Getting scared by "alternative" theories

[Guest [...]]

Hi all.

 

Having kind of a crummy day. Looking for some reassurance or help.

 

I'm five months off basically coming off a rapid taper of both Xanax and Luvox (no guidance, didn't know what was going on.)

 

So here I am.

 

I have some incredibly scary and disturbing symptoms. Unfortunately, throughout this process, I believe I've been interdose withdrawal for years, as my dosage was constantly changing and not consistent. Because of this, I have been to *tons* of specialists, doctors, etc. as I was trying to find a cause for these bizarre symptoms. I either got A) No answers and was told I was fine or B) That I had almost every disease under the sun.

 

In particular, I got a lot of "alternative" or more naturopathic heavy diagnoses for diseases that have no legitimate testing or are constantly in a grey area, which are obviously scary because you never really know if you have them, and it's easy just to pin a diagnosis on them. (EDS, MCAS, Chronic Lyme's, Leaky Gut, etc.)

 

I discarded a lot of these. However, lately, these have been popping up again because I feel like I've gotten worse at month 5, and I'm terrified I have something else besides withdrawal. It doesn't help when people, even on the forum, constantly suggest this.

 

For example, my body feels like it goes hooked up to a battery after I eat. Like restless leg syndrome throughout my entire body. And I get told I have MCAS. Which is...what do I do with that? There's no real testing, and I don't want to change my ENTIRE LIFE for a hypothetical, non-testable diagnosis.

 

Here's a list of current symptoms:

 

-Constant fatigue

-Constant underlying anxiety

-Constant underlying tense of internal tremor

-DPDR (Always a feeling of disconnect, and confusion, though I can thoroughly reality check.) Things just don't seem "right" or feel "off" and disconnected or not here.

-Muscle and nerve agitation (feels like restless leg syndrome throughout my entire body)

-Muscle weakness

-Brain Fog

-Can't settle down

-Exaggerated emotions (all of them: happiness, sadness, anger, etc.)

-Intrusive thoughts (I have OCD, but this is worse than anything I've ever experienced.)

-Constant feeling of doom/darkness, like a veil is pulled down over everything.

-Exaggerated responses to hormones during my cycle (worse during ovulation and PMS).

-Horrible issues after eating (muscles tighten, nerves are agitated, internal tremor, racing mind, fear, tickling feeling everywhere, pain, sometimes nauseous, diarrhea. Rarely matters what it is I eat.) This is currently my worst symptom.

-Exaggerated response to blood sugar fluctuations (feels like I'm going to fall asleep or pass out a lot.)

-Exaggerated response to medications (horrible).

-Dizziness/balance issues. Muscle and nerve sensations throw off equilbirum.

-Can't focus my eyes. Huge light sensativity.

 

It terrifies me that all these things fits into other grey area diseases. I don't want to go down a rabbit hole of trying to figure this out, going to doctors, getting scary, possibly incorrect diagnosis, or being told I need to take a plethora of medications or supplements that currently irritate my body.

 

I feel really overwhelmed and hopeless today. I don't know what to do. Or if this is even withdrawal.

 

Please help!

 

[[de...]]

Here is my opinion based on anecdotal evidence of my own experience and the experience of others.  All the symptoms you listed are very typical of benzo injury. Actually, the doctors at the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition have renamed it, Benzodiazepine Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) which I think is an apt description of what has happened to us. 

 

What you are experiencing is a very normal part of this dysfunction of the neurological system.  You are extremely early in a process that could take a couple of years. 

 

Traditional doctors are trained to diagnose your symptoms and label them.    Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there are not many doctors that recognize this dysfunction.    So if you go to a traditional doctor, they are going to label it incorrectly and try to treat it based on the incorrect diagnosis.  The most likely scenario being that they will treat it with medication which will not be helpful and could make your symptoms worse.

 

If you go to a non-traditional doctor, they are still going to try and diagnose it, but they will try to treat it differently.    This will not be successful either.

 

The only proven treatment is time.    The fifth month can be a tough month, as can the tenth month.  Your uptick in symptom intensity is very normal.  Things will ebb and flow, wax and wane.    Also, health anxiety is a huge symptom of Benzo Induced Neurological Dysfunction.  It is very hard not to get anxious about the symptoms.

 

I hope this was helpful.  I am so sorry you are struggling.  Keep reaching out.  You will get lots of support on this forum!

 

[[Fo...]]

Hi all.

 

Having kind of a crummy day. Looking for some reassurance or help.

 

I'm five months off basically coming off a rapid taper of both Xanax and Luvox (no guidance, didn't know what was going on.)

 

So here I am.

 

I have some incredibly scary and disturbing symptoms. Unfortunately, throughout this process, I believe I've been interdose withdrawal for years, as my dosage was constantly changing and not consistent. Because of this, I have been to *tons* of specialists, doctors, etc. as I was trying to find a cause for these bizarre symptoms. I either got A) No answers and was told I was fine or B) That I had almost every disease under the sun.

 

In particular, I got a lot of "alternative" or more naturopathic heavy diagnoses for diseases that have no legitimate testing or are constantly in a grey area, which are obviously scary because you never really know if you have them, and it's easy just to pin a diagnosis on them. (EDS, MCAS, Chronic Lyme's, Leaky Gut, etc.)

 

I discarded a lot of these. However, lately, these have been popping up again because I feel like I've gotten worse at month 5, and I'm terrified I have something else besides withdrawal. It doesn't help when people, even on the forum, constantly suggest this.

 

For example, my body feels like it goes hooked up to a battery after I eat. Like restless leg syndrome throughout my entire body. And I get told I have MCAS. Which is...what do I do with that? There's no real testing, and I don't want to change my ENTIRE LIFE for a hypothetical, non-testable diagnosis.

