Stomach healing place

[[br...]]

Hello Everyone,

 

There are some really good posts in this thread, thanks for all your input. All we can do is keep noting our stomach sx and keep helping each other.

 

At 10 months free I guess my stomach s/x have gotten slightly worse, not by much, good and bad is the best way to describe things. They have in general got better and these days I only eat whole, healthy foods, sleep has improved too, not amazingly, but improvements have been made.

 

There is one good thing that is quite noticeable and that was not there before jumping. Every night without fail my stomach feels as if it is going to dispel, though unfortunately it will not start moving again and begin the process of working as it would of done pre benzo. Its a start and it is heading in the right direction at least.

 

What I mean by dispel is, it sounds and feels as if my stomach is going to start digesting food, very similar to when you break wind after its been a long time coming, you get that big sense of relief, dispelling is no different to this feeling, that feeling that you get in your stomach, it has freed up a little space and you can breathe again, it feels really good, the bloating begins to deflate and the gases start to dispel.

 

It feels like every night it will dispel more and more, it makes all the right noises, it actually feels as if it will, then it starts to, giving me lots of hope, but then, never quite makes it, its so frustrating! I'm up till 3 am most nights, simply waiting for it to dispel, all I want to do is go to bed, I am really looking forward to an early night when this is all over.

 

The other good thing here is that every night my stomach dispels a small amount more and a very small amount earlier from that of the previous night, though it is still very frustrating, if it sometimes does not dispel at all, with no relief of my digestion tract, then sadly I'm then left with food not digesting the whole time while I'm sleeping, which translates to, I wake up the next morning with intense nausea and sickness due to all this undigested food and lack of dispelling and I feel as if I have been poisoned, extreme dry mouth, bladder problems, just really really sick basically.

 

Thankfully, it is making very slow but steady progress. Its this sx alone that has me occasionally questioning whether or not I will make a full recovery, it really does feel like it will never go away, I know it will, it will be the last sx to go. Its just hard not to sometimes think we have done some permanent damage when sx are this bad.

 

We will all heal, its just a long and frustrating journey, that's all. 

 

Thanks again for the posts, keep them coming, your knowledge and experiences are vital for others trapped in our predicament.

[[je...]]

It is my most frustrating sx too, along with not being able to lose any weight. If you don't mind me asking what are your bladder problems?? I've been drinking kefir, and last night after dinner by stomach was bloated--i drank the kefir and within minutes my stomach was burning a little(not painful) and I could feel the kefir moving through my digestive tract and then my stomach was flat again. I don't know if it was a fluke or not, but I'm going to start drinking a little bit after every meal and see if it helps. Jenny

[[br...]]

It is my most frustrating sx too, along with not being able to lose any weight. If you don't mind me asking what are your bladder problems?? I've been drinking kefir, and last night after dinner by stomach was bloated--i drank the kefir and within minutes my stomach was burning a little(not painful) and I could feel the kefir moving through my digestive tract and then my stomach was flat again. I don't know if it was a fluke or not, but I'm going to start drinking a little bit after every meal and see if it helps. Jenny

 

 

Hi Jenny21,

 

My Bladder problems tend to flare up when my GI flares up, its a variety of issues really, from a feeling that I have to keep peeing, especially at night, always having to go back and forth, to actually not being able to pee at all, well only a really small one. I also get a slight burn in the mornings every once in while, I think that is dehydration.

 

I have experienced my bloating almost vanish after having a satisfying pee, if that makes sense and the more I peed the more my stomach settled and the dispelling I talked about above starts to occur. Its not just you, everything is connected, once our GI problems go, then the rest will follow and just kind of gradually fade away into the distant past.

 

Quick tip, I have discovered that if you can tolerate it, eating Dates and Figs, 2-4 of each per pay, so it would work out at 4 Dates and 4 Figs max. Eating them before and after meals helps with my digestion. Try this, a Fig as a starter and a Date as dessert and see how you get on. I hope your'e doing ok anyway Jenny.

 

 

[[ak...]]

My poor tummy and me are having a troubled relationship with me right now. I feel she is very pissed at me! Whether it is from eating a terrible diet my whole life prior to benzo or just the benzo or both...I don't know.

 

I wish she would tell me exactly how to fix it....and if getting off the med is the only way then that is easy! The other stuff is hard to figure out! My liver is sluggish. My colon is backed up. I think I have parasites in mysmall intestine.....reflux and burning after I eat around my stomach. Is that my stomach or my pancreas? If I could just turn off my brain (hypochondria) and relax it might make everything better!!

 

I am grateful for this thread and hope that everyone soon receives a healing wave to our tummys!!

