Benzo (and GABA) drug withdrawal is fibromyalgia in most cases??

[[Ro...]]

I was looking into this fibromyalgia thing today and found many similarities with what I've felt during w/d it's staggering. Obviously things I never had before.

Interestingly, as in many other new and strangely named medical diagnosis, the cause is "unknown".

http://beyondmeds.com/2013/07/24/ans-and-interaction/ Please try to keep this thread going. You have your answer, I believe. xx

[[il...]]

@[ro...]

 

Thanks for writing back, and for the kind words.  Thank you for starting this very helpful thread!!!!!!!  I empathize with what you've been through.  Your timeline is very similar to mine. 

 

  My attitude is little better, now.  I can accept this level of disability, and some days even try to make the best of it.  Several months ago, my attitude was wholly different, as I couldn't even do the most basic activities of daily living.  Passing time and more recently, neurontin, have helped with that. 

 

Now, I have to do research to find out if being on neuron tin-lol spellcheck doesn't like that word-is just trading one evil for another.  Benzos made me MEAN.  I hated who I was on klonopin.  The doctor convinced me that the meanness and irritability were signs of a new, emerging psychiatric condition.  One day he told me I was like a mean drunk, only the klonopoin was bringing it out instead of alcohol!  "Just take more klonopin, duuuuuhhhhhh!  Up that dose!  More drugs!  More drugs! " Says the pompous man of the caduceus. 

 

Neurontin doesn't seem to make me mean.

 

It can't wait to read the 20 pages of posts on this thread! 

 

 

[[Ro...]]

@robbedbybenzos:

 

Thanks for writing back, and for the kind words.  Thank you for starting this very helpful thread!!!!!!!  I empathize with what you've been through.  Your timeline is very similar to mine. 

 

  My attitude is little better, now.  I can accept this level of disability, and some days even try to make the best of it.  Several months ago, my attitude was wholly different, as I couldn't even do the most basic activities of daily living.  Passing time and more recently, neurontin, have helped with that. 

 

Now, I have to do research to find out if being on neuron tin-lol spellcheck doesn't like that word-is just trading one evil for another.  Benzos made me MEAN.  I hated who I was on klonopin.  The doctor convinced me that the meanness and irritability were signs of a new, emerging psychiatric condition.  One day he told me I was like a mean drunk, only the klonopoin was bringing it out instead of alcohol!  "Just take more klonopin, duuuuuhhhhhh!  Up that dose!  More drugs!  More drugs! " Says the pompous man of the caduceus. 

 

Neurontin doesn't seem to make me mean.

 

It can't wait to read the 20 pages of posts on this thread!

It's 20 pages of not much really but it's something anyways. I was in pretty rough shape through most of it so probably lots of crazy posts but you having benzo withdrawal and not fibro is almost certainly absolute. I have seen many people get well on neurontin as it is front line treatment for withdrawal. I chose zero drugs after I was last off because that's the quickest (but most painful) to getting recovered. I wish you the absolute best in you recovery and you "will" recover if you persevere.

 

Stay Strong, Robb

 

PS - please keep this thread going until I can make a new one. =(_)(_)=  cheers

[[be...]]

This fibro diagnosis came right after huge amounts of ativan and Zoloft withdrawal. I was admitted to the hospital and they gave me all these GABA acting drugs and I felt better. I then quit them because I suspected that the drugs were at least part of the problem but I C/T them and then the so called fibro got 5 times worse. I believe I know the cure for much of the catch all diagnosis of fibro and it is withdrawing from any GABA and possible any of the CNS affecting drugs.

 

Einstein once said "if the answer is simple, god is talking to us". I am not a religious man but I believe he believe in Achem's Razor that states..."the simplest of possibilities is quite often the correct one". I also know the greed of money and these drugs are now being prescribed to treat the conditions that they cause in the first place. Have Muscle spasms? Try a benzo...premature ejaculation? Try an ssri! WTF. Every other commercial on TV is a drug commercial!!! If ABC or someone runs a show on any of these negative drug effects - the drug companies threaten to pull their multimillion dollar commercial time and the show are never followed up.