 

Here's a list of current symptoms:

 

-Constant fatigue

-Constant underlying anxiety

-Constant underlying tense of internal tremor

-DPDR (Always a feeling of disconnect, and confusion, though I can thoroughly reality check.) Things just don't seem "right" or feel "off" and disconnected or not here.

-Muscle and nerve agitation (feels like restless leg syndrome throughout my entire body)

-Muscle weakness

-Brain Fog

-Can't settle down

-Exaggerated emotions (all of them: happiness, sadness, anger, etc.)

-Intrusive thoughts (I have OCD, but this is worse than anything I've ever experienced.)

-Constant feeling of doom/darkness, like a veil is pulled down over everything.

-Exaggerated responses to hormones during my cycle (worse during ovulation and PMS).

-Horrible issues after eating (muscles tighten, nerves are agitated, internal tremor, racing mind, fear, tickling feeling everywhere, pain, sometimes nauseous, diarrhea. Rarely matters what it is I eat.) This is currently my worst symptom.

-Exaggerated response to blood sugar fluctuations (feels like I'm going to fall asleep or pass out a lot.)

-Exaggerated response to medications (horrible).

-Dizziness/balance issues. Muscle and nerve sensations throw off equilbirum.

-Can't focus my eyes. Huge light sensativity.

 

It terrifies me that all these things fits into other grey area diseases. I don't want to go down a rabbit hole of trying to figure this out, going to doctors, getting scary, possibly incorrect diagnosis, or being told I need to take a plethora of medications or supplements that currently irritate my body.

 

I feel really overwhelmed and hopeless today. I don't know what to do. Or if this is even withdrawal.

 

Please help!

I have every single thing you said and have the same exact fear it's something else. I'm at month 9 and it's still here, the food thing, the pain is the absolute worst. When I eat I have a total reaction that is pain and muscle tension. The only thing that's seemed to help in any way for this is probiota histamine x , supplement. Was trying to avoid pepcid. Aldo atronex by standard process works great and it's basically just liver and vit e. I'm sorry I have all of this too. I've been tested for 100 things.

[[Fo...]]

Here is my opinion based on anecdotal evidence of my own experience and the experience of others.  All the symptoms you listed are very typical of benzo injury. Actually, the doctors at the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition have renamed it, Benzodiazepine Induced Neurological Dysfunction (BIND) which I think is an apt description of what has happened to us. 

 

What you are experiencing is a very normal part of this dysfunction of the neurological system.  You are extremely early in a process that could take a couple of years. 

 

Traditional doctors are trained to diagnose your symptoms and label them.    Unfortunately, to my knowledge, there are not many doctors that recognize this dysfunction.    So if you go to a traditional doctor, they are going to label it incorrectly and try to treat it based on the incorrect diagnosis.  The most likely scenario being that they will treat it with medication which will not be helpful and could make your symptoms worse.

 

If you go to a non-traditional doctor, they are still going to try and diagnose it, but they will try to treat it differently.    This will not be successful either.

 

The only proven treatment is time.    The fifth month can be a tough month, as can the tenth month.  Your uptick in symptom intensity is very normal.  Things will ebb and flow, wax and wane.    Also, health anxiety is a huge symptom of Benzo Induced Neurological Dysfunction.  It is very hard not to get anxious about the symptoms.

 

I hope this was helpful.  I am so sorry you are struggling.  Keep reaching out.  You will get lots of support on this forum!

Great post. 

 

Is everyone who's been on benzos so smart or what

[[de...]]

Yes, have experienced all you describe SpeakZara.  It's benzos. 

 

Decatur says it all.  A great post.  Time.

[[tr...]]

Month 5 is still super early my friend. dig in your heals bc this journey takes time. I noticed my biggest shift around month 15 - but that was me. But I'm over 2 years - functioning pretty good but def not healed yet.

 

 

[[Fo...]]

Month 5 is still super early my friend. dig in your heals bc this journey takes time. I noticed my biggest shift around month 15 - but that was me. But I'm over 2 years - functioning pretty good but def not healed yet.

Did you ever feel along the way that you're really sick? I find myself thinking I have something really serious alot, because of the stiffness , exhaustion,  dysfunction and pain

[[pe...]]

has the earring thing cleared up? currently my worst symptom along with burning & inner vibrations.

[[Jd...]]

OP my advice what has worked for me and the science to my theory on WHY it works. If food or eating triggers your worse symptom it is something in your food either that be histamine or some kind of plant toxin defense mechanism a book that helped me out is the plant paradox it’s too much to explain here but yes I have found SOME relief by doing this diet after trying many others

And exercise on an exercise bike.  Despite it being a challenge to exercise while in pain or dizzy or whatever symptoms you may have exercise helps increase the natural production of hgh and im sure a dozen other undiscovered hormones that help heal damage nerves or neurons or whatever may be damaged in the body

There are other things you can try like bpc157 ldn nad nmn hgh stem cells or what have you but if you don’t have the above two down pat first I’d begin there

[[Jd...]]

Ps one more thing is sleep.  Eat right exercise and get as much sleep as you can.  I know easier said than done but sleep is when the body produces the most hgh naturally.  Hgh is the hormone responsible for healing damaged tissues if it can literally make a teenager grow 3 feet taller through puberty it can heal your brain and nerves.  Work hard on developing an iron clad sleep hygiene routine. Turn down the heat to 60 at 8pm dim lights no tv or phone past 8 pm wake up at 7am even on days off stay out of the bedroom all day long never go in there unless bedtime etc etc

Sleep right eat right and exercise are the big 3 that should be addressed first