Five years free but ...

[[pa...]]

I am free from a twenty year valium addiction (approx 5mg a day ... varying ... 'as needed")

 

I am more than five years free and have had various setbacks over the years ... decreasing in number and severity. But now I have severe imbalance. Feeling I am going to fall over.

 

I feel strongly it is benzos but no one listens to me anymore - tired of all my sxs over the years and now I have to keep it to myself.

 

Can it be after five years?

 

Paddy.

[[Bi...]]

paddy,

 

Welcoming you to Benzo Buddies.

 

I'm sorry to hear you are still struggling.

 

You will find plenty of support here.

 

Billy.

 

How to add a Signature.

[[pa...]]

The imbalance went away after about six weeks but now it is back again. Slightly different but similar.

 

No I did not see a doctor about this, because:

 

I had it Oct 2005 when I first started to get off benzos. I went to doc who sent me for MRI and told me I had had a stroke. I lived with this diagnosis for a week and then showed the MRI to a neuro surgeon who couldn't believe I had been told I had had a stroke. There was no indication of one.

 

So I don't go to doctors anymore. They terrify me. To me they are robots racing to get to next patient. They treat bodies as mere machinery.

 

I feel this is still benzo effect

I remember years ago reading that there can be improvements in year six and seven even.

 

I have had wonderful times in recent years. Much better than ever in my life but I still get various setbacks. For years four and five it was chest pains lasting for about two months and then going away. And now it is imbalance. And in between when I get better I am convinced it could never come back I feel so good.

 

Then it comes back!

 

[[Be...]]

Hi Paddy, and welcome

 

 

I'm sorry that you are not feeling supported in your life.  It is so difficult for those around us to get it, or understand.  Here you will find support and can be among people who do understand and can empathize with your symptoms.

 

We hope that you get settled in and do ask if we can help in any way.

 

Betsy xxxx

[[...]]

Five years off Valium and the severe imbalance is new?  I would go see the neurosurgeon that was straight with you about the MRI.  A lot can happen to us in 5 years, that can be totally unrelated to valium use.

Just saying....

SKy

[[Ch...]]

I think Skyy is right in that you might want to be sure to rule out other causes.  At least then you'll know.  If it's lingering withdrawal, then you know how that goes...

 

Challis

[[Ch...]]

Paddy has started a blog.  Here's a link to his blog and with it, some of the other posts made to and by him in Introductions so that he could have them altogether:

 

          http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=56030.0

         

See you at Paddy's place!

 

Challis