Sitting up after waking: momentary pressure in head, neck, shoulders back and chest

[[im...]]

 

I’ve been off of D for five months. I tapered over 8 months after only taking A for three weeks nightly.
 

One thing I have been dealing with since I got off that drug that’s been driving me nuts: when I wake up in the morning, when I sit up I immediately feel a ton of head pressure simultaneously with upper back, neck, shoulder and chest pressure. It sort of feels like a rush when I sit up. I wait, then stand up, and it dissipates within 3-5 minutes. I hate the feeling and it makes me feel like I’m unwell and something is off. Most mornings I get this. It’s not a dizzy feeling. Like intense, brief pressure in all those areas. 

Is this still a withdrawal issue? I don’t think I have blood pressure issues, though I have wondered if I’ve been dealing with mild POTS. I think this could be my body’s autonomic nervous system still not working right, and all related to withdrawal, but wanted to seek out advice. Alllll of my labs etc etc are excellent. 

 

[[re...]]

@[im...] How old are you? When was your last echocardiogram? (Not electrocardiogram, but echocardiogram)

[[im...]]

I’m 44yo female and I’ve had a full cardio workup. Last echocardiogram was about a year ago. I do get occasional PVC episodes but not that often. I recently had a chest X-ray and abdominal CT and those were fine as well. 

[[im...]]

45 minutes ago, [[r...] said:

@[im...] How old are you? When was your last echocardiogram? (Not electrocardiogram, but echocardiogram)

Oops I didn’t quote or reply correctly but my response is above. 

[[Ma...]]

I have this feeling constant for around 12 months without 1 day a break

[[im...]]

52 minutes ago, [[M...] said:

I have this feeling constant for around 12 months without 1 day a break

Just the sitting up pressure when you wake up and sit up? @[Ma...]

[[Ma...]]

No I have the pressure constant

always sitting laying 

[[An...]]

I also have this very annoying SX of constant chest pressure, whether I am standing, sitting, or lying like @[Ma...]. I do not have any head pressure tho that I can discern.

I am now doing the slow 10% reductions like what BB recommends and I added lexapro to aid in the valium taper and I am doing quite well. The chest pressure is still there but I would say reduced by 80%  now IMO, so very tolerable, although still annoying. I am hoping this eventually all goes away after I am off all the drugs but IDK at this point.

@[im...], did this start immediately after you stopped the valium? ANS dysregulation also came to mind after reading your post.

[[im...]]

14 hours ago, [[A...] said:

I also have this very annoying SX of constant chest pressure, whether I am standing, sitting, or lying like @[Ma...]. I do not have any head pressure tho that I can discern.

I am now doing the slow 10% reductions like what BB recommends and I added lexapro to aid in the valium taper and I am doing quite well. The chest pressure is still there but I would say reduced by 80%  now IMO, so very tolerable, although still annoying. I am hoping this eventually all goes away after I am off all the drugs but IDK at this point.

@[im...], did this start immediately after you stopped the valium? ANS dysregulation also came to mind after reading your post.

Hi! I wish I had done more journaling of my experience, but to the best of my recollection this is something I've been dealing with since the onset of this entire benzo experience. It's the one symptom, aside from chronic insomnia and corresponding anxiety, that hasn't left me and I hate it.

[[An...]]

@[im...]

What (medical condition / problem) was the valium originally prescribed to you to treat?