Question Re:Underlying Conditions

[[Da...]]

Hi All,

I have been researching to see if there are any correlations between severity of withdrawals and underlying/untreated medical conditions.  For example, I have severely low blood pressure which has been consistent throughout life as well as iron deficiency.  An MRI of my brain also showed a polyp on my paranasal cavity as well as chronic small vessel disease.  I am wondering if anyone, who have had severe withdrawals found there was an underlying condition that had to be treated?

 

Thank You so Much

 

[[je...]]

8 minutes ago, [[D...] said:

I am wondering if anyone, who have had severe withdrawals found there was an underlying condition that had to be treated?

Yes, it happened to me. A week after I jumped I started having GI issues. It mirrored benzo belly and because of the timing I thought it was withdrawal. Not only did I have GI issues but my brain fog and head pressure got much worse. The frequency and intensity of my migraines increased. I spent many days on the couch. These brain symptoms were existing benzo symptoms. I never made a connection between the brain symptoms and the GI symptoms. After 5 months I mentioned the GI issues to my doctor. She said she suspected gluten and not withdrawal. I then had a lengthy process to get tested for Coeliac disease, but in the end the diagnosis was NCGS (non coeliac gluten sensitivity). I have now been gluten free for 4 months and I have no GI issues whatsoever and the brain symptoms are much much better. 

[[ns...]]

Hi jelly baby, tried to go to er for gi issues, they are packed! I'm glad I saw this post. Was your esophagus in spasms? I'm getting spasms, thick sticky spit, hard to swallow, backwash in my mouth, pain under left rib. Tried prevacid,  not helping. I eat high fat diet to gain weight. Last thing u need is high fat with gerd or acid reflux but not sure what's going on.  Did you experience any of this in gluten allergy? Please let me know ok, thanks

[[je...]]

@[ns...] No I didn't have these symptoms, but gluten sensitivity and Coeliac disease (CD) have a wide range of symptoms, depending on the diagnosis, some people have hair falling out, some people get skin rashes or mouth ulcers, because CD is an auto immune disease. It's really impossible to guess. The best would be to discuss your concerns with your doctors. And it's best not to go gluten free untill they've done blood tests and scopes. If you go gluten free before doing the tests, you can get false negatives. And then reintroducing gluten to your diet is excruciating - it happened to me - my doctor did the process backwards unfortunately. 

[[ns...]]

Jelly baby, thank u. Yes I agree, I wouldn't go gluten free just yet but I don't have a new doc til Jan 31, going to another er, they don't have a gi but they can't do ultrasound and labs, I'm getting close to finishing my taper, doing pretty well but my 11am dose for some strange reason causes panic and high anxiety. I wasn't even thinking about it today and got real bad anxiety, had a panic attack. My.belly got bad yesterday right after eating  sandwiche but I had already eaten 2

hrs before. I think it must esophagus issues, I hope not! Just want to finish my taper and be done. 

 

Thanks fir your response,  I'm sure your belly is happy!

Ns

[[Da...]]

3 hours ago, [[n...] said:

Hi jelly baby, tried to go to er for gi issues, they are packed! I'm glad I saw this post. Was your esophagus in spasms? I'm getting spasms, thick sticky spit, hard to swallow, backwash in my mouth, pain under left rib. Tried prevacid,  not helping. I eat high fat diet to gain weight. Last thing u need is high fat with gerd or acid reflux but not sure what's going on.  Did you experience any of this in gluten allergy? Please let me know ok, thanks

I have had all these symptoms - I also developed a Zinker's Diverticulum in my Esophagus.  I would literally choke on water.  Food, water, saliva, often I could not get it up or down.  Turns out I had an H-Pylori infection and once treated for that, the spasms, backwash and choking dissipated, though I still have a lot of trouble swallowing.  I do find that when I take the clonazepam dose, boom the acid starts.  Have you been seen by a Gastroenterologist?  Or an ENT Specialist?

 

Edited January 10 by [Da...]

[[ns...]]

