Waking up to my arm and wrist/hand shaking

[[Br...]]

I took Lorazepam from Nov. 12-Dec 14, 2012 - 1 mg a night and went cold turkey not knowing that I had to taper. December 26 woke up to an electrical current going through my head, sweats, shaking, etc. and started with the insomnia. I have had a long, ugly list of symptoms that i never experienced before in my life and not prior to taking the med.

 

In the past couple of weeks, I have been woken up by my right side shaking and tremoring. Does anyone else have this experience? It is so scary to wake-up to this and on top of it having just to deal day to day with being in the withdrawal. I lay on my right side now so I hopefully don't get jerked away with the shaking and tremoring. Please help and advise. I am new to this and just signed up today on this website.

 

Thank you.

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Hi Brooke,

 

I also quit Ativan (Lorazepam) cold turkey.  I experienced many of  the same symptoms that you are now having.  They are all very common when withdrawing from Benzodiazepines.

 

Withdrawal symptoms can be frightening, and painful, but they are only temporary.  I am sorry that you must go through this ordeal.  If you have any questions I will be happy to try and answer them for you.

 

pj

[[Br...]]

I mostly feel it in my right shoulder going down into my right arm. How long did this last for you? Is this just going to get worse and spread to other parts of my body?

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I had a lot of pain, and burning in my right shoulder.  I had to sleep on my left side for a long time.  Benzos act as a muscle relaxant, so when we come off of them, our muscles tighten up, and can affect many areas of the body.

 

Because we are all so different in how our bodies react to Benzos, there is no concrete answer as to how long our symptoms will last, or their severity.  I also did a cold turkey from Ambien at the same time as the Ativan, so my symptoms were quite severe, and probably lasted longer than  many people.

 

Everybody does heal, but time is what makes it happen.  you may be fortunate, and be over this in a short time.

[[Br...]]

Thank you for your email - I really appreciate it. I don't have burning, just vibrating that turned into tremor from the original tightness in my arm. I understand we are all different, but how long did yours last?

 

Thank you!

 

[[...]]

Do you mean my response here? I did not send you an Email.

 

The symptoms lasted about a month in the shoulder area, and then would move to to my arm, and eventually my legs, and spine. The symptoms were intermittent, would last a day or two, disappear,  and come back for a day or two.  My symptoms lasted in total,  for over a year. I blame the reason for this on the Ambien.

[[Br...]]

Yes, thank you. I am about a month in on the arm/wrist tremors. Are they gone, now, for you? I am scared that these are going to be permanent. I have young children and a supportive husband and it is killing me that there life has been interrupted because of all of this.

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Yes, I am healed now.  If what you are experiencing is indeed withdrawals caused by Lorazepam, this will definitely not be permanent. Hundreds upon hundreds of people have healed from their encounter with Benzodiazepines, and are living happy and productive lives again.

 

I fully understand your wanting to be there for your family, because you love them, and they love you.  Try to stay strong and positive, and keep reminding yourself that it does, and it will end.

 

the best to you

 

pj

[[...]]

Hello,

 

I hope that you are feeling better today. 

 

It continues to baffle me, how such a tiny, tiny pill can be so powerful, and mess with us in the cruel way that it  does.  It gets a hold of our mind, and delights in telling us that all is gloom, and doom, and it will always be that way.  Nothing can be further from the truth. 

 

But, we get the last laugh: because we are much stronger than that tiny pill, and our will to get better, is stronger than the Benzos desire to to make us believe that we never will.

 

It really bothers me that so many kind, and decent people such as yourself,  have to deal with this.