Stomach Anxiety? Is this even possible?

[[ja...]]

To date, I am 25 days clean of this brain-garbage they call Valium. I would have been better served by getting an illegal drug habit. At least there are programs and facilities that know how to deal with say, a heroin or crack addiction. Anyway, enough ranting.

 

One of the WORST physical symptoms I get is this strange "anxiety" in the pit of my stomach. Almost like someone is tightening a vibrating electrical band around my midsection. It is the most perplexing thing. It is a constant reminder of TERRIBLE anxiety which I have had in large amounts since jumping off the V-posion.

 

Does anyone get this? Is it even a symptom? Its just really, really odd. How to even begin dealing with it?

[[fi...]]

I have seen others with similar symptoms.  When I c/t'd Klonopin (and didn't know any better) stomach cramps were one of my worst side effects.  Hope you see some windows soon.

 

Sincerely,

 

fg

[[br...]]

Gastritis was my first major WD symptom just before jumping.  Our stomaches are very involved in the GABA process. I'd suspect almost all in WD have some sort of stomach issue.

[[He...]]

I have that, had it real bad last week, exactly as you describe it, I am tapering off Valium.

[[ve...]]

Lots of GABA receptors in the stomach.  Had lots of stomach and GI symptoms over the last couple years.  I carry a lot of stress in my gut too, had ulcers back in the eighties.  Some people get headaches or migraines, others get something else, some get stomach pains or revved up issues in the gut.  Have you been to a GI specialist?  It helped me to stop sodas and carbonation. 

 

Good luck with the rest of your taper!

 

Vertigo

[[os...]]

Every night before bed my stomach churns and makes noises and every morning i have diarrhea since i hit 4mgs Valium equivalent, no pain, just like my stomach is purging a poison, it probably is... i like to think it is my stomachs way of righting itself, i started a daily intake of live yoghurt this morning, i eat incredibly well and keep hydrated, so i am not overly concerned right now... as Vertigo says, there are many receptors in the stomach and to be honest, benzo´s always messed my gut up anyways. i read somewhere that this clears up after withdrawal, it will sure be nice when that eventually happens.

 

Oscar

[[Ga...]]

Im going thru it now. Awful vibrating, tight band, ugg I am so sick of this!!!!

I just quit eating and had one normal day and then ate and back to square one.

Hope it goes away soon!!

[[su...]]

Hello jaegerwilk,

 

 

I saw your question and put together some information that may be helpful. 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.

 

 

"The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers" by Jack Hobson- Dupont, 2006

 

"There are more neural receptors which utilize GABA are found in the gut than in the brain; so, one potential effect of benzodiazepine reduction or discontinuation is that serious difficulties in digestion or elimination of food may result. This would seem to have nothing to do with having used tranquilizers but to the body, relying as it does upon GABA for so many of its functions, it is yet one of the phenomena that may result from both tolerance to or discontinuation from benzodiazepine."

 

 

 

“The Accidental Addict” by Di Porritt & Di Russell, 2006

Bowels

 

“Many people find that their bowels seem to go crazy in withdrawal – most commonly with alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea, interspersed by wind (gas)”

 

“For some people diarrhea is by far the worst problem – it can be very severe, leaving them weak, shaky and exhausted. For others the problem is equally severe constipation. Another odd symptom is what one woman described as a ‘hyperactive’ bowel. Some days I can do to the toilet five or six times.”

 

“Persistent bad wind (gas) is very common – sometimes silent and smelly, sometimes noisy, but always embarrassing if you have to be with people.”

 

 

“Benzo-Wise, A Recovery Companion” by Bliss Johns, 2010

Symptoms from A to Z

 

Gastrointestinal disturbances/Stomach problems: Vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, reflux, esophageal spasms, feeling of choking, distension, stomach cramps

 

Nausea: feeling of wanting to throw up all the time, feeling of being seasick

 

 

“The Ashton Manual” by Heather Ashton, 2002

 

Digestive problems. “Some people have not problems at all with their digestive systems during or after withdrawal, and may even notice that they are enjoying their food more. Others, perhaps more prone constitutionally, may complain of a range of symptoms associated with “Irritable Bowel Syndrome” (IBS). These can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, flatulence, gaseous distension and heartburn. Quite a few have found these symptoms so uncomfortable that they have undergone hospital gastrointestinal investigations, but usually not abnormality is found. The symptoms may be partly due to over activity in the autonomic nervous system, which controls the motility and secretions of the gut and is very reactive to stress, including the stress of benzodiazepine withdrawal. In addition, there are benzodiazepine receptors in the gut. It is not clear what the functions of these receptors are or how they are affected by benzodiazepine withdrawal, but alterations in these receptors may play some part in increasing gut irritability.”

