symptom in the book.

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Robk, wow that is crazy 9 days and had acute withdrawls. These drugs are something else. Can't believe what these drugs can cause.

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I'm a short term user also (valium).  Had acute withdrawal (even though my use was short and sporadic).  More physical than mental (aside from screaming anxiety and horrible nightmares the first month).  Leg pains, sciatica, numbness, random nerve pains, occipital neuralgia/cervicogenic head pain, head pressure, headaches, blurry vision, sweating, stomach pain, GI issues, vertigo/dizziness.  I am about 6 months+ out, and a great deal is mostly gone.  Occasional neck/head pain, dizziness, occasional tremor.  Sleep is greatly improved a lot of the time.

 

It has been brutal and scary. It does get better.

 

You just think it won't. :-(

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Toughnights, that sounds really rough, I'm 31 days out, actually starting to feel better after every week. The first three weeks off were pretty intense. I have lingering symptoms, like transient anxiety, minor GI issues (they were pretty bad before) fatigue is an issues, mental clarity is another one.

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I'm a short term user also (valium).  Had acute withdrawal (even though my use was short and sporadic).  More physical than mental (aside from screaming anxiety and horrible nightmares the first month).  Leg pains, sciatica, numbness, random nerve pains, occipital neuralgia/cervicogenic head pain, head pressure, headaches, blurry vision, sweating, stomach pain, GI issues, vertigo/dizziness.  I am about 6 months+ out, and a great deal is mostly gone.  Occasional neck/head pain, dizziness, occasional tremor.  Sleep is greatly improved a lot of the time.

 

It has been brutal and scary. It does get better.

 

You just think it won't. :-(

 

How long did you use them?

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Realmadrid

My symptoms didn't really hit me with any force until more than a month out.  My 4th month was the worst I'd say (i had thought it was all healing before)...but the windows started to come finally again and it's healing :-)

 

StacyY

About 6 months but I only took 3-4 A MONTH.  That's it.  The last month of the 6 I increased to about 10 before i realized and finally researched online that my issues for which I was taking it (muscle pain from an injury after surgery) were not my medical issues getting worse it was the benzo's causing intermittent w/d etc.  I had upped it because my "issues" were worsening - but it was the w/d symptoms hitting me.  Thank god I did my own research.

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Realmadrid

My symptoms didn't really hit me with any force until more than a month out.  My 4th month was the worst I'd say (i had thought it was all healing before)...but the windows started to come finally again and it's healing :-)

 

StacyY

About 6 months but I only took 3-4 A MONTH.  That's it.  The last month of the 6 I increased to about 10 before i realized and finally researched online that my issues for which I was taking it (muscle pain from an injury after surgery) were not my medical issues getting worse it was the benzo's causing intermittent w/d etc.  I had upped it because my "issues" were worsening - but it was the w/d symptoms hitting me.  Thank god I did my own research.

 

What did you take? Did you taper and how long have you been off? Are your symptoms improving?

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I wish I had of done research before I got too deep into this too because the doc put me on Ativan first after surgery and I couldn't sleep and was having constant panic attacks. I thought it was because I got insomnia so I went to the doc and got restoril. Restoril stopped working so I went to rehab and didn't sleep for almost 12 days. (1 night of light sleep in between) I got home, took restoril again and it knocked me out. That's when the lightbulb hit me that my sleep depended on the amt of benzos in my system.

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I took Valium. I was clueless about side effects of benzos. I take minimal meds ever.  I had surgery and had some issues after with my leg (muscle spasms and some nerve pain).  They gave me benzos when i was going to travel.  It worked.  So if I was traveling, I'd take one for the flight.  Maybe one the next day.  It was great, lessened the spasms, etc.  I never used it any differently until last year.  My leg pain began increasing.  I thought it was "getting worse".  I took benzos more frequently for it...but again just one a day, but more days in a row (3-4).  I then began having insomnia. Badly. If I took on, I'd sleep better....until I didn't.  I actually stopped them to "see how bad my leg would be without them" -- and it was MUCH worse - and then I began researching online.  Bingo! I was having intermittent withdrawal.  And it was ugly. But by then i had quit CT (in ignorance) for a couple of weeks.  It was too late to taper, so I believe that is also why my symptoms were more severe.  And yes, I am healing. The 4th month was my worst. 5th had some waves.  I'm 6 months out or so, and I have lots and lots of windows, and just some small waves. Most symptoms are gone (although my "head symptoms" - pain, muscle spasm, pressure, bolts of pain, etc show  up sometimes).  I have some residual dizziness/vertigo.  Comes and goes.  And some lesser leg pain at times.  But 90% healed I'd say.  Sorry you're going through this - hang in.

