Hey Ladies - Withdrawal and Menstrual Cycle?

[Guest [Cl...]]

I'm becoming familiar with the spike/rise of w/d s/x during the menstrual cycle  It's a week prior to my period and I've had a return of nightmares again and that rise of morning anxiety. I feel overall shakier and unsettled the last few days. It's not as bad as the initial w/d s/x but it's a real pest, none the less 

I found some older posts so I'm guessing that this is common? And I'm also wondering - for those of you with some time under your belt after finishing Klonopin....when did your w/d s/x lessen during your period? I'm thinking this is going to take a few months to mellow out.

 

Thanks 

[[as...]]

My withdrawal symptoms have started to track my period for sure!  I read somewhere that progesterone and benzos affect the same receptors in the brain, so this isn't surprising. I also read that women have a harder time with drug withdrawal symptoms than men in general, so there you have it!

 

My worst anxiety, where I feel wound up and have tingling in my nerves, happens the week before my period starts, like clockwork. I wake up with that inner motor revving up. I have that jump out of your skin kind of feeling. Good times! Then, I am okay during the week that I get my period, except for the nasty cramps, hunger and fatigue that are a normal part of it. Then, the week after I get my period, I have really bad depression, especially in the morning and around 2-3pm in the afternoon, where I am just down and don't want to live. Then, I have 2 pretty good weeks. REPEAT.

 

Did your period stop at all during your withdrawal? Mine stopped for 3 months when I got down to 1mg V until a month after I jumped.

 

Fun! Fun! 

 

Ashley

[Guest [Cl...]]

Hi'a ask...no it didn't stop. I't's been very regular despite all the stress. This is the 1st month drug free and my last week was very stable (days 12 - 20) and now I'm feeling the progesterone levels drop as some of the anxiety and depression creeps back in again. This is so annoying. Thanks for your reply. Hope you're doing well 

[[Zu...]]

I was just going to post something on this.  I'm 6 months off of Ativan and I noticed that I get a spike of withdrawal symptoms the week before my period.  I get slammed with fatigue, muscle weakness, and brain fog.  It feels like I have been hit by a truck!!  Anyone else notice this?

[Guest [Fi...]]

wow! I was just thinking about posting a similar topic. 

 

I get slammed the week before and during my period.  Usually I have 2 good weeks, and 2 bad weeks per month.  This month was particularly hard on me.  It's about 5 days into my period now, so I can really notice my symptoms starting to mellow out.  This time last week I was a hot mess. 

 

Can't wait until this stuff is all over.  Never thought I'd say this, but I'd take horrible cramps over w/d any day!

 

Fieldychan

[[Zu...]]

Agreed, Fieldychan.  Cannot wait until this is all over.  not only are my withdrawal symptoms worse a week before my period, but pms symptoms are greatly intensified.  Do you notice this, too?  I'm EXTREMELY moody and irritable, cramps are worse, and I have nausea.  Never had it this bad before w/d.  At 6 months, I thought I would be feeling much better than this...  but at least I'm better than I was at month 1, 2, and 3.  Hang in there.

[[re...]]

I just posted a few days ago about not having a period for a couple months.  I think it is common to have s/x's flare up thru w/d.  My period started being so inconsistent that I could never pin point what was w/d's or partially hormonal.  I did though, start my period today.........Don't really know what is going on with my body, I just mark it on the calendar and try to make some rhyme or reason to it.........

 

Gosh, us ladies really have to get the short end of the stick!! 

 

Renee

[[Cl...]]

HI all - I started to track mine as well (if you have a phone with apps there is a great one that help you track it). And the harder s/x most certainly follow the levels of progesterone. I'm hoping based on others feedback that this will eventually find a balance again as well. But the week before and after my period this last month was difficult. This month will be the 2nd round after finishing the Klonopin ....so I'll have to see if theres any improvement.

[[Ju...]]

I'm  on the pill and thus pretty much have been able to set my watch as to when I will get my period...this month I was 2 days late and it came and went, and then came and went again. V. strange for me.

I didn't notice that my S/x were any better or worse before or during, next month I'll pay closer attention and see if there's a pattern.

[[Zu...]]

I'm not an expert on this, but I'm wondering since you are on the pill, your estrogen and progesterone levels aren't surging considering you are on the pill and not ovulating.  Perhaps, that's why you don't notice a difference before or after your period.  Darn hormones!

[[Cl...]]

Hear Hear! Darn hormones 

[[re...]]

I got hit with some really bad depression yesterday.  I know its because I started yesterday.....Also was obsessing about any and every little thing.  I had to keep telling myself over and over "its your period"......