 

I believe one day these days will be known as "the dark ages of medicine". I really do.

 

"The dark ages of medicine." How well put. I totally agree with you on this one. Remember blood letting and lobotomy's? That wasn't that long ago. In fact, I had an aunt who was brilliant. But she suffered from depression and they gave her a lobotomy. She was only 20. She led the rest of her miserable life not even knowing how to take a shower. Betsy

[[ih...]]

Toward a clearer diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome

 

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, in collaboration with Osaka City University and Kansai University of Welfare Sciences, have used functional PET imaging to show that levels of neuroinflammation, or inflammation of the nervous system, are higher in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome than in healthy people.

 

Chronic fatigue syndrome, which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, is a debilitating condition characterized by chronic, profound, and disabling fatigue. Unfortunately, the causes are not well understood.

 

Neuroinflammation—the inflammation of nerve cells—has been hypothesized to be a cause of the condition, but no clear evidence has been put forth to support this idea. Now, in this clinically important study, published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the researchers found that indeed the levels of neuroinflammation markers are elevated in CFS/ME patients compared to the healthy controls.

 

The researchers performed PET scanning on nine people diagnosed with CFS/ME and ten healthy people, and asked them to complete a questionnaire describing their levels of fatigue, cognitive impairment, pain, and depression. For the PET scan they used a protein that is expressed by microglia and astrocyte cells, which are known to be active in neuroinflammation.

 

The researchers found that neuroinflammation is higher in CFS/ME patients than in healthy people. They also found that inflammation in certain areas of the brain—the cingulate cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, midbrain, and pons—was elevated in a way that correlated with the symptoms, so that for instance, patients who reported impaired cognition tended to demonstrate neuroinflammation in the amygdala, which is known to be involved in cognition. This provides clear evidence of the association between neuroinflammation and the symptoms experienced by patients with CFS/ME.

 

Though the study was a small one, confirmation of the concept that PET scanning could be used as an objective test for CFS/ME could lead to better diagnosis and ultimately to the development of new therapies to provide relief to the many people around the world afflicted by this condition. Dr. Yasuyoshi Watanabe, who led the study at RIKEN, stated, "We plan to continue research following this exciting discovery in order to develop objective tests for CFS/ME and ultimately ways to cure and prevent this debilitating disease."

 

http://www.riken.jp/en/pr/press/2014/20140404_1/

[[il...]]

Hey, ihope!  Nice to see you here!

-ilove

[[Ro...]]

Please keep this going for awareness.

[[Ao...]]

Hi everyone,

 

I know this is a really old thread but I wonder if any of ye are still on BB ? How are you doing?......

 

I have often wondered the same . Fibromyalgia could be diagnosed when it is a case of Benzo withdrawal.

 

When my physical pain came on a year ago, ( January 2014) I was considered for a Fibromyalgia diagnosis.  I was seen by a Rheumatologist but he ruled it out. He said I did not have all the 'tender spots associated with Fibromyalgia'. He did however suggest I try Lyrica which is a contradiction in terms. I did but had a very bad reaction to it.

 

Fast forward to present day : I have come off Lamictal,  Xanax and Ambien since then. I have had excruciating pain - nerve and muscle. 10/10 . In November 2014,  I went on a Lignocaine patch..pain lessened 5/10. Im experiencing increased pain and symptoms again following Ambien jump in December 2014. 

 

So, Isn't it possible and real that its all down th tbese medications? ?I

 

 

 

[[Ro...]]

I started this thread and have been with ppl in wd for literally years. It's not only possible but likely that if you did not have fibro before you took drugs then it's almost certainly withdrawal. I have seen people in pain heal and report all pain is gone. Fibro is reported by some to have been present prior to wd or drugs but is made much worse by drugs and their wds. It all gets better after wd is over and all drugs are ceased.

 

Thank you for keeping my thread going. I had long forgotten about this. It's real! yes this world really can be this sick to do this to people. It's an abomination unto mankind.

 

Robb

 

PS - I was falsely diagnosed with fibro and given more drugs and benzos that made me worse. My pain is leaving but it's very slow. Most I have seen have gotten better more rapidly than I.

