Leg Issues

[[aa...]]

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

Colin as soon as I had this i thought I had a stroke so got a brain mri and spine mri both are normal.  

I had muscle weeknsss left side totally that went away but the numbness tightness burning is still there without improvements

 

[[vo...]]

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

I had muscle weeknsss left side totally that went away but the numbness tightness burning is still there without improvements

@[aa...] You are not alone and this is not permanent. I normally have it in my legs. All three - numbness, tightness and burning, but they're starting to lessen. I used to also have twitching and jerking in my legs, especially when I laid down at night. I don't get that anymore - those symptoms are gone.  Today I have the numbness and tightness as well as itching in my abdomen. Telling you about me so you can see these types of symptoms can lessen or go away. I believe that is our GABA receptors readjusting and healing in our body. Do you have anything you can do for distraction? It can really make a huge difference.

[[aa...]]

1 minute ago, [[v...] said:

@[aa...] You are not alone and this is not permanent. I normally have it in my legs. All three - numbness, tightness and burning, but they're starting to lessen. I used to also have twitching and jerking in my legs, especially when I laid down at night. I don't get that anymore - those symptoms are gone.  Today I have the numbness and tightness as well as itching in my abdomen. Telling youI about me so you can see these types of symptoms can lessen or go away. I believe that is our GABA receptors readjusting and healing in our body. Do you have anything you can do for distraction? It can really make a huge difference.

I can't do anything much most of the time bedridden.  I just keep finding answers as to what this is..my whole left side is lik this from 28 months.  My tongue recently has big canker sore from months am scared to show to a doctor too. The brain pulling tight face neck all is intolerance. Can I ask u hoe long u have had this. I am right now very hopeless.

[[vo...]]

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

I can't do anything much most of the time bedridden.  I just keep finding answers as to what this is..my whole left side is lik this from 28 months.  My tongue recently has big canker sore from months am scared to show to a doctor too. The brain pulling tight face neck all is intolerance. Can I ask u hoe long u have had this. I am right now very hopeless.

@[aa...] I have been in withdrawal for 13 months and many different symptoms, some of which I'm still dealing with and some that have subsided. They're all in my profile which you can read. I update my profile when symptoms subside. Better that one of our experts weigh in to help you more. I didn't realize you were bed ridden and I don't have any idea what would help with that. I have to find distractions and am back to exercising to fight the symptoms and make my body healthier. I don't want to lay down any longer than I have to. That's when I tend to get a lot of symptoms all at once because there's not much else to think about.

[[Co...]]

22 minutes ago, [[a...] said:

Colin as soon as I had this i thought I had a stroke so got a brain mri and spine mri both are normal.  

20 minutes ago, [[a...] said:

I had muscle weeknsss left side totally that went away but the numbness tightness burning is still there without improvements

At the end of my rapid, six-week taper, I suffered complete numbness down the whole of my left side. I too thought I'd had a stroke, but was strangely unconcerned (another effect of use/withdrawal of clonazepam). I went through a few rapid cycles of of withdrawal and reinstatement (but never again down to 0mg).

When I eventually tapered off for good (over a period of six months instead of six weeks), I managed to avoid the complete numbness (and near paralysis). But my sense of touch was far from normal, I suffered tingling and vibration sensations, my sense of smell and taste were affected, and I also experienced 'formication' (the sensation of insects crawling across my skin). It took a long time, but all of these withdrawal effects did eventually rectify themselves.

[[aa...]]

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

@[aa...] I have been in withdrawal for 13 months and many different symptoms, some of which I'm still dealing with and some that have subsided. They're all in my profile which you can read. I update my profile when symptoms subside. Better that one of our experts weigh in to help you more. I didn't realize you were bed ridden and I don't have any idea what would help with that. I have to find distractions and am back to exercising to fight the symptoms and make my body healthier. I don't want to lay down any longer than I have to. That's when I tend to get a lot of symptoms all at once because there's not much else to think about.

