Withdrawal Must be Here

[[Kh...]]

Taper coming to an end.  Headaches, head pressure and tinnitus most prevalent.  This must be withdrawal.  I have had tinnitus and aural fullness throughout taper, but these other thing, headaches, diarrhea , etc are new.  Hope they don’t stay too long.  No way I’m up dosing so this is it.  Some may say I tapered too quick, but I stayed fairly consistent with Ashton, went over 16 weeks.  Wish me luck BB. 🙏🙏

Any advice from here appreciated.  Thank you.  

Edited February 5 by [Kh...]

[[Pa...]]

Most report pretty intense symptoms for a couple of weeks after cessation, but it sounds like your symptoms till now have been fairly manageable so I’m hopeful you’ll see more of the same once acute has passed. 

I tend to believe the taper predicts the recovery. 

[[wi...]]

@[Kh...]thanks for the update as I’ve been thinking of you because my T has ramped up significantly over the past week. 
Please know I’m sending you positive vibes and support.

What a wonderful thing to be done with a taper. That alone is quite an accomplishment. Even in profound suffering, at the end of the day I am SO glad to be off psych drugs. 
Please reach out if you need anything, especially as w/d may become acute. 
 

Best, my friend.

[[Ro...]]

Sounds like you're doing fairly well.  That's cool.  Your "acute phase" may be just what you're experiencing now.  That was my experience.

[[er...]]

36 minutes ago, [[R...] said:

Sounds like you're doing fairly well.  That's cool.  Your "acute phase" may be just what you're experiencing now.  That was my experience.

5 months from my last dose and days are hard but I'm still living.. windows are hard to come by now but there nice when they do come.. it's a constant fight but it's worth it... congrats.. and stick with it

[[ns...]]

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

Sounds like you're doing fairly well.  That's cool.  Your "acute phase" may be just what you're experiencing now.  That was my experience.

Rocknroll, what does the term "acute phase" mean in benzo withdrawal? Been seeing this term here often lately. 

Ns

[[Ro...]]

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

Rocknroll, what does the term "acute phase" mean in benzo withdrawal? Been seeing this term here often lately. 

Ns

The acute phase is the period following a completed, or nearly completed, taper when symptoms often, but not always, ramp up.  The drug no longer has a therapeutic effect for the user.

[[ns...]]

Just now, [[R...] said:

The acute phase is the period following a completed, or nearly completed, taper when symptoms often, but not always, ramp up.  The drug no longer has a therapeutic effect for the user.

Thank u for responding! 

I guess I am in acute phase.

Ns

[[Kh...]]

15 hours ago, [[P...] said:

Most report pretty intense symptoms for a couple of weeks after cessation, but it sounds like your symptoms till now have been fairly manageable so I’m hopeful you’ll see more of the same once acute has passed. 

I tend to believe the taper predicts the recovery. 

Hi and thanks for the comments.  It’s quite confusing why acute symptoms would pop up at the end of the temper if I had given my body enough time to adjust.  This may suggest that I did not even though I tried to take it in a measured way.  Is this what you are suggesting?  Once down to about 3 mg I went to .5 reductions each week.  Also, when down at 1 mg it’s hard to imagine these amounts having any affect at all?  Sort of thought that was ok.  These headaches and ear ringing are tough to take, especially since the tinnitus has been present for quite some time.  I am losing hope that it will pass.  Losing hope in general- every day the same for months, wake up feeling crappy and just try and make it thru the day, looking forward to sleeping.  But one can only sleep so long.  I am able to go out, shopping, chores, golf, etc…but none of these things bring me much joy and I just feel crappy all the time.  Headaches and tinnitus are the culprits.  Are these common and how long will they last is the question of the day?  ugh. 😩 

Edited February 6 by [Kh...]

[[Kh...]]

10 hours ago, [[R...] said:

Sounds like you're doing fairly well.  That's cool.  Your "acute phase" may be just what you're experiencing now.  That was my experience.

Thanks….wish I felt like I was doing well.  I feel like my head may explode.  Hopefully these symptoms subside at some point?  The tinnitus is unbearable.  PS - need to post something on 70"s music thread.  We have similar music taste!

Edited February 6 by [Kh...]

[[Kh...]]

16 hours ago, [[w...] said:

@[Kh...]thanks for the update as I’ve been thinking of you because my T has ramped up significantly over the past week. 
Please know I’m sending you positive vibes and support.

What a wonderful thing to be done with a taper. That alone is quite an accomplishment. Even in profound suffering, at the end of the day I am SO glad to be off psych drugs. 
Please reach out if you need anything, especially as w/d may become acute. 
 

Best, my friend.

Thank you very much for your kind words.  Struggling very much, rather be on them frankly - the .5mg X at night was no big deal - it wasn't until I began abusing and amounts started increasing did it get bad.  Maybe there was tolerance there at the .5mg.  Either way, I had to get off, but feel awful - just depressed and blah.  I cant see a light at the end of the tunnel yet.  Felt crappy thru taper but have fought thru it.  I can function no problem, just have the symptoms that try to keep me down.  And they are pretty good at it. 

 

Edited February 6 by [Kh...]

[[...]]

20 hours ago, [[K...] said:

Taper coming to an end.  Headaches, head pressure and tinnitus most prevalent.  This must be withdrawal.  I have had tinnitus and aural fullness throughout taper, but these other thing, headaches, diarrhea , etc are new.  Hope they don’t stay too long.  No way I’m up dosing so this is it.  Some may say I tapered too quick, but I stayed fairly consistent with Ashton, went over 16 weeks.  Wish me luck BB. 🙏🙏

Any advice from here appreciated.  Thank you.  