[[Ao...]]

Hi Robb

 

Thanks so much for the quick reply.  I really appreciate it.  Before January 2014 , I never had pain like this. Im a Health Professional myself , an RN , so I could expect the odd ache from an 8 to 8 shift !!! But nothing like this.

It came on suddenly on 8 January 2014 . I had been on Lamictal Xanax and Ambien at that time. I was in the process of coming off Xanax when this horrible pain began. Sharp shooting pain with shortness of breath mainly on my left side.  Since this it has been in my back, leg , arm  shoulder.  Nerve pain settled in after that along with other symptoms. It has decreased in severity since November 2014 and I am hoping to God it never comes back that severe again. I had numerous investigations done and all came back fine.

 

Im real sorry to know that you in such pain were also given drugs that made you much worse. You are so right. It is an abomination. As an RN who is on sick leave since June 2013,  I never again will take for granted my health.. I never did to begin with but I bought into the medication cure for years. I am saddened by the fact that I did not realise the harsh and excruciating withdrawal we have had to go through.  Whilst working as a Nurse, never was it really discussed in any details Benzodiazepines withdrawal or any medication withdrawal for that matter. And now , we are here to tell the stories.

[[Ro...]]

It's withdrawal, Aoibherose. Sounds like you can bank on it. I'd make you a taper plan as I have that capability but can't send the file on BB. Please come off slowly and educate yourself the best you can. It's a long road but it's doable. I'm sorry you are suffering so but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Yep, our health care system is that bad worldwide. You found the truth. Not everyone does.

 

Best of luck in this hard journey, Robb Xx

[[Se...]]

"It is my opinion that most people diagnosed with fibromyalgia are just having a reaction to GABA acting drugs. The treatment I got after a fibro diagnosis was Neurontin, Cymbalta, Ambien and ativan and I got much worse after taking these drugs (all gaba acting drugs). The Fibro symptoms are the same as benzo "protracted" withdrawal - they both involve the CNS and neither can be detected with any reliable test so...the drug companies and the FDA have a perfect "cover their ass diagnosis" as they just label all these people having body pains and mental/cognitive issues from these CNS and GABA acting drugs as Fibro.

 

Could anyone imagine the amount of lawsuits that would come out of this worldwide if this fibro thing was just long term AD and benzo WD/tolerance issues??

 

Anyone agree with this possibility?"

 

Yes.  I agree with this very strongly.  Every single person I know (half a dozen middle-aged women now, and the number is growing) with this "new" fibro diagnosis have all been on long-term psych-drugs prior to the diagnosis.  Coincidence?  I smell an extremely stinky rat.  I have repeatedly stated this theory to anyone who will listen, so I'm very glad to see this post, Robbed.

 

All of this long-term polydrugging and "new" diagnostic categories for iatrogenic illnesses are a HUGE score for the drug manufacturers, and this practice also gets the confused and scared (and, sadly, ignorant) patients out of the doctors' offices with a handful of prescriptions, so doctors certainly benefit.  It's a win-win situation for both those parties.  Sadly, though, not for the patient.

 

Thanks for posting this.

[[Ro...]]

"It is my opinion that most people diagnosed with fibromyalgia are just having a reaction to GABA acting drugs. The treatment I got after a fibro diagnosis was Neurontin, Cymbalta, Ambien and ativan and I got much worse after taking these drugs (all gaba acting drugs). The Fibro symptoms are the same as benzo "protracted" withdrawal - they both involve the CNS and neither can be detected with any reliable test so...the drug companies and the FDA have a perfect "cover their ass diagnosis" as they just label all these people having body pains and mental/cognitive issues from these CNS and GABA acting drugs as Fibro.

 

Could anyone imagine the amount of lawsuits that would come out of this worldwide if this fibro thing was just long term AD and benzo WD/tolerance issues??

 

Anyone agree with this possibility?"

 

Yes.  I agree with this very strongly.  Every single person (half a dozen middle-aged women now, and the number is growing) I know with this "new" fibro diagnosis have all been on long-term psych-drugs prior to the diagnosis.  Coincidence?  I smell an extremely stinky rat.  I have repeatedly stated this theory to anyone who will listen, so I'm very glad to see this post, Robbed.

