Short Term Ativan Use... Need Tapering Help

[[Li...]]

Yeah, yesterday was not a good day. Took the beta blocker and that time it seemed to wear off quickly.  Trying not to take it today, but the heart is still going.

 

Struggling not to worry, but this is day 10 off and I was hoping to have more improvement by now.  Like everyone says, I was on a small dose and didn't take it for long... why hasn't the heart resolved?  Maybe because I took beta blockers, but not regularly?  And I can't find how long it takes Inderal to completely leave your system, if someone knows more, I'd appreciate it.

 

I still have other withdrawal effects, but I believe them to have diminished.  Some joint pain and pops but can walk nearly normally most of the time, tingles in the left hand that wax and wane, some skin sensitivity (chest and back), a bit of sensitivity to light, muscle spasm occasionally and some anxiety.  Mind seems okay, not depressed, just worried, and hard to focus with my chest thumping away.  It's exhausting.  Strange too, that it usually gets better toward the evening hours.

 

 

[[Th...]]

Hi LV,

 

Wish there was something else to tell you that would help. Have you talked with your sleep doctor about your use of ativan and the problems you are now having. Since he was the one that prescribed the xyrem, maybe he would be more familar with any potential side effects it has and any drug interactions. Again, just a thought, trying to find anything else that could cause your rapid pulse.

 

Hope this clears up for you soon!!

 

Take care!

 

 

T2

[[Li...]]

Well, I called the Xyrem hotline again and spoke to a pharmacist, who said that taking Xyrem during Ativan withdrawal wouldn't matter or make any effects worse.  Then of course he mentions I shouldn't be in withdrawal and that my rapid heartbeat is anxiety.  Jeez, why does everyone think this!  Never had a rapid heartbeat before when I've gone through some terrible terrible periods in my life, been hysterical - no panic attacks before, ever.  This is just ridiculous and I'm tired of defending that I'm still in withdrawal.

 

I have a call into my sleep doc too, just in case, AND the doctor that originally prescribed the Ativan.

[[Th...]]

Well, I called the Xyrem hotline again and spoke to a pharmacist, who said that taking Xyrem during Ativan withdrawal wouldn't matter or make any effects worse.  Then of course he mentions I shouldn't be in withdrawal and that my rapid heartbeat is anxiety.  Jeez, why does everyone think this!  Never had a rapid heartbeat before when I've gone through some terrible terrible periods in my life, been hysterical - no panic attacks before, ever.  This is just ridiculous and I'm tired of defending that I'm still in withdrawal.

 

I have a call into my sleep doc too, just in case, AND the doctor that originally prescribed the Ativan.

 

LV,

 

I hope you find some answers. If you do, let us know!

 

 

T2

[[Li...]]

Okay, saw my previous doctor who prescribed the Ativan, who was much more reasonable.  Thinks it could be a combination of the withdrawal symptoms and my current weakened state, nutritionally/weight wise.  Wants me to take 1/2 of a 25mg tablet of Metoprolol Succinate ER for about a month and taper off, and hopefully at the end I'll have improved my weight and health and the withdrawal symptoms will have passed.

 

Sound reasonable?  I've heard some people say that the beta blocker was also a nightmare. Any opinions are appreciated.

 

*Edit* Just read that the generic Toprol XL like what I was given seems to have some bad effects in a lot of people. Having the pharmacy give me the name brand, instead.

[[Be...]]

Hi, LV. 

 

I'm glad your doctor seems to "get it".  I know beta blockers can be life-savers for people with high blood pressure but do have side effects.  You will be taking a very small dose, though.  Do you have a way to check your blood pressure and heart rate?  I bought a blood pressure/heart rate monitor some years ago and it has been very comforting to be able to check myself when I feel dizzy or anxious.  I don't know anything about your specific medication.  If you want more people's opinions about beta blockers in particular, you could start a new topic on the "Other Prescribed Medications" board.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=60.0

 

You sound like you are feeling better today.  Good deal. 

 

[[Li...]]

Thanks Beeper, and ironically my heart seems to have settled a little bit this afternoon.  Could just be that I finally had someone tell me it wasn't all in my head and my heart is okay. Although, yes reasonably that would prove it is at least a little from anxiety, but I never refuted that, lol - just meant the whole issue was not anxiety driven.  Or maybe it's a coincidence and it will go away soon.

 

I'm a little on the fence with a beta blocker though, especially taking it for a month, since there could be a bad withdrawal and side effects from that too.

 

 

 

 

 

[[Li...]]

