New Symptoms

[[jo...]]

Feel like Ive been stabbed in the arm. Nerve pain at the tip of only 1 finger (So far) Head preassure (nose as well sometimes). Side of hand goes hot and cold at night. All in the last few days. Yippee! Weirdly some other physical symptoms I had seem to be lessening at the same time. Like their swapping.

[[Le...]]

its ok. sinuses irritated. some nerves irritated from tension and stuff. inhave had it all and had it all resolve over time. i am also convinced much of it is caused or worsened by how traumatizing this is to go through. 

[[Le...]]

I really really think more of what happens is because of how damaging psychologically this is to go through. I have had a life with more action than most soldiers and that is a drop in the bucket compared to this. 

[[jo...]]

Yeah it takes it's toll. People have no idea. I'm not even five months out so I can only imagine how sick of this some others are.

[[Le...]]

I am sure there are many people here with little or no real effect from drug harm but never able to believe the effect such trauma has. how do you ever believe it is over?  you own mind had basically turned on you for a long time. i dont think there is any trauma that can compare. 

Edited June 10 by [Le...]

[[Le...]]

i have so many scars i am embarassed to take my shirt off. none of that is really on my mind n

[[jo...]]

I'm sure I'm in withdrawl, it just all fits the bill to well. I do sometimes wonder if some of it is just my old stuff though, contributing. I'm with you though it does feel like I'm being assaulted by my own mind sometimes. 

Edited June 10 by [jo...]

[[Le...]]

not likely. it is WD complicated by how damaging trying to cope with it is. 

[[jo...]]

Makes sense. Hard to deal with at the best of times it's just a complicated mess that nobody can get to the bottom of. Just gotta wait it out which would be a lot easier if we knew when it was gonna end. in the mean time it's just head FK central day in day out so it's tough to make your peace with.

[[Le...]]

also being in such an elevated state so long does cause changes much like any other prolonged trauma. people like to talk about overactive amygdalas and stuff. how do you get something to reverse when it feeds the change. an overactive amygdala makes you more stressed and being stressed causes your amygdala to be overactive. its a trap.  catch 22. i dont actually believe its that simple at all or that I understand it but there is something to the idea. 

[[jo...]]

Yeah, people say avoid stress but you cant because the very experience of going through it is stressful. It seems like a vicious cycle but there must be other things at work or we wouldn't improve.

I think with every stressful event our cns learns, and strenghens from it maybe. So its just this constant series of stressful events that its taking a hit from and then coming back a little stronger each time.

That would maybe help explain the windows and waves thing. But who really knows. We know so little about the brain and the cns which is why we should be more carful about what we put in there. As we're all learning.

[[Cr...]]

2 hours ago, [[j...] said:

Yeah, people say avoid stress but you cant because the very experience of going through it is stressful

Exactly! And beyond that, withdrawal turns things that didn't used to be stresses into stresses. Something as simple as household chores, paying the bills, mowing the lawn, and communicating with family now produce stress when before they were just normal events of everyday casual life.

I think when people suggest to avoid stress it is any extra optional stress that we choose to take on while in withdrawal. Whether it be physical stress through too much exercise or psychological stresses by making too many life changes or taking on the emotional burdens of others.

Like you said, we are probably getting stronger from this experience in the end. How would you rank BW out of all the toughest challenges you have faced in life?

Edited June 11 by [Cr...]

[[jo...]]

5 minutes ago, [[C...] said:

How would you rank BW out of all the toughest challenges you have faced in life?

#1

[[jo...]]

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

#1

EASILY.

[[Le...]]

i remember quite well being on the ground in cuba trying to prevent more stabs and getting my hands cut. was much less than any time in acute and acute never seemed to end. 

Edited June 11 by [Le...]

[[Li...]]

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

Yeah it takes it's toll. People have no idea. I'm not even five months out so I can only imagine how sick of this some others are.

@[jo...] are you 5 months off??

[[jo...]]

9 minutes ago, [[L...] said:

@[jo...] are you 5 months off??

hi Lisa, 4 1/2

[[Le...]]

you seem to be doing quite well.

[[jo...]]

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

you seem to be doing quite well.

It really doesn't feel like it sometimes. I got some new symptoms pop up recently. Nothing to servere but worrying when it happens. just hard to work this stuff out.

[[...]]

13 hours ago, [[j...] said:

Feel like Ive been stabbed in the arm. Nerve pain at the tip of only 1 finger (So far) Head preassure (nose as well sometimes). Side of hand goes hot and cold at night. All in the last few days. Yippee! Weirdly some other physical symptoms I had seem to be lessening at the same time. Like their swapping.

It sounds so familiar... I did have it all, including the swapping.

[[...]]

4 hours ago, [[j...] said:

It really doesn't feel like it sometimes. I got some new symptoms pop up recently. Nothing to servere but worrying when it happens. just hard to work this stuff out.

As far as i know, a change in symptoms is rather a good sign and for me, it's always been this way. Every time, i felt a bit better soon afterwards and more stable.

@[jo...], have you read an "old" post here "What is happening in your brain"? It helped me to get an idea of the whole process.

[[jo...]]

I have read that I think. But i will check again just in case. Thanks Kate.

[[Cr...]]

Kate is right. Changes in your symptoms can be a good sign. Think of your recovery as having multiple phases before its complete. Whenever things change, to better or worse, that could be a sign that the previous phase of recovery is complete and the next phase has begun.

[[jo...]]

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

Kate is right. Changes in your symptoms can be a good sign. Think of your recovery as having multiple phases before its complete. Whenever things change, to better or worse, that could be a sign that the previous phase of recovery is complete and the next phase has begun.

I hope so. My benzo brain keeps telling me this could be a long road. Though there are people worse than me who are making great progress which is good to see. Thanks! All of you.