I REALLY NEED SOME ANSWERS....cannot live like this any longer

[[Th...]]

RIGHT........   I did a CT based on advice from my PCP.  Yes, a CT is dangerous for a possible seizure only and is not advised, but there is ZERO evidence to show that a CT can cause "permanent damage."  Please STOP posturing! The Benzos causes the damage, not CT'ing off of them.  The symptoms and "perceived" damage are the body's reaction to no longer having the drug.  This thread wasn't about the dangers of a CT, but whether or not a person should reinstate at 7.5 months off.

No, it is cold-turkeying off of them that causes the damage. Overabrubt cessation causes glutamate excitoxicity. There are people on the forum who actually have brain lesions. And it's not posturing, I wish I had reinstated when back when I had the chance (and I had the chance). There're far too many voices on this forum championing cold-turkey, and I wish somebody told me to reinstate back when I asked whether to do so. Yes, and body's reaction is glutamate excitoxicity. I don't know when people should reinstate, but some people don't heal with time. They get into a sort of positive-feedback cascade of excitoxicity and get worse and worse as the time goes by. That's why it's advised to reinstate as soon as possible, not because there's some magic amount of time when it's supposed to work. Unless benzos turn toxic/paradoxical reinstatement works at any time with high enough d

 

I am not championing a CT.  Everyone heals back to their pre-Benzo baseline given enough time--EVERYONE!  But those that claim they "never heal" had other conditions and illnesses too so they conveniently blame Benzos for everything.  Healing from Benzos DOESN'T heal preexisting conditions.  So going back on the drug that caused the "so called" permanent damage also "fixes" the issues?  RIGHT ON!  If that's your reality.... :idiot:

[Guest [ba...]]

I'd say that my benzo experience permanently affected me (like any major life experience), but I would not say that it damaged me.  Like many, I feel like I actually grew in many ways as a result of the experience, although it certainly gave me a lot of unappreciated challenges for a while.

[Guest [pa...]]

I am not championing a CT.  Everyone heals back to their pre-Benzo baseline given enough time--EVERYONE!  But those that claim they "never heal" had other conditions and illnesses too so they conveniently blame Benzos for everything.  Healing from Benzos DOESN'T heal preexisting conditions.  So going back on the drug that caused the "so called" permanent damage also "fixes" the issues?  RIGHT ON!  If that's your reality.... :idiot:

I don't want to continue this discussion as it's an off-topic. And as much as I appreciate your positivity and attempts to uplift the spirits (it's much needed), what you're saying is simply not true. There were people on this very forum who were simply slowly desintegrated to death. Because of withdrawal. No pre-existing conditions (except perhaps genetic predispositions). Yes it's very, very rare, and I agree that most people heal remarkably fast, and that most people who withdraw from benzos never even end up on this forum. In fact, at first I used to be able to cold-turkey many times without withdrawals (I wasn't aware of the kindling effect back then). I would say that I'm lucky to have tolerated benzos so well, but it was a trap. Yes, going back on a drug fixes the issue (and damage isn't caused by drug, but by it's removal), because benzo-enhanced GABAergic signalling is able to counter glutamate excitoxicity (which admittedly is body's response to the drug).

[[or...]]

There were people on this very forum who were simply slowly desintegrated to death.

 

 

Did we know them? Know about them? Can you offer some proof of this, because it's very worrisome. Or at least some more information? What does "desintegrated (sp) to death" even mean?

 

 

Katz

 

 

[[Th...]]

I am not championing a CT.  Everyone heals back to their pre-Benzo baseline given enough time--EVERYONE!  But those that claim they "never heal" had other conditions and illnesses too so they conveniently blame Benzos for everything.  Healing from Benzos DOESN'T heal preexisting conditions.  So going back on the drug that caused the "so called" permanent damage also "fixes" the issues?  RIGHT ON!  If that's your reality.... :idiot:

I don't want to continue this discussion as it's an off-topic. And as much as I appreciate your positivity and attempts to uplift the spirits (it's much needed), what you're saying is simply not true. There were people on this very forum who were simply slowly desintegrated to death. Because of withdrawal. No pre-existing conditions (except perhaps genetic predispositions). Yes it's very, very rare, and I agree that most people heal remarkably fast, and that most people who withdraw from benzos never even end up on this forum. In fact, at first I used to be able to cold-turkey many times without withdrawals (I wasn't aware of the kindling effect back then). I would say that I'm lucky to have tolerated benzos so well, but it was a trap. Yes, going back on a drug fixes the issue (and damage isn't caused by drug, but by it's removal), because benzo-enhanced GABAergic signalling is able to counter glutamate excitoxicity (which admittedly is body's response to the drug).