@[Kh...], i wish you luck with all my heart! I hope your withdrawal suffering won't take too long. Once we're benzo free, we're supposed to start recovering, often in a tough way though. I don't know how it'll be on you but i really felt a bit better as soon as i finished the taper. Head aches and tension are my "favorit" symptoms as well as any kind of muscle pain but they are certainly lessening over time, though not as quickly as i'd like.

Good luck and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!) 🤞

 

[[Kh...]]

[[Pa...]]

10 hours ago, [[K...] said:

Hi and thanks for the comments.  It’s quite confusing why acute symptoms would pop up at the end of the temper if I had given my body enough time to adjust.  This may suggest that I did not even though I tried to take it in a measured way.  Is this what you are suggesting?  Once down to about 3 mg I went to .5 reductions each week.  Also, when down at 1 mg it’s hard to imagine these amounts having any affect at all?  Sort of thought that was ok.  These headaches and ear ringing are tough to take, especially since the tinnitus has been present for quite some time.  I am losing hope that it will pass.  Losing hope in general- every day the same for months, wake up feeling crappy and just try and make it thru the day, looking forward to sleeping.  But one can only sleep so long.  I am able to go out, shopping, chores, golf, etc…but none of these things bring me much joy and I just feel crappy all the time.  Headaches and tinnitus are the culprits.  Are these common and how long will they last is the question of the day?  ugh. 😩 

I’ve seen very few members walk off the drug with little to no acute symptoms, no matter what their taper looked like.  There is no perfect taper that can protect us from feeling symptoms, I wish there were but the fact that you’re so high functioning is amazing.

I know you’re miserable and not being able to feel your own human emotions has you feeling hopeless and disconnected from your life but you’ve done everything right and the rest is up to your body and it won’t fail you. 

[[Kh...]]

Just now, [[P...] said:

I’ve seen very few members walk off the drug with little to no acute symptoms, no matter what their taper looked like.  There is no perfect taper that can protect us from feeling symptoms, I wish there were but the fact that you’re so high functioning is amazing.

I know you’re miserable and not being able to feel your own human emotions has you feeling hopeless and disconnected from your life but you’ve done everything right and the rest is up to your body and it won’t fail you. 

Your words mean a lot to me.  I have no idea what to expect.  So understanding what others have experienced surely will help me cope.  Many thanks for being here and helping me and countless others.  🙏🙏

[[Th...]]

51 minutes ago, [[K...] said:

Your words mean a lot to me.  I have no idea what to expect.  So understanding what others have experienced surely will help me cope.  Many thanks for being here and helping me and countless others.  🙏🙏

Hang in there my friend. I'm with you on the head and ear pressure along with very loud Tinnitus, its depressing, soul crushing stuff. I am getting windows of 1 day, sometimes twice a week, where the Tinnitus quiets itself to a light ring, of course it returns with vengeance 24 hours later. But at least its something and proves it can go away, to some degree. Of all the withdrawal symptoms, Tinnitus has got to be the worst. Stay as positive as possible. 

[[Kh...]]

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

Hang in there my friend. I'm with you on the head and ear pressure along with very loud Tinnitus, its depressing, soul crushing stuff. I am getting windows of 1 day, sometimes twice a week, where the Tinnitus quiets itself to a light ring, of course it returns with vengeance 24 hours later. But at least its something and proves it can go away, to some degree. Of all the withdrawal symptoms, Tinnitus has got to be the worst. Stay as positive as possible. 

I cry every day over the T and wonder how I can take it over the long run.  I believe it’s related to a prior sinus infection AND exacerbated by withdrawal.  I worry it’s permanent.  I promised my wife I would see all experts to try and resolve.  

[[wi...]]

T isn’t my worst symptom but it is right up there. 
 

Mental symptoms and akathisia. Top the list. T seem to correlate with all other symptoms getting ramped up when symptoms intensify.

id be crying a river if I COULD cry. 😢 

[[...]]

6 hours ago, [[w...] said:

T isn’t my worst symptom but it is right up there. 
 

Mental symptoms and akathisia. Top the list. T seem to correlate with all other symptoms getting ramped up when symptoms intensify.

id be crying a river if I COULD cry. 😢 

@[wi...], i can't cry either... At all.

[[Kh...]]

[[...]]

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

I cry a lot...the drugs make me so emotional

This is the most bizar thing about the drug... You can never tell.. It can affect us any way. 

I sometimes desperately long for crying but just can't do it.

Hope the recovery will come and our balance regained.

[[Re...]]

Oh if crying would actually provide some relief...... 

All my emotions are distorted by fear and rumination and they take over my brain.... 

[[Th...]]

15 hours ago, [[K...] said:

I cry every day over the T and wonder how I can take it over the long run.  I believe it’s related to a prior sinus infection AND exacerbated by withdrawal.  I worry it’s permanent.  I promised my wife I would see all experts to try and resolve.  

It sends me to tears too, there are days I just can't function because of it. My hubby too thinks its permanent, but I don't think it is. They say T is one of the last symptoms to disappear during withdrawals, I think once we both heal from all this suffering, the T will gradually disappear. I feel all your pain my friend, my ears are drilling into me ths morning. 

[[wi...]]

[[...]]

17 minutes ago, [[w...] said:

Same, Kate. I cannot wait to cry again.

Another neurological symptom that takes my humanity away.

 I think it may be connected to anhedonia and lack of experiencing emotions, which of course all leads back to drug induced chemical imbalances. 
 

Not being able to cry doesn’t mean I don’t feel the crushing sadness, pain and overwhelm of all of this. It is so, so disturbing.

You know i got back some of my emotions when i finished tapering. It's true and it's great. But they seem to be still kind of a wrong size for me. And, yes, i can feel overwhelming sadness too but can't cry it out and it hurts. It's literally painful. But i can laugh now and hope crying is on the way.