 

“A few people have difficulty swallowing food – the throat seems to tighten up especially if eating in company. This is usually a sign of anxiety and is well-known in anxiety states. Practicing relaxation, eating alone, taking small well chewed mouthfuls with sips of liquid and not hurrying make things easier and the symptom settles as anxiety levels decline.”

 

 

I hope this is helpful,

Summer

[[su...]]

To date, I am 25 days clean of this brain-garbage they call Valium. I would have been better served by getting an illegal drug habit. At least there are programs and facilities that know how to deal with say, a heroin or crack addiction. Anyway, enough ranting.

 

One of the WORST physical symptoms I get is this strange "anxiety" in the pit of my stomach. Almost like someone is tightening a vibrating electrical band around my midsection. It is the most perplexing thing. It is a constant reminder of TERRIBLE anxiety which I have had in large amounts since jumping off the V-posion.

 

Does anyone get this? Is it even a symptom? Its just really, really odd. How to even begin dealing with it?

 

Hello jaegerwilk,

 

I saw your comment and put together some information that may be helpful. 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.

 

 

Why Benzos are difficult to get off of compared to other drugs?

 

“The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson- Dupont, 2006

 

 

“It is the down-regulation of the neural receptors that differentiates benzodiazepine dependency from that of all other substances. That is the explanation of why getting off these drugs can be so horrendously difficult for some people, and why withdrawal symptoms for some can last days, weeks, months, even years after the last dose of benzodiazepine is taken. It is ignorance of this aspect of benzodiazepine discontinuation that leads medical professionals-- even addiction specialists who should know better-- to misunderstand the plight of benzodiazepine users. All of their exceptional difficulties and often bizarre discontinuation phenomena are a result of the single problem of down- regulation of the neural receptors after exposure to benzodiazepine.”

 

 

What is the deal about the GABA receptors that makes it so hard for me to heal faster?

“The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson- Dupont, 2006

 

 

“Those who are in the throes of benzodiazepine dependency would do well to absorb that idea: the sole problem you are having is that benzodiazepine has interfered with one of your body’s most elemental functions, that of attracting GABA to its neural receptors. The results of this condition may well present as a staggering array of withdrawal phenomena, everything from insomnia and anxiety, which would seem understandable, to dental distress, difficulty breathing, sinus problems, twitching muscles…..the list is seemingly interminable and contains phenomena that would appear to have nothing to do with the nervous system. Subjectively, these phenomena feel like illness. What is happening to someone whose many trillion nerve cells are down- regulated because of benzodiazepine is neither disease nor tissue damage, but more like a mechanical malfunction. Therefore, recovery is more akin to ‘repair’ than ‘healing’. Being aware of the actual nature of what is wrong helps demystify the rather bewildering process of getting on with recovery.”

 

 

 

 

How does GABA affect the body?

 

“The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson- Dupont, 2006

 

 

“What GABA does is to bind to parts of the neural receptor. It is this action that calms the nerves. Benzodiazepine binds to a different place on the neural receptor than where GABA binds, but its presence there strengthens the bond that the GABA makes, which increases the power of GABA to inhibit stimulation.”

 

What is down- regulation of GABA?

 

“The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson- Dupont, 2006

 

 

“Professor C. Heather Ashton found in her extensive research was that, in some people, after exposure to benzodiazepines, the ability of the neural receptors to attract GABA is reduced. So, even after there is no longer any benzodiazepine in the body to influence the receptors directly, they still aren’t able to bind enough GABA to themselves to inhibit electrical excitation sufficiently. This phenomenon is called “down regulation” of the GABA receptor sites.”

 

 

Why down- regulation of GABA causes a vast array of withdrawal symptoms?

 

“The Benzo Book, Getting Safely off Tranquilizers” by Jack Hobson- Dupont, 2006

 

 

“Dr. Lance P. Longo and Dr. Brian Johnson of the American Academy of Family Physicians, wrote in “Benzodiazepines- Side Effects, Abuse Risk and Alternatives”, that:

 

“With long-term high-dose use of benzodiazepine there is an apparent decrease in the efficacy of GABA receptors, presumably a mechanism of tolerance. When high-dose benzodiazepines are abruptly discontinued, this ‘down-regulated’ state of inhibitory transmission is unmasked, leading to characteristic withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, autonomic hyperactivity and, possibly seizures.”