2 minutes ago, [[D...] said:

I have had all these symptoms - I also developed a Zinker's Diverticulum in my Esophagus.  I would literally choke on water.  Food, water, saliva, often I could not get it up or down.  Turns out I had an H-Pylori infection and once treated for that, the spasms, backwash and choking dissipated, though I still have a lot of trouble swallowing.  I do find that when I take the clonazepam dose, boom the acid starts.  Have you been seen by a Gastroenterologist?  Or an ENT Specialist?

Darlene 71, hi, still here In the er,  waiting on a ct scan. No I haven't seen a gi yet, they difficult to find here. The er I'm in doesn't have one its a small town. In the city you can only see a gi now if you're in the hospital. Went there today but they were packed. Our health care system is terrible now.i really need a gi, I knew I did. My new doc appointment isn't till Jan 30 so I'm kinda stuck. I can't seem to eat anything anymore, have histamine intolerance to foods that normally didn't bother me except for bananas and sugar, now it's everything with histamine! I've lost so much weight,  been losing little by little for 5 yrs or more but I've always done that so I wasn't too concerned, now, I'm concerned. My go to foods for fat are nut butters, eggs, wheat bread, fat milk, avacado even though it's a histamine food and it bothers me, Meatloaf,  baked potato broccoli. 

Gotta go get ct, thanks

[[Da...]]

3 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

Gotta go get ct, thanks

Good Luck, keep me posted.  I am really stating to believe my brutal symptoms are do to food and GI issues which I have had all my life and sugar I am now discovering is terrible for me.  I remember when I was being treating for H-Pylori, there were so many meds to take, that I actually forgot my clonazepam for days and didn't even realize it.  I remember thinking about midway through the treatment that I had never felt so good.  This is why I am wondering if the withdrawal symptoms are due to underlying conditions.  I am down to 96 pounds and pretty sure I am malnourished.  Spent tons of money on at home genetics test, vitamin and nutrients testing and urine test so I could get some answers.  Am hoping to get a referral to a Neurologist as well re: my MRI and hopefully an Endocrinologist as I am post menopausal (Surgical) which has a whole host of problems as well.  Am praying that your CT Scan provides some answers and treatment solutions.

 

D

 

[[ns...]]

Darlene 71, home from er, still no answers. Going to another er in a couple days fir gi. 

As for your post, have you ever had surgery? Gallbladder, Ortho, dental implants etc, anything where they might use metals.  I had Gallbladder surgery and a hysterectomy, both used titanium clips. Many people have metal sensitivity, you can get tested thru Melisa.org.  you show your doctor the website, discuss the different tests and he can order the test. There are testimonials on the Melisa.org site where you'll find people whom suffered so many illnesses from the metals sensitivity or allergy. The testimonials change as they add different and new ones. Lupus, ms, Histamine intolerance, so many different types of issues that it's sad how people have suffered. But, the good news is, if you have any metals in your body, once removed, those who are sick recover quickly. So, I'm getting tested next month, I already know that my symptoms started after my surgeries. It doesn't hurt to get tested and if your positive you'll have answers, if not, that's something else to eliminate. I have histamine intolerance to many foods, started after gallbladder surgery but wasn't too bad, couldnt eat bananas,  oranges, sugar, no caffeine. A couple yrs later, I can't eat much! 

My ct showed nothing except that my stomach was deflated and they couldn't see anything! But I do feel better knowing that everything else looks good. I'll be getting a copy of the test to look at the clips to see if they've moved since my last ct.

You've had a hysterectomy,  I wonder if they used metal clips? 

It's worth finding out. 

It sounds like you've been thru it as have I. We will keep plugging along til we find answers.

I am at 84lbs, always been little but that is unacceptable. I eat 5 meals a day, high healthy fats and still only maintaining my weight. I know tapering causes weight loss for some but I've been losing for yrs with no explanation.

H pylori, well I certainly hope that's not it! I'm sorry you went thru that! I guess I'll know soon enough.

Keep in touch and I'll keep u posted. Hopefully I'll get a gi soon!

Hopefully you'll find answers soon! 

Blessings, 

Talk to u soon

By now

Edited January 10 by [ns...]
Additions and corrections

[[Da...]]

8 hours ago, [[n...] said:

As for your post, have you ever had surgery? Gallbladder, Ortho, dental implants etc, anything where they might use metals.