[[je...]]

Thanks bring it on,

 

I will have to try the date/fig suggestion. I asked the question about the bladder because I constantly wake up in the middle of the night having to go pee. I was just curious if you had the same issue, and it looks like you do. I never connected it to my stomach, but it makes sense. Thanks jenny

[[wi...]]

Good to find somewhere to vent about benzo stomach issues.    I am currently c/o to valium from Serax.    I am having so many issues with valium though.  Wish it was possible to taper off Serax but it's too short acting.    I am currently on 6mg of valium and have to finish c/o on 9.5mgs of v.  When I take the valium my stomach burns - always take it on food.    The terms used on this thread are unfamiliar to me but I am taking Nexium 40mgs.    Is that a bad thing to do?    I've been on Nexium since xmas time.    2.5months.    Given that I'm going to be on valium for quite a long time while I taper I guess I can expect a lot more misery.    I also get diarrhoea some days or turn sluggishness on other days.  Also I can't pee properly either. 

 

I also have another delightful problem in that my entire bottom from upper legs to lower back has nerve pain.  I can't sit on my bottom because it's so painful.  I go in the car or will sit occassionaly when out but when I'm home I try to lay down or stand up.  I was in tolerance w/d for a couple of months which is when this problem started.       

 

I can see no hope for me if I cannot get on to valium and taper off.    So is this stomach trouble actual damage to the lining of the stomach or is it phantom pain?      There are many people on the forum who don't have these kinds of issues with benzos!!!!

 

For anyone reading:    Did you all taper down with the burning stomach after taking your dose?    AT this stage it feels like one way or another the benzo's want to take me out!!!     

[[ov...]]

Wiser:  I forgot to mention to you that I have been taking mega doses of powdered acidophulus/bifodus to combat bacteria in the gut.  My nutritionist has me do this as I have had the diarrhea (not V related) but severe acid reflux constantly (not painful) but fizzing up into my mouth.  I am working with a nutritionist and we are trying to kill the bacteria.  Also in the US there is a probiotic called Florastor, it is sold especially for diarrhea, it is one strain of acidophulus, I had to take 1 twice a day for a year after I began my K taper.  Don't know if they have it in Aussie land.  Worth looking into, it works almost immediately and it works well for travelers diarrhea also.

I am with you GF.

Overcomer    :smitten: :smitten:

[[br...]]

Good to find somewhere to vent about benzo stomach issues.    I am currently c/o to valium from Serax.    I am having so many issues with valium though.  Wish it was possible to taper off Serax but it's too short acting.    I am currently on 6mg of valium and have to finish c/o on 9.5mgs of v.  When I take the valium my stomach burns - always take it on food.    The terms used on this thread are unfamiliar to me but I am taking Nexium 40mgs.    Is that a bad thing to do?    I've been on Nexium since xmas time.    2.5months.    Given that I'm going to be on valium for quite a long time while I taper I guess I can expect a lot more misery.    I also get diarrhoea some days or turn sluggishness on other days.  Also I can't pee properly either. 

 

I also have another delightful problem in that my entire bottom from upper legs to lower back has nerve pain.  I can't sit on my bottom because it's so painful.  I go in the car or will sit occassionaly when out but when I'm home I try to lay down or stand up.  I was in tolerance w/d for a couple of months which is when this problem started.       

 

I can see no hope for me if I cannot get on to valium and taper off.  So is this stomach trouble actual damage to the lining of the stomach or is it phantom pain?     There are many people on the forum who don't have these kinds of issues with benzos!!!!

 

For anyone reading:    Did you all taper down with the burning stomach after taking your dose?    AT this stage it feels like one way or another the benzo's want to take me out!!!   

 

Hi wisernow,

 

I am currently on 30mg of Lanzoprazole which is similar to Nexium. I plan on completely coming off the PPI once the majority of stomach sx settle down. I would say your dose is ok, I assume that you take 20mg am and 20mg pm, this is dose not to much. At one stage when I was around 3/4 into my taper I would take 90mg of Lanz when the pain was very bad and the burning was out of control.

Once you are better, my advice is to get off the PPI's, for now, do what you need to do, maybe try and get down to 20mg when you can, PPIs have a habit of actually causing acid reflux as they inhibit acid production and therefore it has a detrimental effect on our stomachs, we need acid to digest our foods, our problem is we just have far to much of the stuff. Don't worry to much about PPIs, just try and get off them when your almost fully healed, at the moment that dose is fine.

