What is happening in your brain?

[[Ho...]]

You sound like you have a good handle on the acceptance side of things. That's half the battle J-Bird. I'm sure you'll do great. 

[[J-...]]

Thanks for your encouragement..means a lot at moments like these.

[[...]]

Hey, J-Bird and Hope1962,

 

Thanks for bringing this up.  I had wondered often if I would have to wait until I was finally off of the medication before my body/brain started to heal.  I was under the impression that the GABA receptors don't "peak their heads out" until all is clear.  It gets very difficult as the amount of benzo (Diazepam) are being reduced to deal with stress.  Even simple everyday things stress me...it all kinda upsets me when I can't deal.....over nothing.  I thought this was due to the fact that I had no GABA and too much Glutamate running around.

 

I'm at 14 mg going to cut to 13 on Saturday.  I was cutting .5 mg every two weeks, but I thought I would try a whole mg.  Not bad at all anxiety wise.  And a little bit closer to being free.  Went to the Ashton site yesterday and I saw that the schedule for tapering has changed.  Unless I was really messed-up at the time I swear it is different.  I even printed the schedule off when I first started and showed it to my doctor.  I wonder if I missed this particular schedule.  Do you know if there has been an update?  Now I see that for 40 mg of Diazepam you break it up into 2 doses and according to the schedule you are off in 26 or 24 (something) weeks, give or take toward 5 mg and less mark.  I have gotten to 14 from 40 since February of this year.  Maybe I was going too slow.  I wonder if doing so can cause problems as well as going too fast.

 

Hey, nice talking with the both of you.

 

be well

grace and peace

eli

 

 

[[Ho...]]

Hey, J-Bird and Hope1962,

 

Thanks for bringing this up.  I had wondered often if I would have to wait until I was finally off of the medication before my body/brain started to heal.  I was under the impression that the GABA receptors don't "peak their heads out" until all is clear.  It gets very difficult as the amount of benzo (Diazepam) are being reduced to deal with stress.  Even simple everyday things stress me...it all kinda upsets me when I can't deal.....over nothing.  I thought this was due to the fact that I had no GABA and too much Glutamate running around.

 

I'm at 14 mg going to cut to 13 on Saturday.  I was cutting .5 mg every two weeks, but I thought I would try a whole mg.  Not bad at all anxiety wise.  And a little bit closer to being free.  Went to the Ashton site yesterday and I saw that the schedule for tapering has changed.  Unless I was really messed-up at the time I swear it is different.  I even printed the schedule off when I first started and showed it to my doctor.  I wonder if I missed this particular schedule.  Do you know if there has been an update?  Now I see that for 40 mg of Diazepam you break it up into 2 doses and according to the schedule you are off in 26 or 24 (something) weeks, give or take toward 5 mg and less mark.  I have gotten to 14 from 40 since February of this year.  Maybe I was going too slow.  I wonder if doing so can cause problems as well as going too fast.

 

Hey, nice talking with the both of you.

 

be well

grace and peace

eli

 

 

 

Gosh Eli, I'm not sure if there's been a change to the Ashton manual. I haven't looked at it for ages (at least not closely) so I couldn't say for sure but it's been around for such a long time I doubt it would be changed but who knows. I wonder if anyone else noticed anything.

 

 

[[...]]

Hi Hope1962,

 

I typed in Ashton Manual and benzo.uk.org was one of the places that came up.  This is the site I first discovered Benzos and all, plus the Ashton Manual.  I should email them.  I and been corresponding back and forth with a gentleman there for a while, he knows Dr. Ashton.  Alan Weatherburn (sounds very British) is his name.  Very nice man.  I will email him and ask.

 

grace and peace

eli

[[Ho...]]

Hi Hope1962,

 

I typed in Ashton Manual and benzo.uk.org was one of the places that came up.  This is the site I first discovered Benzos and all, plus the Ashton Manual.  I should email them.  I and been corresponding back and forth with a gentleman there for a while, he knows Dr. Ashton.  Alan Weatherburn (sounds very British) is his name.  Very nice man. I will email him and ask.

 

grace and peace

eli

 

Yes. Please do. I'll be interested to know myself.

[[Ch...]]

THANK you so much for this!! I've gained an entirely new perspective about this process that I'm so afraid of starting. Don't get me wrong, I'm afraid but not so afraid I won't start. If anything I'm more determined to get this horrible drug out of my body!! I printed a copy that I have on my bathroom mirror to read again. You helped me understand why getting off this medicate makes me feel like I do and know these things are my brain healing - well, eventually!! Thanks again!!

[[se...]]

The bottom line is basically that benzos mess with the proper functioning of your brain thus producing such a wide array of debilitating psychological and physical symptoms.  I particularly liked the explanation regarding fear.  That is how I first realized something was wrong after taking Ativan for the second time.  After quitting it for about three days I developed this extreme fear of everything - being alone, the dark, etc.  That is before the physical symptoms completely manifested themselves after about five days.  Really creepy.

 

 

[[an...]]

Oh my God... The part about the hearing in OP... This was the source of my fear and depression all along since I took Zopiclone... I thought my life was over since the dose ruined my hearing nearly 2 months ago... I am really happy to read about the exact same condition as pianogirl had described...with fan blowing and hearing this weird noise, or whenever I am in a crowd, I hear this distorted mayhem... knowing that is is normal... I wish there was a happy cry smiley right now.