No Nothing with Metal Clips.  we sound the same with food and inability to gain weight, I keep losing and my husband gained 20 pounds eating the same, to fatten me up :).  I just completed a Vitamins and Minerals Imbalance Test to see if there is anything there because my eating issues precede Benzo use.  I don't seem to be absorbing what I eat properly.  time will tell but as they say, "We are what we eat" but what are we if we cannot properly absorb what we eat?    I am sure this issue is certainly not helping my withdrawal symptoms.

 

 

 

[[st...]]

I'm wondering same sort of thing. I've had high blood pressure and at one point was almost diabetic from the antipsychotics I took. I'm starting to see that withdrawal is not JUST withdrawal, so black and white I mean.

I think there are many more factors that come into play here. I have been working on lifestyle changes and it's made a huge difference, but lifestyle changes take a long time to really add up to anything. 

[[ns...]]

7 hours ago, [[D...] said:

No Nothing with Metal Clips.  we sound the same with food and inability to gain weight, I keep losing and my husband gained 20 pounds eating the same, to fatten me up :).  I just completed a Vitamins and Minerals Imbalance Test to see if there is anything there because my eating issues precede Benzo use.  I don't seem to be absorbing what I eat properly.  time will tell but as they say, "We are what we eat" but what are we if we cannot properly absorb what we eat?    I am sure this issue is certainly not helping my withdrawal symptoms.

Darlene 71, how long have you been tapering? I do know that it causes weight loss for some, gain for others.  It definitely sounds like malabsortion but I've been saying that for yrs, no one will listen! When I see the gi I will of course bring this up, I'm sure he'll ask about my weight! 

I've noticed that my anxiety is realkt high at around 11am, it was I thought because I took my dose right before it started, bit now it's happening before my dose but the dose I take is very small, it seems to make it so much worse. Hard to tell because I haven't gone without that dose for very long.  I know I have a reaction to it but don't understand why anxiety gets bad at 11am and last til aprox 5pm.. it's crippling, I'm literally stuck in freeze, tensed up, numb, stinging, odd stuff. I guess we're just sensitive people, or should I say hypersensitive. I figured out yesterday that the prevacid I took caused stinging all over and lasted about 12 hrs so no more of that. 

I'm curious though how long you've been tapering, please let me know ok, 

Talk to u soon

[[Da...]]

1 hour ago, [[n...] said:

I'm curious though how long you've been tapering, please let me know ok, 

I have been tapering on and off for a while..in my activity or history you may be able to see the Long post I made.  My docs want me to get "stable" or to not bother with coming off it at all.  They say I have been on it this long and haven't had a need to increase so I should be fine.  Despite my obvious distress, they do not believe in kindling and tolerance.  So A week ago, I stopped the midday dose of 1 mg Clonazepam.  It doesn't' seem to have made things worse.   I scared of PAWS given I have being in severe tolerance withdrawals for so long.  

D

[[ns...]]

40 minutes ago, [[D...] said:

I have been tapering on and off for a while..in my activity or history you may be able to see the Long post I made.  My docs want me to get "stable" or to not bother with coming off it at all.  They say I have been on it this long and haven't had a need to increase so I should be fine.  Despite my obvious distress, they do not believe in kindling and tolerance.  So A week ago, I stopped the midday dose of 1 mg Clonazepam.  It doesn't' seem to have made things worse.   I scared of PAWS given I have being in severe tolerance withdrawals for so long.  

D

Darlene 71, I did that yesterday morning, didn't take my 5am dose, didn't need it, however,  today I am in trouble! My cns is freaking out.  I can barely stand. I have tremors running through me, spasms, heaviness in my arms and legs, my belly is in withdrawal and I think that may be what happened yesterday but still going to see gi, still need one. I actually took a shower like thus, that was fun lol. Jerking, hitting the wall,  hitting myself, I am a mess. My doc also tried to keep me on them, nope, he didn't understand though that I was protracted from the last go round, went back on 8 months ago and 4 months ago it all.went bad! Paradoxical reaction due to my off and on use of lorazapam so as you can appreciate I can't stay on them and my cns is in crisis, I'm having trouble typing. I'm trying not to focus on it but you always think of what u hear with seizures and such but I've felt this before the last go round but this is worse. I just told myself,  you are safe, Your doing great, good job, we took a shower, lol. It's so important to stay positive you know, but it's hard to focus. I quit smoking recently, only smoked like 2 puffs a few times a day, then they made me feel like I ate a ton of sugar or something, i literaly couldnt walk becausebof the tension, odd, but it was bad! I'm glad I quit, thank God! But today I keep thinking about going out to the garage and having a puff, what an idiot lol, nope I won't go there, there's 2 left out there its time i broke them in pieces.

