going through terrible withdrawal, need support

[[Sh...]]

Going through some bad withdrawal, hope I can get some support her

[[An...]]

Sorry to hear you've joined the land of the suffering 

 

It would help us if you would do a signature so that we know what amounts of each drug you were taking, and the timeline etc.  To do a signature, click on the green box above "Profile", go to "Forum Profile Information" and fill in your signature there.  This will show at the foot of each post.

 

How long have you been benzo free and what symptoms are you experiencing?

 

Angel

 

 

 

 

[[St...]]

I'm short time too but it got me. Now the beast lives within. I'm starving him to death by denying him his diet of benzos. Withdrawal is the worst sick I've ever been. Starve the beast and let us know your dose and duration.

[[Sh...]]

Updated signature, very bad insomnia, high anxiety, adrenalin seems to be constantly running, sensitive to sound, ringing in ears, very agitate,  nightmares

[[...]]

we are here for you tom; it's tough business; i feel your pain; u can do it one day at a time - one hour at a time.  whatever sx you have - it is from the drug; don't buy into the fear; you are healing

[[Ho...]]

Hi ShortTimeTom,

 

I've looked at your signature and it appears you tapered very quickly and jumped at a very high dosage of K. I'm not surprised you're feeling so badly. It's recommended that you taper no more than 10% every 1-2 weeks.

 

Some may suggest reinstatement then taper more slowly. Is that something you would consider? You've only been off for 2 weeks.

 

I won't sugar coat it, you're probably in for a rather bumpy road but you will heal with time. There's no telling how long it might take. Some bounce back quickly, even from a fast taper. Others have trouble for many months. 

[[fl...]]

Hang in there Tom. You came off pretty quick so it'll be rough for awhile, but at some point things should ease up for you a little. I had a wave like that at about 4 weeks off and I pretty much couldn't get off the couch. Watching TV, resting, and drinking chamomile tea is how I got through those days.

 

Take care man, remember it's ok to relax and rest. That's what you're body needs to heal.

 

Jeff M.

[[Sh...]]

Thanks, it has been a rough couple of days. Really don't want to go back on mess.

[[sw...]]

Hey there.  I'm sorry that you're feeling so bad.  This stuff plays tricks on your mind and makes you think that you'll be stuck like this for forever, but you won't.  It's a path we all must walk and everyone heals 100% in the end. 

 

For the time being, the best thing to do is try to pass the time.  Hanging out here, watching movies, reading books/magazines, keeping up with friends online are all valid options.  You may not remember it very well when you're done, but the point is to pass the time not make memories for the ages.

 

Hang in there, you can do this!

 

[[wh...]]

Hang in there tom, just keep coming back here and talk about it (a lot) , ive found that helps.

 

[[St...]]

Thanks, it has been a rough couple of days. Really don't want to go back on mess.

 

That's how I feel about it. Once I figured out that Xanax was the problem and not the cure, I quit c/t and will never take another Xanax. At three weeks when I went to the ER thinking my surgery site was ripping apart, the ER doctor said it was benzo withdrawals causing the exaggerated pain and anxiety and since it had been three weeks since my last pill, she said do not take another as I was past the threat of seizure. She said I should have tapered but at that point I was already on the road to healing. Hang in there. We'll all get past this.

[[Sh...]]

Thanks everyone for your replies.  It has been very difficult not to go back to meds.  I see a new physciatrist on Tuesday and I have a lot of questions for him. My former one didn't have a clue on Benzo withdrawals.  He kept telling me I could come off it at anytime since I was on such a low dose.  Also, I didn't mention in my signature, I was on trazadone for a week and couldn't sleep.  Was on visaril for about 4 days, but it didn't help.  Soooooo tired of meds.

 

I really don't want to reinstate.  I have been off for 17 days and only was off for 10 days before that until I took .25 on the night of the 12th. 

 

Just want the anxiety and insomnia to go away.  It is very discouraging to know this may take a long time to recover from.

 

Another thing,  I was on an antibotic for 18 days when this all started. Just hate meds.

[[su...]]

Hello Tom,

 

Which antibiotic were you on that started all of this?

 

Love,

Summer

[[Sa...]]

Hiya ShortTimeTom

 

This is my second cold turkey attempt (the final one at that). Previously i c/ted from a dose of 4mgs of xanax daily for roughly 3 months which is a very high dose of benzos to c/t from.  The first few months were VERY bumpy, and it wasn't until about 4 or 5 months out that i started noticing improvements. After that, things steadily got better, and around the 7-8 months off i started feeling like myself again.  Basically what I'm saying is that c/ting from a higher dose is possible to withdraw from and recover. It seems as though the earlier months for people that c/t are rougher compared to doing a taper.  In addition, there's a higher chance of getting "protracted withdrawal symptoms" (symptoms that last much longer) when c/ting compared to a taper plan.  The only reason this is my second time in withdrawal is because i thought i could take benzos again around the 7th or 8th month, and after a couple doses my brain reset itself in the withdrawal process and i started from square one again.

 

C/t for me was a better choice, but it might or might not be for you. What ever you decide, i hope the best for you.

[[Sh...]]

Started on cipro for 2 days and immediately felt a heavyness in my chest and then doxycycline hyclate for 18 days.  I was suppose to take it for 21 days but fell into a deep depression and anxiety while on it.  I had my first panic attack at night while on it.

