clonazepam withdrawal / drug induced movement disorders?

[[pr...]]

they got me a cane but i dont use it because it does not help when i am all over the place spasming out of control

- this is a horror movie nightmare

- i miss my independance, walking, driving, doing things on my own

 

 

i can't use the cane either. it just doesn't help when the balance is all over the place...

 

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

 

i've seen a psychologist and a therapist who has told me similar things while i was in withdrawal. it made me feel like such a victim and unheard and totally alone. it's just the most horrible feeling when they say this stuff to you. feels like i am being gaslighted and i hate that so much.

 

 

- confused and desperate what to do...NOT getting anywhere with these psychological sessions to make the 'movement disorder' go away but if i do nothing will sit home indefinitely not getting better unless a miracle happens

- psych medication retake is NOT an option

 

you will get to a point where you will know that it is useless and futile to see people like this and that this kind of injury/healing just takes time. and after a certain amount of healing it's not a bad idea to talk about all those past negative life experiences, emotions, feelings, thoughts with the appropriate therapist, friend, shaman, psychologist. i am starting to be at that point where i need to talk about my life story with some. but i want someone who is and can be a "enlightened witness".

 

[[cl...]]

it does feel like this psychologist guy is trying to use 'psychological techniques' on me to gain my trust because I am having trouble talking about emotions and feelings

and wants to avoid talking about pysch drugs as a possible cause of my condition

- i am still on the fence about the anxiety / emotions / feelings causing movement disorder symptoms versus pysch drug withdrawal being the cause and believe it is

possibly a combination of both

- with this pysch doctor i dont have a choice except for going with his approach or discontinuing the sessions

- i know his reports are going to go back to the neurologist and my GP doctor [who i am no longer using or will see again] and might get escalated to a psychiatrist

he says things like "how do you feel towards me?" how are you experiencing me right now?" and keeps asking every session to video record [which i always refuse this!]

- these questions make me feel really uncomfortable and weirded out

and come out of the sessions feeling useless

- anyone else had experiences like this with psychologists??

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

 

i've seen a psychologist and a therapist who has told me similar things while i was in withdrawal. it made me feel like such a victim and unheard and totally alone. it's just the most horrible feeling when they say this stuff to you. feels like i am being gaslighted and i hate that so much.

 

they got me a cane but i dont use it because it does not help when i am all over the place spasming out of control

- this is a horror movie nightmare

- i miss my independance, walking, driving, doing things on my own

 

 

i can't use the cane either. it just doesn't help when the balance is all over the place...

 

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

 

i've seen a psychologist and a therapist who has told me similar things while i was in withdrawal. it made me feel like such a victim and unheard and totally alone. it's just the most horrible feeling when they say this stuff to you. feels like i am being gaslighted and i hate that so much.

 

 

- confused and desperate what to do...NOT getting anywhere with these psychological sessions to make the 'movement disorder' go away but if i do nothing will sit home indefinitely not getting better unless a miracle happens

- psych medication retake is NOT an option

 

you will get to a point where you will know that it is useless and futile to see people like this and that this kind of injury/healing just takes time. and after a certain amount of healing it's not a bad idea to talk about all those past negative life experiences, emotions, feelings, thoughts with the appropriate therapist, friend, shaman, psychologist. i am starting to be at that point where i need to talk about my life story with some. but i want someone who is and can be a "enlightened witness".

[[pr...]]

it does feel like this psychologist guy is trying to use 'psychological techniques' on me to gain my trust because I am having trouble talking about emotions and feelings

and wants to avoid talking about pysch drugs as a possible cause of my condition

- i am still on the fence about the anxiety / emotions / feelings causing movement disorder symptoms versus pysch drug withdrawal being the cause and believe it is

possibly a combination of both

- with this pysch doctor i dont have a choice except for going with his approach or discontinuing the sessions

- i know his reports are going to go back to the neurologist and my GP doctor [who i am no longer using or will see again] and might get escalated to a psychiatrist

he says things like "how do you feel towards me?" how are you experiencing me right now?" and keeps asking every session to video record [which i always refuse this!]

