New Health Anxieties over 2 years off - should I go back to the neurologist?

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I hit tolerance withdrawal in 2014 and thought I was experiencing the onset of some strange autoimmune or rare disease due to the dizziness, tinnitus, vision problems, numbness/tingling, fatigue, brain fog and memory issues, etc. Was super freaked out and went to a number of specialists: neurologist, neuro opthalmologist, ENT, GI doc (for stomach/digestive symptoms that flared up after I started dropping my nose). Etc., etc. and had a ton of procedures done, all came back with normal results.

 

I'm over 2 years off Klonopin, and although a number of my more acute symptoms are no longer an issue for me (weight gain, nausea, constipation, swelling in my fingers, etc.), a lot of the symptoms I described above have remained the same or worse, and it's worrying.

 

Just over the past week, I've been having very weird sensations in my right hand beyond my normal numbness and tingling. It started in my right pinkie finger - its a weird tightness/swelling/stiffness, sort of like if you got stung by a bee (minus the actual sting or visible swelling) and soreness. Feels almost like an electrical charge in my hand plus a bit of numbness. I'm starting to feel it in the rest of my hand and up into my elbow and forearm, sometimes in my outer feet as well.

 

I've dealt with and have largely written off my numbness and tingling (and other remaining symptoms) as protracted withdrawal that I'm still healing from. Trust me, this is noticeably different from my current day to day and bothersome enough to cause me some concern. My vision problems, tinnitus, fatigue, memory/brain fog issues seem to be slightly more intensified than normal, too. Of additional concern, I started getting some symptoms I had closer to when I was quitting Klonopin that I hadn't had in awhile, such as blood in my stool (sorry for the TMI).

 

My question is, when does it make sense to retrace the specialist path to try and find answers for these issues that I've been assuming are strictly withdrawal?

 

I had done a great job convincing myself the past few years that it was all due to benzo withdrawal, and it too, shall pass. But with worsening symptoms after 2 over years, suddenly I'm not so sure anymore. I'm worried I have multiple sclerosis or another autoimmune disease from all the visible inflammation my body had in tolerance withdrawal and coming off of these drugs -- a lot of which still has yet to resolve. Note, I did get MRIs back in 2014 - I think of my brain, but I'm not sure about the spine. I vaguely remember the neurologist saying that it wouldn't make sense to check again for a significant period of time (like 10 years), but not sure I'm remembering correctly/am wondering if that's really true.

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How there

 

Sorry to hear you having such a hard time I myself am 13 months off today and my symptoms are very much the same i also get tingling feelings in my fingers and my my  feet ringing in the ears shortness of breath pains all over my body. I can relate to what you saying this is so hard one is always thinking in this benzo withdrawal or have I got some  thing life threatening, ot so exhausting. I think you should go get a check up it to be safe but I think it's the benzos IMO. I will also be going for a checkup to be safe.

 

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Thanks, Jang! Congrats on being 13 months off you're right, it is exhausting dealing with all of these constant symptoms and never being able to tell what's more serious.

 

I'll go get checked myself too, but it's so frustrating after years of doctors not believing me/writing me off as a hypochondriac or understanding how difficult benzo withdrawal can be.

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health anxiety is the worst.

I too have been able to convince myself for the most part that it is all benzo related. But it is so hard to maintain that conviction when symptoms become so overwhelming.

Sometimes going back to the doctors is needed.

 

all the best