Update... decided not to take the beta blocker. From what I've read, the side effects and withdrawal from it have a decent chance of being another type of hell, and it will prolong this mess for weeks.  Going to tough it out.

 

Noticed a few things about the heart situation.  It's definitely more "sensitive", but it really beats hard after I eat, particularly if I eat/drink fast (like the Boost).  I know this is normal generally, but I think it's being enhanced by my current delicate nervous system.

 

Also, sometimes my heart FEELS like it's beating fast or "big" (if you get what I mean), but I take my blood pressure/pulse with a device and it's nearly normal.  Not sure why that is... it's like I'm feeling it in my chest more than usual, even when I'm not having palpitations. And evening/night it's better than the morning.

 

Discovered that trying to ignore it the best I can and go about my day is the probably the best solution.  Sometimes it's hard to ignore when it's going crazy like now (just drank a smoothie), but I know my heart is fine and this will pass in time.  Going back to yoga, trying to eat, work and take care of myself in the meantime.  Relaxing is and has always been a little difficult for me, so if anyone has tips that would be great. 

 

Status of other symptoms:  still joint pain and pops, but has lessened; some anxiety; tingles in left hand almost gone; occasional muscle spasms but not very many; still sometimes weak and shaky on my feet; still some chest sensitivity I think; digestive system seems a little overactive (but could just be that i'm trying to eat a lot more); and I go from hot to cold to hot to cold easily.

 

But generally some improvement! The awareness of my heart is my biggest complaint for now. I even started to fall asleep on my own last night, and had to wake up to take my medicine.  Oh, and I have an appointment with my sleep doc Monday to go over things too, to talk with him about my status.

 

 

 

[[Be...]]

Hi, Littleviolet. 

 

You sound so much better, back in control so to speak. Many of us can validate that feeling of being aware of your heart and it's beating.  I'm so glad you could check your heartrate and confirm that it is just a feeling, not a sign that anything is wrong.  I think of these sensation symptoms as being a sign of your nerves waking back up and your body getting used to no benzo.  Just observe that it's happening, acknowledge it's due to the benzo w/d and will pass, and go on with your life as you have stated.  That's a great attitude to have and it definitely helps to not dwell on how you are feeling.

 

One thing you may want to watch is the amount of sugar in the Boost and Smoothie.  A jolt of sugar can make that heart sensation worse, as can caffeine.  Just a word to the wise. 

[Guest [st...]]

Hi, LV,

 

It does sound like things are settling down a bit.  Every week will get better and better.  I did not worry about my pounding heart.  Knew it was from w/d's and just ignored it.

 

Patty  xo

[[Li...]]

Okay... first of all I'm happy to report that my heart issue has gotten better.  Yesterday it really didn't go up at all (to my awareness anyway).  This morning it has gone up a little more, but no huge palpitations.

 

However, starting yesterday afternoon my muscles started tensing up more, almost like they were at the initial drop off point. More joint pain has come back too, today.  And a new symptom I assume... I wake up in the middle of the night (to take my second dose of sleep medicine) and I'm soaked in sweat. This is unusual for me, because generally I seldom sweat a lot at all.

 

Kind of a gross subject, but I go to the bathroom a lot too!  Like I mentioned before, I'm trying to gain weight and eating a lot more than normal, but it seems excessive and I wonder if it could be a problem.

 

Is it normal for symptoms to fluctuate and change like this? Does it mean anything in particular?  When the heart awareness went away I was excited, thinking the end was near, but this is a little discouraging.

[[sc...]]

Hi LV...

Everything you just described I have experienced...and yep totaly normal for symptoms to ebb and flow like that...The nightsweats were really bad for me there for a while, and I still get them right out of the blue. Don't let it freak you out or anything..everything sounds normal!

 

You are doing very good...try not to let this get you down, i know its scary and uncomfy but it will pass

 

keep up the good work!

-Scott

[[tr...]]

However, starting yesterday afternoon my muscles started tensing up more, almost like they were at the initial drop off point. More joint pain has come back too, today. 

 

Hi LV,

 

Magnesium is good for those muscle pains (and to help with sleep), I was surprised at how much my muscles hurt from all this, especially my thigh muscles.  When I started taking magnesium it made a huge difference.

 

Everything you are experiencing is very normal, I know it's disturbing but it's very normal.  I would always get excited when something would go away, too, but then it was relaced by something else..sigh....now I just take what comes and goes as somewhat a normal day.

[[Be...]]

Okay... first of all I'm happy to report that my heart issue has gotten better.  Yesterday it really didn't go up at all (to my awareness anyway).  This morning it has gone up a little more, but no huge palpitations.