- these questions make me feel really uncomfortable and weirded out

and come out of the sessions feeling useless

- anyone else had experiences like this with psychologists??]/quote]

 

 

i have always wondered if this psychologists have ever had my best interest at heart? or if they only see me as having mental illness because of the fragile state i am in and when i talk about my bizarre symptoms. i feel this way about most doctor's too. i finally found a pretty decent pdoc but i am sure that i still can't really talk to him about this benzo illness and this is most definitely an illness.

[[Do...]]

again was taken by a family member today to attend another psychologist therapy session designed to help with 'neurological functional movement disorder'

after not sleeping again last night and brain pressure / head / neck / back shaking tremoring spasms trouble walking knees buckling / trouble talking / thinking in the session

- i started talking about effects psych drugs might have had on leading to my condition

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

- started getting into talking about past negative life experiences, emotions, feelings, thoughts and how they conciously / unconciously created anxiety / depression

- again asked me if he can record video session and i refused saying he is not pressuring me but leaving decision up to me

- psychologist left appointment open for next week and that it is up to me if I would like to discontinue sessions

- it is so coincidental that all my life i have had feelings of anxiety / depression but i never had any tremors / shaking or trouble walking until coming off clonazepam??

 

- confused and desperate what to do...NOT getting anywhere with these psychological sessions to make the 'movement disorder' go away but if i do nothing will sit home indefinitely not getting better unless a miracle happens

- psych medication retake is NOT an option

 

 

 

 

 

Please remember that even ashton said benzos can cause "functional changes in the brain", so in regards to a funtional neurological movement disorder, that diagnosis is correct.  http://w-bad.org/functionalbrainchanges/   

 

For people with functional movement disorders, cognitive therapy and physical therapy are both needed.  There are actual changes in the brain with functional movement disorders.  And while remaining calm will not stop these involuntary movements completely, it can settle them down.  Functional movement disorders can also be caused by severe stress.  (so yes, a person with severe stress can actually cause functional changes in the brain that cause movement disorders).  When you look at the message boards for people with functional neurological disorder (FND), many of the symptoms are the exact same as those for people coming off of benzos. 

 

PHYSICAL THERAPY IS RECOMMENDED TO KEEP THESE MOVEMENTS FROM BECOMING "MUSCLE MEMORY".

 

Gray matter differences in functional movement disorders  https://n.neurology.org/content/91/20/e1870

[[...]]

again was taken by a family member today to attend another psychologist therapy session designed to help with 'neurological functional movement disorder'

after not sleeping again last night and brain pressure / head / neck / back shaking tremoring spasms trouble walking knees buckling / trouble talking / thinking in the session

- i started talking about effects psych drugs might have had on leading to my condition

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

- started getting into talking about past negative life experiences, emotions, feelings, thoughts and how they conciously / unconciously created anxiety / depression

- again asked me if he can record video session and i refused saying he is not pressuring me but leaving decision up to me

- psychologist left appointment open for next week and that it is up to me if I would like to discontinue sessions

- it is so coincidental that all my life i have had feelings of anxiety / depression but i never had any tremors / shaking or trouble walking until coming off clonazepam??

 

- confused and desperate what to do...NOT getting anywhere with these psychological sessions to make the 'movement disorder' go away but if i do nothing will sit home indefinitely not getting better unless a miracle happens

- psych medication retake is NOT an option

 

 

 

 

 

Please remember that even ashton said benzos can cause "functional changes in the brain", so in regards to a funtional neurological movement disorder, that diagnosis is correct.  http://w-bad.org/functionalbrainchanges/   

 

For people with functional movement disorders, cognitive therapy and physical therapy are both needed.  There are actual changes in the brain with functional movement disorders.  And while remaining calm will not stop these involuntary movements completely, it can settle them down.  Functional movement disorders can also be caused by severe stress.  (so yes, a person with severe stress can actually cause functional changes in the brain that cause movement disorders).  When you look at the message boards for people with functional neurological disorder (FND), many of the symptoms are the exact same as those for people coming off of benzos. 