 

  I still cannot believe that a single dose could cause so much suffering and for so long, but now my hope is stronger. Benzobuddies 

[[Bi...]]

  Awesome post.  I just read everything about GABA and Glutamate on Wikipedia, because of your post.  Knowledge is power.  Do you know of any food or supplements which could assist in the rebuilding of these areas which have been damaged by Benzos?  Perhaps, vitamin B-6?

[[He...]]

Thank you SO much for taking the time to post that information. You just gave me hope. Thank you.

[[Re...]]

Thank you so much for this. I needed to read this today. The analogy about the building, especially. That helps me tremendously, and I will carry that with me today and for the days ahead.

[[...]]

Hi,

 

Hey Hopeful, I contacted Benzo.org.uk......well BCNC is how the email reads.  He said they still believe that slower is better, wait, here you go;

 

    The withdrawal strategy that BCNC is the same as it has been from day one that is slower is better and that each person has to withdraw at arate that suits them.

Re Prof. Ashton her original strategy was cuts every week but she amended this to similar to what we are saying in that every person is different and withdrawal is personal.

 

Good ol' 'copy' & 'paste'.  Now I swear that the schedule I printed off and the one that I now see is different.  I would not have known how to do the crossover and the taper on my own.  I can post a link to what I SEE if you like.  I don't want to confuse anyone though.

 

Anyway, I had forgotten (go figure) to get back with you and then I received some replies to this thread and....remembered - dahh.

 

grace & peace

eli

[[be...]]

Wow what an incredible piece of work. Thank you so much. It really helped in understanding why I feel such intense fear from time to time.

[[ba...]]

Thanks excellent post!! this will help me  too much in my recovery,.. the doctors said to me not to read about benzos because this will be counterproductive , but if they didnt explain to me what is happening to me , i will feel more and more fear , and fear is the enemy in this benzo war.

[[Mo...]]

Thank you for this wonderful article.  I am curious about the crippling nausea I experience.  There isn't anything there about it.

[[Ho...]]

There is a vomit control center of the brain. I suspect it causes the nausea much as the other symptoms of withdrawal as explained by Parker in the original post.

 

This from Wikipedia:

 

"The area postrema is a medullary structure in the brain that controls vomiting. Its privileged location in the brain also allows the area postrema to play a vital role in the control of autonomic functions by the central nervous system."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_postrema

[[Gi...]]

Great writing! I'm curious after reading this.

I'm on Zoloft which is a SSRI. Will this serotonin reputable inhibitor block my neurons from healing.

I hope u no what I'm trying to say.

I am scared to death about the SE's!

 

 

[[...]]

Hi,

 

Baguil(double aught seven),

 

Your right.  Fear is fueled by ignorance, thus fear is conquered by knowledge.

 

grace & peace

eli

[[...]]

Wow.. Thanks for the insightful share.

 

Knowing nothing about addicition and how it works, i find this informaiton really really uselful.

 

 

[[gr...]]

I love the deep explanation PG gave. My worry is what if my depression still leaves me with low seratonin, dopamine etc. Ive tried AD's but they never help. I was chemically inbalanced before i started the current meds, even off the K when I get there how the heck am I gonna get better...ugh so tired of it.

[[Ho...]]

I love the deep explanation PG gave. My worry is what if my depression still leaves me with low seratonin, dopamine etc. Ive tried AD's but they never help. I was chemically inbalanced before i started the current meds, even off the K when I get there how the heck am I gonna get better...ugh so tired of it.

 

Just a side note, the post was written by a member named Parker, as pg pointed out at the top of the original post. Pg just posted it here as a sticky which is why her name appears as the poster of the original post.

 

Perhaps Parker will be able to answer your question should she stop by this thread. 

[[Jn...]]

Thank you so much for writing.  This has helped so many people I am sure.  It even helps those who are supporting us that are going through this terrible sickness to understand what we are going through.  Such a great post.  There truely are people who genuinely care about others so much so that they would put so much time and energy into something like this just for the pure intention of helping to ease others suffering.  Thank you so much.

[[fl...]]

for the person that mentioned tramadol for pain during withdrawal.  i am on my 6th week of a 7 week taper.  i have burning pain in my feet.

i take tramadol er200mg once daily. i have tried everything and that is the only thing that helps the pain.  i just hope it is not hindering my recovery from benzo withdrawal

[[Mm...]]

To Parker:

    Thank you  so much for  sharing your wisdom and experience.  I just joined yesterday and it was my first reading.  The neurologist I went to in Sonoma denied the reality of withdrawal symptoms . . . thank God I found the Ashton Manual and the Benzo Website. 

    I had taken Flurazepam (Dalmane) 30 mg on and off for over 30 years and Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg as well until the last 6 months when things at work intensified so I decided to take Ativan daily.  I realized I was experiencing withdraw symptoms if I didn't take it so  I cold-turkeyed 2 and 1/2 months ago (ugh!) and finally, yesterday, I had my first window.  Any insight or suggestions about these two Benzos as I experience Brain Fog  cognitive disfunction and real poor memory mostly.  Thanks