ME/CFS, Pots, Dysautonomia, autonomic neuropathy all diagnosed causedby klonopin

[[ge...]]

  As the title says that's what I have been diagnosed recently  by a whole team of doctors all after using Klonopin as I had 0 symptoms before using it. It's been a steady downward spiral since 2014 the day after I began using it. At least 12 invasive and non invasive tests were used to make this diagnosis in the past 6 months. They admit it was most likely from Klonopin.

My question really is if anyone else has actually been diagnosed with anything after using benzodiazepines and have them go away after sometime, even years later? That's really the only hope I have left because this is torturous everyday.

Over 9 months off everything at this point

[[Aj...]]

Lots of people have been diagnosed with lots of stuff.

 

 

Did you see this?

 

 

Due to the lack of benzodiazepine awareness and education among medical professionals, frequently, when patients present with increasing mental and physical issues from the adverse effects of the drugs, they are instead given separate, additional diagnoses. This may lead to increasing dosages and/or additional prescriptions. All the while medical professionals are completely missing the root problem and what is actually the true cause of the mental and physical deterioration – the benzodiazepine.

 

It is important to note that sometimes illnesses may co-occur; however, it is not uncommon for the condition the patient was medicated for to be worsened in time by the benzodiazepine.

 

In many cases, the drug itself is the direct cause of increasing or additional symptoms, systemic illnesses or particular subsequent diagnoses manifesting, and the health issues improve or fully resolve when the patient’s central nervous system and body recovers from the drug neurotoxicity and damage. For example, some patients may test as having thyroid abnormalities while on benzodiazepines and in withdrawal, which then test “normal” upon coming off the drug and healing. Of course, the presence of conclusive diagnostic clinical laboratory evidence of true autoimmune thyroid disease, such as high titers of anti-thyroidal autoantibodies suggests that this would be a separate issue from BWS. However, many people have reported to have developed diseases such as these after experiencing adverse effects from BZs, and BWS makes coping with these types of illnesses exponentially harder.

 

Please familiarize yourself with the long list of symptoms that can manifest from benzodiazepine use and withdrawal and be aware of potential diagnoses/misdiagnoses that can come in the midst of benzodiazepine-induced illness.

 

Diagnoses/Misdiagnoses Patients Received While Experiencing Serious Adverse Effects on Benzodiazepines and in Withdrawal:

*Note: while someone can have concomitant illnesses, many people suffering BWS have received these common misdiagnoses without clinical testing, and many of these diagnoses cleared after successful recovery from BWS.

 

Acoustic neuroma

Adrenal Fatigue, Other Adrenal Disorders, Adrenal Tumor

Akathisia

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

Anemia

Arthritis

Autoimmune Disorders/Diseases – Lupus, Thyroid conditions, Psoriasis, etc.

Benign Fasciculations Syndrome

Bladder – Cystitis Cystica, Interstitial Cystitis, Urinary Incontinence, Recurring Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)

Celiac Disease (diagnosed despite no proof in tests)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Crohn’s Disease

Colitis

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Cushing’s

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS)

Degenerative Disc

Diabetes/Type 2 Diabetes

Dysautonomia/Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

Endometriosis

Essential/Kinetic Tremor

Fibromyalgia

Gallbladder Disease

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

Gastroparesis

Heart Disease

Hyperventilation

Insomnia

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Kidney Disease

Liver Dysfunction

Lupus

Lyme Disease

Migraine

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Osteoporosis

Peripheral Nerve Hyperexcitability Syndrome (PNH)

Peripheral Neuropathy

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Seizure Disorders

Subclinical thyroid abnormalities

Stiff Person Syndrome

Tardive Dyskinesia

Vasovagal Syncope

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Urticaria (Hives)

Vulvodynia

 

Source:  W-bad.org

 

[[ge...]]

Wow thank you for that! I haven't seen that before. That give me some hope. A big part of it is something called preload failure where the heart doesn't get primed correctly which leads to a lot of these problems the doctors said. Blood vessels not expanding and contracting correctly

[[Aj...]]

I had ME before took Benzos so I may never be ok but you will because it is WD.

[[Do...]]