 

PHYSICAL THERAPY IS RECOMMENDED TO KEEP THESE MOVEMENTS FROM BECOMING "MUSCLE MEMORY".

 

Gray matter differences in functional movement disorders  https://n.neurology.org/content/91/20/e1870

 

This. Why are you fighting so much about what is causing it? Is it the need for validation, or to be right? I know you’re scared. Why don’t you just go with it. It will not HURT. At the very least the anxiety about it is significantly making it worse, so work on that. I have the dystonia, tardive symptoms, spasms BAD. With Significant pain. On several occasions I have been able to meditate 95% of it away for a very short period. This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t a good part “functional”. Who cares what’s it’s called, a better mind set towards it can help.

[[cl...]]

dont know how to reply to 'this'

This. Why are you fighting so much about what is causing it? Is it the need for validation, or to be right? I know you’re scared. Why don’t you just go with it. It will not HURT. At the very least the anxiety about it is significantly making it worse, so work on that. I have the dystonia, tardive symptoms, spasms BAD. With Significant pain. On several occasions I have been able to meditate 95% of it away for a very short period. This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t a good part “functional”. Who cares what’s it’s called, a better mind set towards it can help.

again was taken by a family member today to attend another psychologist therapy session designed to help with 'neurological functional movement disorder'

after not sleeping again last night and brain pressure / head / neck / back shaking tremoring spasms trouble walking knees buckling / trouble talking / thinking in the session

- i started talking about effects psych drugs might have had on leading to my condition

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

- started getting into talking about past negative life experiences, emotions, feelings, thoughts and how they conciously / unconciously created anxiety / depression

- again asked me if he can record video session and i refused saying he is not pressuring me but leaving decision up to me

- psychologist left appointment open for next week and that it is up to me if I would like to discontinue sessions

- it is so coincidental that all my life i have had feelings of anxiety / depression but i never had any tremors / shaking or trouble walking until coming off clonazepam??

 

- confused and desperate what to do...NOT getting anywhere with these psychological sessions to make the 'movement disorder' go away but if i do nothing will sit home indefinitely not getting better unless a miracle happens

- psych medication retake is NOT an option

 

 

 

 

 

Please remember that even ashton said benzos can cause "functional changes in the brain", so in regards to a funtional neurological movement disorder, that diagnosis is correct.  http://w-bad.org/functionalbrainchanges/   

 

For people with functional movement disorders, cognitive therapy and physical therapy are both needed.  There are actual changes in the brain with functional movement disorders.  And while remaining calm will not stop these involuntary movements completely, it can settle them down.  Functional movement disorders can also be caused by severe stress.  (so yes, a person with severe stress can actually cause functional changes in the brain that cause movement disorders).  When you look at the message boards for people with functional neurological disorder (FND), many of the symptoms are the exact same as those for people coming off of benzos. 

 

PHYSICAL THERAPY IS RECOMMENDED TO KEEP THESE MOVEMENTS FROM BECOMING "MUSCLE MEMORY".

 

Gray matter differences in functional movement disorders  https://n.neurology.org/content/91/20/e1870

 

This. Why are you fighting so much about what is causing it? Is it the need for validation, or to be right? I know you’re scared. Why don’t you just go with it. It will not HURT. At the very least the anxiety about it is significantly making it worse, so work on that. I have the dystonia, tardive symptoms, spasms BAD. With Significant pain. On several occasions I have been able to meditate 95% of it away for a very short period. This wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t a good part “functional”. Who cares what’s it’s called, a better mind set towards it can help.

[[Pl...]]

I never had it while on drug, only withdrawal. So my hope is it will all go away with time!

 

Do you mean if it happens on the drug, it’s different from withdrawal and you will have a different outcome?