 

However, starting yesterday afternoon my muscles started tensing up more, almost like they were at the initial drop off point. More joint pain has come back too, today.  And a new symptom I assume... I wake up in the middle of the night (to take my second dose of sleep medicine) and I'm soaked in sweat. This is unusual for me, because generally I seldom sweat a lot at all.

 

Kind of a gross subject, but I go to the bathroom a lot too!  Like I mentioned before, I'm trying to gain weight and eating a lot more than normal, but it seems excessive and I wonder if it could be a problem.

 

Is it normal for symptoms to fluctuate and change like this? Does it mean anything in particular?  When the heart awareness went away I was excited, thinking the end was near, but this is a little discouraging.

 

I have to admit you are one for the books, LV.   You were on a low dose for a short time and still are getting the same symptoms I got tapering off of a high dose which I took for a very long time.  I used to get the full-body sweats off and on all day and night at one point but seldom do anymore.  I didn't get the GI symptoms but many here did and do.  

 

I expected you to not have any more symptoms at this point, too, so I am disappointed but, knowing it will all eventually disappear, not discouraged for you.  Make sure you stay well hydrated and consider an OTC diarrhea medication if that continues to be a problem.  At least your heart is no longer a concern. 

[[Li...]]

Ha, thanks all.  Feeling better as the day goes on. Legs feel more relaxed.  Heart went up again doing some chores, but has settled back for the most part.  Mainly happy I can walk nearly normal and don't feel as jittery.

 

Yeah, with the magnesium... I do take multivitamins daily that give me 63% of my daily value of magnesium.  Is it okay to add more?

 

And the GI thing... it's not really particularly loose, per se, just frequent (maybe it's all the peanut butter I'm consuming!) Same goes with urinating (like 4 times so far today!)... but I have been drinking a ton of water.

 

I think I can handle pretty much everything, like you say, knowing it will go away. Will keep you posted! 

 

 

 

[[Be...]]

Ha, thanks all.  Feeling better as the day goes on. Legs feel more relaxed.  Heart went up again doing some chores, but has settled back for the most part.  Mainly happy I can walk nearly normal and don't feel as jittery.

 

Yeah, with the magnesium... I do take multivitamins daily that give me 63% of my daily value of magnesium.  Is it okay to add more?

And the GI thing... it's not really particularly loose, per se, just frequent (maybe it's all the peanut butter I'm consuming!) Same goes with urinating (like 4 times so far today!)... but I have been drinking a ton of water.

 

I think I can handle pretty much everything, like you say, knowing it will go away. Will keep you posted! 

LV - 

 

I'm glad things are settling down a bit.  You just seem to have a very sensitive system.  For anyone else I'd say, yes ,it was fine to add a magnesium supplement, but I'm afraid to suggest that for you.  If you are able to handle your symptoms without them, it's probably best not to add any supplements or other variables into your body.

 

Hope you are looking forward to doing something fun this weekend.  Keeping our attention turned away from ourselves is one of the best ways of helping the symptoms to disappear altogether. 

[[Li...]]

Hi all, an update...

 

First off, I forgot to mention in my symptom list over the past couple weeks that the inside of my mouth was "shedding" skin shortly after I brushed, and my tongue was coated white.  I assume it's related to withdrawal somehow, as that's not normal for me and I've used the same toothpaste for a long time.  In any case, that has gotten better just over the last couple of days.  Tongue clear now and only a little shedding.

 

Heart is still pretty good, but pulse a little high some of the time.  That could be conditioning too I suppose. No huge palpitations in the last 4 days though, maybe a few small ones.

 

Sleep varies.  I take my medicine and sometimes I sleep as long as I'm supposed to, sometimes I wake up out of it early and toss and turn in a semi-anxious state.

 

I never look forward to mornings... always a bit anxious and feel crappy for about 2 hours after I wake up. This is usually the time I have multiple bathroom visits. I get to feel better as the day progresses, except for the knees/thighs, which are almost always somewhat bothersome right now. That's probably my biggest complaint:

 

The joint pain in my elbows, wrists/hand, hips and knees persists. Sometimes it rotates and goes away in some areas, but it's been there daily.  My thighs usually feel tight and stiff, I can't walk as I would normally most of the time, and after a long time shuffling about my knees really hurt.  It's hard to get comfortable. Still some muscle spasms every so often... mostly in my legs.