 

What you're saying about going back on Benzos may work for 1 or 2 people out of 100,000 or so.  If it were true, then EVERYONE that did a slow taper would experience very little or no symptoms and very mild WD.  I know many on this forum that did a very slow taper and still got hit with a Brutal WD.  The odds are stacked against anyone reinstating 7.5 months out or further.  But, in the end, people have to do what they believe is best for them.  That's why I started Benzos in the first place, I thought it was best for me at that time.  Boy, was I completely and regretfully wrong!  Trusting a Benzo to do what my body does on it's own was a HUGE mistake for me.

[[Sh...]]

Sending u so much love longing x u are not alone we are with u x I am in the pits too and I will pray for u today x

[[Sh...]]

I’d like to add that I did a slow taper snd suffered the entire way down. Never stabilized. Tapering doesn’t always mean a better or easier road off. I can speak only of my experience but was terrified of ct too. But now in hindsight I might be better if I had stuck with the cold turkey the 2 times I tried

[[Ki...]]

Hey brother stay away from drugs and supplements and you be fine . Average time per my opinion is 3 -5 years. Could be faster if you don't have deep muscles damage

[[lo...]]

Sending u so much love longing x u are not alone we are with u x I am in the pits too and I will pray for u today x

 

 

Thank you so much, Shayna78.  I really need prayers and hope.  :smitten:

[[lo...]]

A lot of your symptoms sound like an antidepressant withdrawal. I'm not saying you're not also in benzo withdrawal, but reinstating may not even help if your issues are caused by antidepressants. I hope you find relief, I really do.

 

How can my withdrawals be from antidepressant withdrawal when I haven't been on antidepressants for years?  I never had anything happen to me until I went into tolerance withdrawals being on clonazepam and now ct.

[[Th...]]

Trazodone is an Antidepressant.

 

Trazodone is an antidepressant medicine that works to balance chemicals in the brain. It's used to treat depression, anxiety, or a combination of depression and anxiety. It can help if you're having problems like low mood, poor sleep and poor concentration.

 

 

 

[Guest [...]]

Trazodone at the level that you are taking 50 mg will not act like an antidepressant.

I believe the level used for antidepressants is much higher, in the hundreds - 400 - 600 mg.

 

If taking the 50 mg of Traz gets you some sleep, I would keep taking it etc.

 

May I ask why you had so many reinstatements followed by CT again, was it the fact that the reinstatement didn't get rid of your symptoms?

 

I'm in a situation that I came down way too quickly in July and have never been stable since.

I'm experiencing CT symptoms, but I'm still on the drugs.

 

I hope you feel better soon.

 

Thanks,

WinnieDog

[[lo...]]

Winniedog:

 

I was ct'd the first time in a hospital. Then my neurologist put me back on a month later. Then another hospital stay (because of withdrawal, which I had no clue about at the time) ct'd me again.  My neurologist (not benzo-wise at all and the one who started me on them 20 years ago) put me back on them again after the last hospital stay.  When I finally came upon the Lisa Ling special in October of 2019, I knew then that benzos were causing all the tolerance and parodoxical symptoms and went off them about 5 months later cold-turkey.  I didn't know anything about tapering and I hadn't found BenzoBuddies before I ct'd.

 

My neurologist is no help and still insists that if I just get back on clonazepam, everything will diminish.  I haven't seen him nor any other doctor since then.

[Guest [pa...]]

Cold-turkeys sensitize the system. If you reinstate you might have to reinstate at a much higher dose, and it might take several months to stabilize.

[[Aj...]]

A lot of ppl get much worse before they get better.

It can take a few years.

[[Aj...]]

Do you realize how many people got to the point during their healing/recovery experience that they didn't think they could go on any longer either? I would say the majority on this forum IMO?  She's not a unique or special case, hundreds if not thousands of others journeyed down that same path, didn't think they could make it and eventually recovered without reinstating.  Many of us on this forum have been there and done that and finally healed.  We (I) am speaking from that experience and trying to offer hope for healing without drugs.  A window could be right around the corner?

Cold-turkey is not only a miserable experience, it's also dangerous. It can leave long-term, or even permanent damage. IMHO anyone who can reinstate to do a slow taper should do so.

 

RIGHT........   I did a CT based on advice from my PCP.  Yes, a CT is dangerous for a possible seizure only and is not advised, but there is ZERO evidence to show that a CT can cause "permanent damage."  Please STOP posturing! The Benzos causes the damage, not CT'ing off of them.  The symptoms and "perceived" damage are the body's reaction to no longer having the drug.  This thread wasn't about the dangers of a CT, but whether or not a person should reinstate at 7.5 months off.

 

It is the glutamate from the WD that dies the damage. It causes glial cell activation and neuro inflammation.