 

“What Professor Ashton determined was that even when benzodiazepine isn’t ‘abruptly terminated’ as described above, it still has the potential of down-regulating the action of the neural receptors to inhibit excitatory states. While this is a simple, uncomplicated difficulty, the function of GABA throughout the body is so widespread, so fundamental to the operation of a wide variety of bodily systems, that to have it impaired produces an opportunity for a vast array of possible problems to appear.”

 

 

Why do benzos have to be out of the system to feel better?

“The Ashton Manual” by Heather Ashton, 2002

Mechanisms of withdrawal reactions. “Nearly all the excitatory mechanisms in the nervous system go into overdrive and, until new adaptations to the drug – free state develop, the brain and peripheral nervous system are in a hyper-excitable state, and extremely vulnerable to stress.”

 

 

 

I hope this is helpful,

Summer

 

[[su...]]

To date, I am 25 days clean of this brain-garbage they call Valium. I would have been better served by getting an illegal drug habit. At least there are programs and facilities that know how to deal with say, a heroin or crack addiction. Anyway, enough ranting.

 

One of the WORST physical symptoms I get is this strange "anxiety" in the pit of my stomach. Almost like someone is tightening a vibrating electrical band around my midsection. It is the most perplexing thing. It is a constant reminder of TERRIBLE anxiety which I have had in large amounts since jumping off the V-posion.

 

Does anyone get this? Is it even a symptom? Its just really, really odd. How to even begin dealing with it?

 

Hello jaegerwilk,

 

I saw your question and put together some information that may be helpful. 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.

 

How can we help ourselves with Post Benzo Healing?

Professor Ashton. “The Ashton Manual”, 2002

 

Mechanisms of withdrawal reactions. “Nearly all the excitatory mechanisms in the nervous system go into overdrive and, until new adaptations to the drug – free state develop, the brain and peripheral nervous system are in a hyper-excitable state, and extremely vulnerable to stress.”

 

  This is what Ashton says about post benzo recovery, "Vulnerability to extra stress may last somewhat longer and a severe stress may-temporarily-bring back some symptoms. Whatever your symptoms, it is best not to dwell on them. Symptoms are just symptoms after all and most of them in withdrawal are not signs of illness but signals of recovery. Furthermore, as your mind clears, you can work out more and more effective ways to deal with them so that they become less significant"

 

One of the things we can do to help ourselves, as Ashton says, "Calm your emotions. Above all, stop worrying. Worry, fear and anxiety increase all withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are actually due to anxiety and not signs of brain or nervous system damage. People who fear withdrawal have more intense symptoms than those who just take it as it comes and think positively and confidently about recovery."

 

 

 

“The Accidental Addict” by Di Porritt & Di Russell, 2006

 

WHAT HELPS

 

“The only known cure for benzo illness is time. Time for the brain to start working again and time for the body to heal. In spite of this, people try to find ways to feel better. And there is no shortage of advice and therapies available.”

 

“These remedies can cost a lot too; and what is good for one person is not necessarily good for another. The cheapest and most old – fashioned remedies are still the best: information, support, good diet and rest. Acceptance and motivation lead to recovery too.”

 

Information

 

“Accurate information about benzo illness is found to be extremely beneficial to recovery. It makes sense that if you understand what to expect, you are much more able to deal with the fear, pain and ongoing symptoms.”

 

Support

 

“Sufferers have to keep living their lives and it helps if there are supportive people around. Maybe a boss who can reschedule some of the workload, or a friend who can look after the kids for a while.  Adequate support is essential to help people recover.”

 

Good Food

 

“A well-balanced diet is what most people find helpful in withdrawal – low in fat, high in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, and moderate in protein. They find eating small meals regularly is best.”

 

Rest

 

“Adequate rest is essential in recovery. Lying on a bed or couch, watching a video or listening to the radio, is often the best medicine.”

 

I have also learned over time what works for me. I have routines I follow that help. And I find that BB is a great support too. This is a difficult road and you are not alone. We are here for you. We are in this together. I am going through this too.

 

Acceptance and Motivation

 

“One of the most difficult things in withdrawal is learning to accept that you may have a long –term illness. But people discover that staying angry about what benzos have done to them does not help – it gets in the way of recovery. There are enough problems dealing with extra anger caused by benzos without adding to it: Once they have understood what to expect, positive thinking and self – talk is a good way to help change mindsets.”

 

 

 

I wish you only the best,

Summer