Just over 5 months off...

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I'm just over 5 months off Lorazepam and I've been fairly miserable throughout the entire time with numerous symptoms.  The two symptoms that cause me the most misery are anxiety and depression, but during most of my fifth month off, the severity of these symptoms declined dramatically, and although I still had that general malaise/ill feeling, I had some motivation and got things done and had little to no morning anxiety or depression.  During the first few days of month 6, the depression returned but has now subsided again.

 

The symptoms that seem to be constant for me are anxiety, ear crackling and tinnitus (I've had these symptoms before I started on Lorazepam; I used Ambien off and on for two months prior and I believe these symptoms were caused initially by Ambien and have gotten worse due to Lorazepam w/d), insomnia (I go to sleep fine for 4 hours or so, then choppy the rest of the night), odd bowel movements, intrusive thoughts (awful), dizziness (probably part of anxiety), diminished hearing (comes and goes) and extreme sadness. 

 

What is weird about the anxiety I am currently experiencing is that in months past, it was usually constant or appeared while I'd be sitting around the house, thinking of tasks that needed to be done or doing absolutely nothing to cause it.  That has changed - while I've always had a minimal "baseline" of anxiety throughout withdrawal, it really ramps up now when I am in social situations.  I first noticed this change in how it presents the first few days of month 5 when I was in a business meeting.  It once again showed up over each of the past 7 days while I was out of town on business with coworkers.  For instance, a few days ago, I stopped to get gas for my car and the moment I stepped out of my car, the anxiety hit fairly hard - I even had trouble walking.  I've heard a few people say that social anxiety is a withdrawal symptom, although that seems so strange that it would present itself that way.  I'm not hesitant to go places, the anxiety just hits when I'm out of my comfort zone, I guess is the the best way to describe it.

 

Rico

[Guest [Fi...]]

Rico,

  Your description of symptoms could be my own.  Right down to the ear crackling and dizziness!  I too turned a huge corner at the five months off point,  so perhaps this will be the case for you as well!

 

  I will be thinking of you, and hoping that the worst is behind you!

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You're very near that area where many people report big turns... as noted above. I'm close to where you are, so I'm trying to stay

relaxed and to accept what comes.  I know my body is working hard to get back to its baseline.

 

That said, what methods/therapy are you using to improve your anxiety? 

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Fieldychan - thanks so very much for your response.  I hope that you continue to improve and I'll be thinking of you as well.  Isn't the crackling just the pits?

 

Bryan68 - thanks for your reply as well.  I'm not using any techniques, methods, etc. to manage my anxiety, other than to simply "take the pain" and try to distract myself from all the strange feelings anxiety can bring.