 

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Stacy - I wanted to add....I did not start to overcome my insomnia until I was taking nothing. No supplements, no valium, etc.  And it was not immediate.  And the more I fixated on it the worse it was. :-( It was only until I had some windows and became confident that I was "beating it" - my whole attitude changed and I began to focus on my old life...then I finally began to sleep some.  I am now able to sleep most night (with interruptions 2+ times per night but short) - and only occasional true insomnia.  Just fyi for what it is worth.  I personally feel that for many (not all) that our own mind does us in, you k now? 

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Stacy - I wanted to add....I did not start to overcome my insomnia until I was taking nothing. No supplements, no valium, etc.  And it was not immediate.  And the more I fixated on it the worse it was. :-( It was only until I had some windows and became confident that I was "beating it" - my whole attitude changed and I began to focus on my old life...then I finally began to sleep some.  I am now able to sleep most night (with interruptions 2+ times per night but short) - and only occasional true insomnia.  Just fyi for what it is worth.  I personally feel that for many (not all) that our own mind does us in, you k now?

 

I've been using a small dose of mirtazapine to sleep because I don't know if I can handle not taking anything.  I was going to wait until I was sleeping every night on it, then taper off of that. Some people say it can be hard to get off of and some say it's not. I'm not sure what to think . Right now, I'm sleeping about 8 hrs every other night.

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Yea getting sleep back naturally is sometimes difficult, but I c/t everything, and it was hard at first to sleep had to take benadryl at first. Now if I go to work or I've been doing stuff all day. I'm able to fall asleep without any side. Sleep 7 to 8 hours. Waking up still feels uncomfortable , sour stomach, feeling gloomy, but it starts to fade during the day.

 

Hope you guys start to feel better.

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Short term user here. 21 days out: insomnia, paresthesias, akathisia (on/off), horrible head pressure/aches. Getting relief here and there. Please, God let it stop.

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It may get worse before it gets better Jeanne - so don't let yourself get discouraged.  I used less than you and mine hit it's peak at 4 months or so...

It's hard to stay calm and persevere - but it will heal

for ME the head pain etc was the worst - it was like you couldn't escape it.  Other than insomnia, i had more physical symptoms/pain than mental issues (thank God)....but it's ugly 

but it does get better especially if you distract yourself, get out and about no matter how awful you feel...

talk, read, meditate, anything to get yourself unfocused on it all the time

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Toughnights,

 

Do you still have head pressure/aches? How are you sleeping? Golly, it's tough to meditate when you're having the head symptoms, then add akathisia to it and you have a real party.

I hope we get healed soon.

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A flat ice pack from Walmart has been my friend through this whole thing. I keep it on my head.  Confuse the nerves. It helps a lot.

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Jeanne - yes I still have them intermittently.  Mostly when I eat things that increase my glutamate (i just found out pistachios are VERY HIGH - i ate a few handfuls on two successive days and bingo  - head pain and neck pain back).  I agree with Stacy too - confuse the nerves. 

Sometimes heat works for me (Ihave one of those microwave neck pads that wraps all the way around).  It is great at times.  Sometimes it's awful ...and then ice works (like Stacey) - i have a neck wrap in the fridge at all times...and it works great sometimes.

 

I also use Tigerbalm which has been a Godsend to me - it was suggested by another BB-er who has the same symptoms I do.  I rub in on the back of my neck, my forehead, temples...and it works a lot of the time!

 

Yes it IS super hard to do any kind of distracting things.  Trying to watch a good show or movie ...meditation for me is best done with earphones and a downloaded program - that sort of transports me away at times.  Practicing slow breathing (yogo or qigong breathing - search it).  Yes, it's not easy to focus AWAY from the pain...but sometimes it works and works well. 

 

I refuse to just let it hurt and scare me and consume me, so these things are my way of "fighting back".  and yes, FOR ME, sometimes they work...and work well.

 

And sometimes not at all.

 

But i have progressed and improved and I'm healing. 

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Stacey and toughnights,

 

Thanks for the icepack suggestion. I'll try it out.

