feel like I can't control my breathing... among many other things...

[[st...]]

I haven't checked in here for a couple months, I guess I was starting to accept things and got used to my symptoms, although alot hasn't got much better.

9 months out now from my last benzo and I'm just getting this incredible loss of breath feeling, I'll be distracting myself and almost for a split second it's like body forgot how to breathe. It's really scary. Feels like a chore to breathe. I can cope with some symptoms, but when it messes with my vital supply it's terrifying. I'm also just getting terrible headaches, particularly on my scalp, and behind my head. Sometime's it feels like my skin and skull are on fire, sometimes it's ice cubes, sometimes it's knifes scratching away... I wasn't on benzos too too long but since doctors can't figure it out it has to be some sort of autonomic nervous system damage. I wish it would just go away.. does this sound like run of the mill benzo injury? I'm sure it does, I just want to hear someone's thoughts... 

i have like a dozen other unpleasant things going on with my body like squeezing and this overall tight feeling, but this stuff scare me the most.

 

Edited July 12 by [st...]

[[PE...]]

Hi I'm also 9 months out 😊

Anxiety can be very good in inventing and making up things.. your breathing is controlled by the most basic parts of the brain that need a serious head trauma to stop function. 

So it's just Anxiety looking for something to hold on to.

[[st...]]

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

Hi I'm also 9 months out 😊

Anxiety can be very good in inventing and making up things.. your breathing is controlled by the most basic parts of the brain that need a serious head trauma to stop function. 

So it's just Anxiety looking for something to hold on to.

thanks for the response, Peppe . Would you mind sharing me a bit of what you're experiencing at month 9? You know I had a couple drinks 5 months ago, and the two weeks that followed were horrifc... made me learn a valuable lesson about kindling. 

[[Ma...]]

I use Albuterol, which helps with my breathing issues when they flare up.

[[PE...]]

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

thanks for the response, Peppe . Would you mind sharing me a bit of what you're experiencing at month 9? You know I had a couple drinks 5 months ago, and the two weeks that followed were horrifc... made me learn a valuable lesson about kindling. 

Yeah I noticed that i got anxious the day after a couple of beers. So atm i don't have any..

I'm doing really good.. no waves or windows just a slow train forward. I had my hell the last year.

[[st...]]

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

Yeah I noticed that i got anxious the day after a couple of beers. So atm i don't have any..

I'm doing really good.. no waves or windows just a slow train forward. I had my hell the last year.

I'm happy you're feeling better. I still got a long way to go I can tell... sometimes I doubt myself if it was really the benzos but I guess if the MRI's and blood tests are clean theres really nowhere else to point at. I have small windows I guess, but there's still a dark cloud looming around when I have them. I was on them for a short while, but damn man, the damage was done...

[[jo...]]

Dont you find any relief at all from your symptoms at this point? Do they ease up at night? Have they changed from early on?

[[st...]]

11 minutes ago, [[j...] said:

Dont you find any relief at all from your symptoms at this point? Do they ease up at night? Have they changed from early on?

I do get windows, maybe I'll get a day or two where it's not complete torture. But it usually always comes back to the burning scalp , hot flashes, tightness, etc. I mean either I'm incredible unlucky with benzo injury or doctors aren't seeing something. I don't know.. all I know is that it f***ing hurts and alot of symptoms are't getting better. W'ell see...

[[jo...]]

Yeah you seem to have a lot of physical symptoms as opposed to mental ones. It does tend to be one way or the other. I read a lot of people on here have these symptoms. It sounds like it could be benzos. Best to check for anything else though. 

[[PE...]]

24 minutes ago, [[s...] said:

I'm happy you're feeling better. I still got a long way to go I can tell... sometimes I doubt myself if it was really the benzos but I guess if the MRI's and blood tests are clean theres really nowhere else to point at. I have small windows I guess, but there's still a dark cloud looming around when I have them. I was on them for a short while, but damn man, the damage was done...

Omg that's so unfair..I was on them for years and really abused them.

Benzos are the most evil drug of all doing damage after just a few weeks, damn!

[[jo...]]

I get the breathing thing too but it's coupled with this intense stress mainly in my head. It's like being squeezed.

[[st...]]

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

I get the breathing thing too but it's coupled with this intense stress mainly in my head. It's like being squeezed.

Sounds similiar to me, sometimes I get random bitter tastes in my mouth, I hear alot of people describe metallic taste, it shoots into my tongue, kinda like random nerve pain that shoots down your leg or something... I really hope I live through this. I hate to be dramatic but it's so bad that's legit how I feel . I keep saying it'll get better, but it can be so hard to believe sometimes.

[[jo...]]

Yeah I get some random nerve pain sometimes but most my worst symptoms are mental. Everyone always says they'd rather have physical symptoms than mental or vice versa. The truth is I think it's all horrible no matter what you've got. It is rough but a lot see a big change in their second year. It can come at any time actually.

[[Cr...]]

@[st...]

Are you experiencing tightness or any issues in any of your muscles? I know some members in recovery have issues where some muscles just contract excessively. Since benzos relax the muscles, and withdrawal often causes inverse effects, it could be possible that a lot of your issues are related to muscles. The epicranial muscles may be contributing to burning scalp sensations and a tight diaphragm muscle could be causing the shortness of breath.

This is just a thought that occurred when I read your symptoms. I guess a muscle relaxer would help answer that question, but some of them do affect gaba (baclofen). I hope you find relief soon.

P.S. love the Mother/Earthbound reference for name.

[[st...]]

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

@[st...]

Are you experiencing tightness or any issues in any of your muscles? I know some members in recovery have issues where some muscles just contract excessively. Since benzos relax the muscles, and withdrawal often causes inverse effects, it could be possible that a lot of your issues are related to muscles. The epicranial muscles may be contributing to burning scalp sensations and a tight diaphragm muscle could be causing the shortness of breath.

This is just a thought that occurred when I read your symptoms. I guess a muscle relaxer would help answer that question, but some of them do affect gaba (baclofen). I hope you find relief soon.

P.S. love the Mother/Earthbound reference for name.

It’s really hard to tell what causes the pain sometimes . I feel like it could be muscles contracting . but I feel like it’s the bigger picture , like my whole nervous system feels “tight” . But i suppose it could be muscles . When I get the metallic taste it usually comes with the muscle tensing . So it’s clearly some neurological dysfunction. I’m thinking about going to the ER it’s so bad right now . I’ve already been checked out last year , but it’s so intense it’s hard to just be home alone letting it happen to me . 

I appreciate your sentiment about earthbound , use to be my favorite game . Simpler times 😢. I really hope I heal atleast in a year . I appreciate your suggestions.