In the facebook groups, there are many people who came back into the groups a year or so after being off of benzos, who had "chronic" health issues miraculously clear up.  I know someone who was on klonopin and diagnosed with fibromyalgia who was barely functioning, who is now working full time more than a year off of klonopin.  The benzo guidelines for the state of PA even warn that benzos can make many health issues worse.

 

I can say the neuropathy I got during withdrawal has subsided, although I do have to be careful which medications I take.

[[an...]]

I have all this too. I had it way before benzos. It's gotten much worse since I stopped k. It makes sense bc the sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive and wreaking havoc. I'm curious how the neuropathy was diagnosed. Was a Qsart performed? Also, where were you diagnosed? I've found there are only a few medical facilities that know how to truly perform autonomic testing, let alone make a diagnosis. The good news is you didn't have it prior to benzos, so it will dissipate in time.

[[ge...]]

Cleveland clinic - they seem to have every test you can imagine. I've done the qsart, hemodynamic test,  cpet exercise during heart catherization, several different echocardiograms,nerve conduction tests, more I just forget what they are. As you've said alot of these diseases are due to overactive sympathetic nervous system activity which benzodiazepines can and will cause in suseptible people

[[an...]]

Good deal. Cleveland Clinic, Mayo, and Vanderbilt are the best for testing the ANS. I was diagnosed at Mayo in MN, and I've been to Vandy. What did the base the autonomic neuropathy on?

[[...]]

I don't have an answer for you, but I'm in the exact same shoes. And I have the same fears and questions.

I too have neuropathy and dysautonomia that all appeared after I stopped my benzo, NEVER before.

 

One thing that makes me hopeful is that there are still windows and waves in these aforementioned symptoms.

They don't typically every disappear 100%, but they are VERY reactionary to stress. If I am having a stressful day, my nerve pain is extreme and my dysautonomia symptoms are very frightening and intense. On good, relaxing days, I can sometimes go almost all day without either of them causing me noticeable debilitation and moreso just being background, small annoyances.

 

Maybe this is typical with normal neuropathy and dyautonomia as well? I don't know. But it just seems very 'benzo-y' to me, based on the info I've read about waves and windows.

 

It's unreal to think that benzos have done this to us. I try to keep my mind off of it, but it's become such a prevalent aspect of everything that I do (and cannot) do.

 

I hope for us both that it passes.

 

[[Pl...]]

Bookmark

[[ch...]]

FOLLOWING

[[Cu...]]

Following.  OMG...I am SO relieved to have found this thread!...Thank you, OP for starting it.    In too much pain now to take it all in;

will return to it after I, hopefully, am able to get some sleep (awake all night). 

 

[[mo...]]

Yes I wish to follow, in cns fire right now.

[[Le...]]

Thank you Ajusta for posting this... I had not seen it either and it makes total sense.

[[Ma...]]

Okay, FNG...what is ME and CFS?

[[de...]]

Thanks for your very useful post Ajusta. 

 

I have no doubt that some people have illnesses/diseases outside, and inside, benzo withdrawal.  Stands to reason. 

 

Also think it important to  keep a look out for DGS (Doctor Google Syndrome  ).  It's highly contagious, but with cure...try resist this doctor too. 

 

If people think they may have serious illness, disease, get it checked out by specialist. 

 

Also wish people would not just initialise illnesses and diseases.  ME/CFS, etc.  People are already highly anxious, and probably search frantically for meaning. 

 

Be well. 

 

We are healing. 

 

Dee

 

[[De...]]

Here's another article on the subject at benzoinfo.com.

 

https://www.benzoinfo.com/2018/04/28/how-benzodiazepines-mimic-chronic-illness-and-what-to-do-about-it/

 

 

[[Tr...]]

I have also had neurological diagnoses. But the problem was side effects of painkillers.

 

[[Ma...]]

Depibs - Read the article at your posted link. Wow, just wow...you have no idea just how many times I've been tested for lupus and RA. Also been diagnosed with fibro.

 

I can tell my GP and my rheumatologist have never read that article...lol. I tested negative in all 4 types of tests for RA, but yet they wanted to treat me for RA. "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck..." they said. A-freaking-mazing.