 

This is really tough, what we're going through. I imagine my old self (prior to Benzo ordeal) and try to listen to someone who might describe benzo withdrawal symptoms the way I do now and there's no way my pre-benzo self can imagine what it's like to experience what I'm experiencing right now so it's really tough. No one really understands until you experience for yourself what it's like.

 

Courage to us all! And most of all, ACCEPTANCE, because we will be somehow different after this. I wish you all HEALING.

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It may get worse before it gets better Jeanne - so don't let yourself get discouraged.  I used less than you and mine hit it's peak at 4 months or so...

It's hard to stay calm and persevere - but it will heal

for ME the head pain etc was the worst - it was like you couldn't escape it.  Other than insomnia, i had more physical symptoms/pain than mental issues (thank God)....but it's ugly 

but it does get better especially if you distract yourself, get out and about no matter how awful you feel...

talk, read, meditate, anything to get yourself unfocused on it all the time

 

That is horrible. But you will heal,just keeping going. I'm so sorry that you got bad withdrawals. Have you tried any natural supplements to help? Magnesium?

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toughnights,

 

do you meant that you had the head pain for months? At what month did they stop for you, if I may ask?

 

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Yes. The head pain started out of the blue at about 3 months - and lasted full force for the next two months.  I think got some windows.  The windows got longer over time but it came and went.  Then it MOSTLY disappeared for about 3 weeks or so - and now it's back (i'm past the 6 month mark)but not as intense.  The pressure feeling did not return (or just minimally), but the head pain, shooting pains, head vise, head ache, etc did - but at a lower level of intensity.  Tonight it's nearly absent - so cross your fingers that it stays away. But now i know it WILL heal and be gone.  My total 3 week window confirmed it.  It's not some dire disease - it wouldnt work this way.  It's benzo w/d and I just need to wait it out as calmly as I can ... 

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Was on ativan for 4 months in total, unsteady use and a relatively decent taper. Month 1 was great, month 2/3 were windows/waves but manageable. 4/5/6 have seen me plummet I haven't had any windows and now I'm bed bound with severe depression, akathisia, loss of limb coordination, barely able to walk, hard to distract yourself when you've lost the ability to enjoy anything. It feels like the opposite of healing is happening.

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Gooner - my symptoms (which I feel are/were bad) are nowhere as bad as your description.  We are all different.  However, I can commiserate about the "surprise/shock" of it getting steadily worse instead of seeing healing.  Each month that mine got worse and worse I'd be asking myself...."is this in my head? am I bringing it on in some way" or "maybe it's not W/D, is it?" - Like how can it be? but the symptoms are so very diverse...how can it be anything else!? It's a conflict.  And you're absolutely right, if you're bed bound, it's pretty tough to distract yourself.  You can only try to do what you can do to get through each day - because IMO only time truly is the answer.  Can you check your diet and try to insure you're eating as clean as you can? (no preservatives) Drink no sweetened drinks? (sugar, aspartame, etc).  Are you trying any supplements at all ? (many get some relief with magnesium, especially mag taurate).  Do you use headphones and music or meditation apps to see if you can relax at all? That's all I can tell you, other than we're with you and sending healing thoughts and prayers....hang in. 

 

Today my head pain is back - after being gone all yesterday afternoon and night. It's the way it is.

 

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Yeah I don't drink, never been a coffee drinker in my life. I have always been a healthy eater, though in February I cut out anything remotely bad, no gluten, no sugar not in fruit. Hasn't made any difference, just keep getting worse. It's annoying because if I'm this bad with a completely clean diet then I know I can't even add things in, but in fairness I have no appetite so it doesn't really matter what I eat as I don't have cravings. Meditation was great up until 2 months ago when my nose went numb, now breathing feels so strange that it's better to ignore it than focus on it. See when I had the especially bad anxiety or panic, I knew it would suck but I knew that I could breathe, take a propranolol and at worst take an ativan (I never would but the fact that I knew I could helped me). This severe depression, akathisia and just insane depersonalisation wouldn't even go away with the ativan so I'm just waiting to either get randomly better or worse (given my current physical state, worse probably means slipping into a coma). I actually accepted this is withdrawal, my parents are desperately trying to figure out what else it could be (bless them) but the fact that it is withdrawal scares me more as I know I'm powerless to stop the slide. Like when you say your depressed you go get help, where as in withdrawal you can't do that because you know how damaging the drugs they'll give you are.