How long will the Headaches during withdrawal last !!

[[Sh...]]

Since , I have started withdrawing, I get a lot of stress headaches. I have not been able to cut anymore since March 2023 due to stomach related issues. The tummy issues resolved when I up-dosed a little but the stress headaches are still the same. I take Magnesium, Melatonin at PM and I sleep well. But I am at a point where I am not able to taper further because of the the headaches. Anything people do to get rid of headaches. Please share !! Will my life ever get better ? I am on the verge of giving up.

[[Br...]]

Headaches and head pressure are very common withdrawal symptoms as you probably know.  I hope other members will chime in about what helped them.  I've seen members say they were helped by a variety of things:  Advil, Aleve, massage, icepacks, gentle yoga/ stretching.  It's important to remind yourself this symptom, like all withdrawal symptoms, is temporary. I know it's miserable but with time it will go away.  You will get through this.

 

Some headaches are related to muscle tightness.  Here's what Ashton manual says about it:

 

Benzodiazepines are efficient muscle relaxants and are used clinically for spastic conditions ranging from spinal cord disease or injury to the excruciating muscle spasms of tetanus or rabies. It is therefore not surprising that their discontinuation after long-term use is associated with a rebound increase in muscle tension. This rebound accounts for many of the symptoms observed in benzodiazepine withdrawal. Muscle stiffness affecting the limbs, back, neck and jaw are commonly reported, and the constant muscle tension probably accounts for the muscle pains which have a similar distribution. Headaches are usually of the “tension headache” type, due to contraction of muscles at the back of the neck, scalp and forehead – often described as a “tight band around the head”. Pain in the jaw and teeth is probably due to involuntary jaw clenching, which often occurs unconsciously during sleep.

 

At the same time, the nerves to the muscles are hyperexcitable, leading to tremor, tics, jerks, spasm and twitching, and jumping at the smallest stimulus. All this constant activity contributes to a feeling of fatigue and weakness (“jelly-legs”). In addition, the muscles, especially the small muscles of the eye, are not well co-ordinated, which may lead to blurred or double vision or even eyelid spasms (blepharospasm).

 

None of these symptoms is harmful, and they need not be a cause of worry once they are understood. The muscle pain and stiffness is actually little different from what is regarded as normal after an unaccustomed bout of exercise, and would be positively expected, even by a well-trained athlete, after running a marathon.

 

There are many measures that will alleviate these symptoms, such as muscle stretching exercises as taught in most gyms, moderate exercise, hot baths, massage and general relaxation exercises. Such measures may give only temporary relief at first, but if practised regularly can speed the recovery of normal muscle tone – which will eventually occur spontaneously.

 

 

[[ia...]]

I cannot even begin to tell you... how much I relate to what you have shared here. More than ANY other symptom, headaches (pressure on both sides of my head) have been the most painful. I have a theory - but I have not tested it. From what I understand, benzos are a vasodilator I *think*. Meaning, when we TAKE our dose, the blood vessels RELAX and become larger. (Someone feel free to tell me otherwise?). When we are going through WDs, it appears, everything in our body CONSTRICTS - get's smaller. This is part of why I believe it's hard to go to the bathroom, my chest feels tight, my head hurts and sometimes it's even hard to breathe. It feels as though everything in the body constricts.

 

I did some research, and found that vitamin B is a vasodilator. I have NOT tried this yet but want to: I want to try vitamin B, slowly introducing it to see if it will help with my headaches. I'm also wondering if there are OTHER NATURAL vasodilators that could help?

 

Of course I’m not a physician. But I’m wondering if we can crack the code to this headache situation because boy… are they painful!

 

I was taking a drug called ketorolac; used intramuscularly – it WORKS. But unfortunately, I took it took it long enough to the point of developing either ulcerative colitis or maybe an ulcer. So IF you use this medication which IS effective, BE CAREFUL. There are no symptoms of the ulcer until it’s ‘too late’.

 

[[Bo...]]

I’ve had horrific headaches and migraines thru this where I’d have to be in dark room laying down eyes closed. I’ve used Tylenol a couple of times taken with some toast bc first time didn’t go down well (never had issues with Tylenol before the benzos). I don’t use Tylenol anymore and just had to get thru migraine most of the night last Saturday.

 

Heat has been a lifesaver for me for various things….. I heat these microwaveable pillows or put a heating pad on my face and head as I lay and it helps.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Microwavable-Heating-Natural-Shoulders-Cramps/dp/B0814DD4M5/ref=m_m_crc_dp_lf_m_t2_sccl_2/136-7283011-7230966?pd_rd_w=gLyux&content-id=amzn1.sym.6974d7f1-a30c-4b01-9bff-942b36a97897&pf_rd_p=6974d7f1-a30c-4b01-9bff-942b36a97897&pf_rd_r=Y433RHA9WSTWFEX6SN6E&pd_rd_wg=EWnD4&pd_rd_r=e0b776bc-dea3-47fd-a731-aa19cb4d6d2a&pd_rd_i=B0814DD4M5&psc=1

 

Ice works for some people. I found heat does a lot more for me though. Also I put this aculief on sometimes and it helps.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Aculief-Winning-Natural-Headache-Tension/dp/B077ZH452Q/ref=asc_df_B077ZH452Q/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459565948985&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12115263338382856008&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027582&hvtargid=pla-796318920427&psc=1

 

Hang in there and know that mine have gotten better as I’ve gotten lower on my taper. Hugs.

[[Sh...]]

Thank you so much everyone !! Your words always encourage and help

me go forward. This group has all the people who can really understand the pain benzo victims are going through.

[[ia...]]

Thank you so much everyone !! Your words always encourage and help

me go forward. This group has all the people who can really understand the pain benzo victims are going through.

 

Thinking of you and hope you can get some relief. The other couple things I thought of that helped my migraines, (which again, I'm sure you know and have heard SO many times): eating super clean (fruits/veg/fish/lean protein) and drinking SO MUCH WATER. I used drink half my weight in water in oz. Example I'm 130 lbs - so i would drink half of 130 (65-70 in oz of water. During WD, I now drink my full weight in water; closer to 150 oz of water daily. It's a lot HOWEVER this has helped immensely with headaches. Exercise has also helped tremendously again, I believe because it 'opens' the blood vessels more? Could be wrong. Thinking of you. One day at a time. We'll all get there!