Discussion: Four Phases of Withdrawal-Where Are You?

[[so...]]

Never,

 

You've been able to see a lot of improvements changing your diet to hypoglycemic and avoiding processed foods containing preservatives.  Take that back foot of yours out of phase two and set it firmly in phase three.  Keep walking forward.  Watch for the subtle changes and rejoice in your body's healing power.

 

Love, Sofa

[[Ma...]]

Well, thanks so much for your input, but not really. I was wearing perfume and doing all kinds of things I suddenly cannot do without my chest seizing and searing pain there. Then I'm worse for days so.... still think I'm nearly there?

m

[[so...]]

Marina,

 

Trust me.  You can't see it like someone outside of you reading your descriptions of what you are experiencing.  If you can detect triggers and culprits and connect them to upticks in symptoms, you are in phase 3.  Next stop, phase 4 recovery.

 

Sofa

[[Ju...]]

I'm in three, but fear slipping back to two during waves only because waves feel similar to parts of two if that makes sense. For women, a certain time of the month adds hugely to magnifying side effects and anxiety. And it's hard to avoid. But I avoid coffee and alcohol and stressful people and dont read emails at night or watch the news too much, learning what my triggers are but hoping I won't be stuck in a life of avoiding things forever either. Doesn't seem to take much to trigger me off, I feel like a scared cat bracing itself in the corner every time it hears the slightest noise. I hope to high heaven it's not always like this, but I'm also grateful your four phases are described as progress because I remember the hell of phase one and two, and at least I'm back at work again and able to drive most days. Just not handling proper eating, sleeping, socialising, conflict, noise, public transport etc

[[Ma...]]

Thank you, Sofa. I'm so happy! I'm in phase three!!! Grateful for your response. Truly. This is the most optimistic I've felt in a long time. Again, very grateful.

m

[[so...]]

Just,

 

I feel exactly like you do.  We have an overly sensitized CNS right now that is vulnerable to stress of any kind--interacting with people, food sensitivities, preservatives, alcohol, drugs, supplements, and many others.

 

Our sensitive nerves will eventually normalize over time and will be able to handle everyday life stressors without presenting symptoms.  We will feel calm when those around us are in turmoil because we have gone through major reconstruction in this withdrawal process.  It is one of the many "gifts" we end up with after having endured this horrific journey.

 

We are going through this for a reason that we cannot yet see because we are still in recovery.  We will see the whole journey as a rebirth once we are fully healed.

 

Love, Sofa

[[dr...]]

Yup...I definitely am in three....been feeling better most days.  I had a dinner party the other night and I had a 1/2 glass of wine(have maybe 2x per month if that) and a gluten free dessert(first sugary item in over a month).  I was a bit funky to begin with but not a wave.  Felt off after dinner and woke up in a complete panic/adrenaline rush at 2am.  From a dead sleep to racing heart and fear!  It passed in about 1/2 hour and I fell back.  Teh next day I had DR but no more rushes.  two days later feeling back to baseline wonkiness. 

I try to reincorporate something like a drink, dessert, etc...once a month to see if I am healing in that area.  Guess I am not even close to my sensitivities lessening.  oh well..this sucks but it's way better than even six months ago. 

[[il...]]

Never,

 

You've been able to see a lot of improvements changing your diet to hypoglycemic and avoiding processed foods containing preservatives.  Take that back foot of yours out of phase two and set it firmly in phase three.  Keep walking forward.  Watch for the subtle changes and rejoice in your body's healing power.

 

Love, Sofa

 

Sure have! Everything went from *pure* hell to manageable. I'm so grateful for what you taught me!

 

Love ya!

[[so...]]

Never,

 

That's what we do here.  Learn from others ahead of us and teach those behind us.  There are no medical experts interested in helping us, so we help each other.

 

Love, Sofa

[[so...]]

Drew,

 

Isn't it amazing when we can actually see what's going on and test the waters a bit to discover where we are in the process?  Even more amazing is watching our systems pull us back to center quicker with each healing month behind us.  We are getting there, Drew.  We are getting closer to the end of this nightmare every single day.

 

Love, Sofa

[[De...]]

I am 64 yo. I was on 2mg Xanax er from the start, for 2 years.  What DR???  I read you will likely have to recover for as long as you were taking the drug.  Yes a 2 year penalty for taking one little pill at bedtime. I tapered hard (50% then less) for 5 months.  I am 3mos benzo free.  I think I am coming out of phase 2 into 3.  I still have hair loss, sweating and morning anxiety that just won't quit.  I look so much worse that I did before I quit the drug.  If I have to push myself in the a.m. I now can, but don't want to.  I work 2 days a week, but don't have to be in until 11 am.  It takes all I have those days to get to work on time.  When I am there, I sweat at the least exertion and am self conscious of my hair loss.  I now have a little more to give to my blessed husband but we are still in separate bedrooms. I have begun cooking dinner about 3 days per week.  I am so thankful he is a little younger and still working so he doesn't have to be around me in early day.  By the time he comes home I pull it together.  I still have that "frightened feeling" a lot.  I still have a lot of stomach disorder.  I get impatient with people easily.  I still question if I will recover.  What phase do YOU think I am in?

[[so...]]

Deejay,

 

How long you were on the drug has little to do with the duration of your withdrawal.  Withdrawal time varies with each person.  We are all unique.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that 96% of people in WD are healed by 2 years.  98% by 3 years. 

 

At 3 months off, you are, most likely, still in the acute phase.  The best way to gauge where you are in the process would be to read the characteristics of each phase and see which one describes how you are currently feeling.