 

Knowing all that, I'd like to begin doing some exercise and weight lifting (since I've gained back some weight, yay!), to recondition my body and build back the muscle I've lost while ill.  Anyone know if it's okay to do this while having such symptoms?  Will it hurt or help?  I never know whether using my legs during this time is better, or if it's better to rest them more until withdrawal is over.

 

 

 

[[Th...]]

Hi LV,

 

Thanks for your update. I'm sorry to hear you are still experiencing some lingering symptoms. I have never heard of shedding skin in the mouth and tongue being coated. Have you been on an antibiotic in the past months, they can sometimes do that or it can sometimes be from a fungal/yeast infection. Anyways, glad to hear that is clearing up and your heart palps have eased some. Please keep us updated,

 

T2

[[Li...]]

Yeah, the mouth thing is weird... like it was suddenly too sensitive or something.  No infection or anything like that (I looked up thrush first).  No antibiotics recently either. Doctor thought it could be a vitamin deficiency, but I've been taking a good multivitamin for a long while.  *shrug*

 

Anyone have an opinion on the exercise thing?  I just don't want to hurt my body further by pushing it to do things too soon.  I have yoga tonight, which is pretty low key, but as far as strength training I wonder if I should be doing it yet with my muscles/joints affected by withdrawal.

[[Co...]]

Hi Violet,

 

I've not been following this thread, but thoight I'd add a quick general note about exercise and benzo withdrawal. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. It is, of course, better to try to remain generally quite fit during your withdrawal (where possible), and some people report to this forum that they find exercise beneficial. However, others report that exercise (or possibly more precisely, exertion) seems to exacerbate their symptoms. You should do whatever makes you feel best.

[[ha...]]

Hi Lv,

If you do strenght training normally, you should be ok. I would not suggest trying something new yet. It all depends on how you are feeling. I continued to do all my workouts. Kel

[[Li...]]

Yeah, the strength training will be new... normally I'm active enough in my daily life just by doing yard work, chores and other activities to maintain good muscle tone and have great endurance.  Unfortunately I haven't felt up to doing as much for a while, so that has suffered.

 

Of course, I think my body being so sensitive right now is affecting this too.  A little exertion does send my heart rate up higher than normal, and I get to feel bad more easily, especially during the first half of the day.

 

It won't be for another week or so at least before I'd want to start, and still have to go through some classes at the gym I've joined to explain the ins and outs of all the machines.  Will have to take it really slow. Last night's yoga even knocks me down a peg... it's hard to get comfortable, my muscles and joints unhappy and not working quite like they should while I'm supposed to relax.  And I really hear and feel my heart working overtime in the quiet.

 

 

 

 

[[Li...]]

Quickly, another question for all you good folks...

 

We've brought up the sleep drug I'm on before (Xyrem), and the Xyrem hotline's pharmacist, as well as my own sleep doctor, don't believe it would effect me in the course of benzo withdrawal. 

 

However, I've looked around on some sleep message boards, and according to one person Xyrem "is a direct GABA-A agonist which means it mimics your own GABA and fires the GABA-A receptor when it attaches. Firing the receptors in certain parts of the brain inhibits the brain activity and initiates sleep."  Not sure if this is 100% true of course, but if so what kind of an effect might it be having on my withdrawal?

 

Some people have also said that Xyrem is a good way to get off of a benzo since it's non-addictive and guaranteed sleep. Some say that if you're tolerant of it (which I'm not), it could cause next day anxiety.  Hmm. Confused.

[[Be...]]

LV 

 

Since you have been off ativan since Sept 6 and apparently need that medication because of a diagnosed sleep disorder, I don't think you should worry about it.  However, I will ask the other moderators to see if they believe differently about it.

[[Li...]]

Thanks Beeper... I was just wondering if it could somehow be extending the withdrawal or "resetting" things daily, since it does apparently effect GABA in some way.

 

I do plan on getting off off Xyrem as I think I'll ultimately feel better off ALL meds.  That will be a struggle in itself, but was hoping to get through withdrawal while using it since I do have guaranteed sleep that way.  I started taking Xyrem in 2006 for Alpha Wave Intrusion (as a sleep study said), which I now think is/was mainly anxiety from some relationship problems in my life at the time.

 

*edit*  And you know, it's odd... before any of these health issues happened I was trying to tame general anxiety, like a heightened "fight or flight" response that was usually sneaking around just under the surface.  I've been jumpy and sometimes have post-traumatic type symptoms, also since about 2006.  Not sure if it's an emotional response from the relationship trauma then or maybe Xyrem does have a factor in it.  Also took klonopin periodically during the same time period.  Interesting.  I do go to a therapist about 1-2 times a month so I'll bring this up for review.