Anyways, I asked about your taper because I was hoping you wouldn't miss a dose and up going thru this! 

Be careful, they are no joke, but I guess u know that.

Just got a warning, snow sqall coming in, blizzard otherwise! 

I don't like snow! 

Stay strong, stay in touch, your going to go thru it and out the other side! 

Ns

[[Da...]]

3 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

have tremors running through me, spasms, heaviness in my arms and legs

Thank you so much for your ongoing support, despite the fact that you seem to be suffering as much as me. Yep...I have constant tremors.....Can I ask, what dosage of what are you on?  What were you on originally?  Did you have stability prior to tapering?  What has me most worried is wondering what's going to happen throughout the process given I am in such terrible shape while still taking 1mg.  the positive side of me wants to say my body is rejecting the meds so once it is gone things will get much better.  I just don't no how long this is going to take.  Looking back, I think the tolerance actually started in 2016 when I was put back on the original daily dose of 2mg after having been cold turkeyed a few times before.  So the kindling and tolerance kept building until one day BOOM!  I appreciate your responses and your positive attitude.

Smiles, D

[[ns...]]

2 minutes ago, [[D...] said:

Thank you so much for your ongoing support, despite the fact that you seem to be suffering as much as me. Yep...I have constant tremors.....Can I ask, what dosage of what are you on?  What were you on originally?  Did you have stability prior to tapering?  What has me most worried is wondering what's going to happen throughout the process given I am in such terrible shape while still taking 1mg.  the positive side of me wants to say my body is rejecting the meds so once it is gone things will get much better.  I just don't no how long this is going to take.  Looking back, I think the tolerance actually started in 2016 when I was put back on the original daily dose of 2mg after having been cold turkeyed a few times before.  So the kindling and tolerance kept building until one day BOOM!  I appreciate your responses and your positive attitude.

Smiles, D

Darlene71, yes I was on lorazapam 4 mg per day, 1mg 4x per day.  On for about 4 yrs, New doc took me off 3 yrs ago and I had no idea what I was in for.  She did not warn me. I hurt my shoulder blade the same day, so I actually thought it was from that. I was jerking, stinging, numb, lightening bolts down my arm and all the goodies.  Went to several ers. No help, everyone thought it was my neck! Gave me a muscle relaxer,, couldn't take, I had norco, could not take, i saw a neurologist, he Saud, that's brain! Uh yes, but why? He gives me gabapentin which I already had and couldn't take,  muscle relaxers I could not take. A new PA gave me zoloft, nope, tried to go back on celexa, nope, I have a bag of pills I cannot take! She said I had a neurological disorder I forgot the name, which made no sense. Am er dic finally xray of my shoulder blade, when she saw nothing wrong, i finally started to believe it. Then an er doc gave me a valium! Ah ha, I feel great fir about an hour. He gave me 6 of them to take home. I saw mental health, sent me to another mental health, they put me back on lorazapam for a couple months,  when I saw how hard it was to get them, I went off. But they did help some. So, I ended up in the er with stinging, brain zaps, all the withdrawal symptoms, but didn't know why, duh, they checked my sodium and I was critical and was about to have a seizure. I have hyponatremia! They kept me 3 days, did an mri, gave me fluids but, they put me back on lorazapam every 4hoyrs 1mg. So now I'm really feeling better, but have only enough for 2 weeks I think at discharge. So, went back to my old doctor office, he put me back on them until we could figure out what was wrong.he tried clonazapam,  valium which I could not take! Then lavadopa fir parkinsons which made me really nervous, he thought I had parkinsons. Then back to Lorazapam. I never went off during my visits with him but we tried all kinds of meds. Nothing helped and all made me worse! So, that was all 8 months ago, 4 months ago I had the reaction, although I went to er 5 months ago with symptoms of low sodium,  doc asks,  your not in withdrawal are you? I said no, I'm on Lorazapam how could I be. Well, he was right! So basically I only made it about 3 months back on them.