 

You will heal 100% from this eventually.  Use all your strength to eat a healthy hypoglycemic diet, avoid drugs, supplements, alcohol and processed foods containing preservatives and practice coping skills that work for you.

 

Sofa

 

 

 

 

[[dr...]]

sofa-I beg to differ at the 96% number by two years.  I would say of all the people who quit the drug yes, but the ones who find their way to here it is much less.  Out of about 12-15 of us I know when I started at or past two years only two considered themselves healed.    Not to rain on the parade though as everyone of us is way better.  It is just glacial in pace. 

[[so...]]

You are right Drew.  I was just trying to explain that no timelines are set in stone but, ultimately, we all heal.  The timeline averages I cited were the ones I read from other sources of final recovery and they are averages pulled from data that includes timelines at both ends of the spectrum, not "averages" at all.  Good point you brought up and well said.  Thank you.

 

Love, Sofa

[Guest [mu...]]

Sofa, do you have a link to this data? I also heard of very different timetables from the UK organizations, who have seen thousands through this process.

[[so...]]

Mutuuraia,

 

I have read hundreds of articles and books over the past 2.5 years and have come across these statistics mentioned by the sources I cited in previous posts.  I honestly have no idea as to the validity of the claims.  I know Ian Singleton from BTP and Baylissa Fredericks and Una Corbett are just a few of the people who have supported thousands of people over many years and have made these recovery claims and Mad in America has many links to statistics as well.  You can also find many links to research on the website survivingantidepressants.org.

 

I am not stating any of these claims as fact.  Truthfully, I find it impossible to decipher between research statistics, anecdotal evidence, conjecture and pure bs.  The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, as it always seems to be in life.

 

Sofa

 

 

[Guest [mu...]]

Thanks Sofa. Can you please point me in the direction of those previous posts, as well as articles and books? I've done my fair share of research as well and have yet to come upon any real studies or statistics about rates of recovery. I'm always looking to learn more, so anything you could share would be very appreciated. xo

[[Be...]]

Hello,

,I am three week into benzo withdrawal , I was on .5 klonopin three times a day for a year and a half . I tapered over three and a half months to 0.25 a day then jumped off. I should also say I didn't always take it three times a day and I usually stuck with .5 unless I was doing really bad. I am Still in the first stage I think I thought I was better than it all came back except all mental no too,many physical symptoms at the moment except blood pressure and some shakiness

[[il...]]

sofa-I beg to differ at the 96% number by two years.  I would say of all the people who quit the drug yes, but the ones who find their way to here it is much less.  Out of about 12-15 of us I know when I started at or past two years only two considered themselves healed.    Not to rain on the parade though as everyone of us is way better.  It is just glacial in pace.

 

Drew, can you clairfy? "I would say of all the people who quit the drug yes, but the ones who find their way to here it is much less." What about the people who quit the drug and find themselves *here*? Where is here? BB? Much less what? Much less % of those who've healed by then of much less time it took to heal?

 

Just curious! Thanks.

[[il...]]

P.s. I believe I'm officially entering Phase 3 after being stuck in between for a few weeks! I actually felt so good the last couple of days, I contimplated making plans to spend the day in Phila next week! I'm not going - way too unpredictable yet, but I *felt* the *want* to do something like *that*!

 

Maybe it's just a good wave? Who knows and who cares! 🤗

 

Blessings to all,

Never again

[[so...]]

Bill,

 

You are very early in withdrawal, the acute phase.  It can be consistently intense for awhile, then give way to Windows and Waves in phase 2.

 

Sofa

[[De...]]

Because I tapered for 5 months of hell, going from 2mg Xanax er down to 1mg Xanex er for 4 mos and then to.5 mg clonazapam for 1 mos, then nothing; I believe based on the descriptions I am in phase 2.  I was wonereing if any one has adressed if there is any withdrawal difference in those taking extended release Xanax in contrast to immediate release Xanax.

[[so...]]

Deejay,

 

I don't know the answer to your questions, but we all catch up to each other after acute phase either way.

 

Sofa

[[so...]]

Buddies,

 

What I've noticed reading posts on this forum, is that we all continue to suffer our own disturbing symptoms of withdrawal and feel like we are being barraged by all kinds of ailments throughout different areas in our bodies when, in fact, it boils down to one thing only.  Elevated glutamate neurotransmitters firing off with downregulated GABA receptors not working and connecting to the glutamate neurotransmitters properly to "even out" the yin and yang flow that is supposed to occur.  The unchecked glutamate turns into cortisol.  The cortisol then turns into adrenaline.  The adrenaline then hits all different body organs (stomach, heart, pancreas, liver, brain, etc.) and thyroid glands and mood areas in the brain.  We experience symptoms, as a result. 

 

Over time, the trillion GABA receptors start to slowly upregulate throughout our bodies, all at different stages of regrowth and maturity.  We start feeling better, with symptoms diminishing in different areas, as the GABA receptors start coming back online, bit by bit, connecting with and calming down the excitatory glutamate neurotransmitters. 

 

I know this isn't the first time you've read about what's going on in the body during this healing process.  I am writing this post as much for myself as for all my fellow sufferers.  I need to constantly remind myself that this is a process of healing and normalizing.  We will all get there eventually.

 

Sofa

[[Be...]]

Thanks sofuckingdone i am always pleased to learn more about what is going on with me and why i feel all of this random things that dont make sense.  I am sure we will all heal eventually.

 

Thanks