[[Sh...]]

Hiya ShortTimeTom

 

This is my second cold turkey attempt (the final one at that). Previously i c/ted from a dose of 4mgs of xanax daily for roughly 3 months which is a very high dose of benzos to c/t from.  The first few months were VERY bumpy, and it wasn't until about 4 or 5 months out that i started noticing improvements. After that, things steadily got better, and around the 7-8 months off i started feeling like myself again.  Basically what I'm saying is that c/ting from a higher dose is possible to withdraw from and recover. It seems as though the earlier months for people that c/t are rougher compared to doing a taper.  In addition, there's a higher chance of getting "protracted withdrawal symptoms" (symptoms that last much longer) when c/ting compared to a taper plan.  The only reason this is my second time in withdrawal is because i thought i could take benzos again around the 7th or 8th month, and after a couple doses my brain reset itself in the withdrawal process and i started from square one again.

 

C/t for me was a better choice, but it might or might not be for you. What ever you decide, i hope the best for you.

 

Yeah, I don't know what is scarier.  The thought of a protracted withdrawal or reinstating with a long taper and then start healing.  Just hate the anxiety and insomnia right now.

[[sw...]]

Started on cipro for 2 days and immediately felt a heavyness in my chest and then doxycycline hyclate for 18 days.  I was suppose to take it for 21 days but fell into a deep depression and anxiety while on it.  I had my first panic attack at night while on it.

 

oh dear!  No wonder you had such a bad time!  If I'm not mistaken that falls into the class of antibiotics that goes badly with withdrawal.

 

You can find the information on that, and a great deal of other things in the Ashton Manual.  If you are not familiar with it, it's a guide for getting of benzos based on 1000's of patients and writen by Dr. Heather Ashton who was a benzo patient herself, at one point, which spurred her into researching it and helping others.  Here is the link (and don't let the word "manual" intimidate you- it's not that long):

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/

 

Here is the good news- there was a reason you felt so bad (the antibiotics).  You didn't do yourself any sort of permanent harm.  Lots of people have walked the path that you are going to walk and they have left some comprehensive notes on how to navigate through this.  Also, you will get lots of help and support from the people here.

 

[[sw...]]

Hey, I looked up the anti-biotic thing in the Ashton Manual and found it (and this does refer to the class of drugs that cipro is in):

 

Antibiotics for some reason, sometimes seem to aggravate withdrawal symptoms. However, one class of antibiotics, the quinolones, actually displace benzodiazepines from their binding sites on GABA-receptors. These can precipitate acute withdrawal in people taking or tapering from benzodiazepines. It may be necessary to take antibiotics during benzodiazepine withdrawal but if possible the quinolones should be avoided. (There are at least six different quinolones - ask your doctor if in doubt).

 

http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha00.htm

 

I am sorry you had to go through that but hope that you find some comfort in having a scientific explanation for what happened to you.

[[su...]]

Hello Tom,

 

It looks like Sweet g has posted some information about this to you. It is always good to be informed as much as we can. Here is some additional information. 

 

I am the type of person who seeks to know what is happening and why, it brings comfort to me. I hope it does the same for you.

 

Cipro is a Flourquinolone (FQ’s) and they have been reported to cause adverse CNS effects in some patients. You may have been one of them.

 

There is a pretty good summary of the possible problems with (FQ’s) here at Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adverse_effects_of_fluoroquinolones

 

Check out the following wikipedia entry and scroll down to the section titled "Medications and Interactions."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzodiazepine_withdrawal_syndrome

 

 

 

Benzos and FQ’s can cause problems.

 

I hope this is helpful.

Love,

Summer

 

 

[[Sh...]]

Thanks everyone....very anxious about tonight.  I hope I can relax and get my mind off things.  I want some sleep.

[[su...]]

Hello,

 

I hope you can relax too. I sometimes find watching a comedy to be helpful. Not sure if you are able to watch a show or not. Keep in touch with how you are doing. We care.

 

Love,

Summer

[[St...]]

Tom, It's ok if you can't sleep. You won't cash in from lack of sleep said my doctor. Sleep is a very powerful natural occurrence and we will get enough sleep to function he said. I felt like crap a lot of days from lack of sleep but suffered no lasting ill affects. I also applied the advice to not fret over not being able to sleep when I can't. It actually helps me relax enough to get some sleep. If not, just rest and be glad for that. I read that here in a post. I shake a leg a lot when I can't sleep. Help burn off some of that rushing adrenaline I guess. I woke up a couple of times last night and rocked the bed with my shaky leg for quite a while. My wife bought a couple of classical guitar CD's to play at bed time. They help distract my monkey mind and help a lot. Even still, I had several nights that I didn't sleep all night. Those nights are long gone and will be for you too. Hope you get some sleep tonight.

[[ja...]]

Hi Tom!

 

I am so very sorry for what ur going through!

This is tuff we know.You just tell urself its all w/d .Your ok.Even though it feels terrible it will not hurt you!There sxs and they will subside over time. Just stick around here and ask any questions .I am very sure youll recieve so much support and a load of info! Your not alone in this ok..

 

~Jenny

[[Sh...]]

Tonight doesn't seem to be better. Was dozing off when watching a comedy. Went to bed only to be waken up by a jolt of adrenaline. Blah

[[Sh...]]

Slept maybe 5 hours, not sure. Can't remember when I fell asleep.