Actually my mistake was cold turkey and you are tapering so it's temporary I guess for u lik every one but mine is permanent due to cold turkey no wonder I see no improvement 

[[aa...]]

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

At the end of my rapid, six-week taper, I suffered complete numbness down the whole of my left side. I too thought I'd had a stroke, but was strangely unconcerned (another effect of use/withdrawal of clonazepam). I went through a few rapid cycles of of withdrawal and reinstatement (but never again down to 0mg).

When I eventually tapered off for good (over a period of six months instead of six weeks), I managed to avoid the complete numbness (and near paralysis). But my sense of touch was far from normal, I suffered tingling and vibration sensations, my sense of smell and taste were affected, and I also experienced 'formication' (the sensation of insects crawling across my skin). It took a long time, but all of these withdrawal effects did eventually rectify themselves.

Yes no wonder I see no improvement cold turkey damaged my brain forever and I will never heal 

[[vo...]]

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

At the end of my rapid, six-week taper, I suffered complete numbness down the whole of my left side. I too thought I'd had a stroke, but was strangely unconcerned (another effect of use/withdrawal of clonazepam). I went through a few rapid cycles of of withdrawal and reinstatement (but never again down to 0mg).

When I eventually tapered off for good (over a period of six months instead of six weeks), I managed to avoid the complete numbness (and near paralysis). But my sense of touch was far from normal, I suffered tingling and vibration sensations, my sense of smell and taste were affected, and I also experienced 'formication' (the sensation of insects crawling across my skin). It took a long time, but all of these withdrawal effects did eventually rectify themselves.

@[Co...] Thanks for this (I ran out of "emotions" already today) - I never knew the name of what the skin crawling sensation was. I wish we had a glossary! lol 

[[vo...]]

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

Actually my mistake was cold turkey and you are tapering so it's temporary I guess for u lik every one but mine is permanent due to cold turkey no wonder I see no improvement 

I was on xanax for decades. I tapered in two weeks - not much of a taper. My doctor wasn't happy. lol

[[vo...]]

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

Yes no wonder I see no improvement cold turkey damaged my brain forever and I will never heal 

@[aa...] ARRRGGGG! Why would you say that?! THIS IS NOT PERMANENT!!! Don't join the doom and gloom club!

[[Co...]]

4 minutes ago, [[a...] said:

Yes no wonder I see no improvement cold turkey damaged my brain forever and I will never heal 

That's not how it works. It is just that it sometimes takes a long time for the brain to readjust to the absence of benzodiazepine. The difference is that a rapid or cold turkey withdrawal can induce much more severe symptoms in the shorter term.

The point of a gradual withdrawal is to try to match (to some degree) the withdrawal of benzodiazepine with recovery of the GABA system. We are trying to avoid racing ahead of this recovery, so that the gap between where are GABA system is and our dose is not too great. But, eventually, the GABA system catches up with a very rapid withdrawal and we experience a delayed recovery. It is not that rapid withdrawal has caused 'damage'.

[[aa...]]

27 minutes ago, [[v...] said:

I was on xanax for decades. I tapered in two weeks - not much of a taper. My doctor wasn't happy. lol

I wonder y am nit finding any relief yet. Totally hopeless 

[[vo...]]

33 minutes ago, [[a...] said:

I wonder y am nit finding any relief yet. Totally hopeless 

I guess I'm not as gentle as the moderators, so best they respond to you rather than me. They as well as others post numerous times all over the place in this group about why we are all different in finding relief as well as when. I'm not sure you've read any of them or at least absorbed them so I need to avoid "hopeless" comments rather than "I have hope", in order to heal in my own recovery.

[[Sa...]]

On 09/07/2024 at 11:08, [[C...] said:

Hello @[...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

I suffered similar effects when rapidly tapered off (over a period of six weeks) from 4.5mg clonazepam. The solution for me (under the direction of neurologist) was to reinstate a small dose (0.5mg). I still felt dreadful, but I at least my sense of touch returned to the left side of my body.