 

It’s possible outcome could be different if it happened while on a different drug, can sometimes be permanent. If t happened while on benzo it could have been tolerance withdrawal and should get better the same.

 

All my sxs started with benzo

[[Pl...]]

Are you talking about tardive dyskinesia? I think it's sometimes associated with antipsychotics.

 

Yes this too but it started with Benzo

[[cl...]]

good information there thank you

http://w-bad.org/functionalbrainchanges/

again was taken by a family member today to attend another psychologist therapy session designed to help with 'neurological functional movement disorder'

after not sleeping again last night and brain pressure / head / neck / back shaking tremoring spasms trouble walking knees buckling / trouble talking / thinking in the session

- i started talking about effects psych drugs might have had on leading to my condition

- he basically said that my mind was closed and has to be open and buy into the idea that anxiety, emotions and feelings effect the physical body and cause my movement disorder and that if there is an internal debate going on in my mind about medical causes he can not help me

- started getting into talking about past negative life experiences, emotions, feelings, thoughts and how they conciously / unconciously created anxiety / depression

- again asked me if he can record video session and i refused saying he is not pressuring me but leaving decision up to me

- psychologist left appointment open for next week and that it is up to me if I would like to discontinue sessions

- it is so coincidental that all my life i have had feelings of anxiety / depression but i never had any tremors / shaking or trouble walking until coming off clonazepam??

 

- confused and desperate what to do...NOT getting anywhere with these psychological sessions to make the 'movement disorder' go away but if i do nothing will sit home indefinitely not getting better unless a miracle happens

- psych medication retake is NOT an option

 

 

 

 

 

Please remember that even ashton said benzos can cause "functional changes in the brain", so in regards to a funtional neurological movement disorder, that diagnosis is correct.  http://w-bad.org/functionalbrainchanges/   

 

For people with functional movement disorders, cognitive therapy and physical therapy are both needed.  There are actual changes in the brain with functional movement disorders.  And while remaining calm will not stop these involuntary movements completely, it can settle them down.  Functional movement disorders can also be caused by severe stress.  (so yes, a person with severe stress can actually cause functional changes in the brain that cause movement disorders).  When you look at the message boards for people with functional neurological disorder (FND), many of the symptoms are the exact same as those for people coming off of benzos. 

 

PHYSICAL THERAPY IS RECOMMENDED TO KEEP THESE MOVEMENTS FROM BECOMING "MUSCLE MEMORY".

 

Gray matter differences in functional movement disorders  https://n.neurology.org/content/91/20/e1870

[[cl...]]

so you never had TD symptoms before starting taking benzos?

what was reason going on benzos? if you dont mind me asking

 

Yes this too but it started with Benzo

Are you talking about tardive dyskinesia? I think it's sometimes associated with antipsychotics.

 

Yes this too but it started with Benzo

[[cl...]]

it is hard to trust doctors

especially when they get defensive and say stupid things like my EX GP Doctor: "you can believe what you want" / "internet research is its own worst enemy" / "you can get a second opinion if you like" / "maybe they can prescribe parkinson's meds for your movement disorder"

[yeah right...levadopa will really fix me up after just quitting clonazepam]

 

- Neurologist said to me: "you are skeptical clearly you need psycho therapy"

 

i have always wondered if this psychologists have ever had my best interest at heart? or if they only see me as having mental illness because of the fragile state i am in and when i talk about my bizarre symptoms. i feel this way about most doctor's too. i finally found a pretty decent pdoc but i am sure that i still can't really talk to him about this benzo illness and this is most definitely an illness.

 

it does feel like this psychologist guy is trying to use 'psychological techniques' on me to gain my trust because I am having trouble talking about emotions and feelings

and wants to avoid talking about pysch drugs as a possible cause of my condition

- i am still on the fence about the anxiety / emotions / feelings causing movement disorder symptoms versus pysch drug withdrawal being the cause and believe it is

possibly a combination of both

- with this pysch doctor i dont have a choice except for going with his approach or discontinuing the sessions

- i know his reports are going to go back to the neurologist and my GP doctor [who i am no longer using or will see again] and might get escalated to a psychiatrist

he says things like "how do you feel towards me?" how are you experiencing me right now?" and keeps asking every session to video record [which i always refuse this!]