 

All of this long-term polydrugging and "new" diagnostic categories for iatrogenic illnesses are a HUGE score for the drug manufacturers, and this practice also gets the confused and scared (and, sadly, ignorant) patients out of the doctors' offices with a handful of prescriptions, so doctors certainly benefit.  It's a win-win situation for both those parties.  Sadly, though, not for the patient.

 

Thanks for posting this.

Please thank me by keeping it going. Thanks - Heal quickly everyone.

[[Se...]]

How are you doing these days, Robbed?  Are you significantly better than when you first started this thread?  I hope you are very nearly healed, if not healed altogether. 

[[Ro...]]

How are you doing these days, Robbed?  Are you significantly better than when you first started this thread?  I hope you are very nearly healed, if not healed altogether.

Better but not sure how I even survived. I have a long ways to go yet. I think I am a severe case. I know everyone says that but I am a very logical thinker and not someone who normally was dramatic at all.

 

Hope that does not offend anyone.

 

Take care all, Robb

[[Se...]]

I'm very glad to hear you're continually getting better 

[[Ao...]]

Robb

 

Thanks for your help . And support. . And yes I surely do smell a stinky rat too  Serenity Now. Its way too much of a coincidence that soooo many of us that have been on many psychiatric meds now have Chronic Pain. Mmmmmm........

 

When it was first put to me back in March 2014 , that I MAY have Fibromyalgia. .... I questioned the diagnosis a lot as my pain was mostly left sided.  But they were thinking of handing out this diagnosis anyway. Thankfully it didn't happen. But I did contact a local Fibromyalgia group and I went to one meeting to see how people were getting by with this diagnosis.  Most if not all were women from 40 years and up , many were on Neurontin, Lyrica and believe it... Benzos !!!! I asked a few of them why they felt they needed the Benzos ( Valium, Xanax) and they said they had anxiety related issues . I asked two ladies - "if your pain is well controlled with Neurontin or Lyrica , why do you take the Benzo ?"  They told me they were taking them for yrs before pain appeared. I did say that I felt Benzos may be the problem and I was just met with blank stares. It was a difficult meeting for me at that time.  Its a huge problem isnt it ?

 

 

[[Ro...]]

Robb

 

Thanks for your help . And support. . And yes I surely do smell a stinky rat too  Serenity Now. Its way too much of a coincidence that soooo many of us that have been on many psychiatric meds now have Chronic Pain. Mmmmmm........

 

When it was first put to me back in March 2014 , that I MAY have Fibromyalgia. .... I questioned the diagnosis a lot as my pain was mostly left sided.  But they were thinking of handing out this diagnosis anyway. Thankfully it didn't happen. But I did contact a local Fibromyalgia group and I went to one meeting to see how people were getting by with this diagnosis.  Most if not all were women from 40 years and up , many were on Neurontin, Lyrica and believe it... Benzos !!!! I asked a few of them why they felt they needed the Benzos ( Valium, Xanax) and they said they had anxiety related issues . I asked two ladies - "if your pain is well controlled with Neurontin or Lyrica , why do you take the Benzo ?"  They told me they were taking them for yrs before pain appeared. I did say that I felt Benzos may be the problem and I was just met with blank stares. It was a difficult meeting for me at that time.  Its a huge problem isnt it ?

It's criminal. Instead of being prosecuted they are getting rich off this.

[[Se...]]

It will all come to light, of course... the universal truths about the polydrugging practices and the fake diagnoses using made-up diagnostic criteria that expands with every revision of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.)  It will come to the fore because the drug manufacturers and so-called "health practitioners" are shooting themselves in the foot now.  People are beginning to put two and two together as even more dangerous drugs emerge to treat the dangerous side effects of earlier dangerous drugs.  Remember the "restless legs" drug that used to be heavily advertised?  I have no doubt it was targeted solely to SSRI users, as dopamine-compromised syndromes including RLS & Parkinsons are increasing exponentially.  Whatever happened to that one?  Too many adverse reactions & litigations to continue shilling it?  And now, we have the carefully veiled anti-pyschotics to be used as anti-depressant "boosters"  WTF.  Why?  Because it's been proven that SSRIS are no better than placebos?  I'm thinking so.  It'd all be laughable if it weren't so evil.  We will surely look upon current common health practices of cutting, burning and drugging as barbaric one day.