Why did you suddenly stop taking your medication?

And yes, I recovered. I actually wen through several cycles of withdrawal and reinstatement (again, under the direction of my neurologist). But I could never go all the way down to zero when tapering off over six weeks. When I finally tapered off for good, I tapered off over six months (still a fast taper given the dose).

How did you taper? Liquid? 

[[Co...]]

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

How did you taper? Liquid? 

No. I tapered off 4.5mg clonazepam, one 0.5mg tablet at a time. I do not recall my precise schedule now, but it must have been a new 0.5mg reduction about every three weeks.

I should add, my schedule was formed out of ignorance. Knowing what I know now, I would have handled it differently.

[[Sa...]]

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

No. I tapered off 4.5mg clonazepam, one 0.5mg tablet at a time. I do not recall my precise schedule now, but it must have been a new 0.5mg reduction about every three weeks.

I should add, my schedule was formed out of ignorance. Knowing what I know now, I would have handled it differently.

What would you do? I need help tapering 

[[Pa...]]

6 minutes ago, [[S...] said:

What would you do? I need help tapering 

We're working this on your taper thread. 

 

[[Co...]]

4 minutes ago, [[S...] said:

What would you do? I need help tapering 

From that high dose (4.5mg clonazepam), and given my previous experiences with tapering, I would have:

1. Taken it more slowly
2. Reduced my dose by half and (especially at lower dose) quarter-pill decrements
3. Made more frequent, but much smaller reductions
4. Perhaps allowed for a more rapid overall taper rate when at larger does
5. Radically reduced my overall taper rate when at lower doses.

I would not plan it more exactly than that, because we should adapt according to how we react. But that would be my rough plan if I was going through it now. And I perhaps would have allowed up to a year to complete the taper.

But what's done is done. It is in the past and I eventually recovered.

[[aa...]]

18 hours ago, [[C...] said:

That's not how it works. It is just that it sometimes takes a long time for the brain to readjust to the absence of benzodiazepine. The difference is that a rapid or cold turkey withdrawal can induce much more severe symptoms in the shorter term.

The point of a gradual withdrawal is to try to match (to some degree) the withdrawal of benzodiazepine with recovery of the GABA system. We are trying to avoid racing ahead of this recovery, so that the gap between where are GABA system is and our dose is not too great. But, eventually, the GABA system catches up with a very rapid withdrawal and we experience a delayed recovery. It is not that rapid withdrawal has caused 'damage'.

Hi Colin. 

Can reinstating really help..my whole body is spasmin specially the left side and numbness left side n weeknsss. I don't see improvements 29 months off cold turkey.  Am fed up

 

 

[[Co...]]

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

Hi Colin. 

Can reinstating really help..my whole body is spasmin specially the left side and numbness left side n weeknsss. I don't see improvements 29 months off cold turkey.  Am fed up

Reinstatement will likely help with symptoms. But a sizable minority do not react well to reinstatement. For reasons unknown, they find they cannot 'stabilise' again - there is no return to how they were before they tapered off or quit cold turkey.

But even assuming that you reinstate and you do largely return to how you were before you quit, if your intention is to then quit again, you will have turned the clock back and likely will be starting your new withdrawal and recovery from scratch.

There is a myth that reinstatement followed by a new 'done properly' withdrawal will mean that withdrawal symptoms are avoided. This approach will not speed up recovery. All it can do is allow for a less traumatic taper the second time round, but it cannot speed up overall recovery.

If you are considering reinstatement with the intention to withdraw again, you are highly likely (practically certain) to set yourself back to the beginning and your recovery process will start from scratch. At 29 months off, I suggest that you think very carefully about this.

[[aa...]]