[[fr...]]

Ladies, you can't imagine how relieved I was to find this thread!!!  I am a little more than 2 months into a direct taper withdrawal using a compounding pharmacy and the last week has been a difficult one...mainly because I've had difficulty sleeping and MUCH MORE heightened levels of anxiety. The last two nights I couldn't sleep at all, so I was starting to panic. It was getting much harder to tell myself "this is just your withdrawal symptoms." Then earlier this afternoon I got my period and I thought to myself, "I wonder if the withdrawal symptoms get significantly worse when I'm about to get my period?" I rushed over to the site and found all of your posts! I can't believe just how many things can spike withdrawal symptoms! But I sure am relieved to hear what all of you had to say about it.

 

Hopefully now that I have my period I can get some sleep!

[[fr...]]

Does anyone have any idea when I can expect the spike in s/x to go down. Is it sudden at the beginning of my cycle or is it a slow return to "normalcy?"

[[Cl...]]

Hi all - thought I would update my original post as month 2, after finishing the K, has come and gone. The 2nd month off (for my cycle and symptoms) was MUCH better then the first but still bit bumpy. It seems to spike the anxiety a few days prior and a few days after. So a total of 6 additional days where I feel more aggrivated in the s/x dept. The depressive waves were a bit easier - and no derealization this month! Yay!    The dizziness seems to increase more during my period - and the fatigue is tough...but those s/x seem to pass after about day 7 or so. i see the overall spike of symptoms reduce by day 4 overall.

 

Hope you all are doing ok  

 

Clem  

[[Sc...]]

Thanks Clementine for the update...great to hear things are a bit better at month 2 since being off.

 

I too have found my s/x are quite extreme w/ hormone changes.  I've noticed that I'm actually worse w/ ovulation than w/ my period.  Around the time of my period, I get more achy and fatigued and I can feel the anxiety heighten....then w/ ovulation, I have about 5 days or so leading up to it where my anxiety really heightens, my sleeping becomes disrupted and the nausea gets worse.  Then right around the day I'd ovulate, I get extreme nausea, NO appetite, major fatigue and crying spells.  Then after that the s/x seem to slowly go back to "normal". 

 

This is a great thread as it can be pretty scary when things get extra rough.

 

Lots of love,

Schatje

[[pa...]]

Hi... Just to let you know what occurred to me.  On this site for my hubby, I was put on valium in 80's.  My periods changed from normal every 28 days... to 18 days, and know this is gross, but the color changed to very dark.  This went on for months after getting off valium, but finally changed... though never back to the 28 days of a regular cycle.  One note... the blood sugar drops at its lowest level in females, one week prior to period... that's why there has always been the symptoms for us ladies... then add the stupid drug.  Best to all, Pattylu

[[Cl...]]

I totally know what you're talking about Pattylu....what whacky body responses, huh?? 

 

 

Schatje - I think I had some ramps around ovulation too at my 1st month off. I remember feeling more "hyper" and shaky. Perhaps it was the cortisol. Who'da thought I'd be looking forward to a normal old period....

 

Clem

[[...]]

YES!  There is a definite spike in symptoms during certain times of the month for me.  I am now almost 17 months benzo free and considered myself healed; however, when I ovulate and right before my period are tough.  It's hard to say if this is still withdrawal related because I had problems with PMS prior...but it seems worse than pre benzo.

 

When I ovulate I get a migraine and I am really irritable/depressed.  Just before my period I get a migraine, have anxiety and insomnia (did not have this prior to benzos). 

[[Ta...]]

Phew, I am right in that boat right now.  This is the ssecond go round post benzo for me and worst than the first, probably because I still had some Klonopin in my system then.  I am hoping that it keeps getting a little better and better each month.  I also noticed in my journal that every month when I ovulate I have one-three really bad days where I am super congested and having insomnia and anxiety.  It is then a downward slope until my period.  It's like someone else said, I have two good weeks then two bad weeks.  Except this past month in acute withdrawal which has been pretty much all bad weeks.  I am hoping someone comes to say that it levels out in time!

 

Tamzo

[[fr...]]

Hi Ladies, as I posted earlier I had HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms about three days before my period. I had tightness in my chest, jitteriness, anxiety, rapid heart beat, no appetite...pretty drastic. I have not felt anything like it since I've been withdrawing. But I'm here to say that I actually slept last night! Not enough BUT I'll take fewer hours to no hours any day! I still can't believe how much my hormones affected my withdrawal. I am hoping that I'm on the path to stabilizing again. I was supposed to taper yesterday, but my body would have clearly objected. Waiting till Friday...

 

Stay well!