- these questions make me feel really uncomfortable and weirded out

and come out of the sessions feeling useless

- anyone else had experiences like this with psychologists??]/quote]

 

 

i have always wondered if this psychologists have ever had my best interest at heart? or if they only see me as having mental illness because of the fragile state i am in and when i talk about my bizarre symptoms. i feel this way about most doctor's too. i finally found a pretty decent pdoc but i am sure that i still can't really talk to him about this benzo illness and this is most definitely an illness.

[[cl...]]

another day:

head constantly shaking / tremoring /bobbing around left to right / tilting / up and down violently head feels like it is being ripped off

stiff sore neck / pressure in head / ears ringing

- back spasms pain

- trouble walking

how to deal with this

nothing stops it 24/7

- anyone else going through this??

 

 

[[...]]

I'm having a day just like yours.

Losing the whole ground

[[...]]

Clonaz,

 

When did these sxs start for you? Mine started soon after taking valium even before tapering.

[[cl...]]

these symptoms started early in 2018 while still taking clonazepam drug and got progressively worse after quitting

-I have read / researched about TD dyskenesia symptoms and that it is irreversible

it is hard to believe that anxiety causes this

 

Clonaz,

 

When did these sxs start for you? Mine started soon after taking valium even before tapering.

[[...]]

Did it start after you started tapering or before tapering?

Mine started even before I started tapering.

 

No, these are not caused by anxiety. It's the damn drug or wd of it.

[[pr...]]

another day:

head constantly shaking / tremoring /bobbing around left to right / tilting / up and down violently head feels like it is being ripped off

stiff sore neck / pressure in head / ears ringing

- back spasms pain

- trouble walking

how to deal with this

nothing stops it 24/7

- anyone else going through this??

 

 

i sure went through this day after day after day. i won't tell you how long as to not scare hone even though i always stress that i am a rare & severe kindling cold turkey case. i can't tell you how scary it was thinking that it would never change or go away. i am still having issues but i am much better. it takes a long time. it will get better for you at some point. i never had TD symptoms until after the cold turkey from klonopin.

[[cl...]]

these symptoms started early in 2018 while still rapid tapering clonazepam drug and got progressively worse after quitting

although i had some weird symptoms like head twitching before tapering

 

Did it start after you started tapering or before tapering?

Mine started even before I started tapering.

 

No, these are not caused by anxiety. It's the damn drug or wd of it.

[[cl...]]

yes this is scary living in constant anxiety panic fear uncertainty

these symptoms started early in 2018 while still rapidly tapering clonazepam drug and got progressively worse after quitting

-I have read / researched about TD dyskenesia symptoms and that it is irreversible

 

another day:

head constantly shaking / tremoring /bobbing around left to right / tilting / up and down violently head feels like it is being ripped off

stiff sore neck / pressure in head / ears ringing

- back spasms pain

- trouble walking

how to deal with this

nothing stops it 24/7

 

 

 

i sure went through this day after day after day. i won't tell you how long as to not scare hone even though i always stress that i am a rare & severe kindling cold turkey case. i can't tell you how scary it was thinking that it would never change or go away. i am still having issues but i am much better. it takes a long time. it will get better for you at some point. i never had TD symptoms until after the cold turkey from klonopin.

[[...]]

Thank you for further clarifying!

My heart is sinking with feeling or terror.

 

My entire left side is so numb, with strong muscle contraction head to toe causing dystonia sx head turning to right, and upper body turning to right. Left eye sight is severely blurred. Pain everywhere, sharp needling, deep muscle and joints and others.

 

Living like this day in and day out for so long exhausted me physically and mentally to the very limit

 

 

[[pr...]]