On 16/07/2024 at 20:04, [[v...] said:

@[aa...] You are not alone and this is not permanent. I normally have it in my legs. All three - numbness, tightness and burning, but they're starting to lessen. I used to also have twitching and jerking in my legs, especially when I laid down at night. I don't get that anymore - those symptoms are gone.  Today I have the numbness and tightness as well as itching in my abdomen. Telling you about me so you can see these types of symptoms can lessen or go away. I believe that is our GABA receptors readjusting and healing in our body. Do you have anything you can do for distraction? It can really make a huge difference.

Thank u for reply.. Frankly i want to tell u exactly what happens.  My left side deep inside My shoulder I ve shooting stabbing burning pain which has made My shoulder frozen n tight. The deep burning pain made my whole arm weak n numb n it burns . Exactly the same the leg burns while walking and the leg is numb. Initially when I cold turkeyed the whole left side was weak lik a stroke . Now the weekness is better but thus sharp pain n numbness and burning is continous from 28 months . I know everything takes time but I wish I even had little by little improvements to atleast have hopes with this issue. 

[[vo...]]

6 minutes ago, [[a...] said:

Thank u for reply.. Frankly i want to tell u exactly what happens.  My left side deep inside My shoulder I ve shooting stabbing burning pain which has made My shoulder frozen n tight. The deep burning pain made my whole arm weak n numb n it burns . Exactly the same the leg burns while walking and the leg is numb. Initially when I cold turkeyed the whole left side was weak lik a stroke . Now the weekness is better but thus sharp pain n numbness and burning is continous from 28 months . I know everything takes time but I wish I even had little by little improvements to atleast have hopes with this issue. 

That's a long time to deal with those symptoms. Have you ruled out any other medical issues being the cause of it being on your left side? I'm at 13 months so I'm just staying hopeful that they cease. I am a believer that any distraction takes away these and other symptoms for me, at least temporarily. I journal all my symptoms - some of them are gone now. That's what give me hope that it's just a matter of time. Do you journal?

[[aa...]]

31 minutes ago, [[v...] said:

That's a long time to deal with those symptoms. Have you ruled out any other medical issues being the cause of it being on your left side? I'm at 13 months so I'm just staying hopeful that they cease. I am a believer that any distraction takes away these and other symptoms for me, at least temporarily. I journal all my symptoms - some of them are gone now. That's what give me hope that it's just a matter of time. Do you journal?

Absolutely it's 28 months now. I got a brain mri and spine mri blood works met top neurologist.  First of all they don't acknowledge any withdrawal. I ve met doctors while I had akathesia. When I told them am having akathesia he laughs n say ur just goggling stuffs . He couldn't diagnose me so said it's all in my mind. I don't know waht els to do. I have not seen anyone this worse lik me

[[vo...]]

18 minutes ago, [[a...] said:

Absolutely it's 28 months now. I got a brain mri and spine mri blood works met top neurologist.  First of all they don't acknowledge any withdrawal. I ve met doctors while I had akathesia. When I told them am having akathesia he laughs n say ur just goggling stuffs . He couldn't diagnose me so said it's all in my mind. I don't know waht els to do. I have not seen anyone this worse lik me

I'm glad to hear it's not something beyond akathisia and protracted withdrawal. I agree - most doctors don't have a clue about this stuff. Apparently, they don't teach it in medical school. I heard that on BIC. Not sure what country you're in, but if you keep searching, do you think you might find that one in a million doctor that is familiar with this?

[[aa...]]

On 16/07/2024 at 20:04, [[v...] said:

@[aa...] You are not alone and this is not permanent. I normally have it in my legs. All three - numbness, tightness and burning, but they're starting to lessen. I used to also have twitching and jerking in my legs, especially when I laid down at night. I don't get that anymore - those symptoms are gone.  Today I have the numbness and tightness as well as itching in my abdomen. Telling you about me so you can see these types of symptoms can lessen or go away. I believe that is our GABA receptors readjusting and healing in our body. Do you have anything you can do for distraction? It can really make a huge difference.

Bro I am fed of this left side full numb n week . Am fed up 😢 😭