 

Soon, everyone in the human population will be diagnosed with some "mental health disease", so long as DSM is seen as THE medial bible for mental health.  It's continually revised in order to justify increased polydrugging.  Apparently, it is now considered a disease to have a full range of human emotion.  As more and more of the population experiences what we have in benzo (and SSRI) w/d, the tide will begin to change at an increasing rate as people wake up.

 

Not for many more years (probably decades), however.  All real progress is slow.  Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be around to see the change when it does.  But at least I'll have healed before then.  I feel badly for the ones who do not figure all of this out & don't manage to salvage themselves before their lives are over.

[[Ro...]]

It will all come to light, of course... the universal truths about the polydrugging practices and the fake diagnoses using made-up diagnostic criteria that expands with every revision of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.)  It will come to the fore because the drug manufacturers and so-called "health practitioners" are shooting themselves in the foot now.  People are beginning to put two and two together as even more dangerous drugs emerge to treat the dangerous side effects of earlier dangerous drugs.  Remember the "restless legs" drug that used to be heavily advertised?  I have no doubt it was targeted solely to SSRI users, as dopamine-compromised syndromes including RLS & Parkinsons are increasing exponentially.  Whatever happened to that one?  Too many adverse reactions & litigations to continue shilling it?  And now, we have the carefully veiled anti-pyschotics to be used as anti-depressant "boosters"  WTF.  Why?  Because it's been proven that SSRIS are no better than placebos?  I'm thinking so.  It'd all be laughable if it weren't so evil.  We will surely look upon current common health practices of cutting, burning and drugging as barbaric one day.

 

Soon, everyone in the human population will be diagnosed with some "mental health disease", so long as DSM is seen as THE medial bible for mental health.  It's continually revised in order to justify increased polydrugging.  Apparently, it is now considered a disease to have a full range of human emotion.  As more and more of the population experiences what we have in benzo (and SSRI) w/d, the tide will begin to change at an increasing rate as people wake up.

 

Not for many more years (probably decades), however.  All real progress is slow.  Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be around to see the change when it does.  But at least I'll have healed before then.  I feel badly for the ones who do not figure all of this out & don't manage to salvage themselves before their lives are over.

Agreed!

[[Ao...]]

Ageed 

[[Se...]]

I forgot to add that I was on the "Paxil Progress" forum years ago due to my difficult w/d from paxil at the time.

 

Do you want to know how often this very topic (ssri-induced fibro) was discussed there?  About every week.  Many folks on there were extremely suspicious about the connection because of their own histories and diagnoses.  I've not forgotten that, because I had some interesting symptoms back then from the ssri w/d that made me believe I might have fibro as well.

[[Ao...]]

Serenity

 

I have been on Paxil . Nasty drug with harsh withdrawls too. I have never forgotten that drug either  .. I feel its a drug that should long since been taken off the market. There is a Black Box Warning on it but that's not enough. Another nasty drug that's over prescribed.

[[Se...]]

Yeah.  Paxil is no picnic for sure.  Paxil w/d is what eventually led to my being prescribed benzos... to stop the protracted symptoms from the paxil.  This particular pattern of events happens so often, it's sad.  Of course I was told that the paxil w/d symptoms were just my anxiety returning.  Imbeciles.  People need to know they cannot hope to begin to feel better unless they safely & completely withdraw from all of this crap and stay off.  And then it just takes time... sometimes, a lot of time.

 

God, if only I'd known back then to just wait out the paxil wd  :'(

[[Ao...]]

I say the same things to myself. If only I knew back then what I know now. But I am grateful I do know now . I'm  Grateful for people like yourself Serenity , that understand because they have been through and are still going through it. We will be stronger people for it and help others in the process.

 

Much health and healing to you everyday.