-I have read / researched about TD dyskenesia symptoms and that it is irreversible

 

 

in my opinion i think that if TD symptoms started after withdrawal then i think it will resolve at some point. mine seems to be getting much better.

 

Thank you for further clarifying!

My heart is sinking with feeling or terror.

 

My entire left side is so numb, with strong muscle contraction head to toe causing dystonia sx head turning to right, and upper body turning to right. Left eye sight is severely blurred. Pain everywhere, sharp needling, deep muscle and joints and others.

 

Living like this day in and day out for so long exhausted me physically and mentally to the very limit

 

 

i had very similar symptoms. my entire left side was numb and especially my left arm as i couldn't use it for a very long time. i also had that strong muscle contraction head to toe and i had my head pulling to the left very violently for a very long time. it still does but it's much better. i also had the dystonia and TD symptoms especially with that head pulling. i made videos of the head pulling as it was so severe. i was so terrified that i would not be able to live with this and that it would never go away. i still have it where i wake up and my head is cocked to one side and feels like it is in a vice grip.

[[cl...]]

Sunday:

today i got up after not sleeping again all night just laying there with eyes closed but wide awake

not shaking / tremoring but have numbness in head and pressure in right ear /

can walk a little better but still wobbly

what is going on??

-I have read / researched about TD dyskenesia symptoms and that it is irreversible

 

 

in my opinion i think that if TD symptoms started after withdrawal then i think it will resolve at some point. mine seems to be getting much better.

 

Thank you for further clarifying!

My heart is sinking with feeling or terror.

 

My entire left side is so numb, with strong muscle contraction head to toe causing dystonia sx head turning to right, and upper body turning to right. Left eye sight is severely blurred. Pain everywhere, sharp needling, deep muscle and joints and others.

 

Living like this day in and day out for so long exhausted me physically and mentally to the very limit

 

 

i had very similar symptoms. my entire left side was numb and especially my left arm as i couldn't use it for a very long time. i also had that strong muscle contraction head to toe and i had my head pulling to the left very violently for a very long time. it still does but it's much better. i also had the dystonia and TD symptoms especially with that head pulling. i made videos of the head pulling as it was so severe. i was so terrified that i would not be able to live with this and that it would never go away. i still have it where i wake up and my head is cocked to one side and feels like it is in a vice grip.

[[cl...]]

I hope that it will resolve at some point

-I have read / researched about TD dyskenesia symptoms and that it is irreversible

 

 

in my opinion i think that if TD symptoms started after withdrawal then i think it will resolve at some point. mine seems to be getting much better.

 

Thank you for further clarifying!

My heart is sinking with feeling or terror.

 

My entire left side is so numb, with strong muscle contraction head to toe causing dystonia sx head turning to right, and upper body turning to right. Left eye sight is severely blurred. Pain everywhere, sharp needling, deep muscle and joints and others.

 

Living like this day in and day out for so long exhausted me physically and mentally to the very limit

 

 

i had very similar symptoms. my entire left side was numb and especially my left arm as i couldn't use it for a very long time. i also had that strong muscle contraction head to toe and i had my head pulling to the left very violently for a very long time. it still does but it's much better. i also had the dystonia and TD symptoms especially with that head pulling. i made videos of the head pulling as it was so severe. i was so terrified that i would not be able to live with this and that it would never go away. i still have it where i wake up and my head is cocked to one side and feels like it is in a vice grip.

[[...]]

Dystonia. Rewiring the brain through movement and dance | Federico Bitti | TEDxNapoli

 

"Using my body I was able to teach my brain, it takes exercise, discipline, a lot of work and time, but there’s something else… There is something that we might underestimate, that can be revolutionary, which is different for each person, patient, human being… This was my something!"

[[cl...]]

interesting video

Dystonia. Rewiring the brain through movement and dance | Federico Bitti | TEDxNapoli

 

"Using my body I was able to teach my brain, it takes exercise, discipline, a lot of work and time, but there’s something else… There is something that we might underestimate, that can be revolutionary, which is different for each person, patient, human being… This was my something!"