Tapered quickly off of 2mg with valium,  it was a disaster,  both made me sick. 

I'm now at 1mg, split into 4doses. It's a tiny little thing but it still makes me have Panic attacks and severe anxiety during the day. Not to bad at night, idk why. I guess adrenaline and cortisol, but idk why. My anxiety is worse than ever and don't know what I'll do when I'm finished tapering.  I can take nothing! 

So here I am, with God's help, going thru this, but don't like to think about what's next but I'm sure he'll pull me thru, but I'm tired! My little body as u say can only take so much. I won't go on anything, I have hypersensitivity and it's being a sensitive person that has my sensitivity on overdrive. Idk, I'm learning to appreciate that I'm a sensitive person, bit there must be a reason for this. It's nor like I didn't have issues before the lorazapam,  but it only made things worse! 

OK, so there it is,  that's my story lol

I'm here if u want to talk 

Ns

[[ns...]]

13 minutes ago, [[n...] said:

Darlene71, yes I was on lorazapam 4 mg per day, 1mg 4x per day.  On for about 4 yrs, New doc took me off 3 yrs ago and I had no idea what I was in for.  She did not warn me. I hurt my shoulder blade the same day, so I actually thought it was from that. I was jerking, stinging, numb, lightening bolts down my arm and all the goodies.  Went to several ers. No help, everyone thought it was my neck! Gave me a muscle relaxer,, couldn't take, I had norco, could not take, i saw a neurologist, he Saud, that's brain! Uh yes, but why? He gives me gabapentin which I already had and couldn't take,  muscle relaxers I could not take. A new PA gave me zoloft, nope, tried to go back on celexa, nope, I have a bag of pills I cannot take! She said I had a neurological disorder I forgot the name, which made no sense. Am er dic finally xray of my shoulder blade, when she saw nothing wrong, i finally started to believe it. Then an er doc gave me a valium! Ah ha, I feel great fir about an hour. He gave me 6 of them to take home. I saw mental health, sent me to another mental health, they put me back on lorazapam for a couple months,  when I saw how hard it was to get them, I went off. But they did help some. So, I ended up in the er with stinging, brain zaps, all the withdrawal symptoms, but didn't know why, duh, they checked my sodium and I was critical and was about to have a seizure. I have hyponatremia! They kept me 3 days, did an mri, gave me fluids but, they put me back on lorazapam every 4hoyrs 1mg. So now I'm really feeling better, but have only enough for 2 weeks I think at discharge. So, went back to my old doctor office, he put me back on them until we could figure out what was wrong.he tried clonazapam,  valium which I could not take! Then lavadopa fir parkinsons which made me really nervous, he thought I had parkinsons. Then back to Lorazapam. I never went off during my visits with him but we tried all kinds of meds. Nothing helped and all made me worse! So, that was all 8 months ago, 4 months ago I had the reaction, although I went to er 5 months ago with symptoms of low sodium,  doc asks,  your not in withdrawal are you? I said no, I'm on Lorazapam how could I be. Well, he was right! So basically I only made it about 3 months back on them.

Tapered quickly off of 2mg with valium,  it was a disaster,  both made me sick. 

I'm now at 1mg, split into 4doses. It's a tiny little thing but it still makes me have Panic attacks and severe anxiety during the day. Not to bad at night, idk why. I guess adrenaline and cortisol, but idk why. My anxiety is worse than ever and don't know what I'll do when I'm finished tapering.  I can take nothing! 

So here I am, with God's help, going thru this, but don't like to think about what's next but I'm sure he'll pull me thru, but I'm tired! My little body as u say can only take so much. I won't go on anything, I have hypersensitivity and it's being a sensitive person that has my sensitivity on overdrive. Idk, I'm learning to appreciate that I'm a sensitive person, bit there must be a reason for this. It's nor like I didn't have issues before the lorazapam,  but it only made things worse! 

OK, so there it is,  that's my story lol

I'm here if u want to talk 

Ns

Geez we sound like twins lol

[[Da...]]

@[ns...] I know right...twins!!!!