Neuro said numbness is anxiety related. Wants to RX xanax - again

[[Ja...]]

I am a 49 year old male. Quit alcohol in 1989 and was sober for 16 years. Attended AA. Never been to treatment. Went through a difficult divorce in 2006. Diagnosed with anxiety and prescribed xanax and ambien. Started drinking again that year. Quit everything 18 months later but had numb and tingling sensations. Saw a neurologist. Had MRI etc. Nothing wrong. Condition persisted for 3 or 4 months and I ended up seeing a pain specialist. Prescribed xanax, ambien and hydrocodone. Mixed meds with alcohol for the next 3 1/2 years. Quit drinking in December 2011 after a DUI - 1st. Decided I wanted my clean life back. Wish it was that easy. No alcohol since December 15, 2011. Quit ambien cold turkey in Januray and tapered off xanax from 2MG a day to 0 in three weeks. I had been taking 4 MG of xanax but had cut the dosage back to 2 MG by October 2011. Had tapered off hydro in June 2011.

 

Numb and tingling sensations started when I quit alcohol and got much much worse when I stopped the xanax.

 

Symtoms start when I wake up and progressively get worse over the day. Can feel it in my face and head and througout my body, arms and legs. Seem to be hyper sensitive to touch especially on my legs. Really have no life like this. Last year at this time I was rock climbing and skiing... Now its hrd to leave the house. 

 

So.. Saw a neurologist today. He doesn't think I have a serious neurological disease but is conducting a nerve conduction study tomorow. He also doesn't believe it is withdrawal. His initial thought is that I a have parastesia from general anxiety and thinks the best solution will be to take the smallest dosage of xanax that will control symptoms. Dr. is comfortable with me being on xanax indefinately as long as I don't drink alcohohol.

 

I'm worried about staying on the drug forever but I'm more worried about feeling the symptoms I have every day. Planning on have nerve test done tomorrow and then I guess making a decision. WOW.

[[jr...]]

Hi Jake-I have had very similar problems since my c/t last summer, especially in my legs and feet, which have persisted.  I know some of it, for me, is due to peripheral neuropathy from a spinal injury, but it has worsened a lot since I stopped taking benzos and narcotics.  As far as your c/t goes, hang in there.  It does get better.  I was agoraphobic for a long time, which has greatly improved.  I still have lingering anxiety, though.  No one could pay me enough to take another benzo.  I now realize I was in tolerance withdrawal for a long time before I stopped.  Hugs,  Jenn

[[Ja...]]

Thanks Jenn

 

Planning to have nerve test done tomorrow and then decide. I may need to go back on xanax or vallium for some relief... can't stand this any longer ... and then hopefully do a much much slower taper.

[[jr...]]

Thanks Jenn

 

Planning to have nerve test done tomorrow and then decide. I may need to go back on xanax or vallium for some relief... can't stand this any longer ... and then hopefully do a much much slower taper.

Hi again, Jake-I would definitely have done a taper if I had known better:)  By the time I found Benzobuddies and became educated there was no turning back for me since it had been well over a month since my c/t.  I hope things go well with the doctor and your testing.  It sounds like you have had a very active lifestyle with sports, etc.  Do you think you could have injured your back?  Jenn

[[he...]]

Hi, just read your post, I just want to let you know I was on only Klonopin for 4 1/2 mths only!!!!!!! , I never drank , or took any other meds , and I am 21 mths off from a c/t tomorrow and also have tingling, numbness, sensativity to touch ALL over my body , if I scratch I sting ,get spasms , go weak , just from any stimulation and itsnot from anxiety, I never had anxiety ever before in my life until I took a Benzo , I was in tolerance at 3 mths , so its not you its from benzos.Do not reinstate !!!!!!!!!!! it will complicate it even more . Good Luck !!!!!!!!!!!

[[Ja...]]

Hi Help Me

 

How have you dealt with symptoms for 21 months? For me the symptoms have stopped me from enjoying life. Last year at this time I was rock climbing and snow skiing. Now it's hard to do anything at all. I go back to neuro for a nerve conduction test tomorrow. There is something out of whack... in the tests he did today my reflexes, especially in my legs were hyper sensitive. When he tapped on my knee it caused a severe jerk and is uncomfortable. My symptoms are annoying in the morning and get worse throughout the day until in the evening they are really debilitating.

[[he...]]

Hi hun , I did have windows every mth , I never had this before until I came off Benzos , theres a possibilty its caused from Benzos for you as well .

[[...]]

I'm sure your neuro is well-intentioned. The problem is that when a doctor is faced with certain symptoms, they have a limited bag of tricks to use to investigate the cause -- thus the nerve conduction studies. Of course a nerve problem should be ruled out, but YOU know what started it was cessation of alcohol worsened with cessation of benzos. Both alcohol and benzos affect GABA receptors. Suggest you stay away from other things that can aggravate GABA receptors such as NSAIDs and fluoroquinolone antibiotics and stay the course. You already know that clean and sober is the only true path.

[[pr...]]

I can only add to this, that I've heard other people report the same symptoms with benzo withdrawal, usually from a rapid taper or CT.  It's pretty rough.

 

If you do decide to go back on a benzo you should be aware that after a CT and bad withdrawal, going back on benzos doesn't always work.  Sometimes people get a paradoxical reaction where the benzo actually becomes stimulating and causes more symptoms.  Often the benzo just doesn't help and doesn't work like it used to.  If you find either of these things you're not crazy, it's not just you, it happens.

 

You might post under general withdrawal and recovery to find more people who've had your symptoms and recovered from them to get an idea of how that goes.

[[Ja...]]

Hi all. Thank you for the thoughtful comments. Did have nerve conduction and EMG done with normal results. diagnosis from neuro is general anxiety order. Spoke at length about it because I do not feel anxious and am not overly worried about anything. Neuro said condition it is not uncommon but that parastesia points to GAD. Said it was not possible to still be in withdrawal. He recomended I go back on xanax which I don't want. Ended up writing prescription for klononopam which I have yet to fill. However symtoms are so severe that I have to do something so I am considering trying to get stabilized with valium with the intent of doing a very very slow taper. Parastesia I am experiencing is debilitating.

 

I do not have alot of confidence in medical profession with regards to addiction or withdrawal. I know the sensations I am experiencing are very real. I still can't help wondering though if it is possible that the many thousands of people that believe they are going through WD symptoms might have a condition that requires medication. Out of miliions of people that are prescribed benzos thousands of people seem to experience a real problem they attribute to WD. Neurologists it seems unanimously say the problem is not WD but rather a condition that requires treatment. Really crazy.