 

The stomach issues are a result of our GABA receptors being damaged in a sense. We have many GABA receptors in our stomach and brain, also our liver and kidneys. Once they all start to work again as a result of doing something called upregulating (think of them as little hairs that have been flattened and now those hairs need to stand back up again), once they do, then our stomachs will start to work again too. Basically when our mind is better our stomachs will get better, then when our stomach gets better our mind will get even better and so on and so on. Until one day you are healed and you look back at this as a distant bad memory.

 

When I was really bad with the burning and other GI related issues, I would sometimes have a rest on my dose, maybe an extra week, maybe an extra month, it just depended on how I was feeling, the rests did me good, if you let your sx settle a little and rest you should find the cuts less painful, also once you are past the half way mark, things should calm down, it did for me.

 

I also had very bad back pain, mainly lower back pain, it is still here, however, thankfully just last month witnessed it starting to subside a little, now its just all slowly improving. I lost so much weight I could not sit on anything hard, even soft chairs were painful at one time. Its not nice my friend, I'm grateful its nothing permanent. I often thought things like ''is this a result of not exercising enough over the years, or it is a result of sitting wrong, bad posture etc, maybe it was a injury I picked up in my weight training days'' and I still think it will never heal now and then, until, I get windows where it goes away almost completely and my faith is duly restored.

 

It is, a very very confusing and scary time for all of us, the good news, it all gets better, I promise, this time last year there is no way I could of typed the speed I am typing now, being able to think clear and just a general wellness feeling (not over the worst but getting there) and the best part is this time next year things will be even better. You're going to heal too, I promise!

 

I hope this helps. Thanks for your input, all we can do is help one another in these extremely difficult times.

 

 

[[wi...]]

;;;;;mainly lower back pain, it is still here, however, thankfully just last month witnessed it starting to subside a little, now its just all slowly improving. I lost so much weight I could not sit on anything hard, even soft chairs were painful at one time. Its not nice my friend, I'm grateful its nothing permanent.

 

Bring it on,  was the pain you had sitting down 'nerve pain'?  or just a sort butt from having lost a lot of weight.  Mine started from losing weight but progressed to nerve pain.    Your taper seemed quite fast but seems you managed it ok and getting off the poison was paramount yeah?

[[wi...]]

BIO,  I take nexium 40mg in the mornings only.  Should I take it divided into two doses morning and night.  Also if it stops the production of stomach acid is it harmful for digestion?   

 

OC,    probiotics are different companies in Australia.  I don't know which one to take.    I presume you don't take an acid blocker?   

 

xx

[[br...]]

BIO,  I take nexium 40mg in the mornings only.  Should I take it divided into two doses morning and night.  Also if it stops the production of stomach acid is it harmful for digestion?   

 

OC,    probiotics are different companies in Australia.  I don't know which one to take.    I presume you don't take an acid blocker?   

 

xx

 

I would just stay as you are for now, you dont want to make changes that are not necessary. It will be harmful yes, all pills are harmful to a certain degree, at the same time, if you think how harmful the acid being untreated would of been because of wd then what is more harmful? I would say the extreme acid reflux caused by wd, thats just my opinion. There will be better ways of treating the reflux, for now this is all we have and I'm not looking forward to coming off PPis, it has to be done though, we do what we have to do to survive.

 

I dont know what the back pain was like to be honest, it was like a muscle spasm in my lower back, really bad pain when I first jumped, almost like a burning, so sore! I just got on with it, its the only way really, do or die attitude. Stand tall, take this as test of sorts and rise to the challenge.

 

I still to this day taunt my sx, bring it on, is what I say.

 

 

[[br...]]

Hi overcomer,

 

Thanks for the info, I will look into it as I need something to replace the PPIs once I eventually stop taking them when I am either fully or at least almost fully healed, depending on if my stomach sx still remain once I am almost fully healed, say 80% healed.

[[ov...]]

Bring and Wisernow:  PPI's have to be tapered.  They too are habit forming.  I tried an acid blocker in Dec, protonix and it didn't help so I got off of it as my nutritionist was having a fit.  He started me on the acidophulus/bifidous and or coconut kefir water.  So we are slamming that bacteria in my stomach.  Mine doesn't burn, it just fizzes up into my mouth, so I feel like there is always something in the back of my throat.  I know it is benzo related as it began at the same time as the burning skin.  I am going to try the Rutin that OneLove suggested.  She said it helped the burning skin 80%.  Sounds good to me, rutin is a bioflavinoid (sp) so is a natural supplement.

I too have the painful back and difficulty sitting.  I keep piling cushions on my dining room chair as my boney butt gets sore.  OMG it feels like pins are pricking my armpits right now.  YIKES!  Just took my bath and now I feel worse, I usually feel better.  I lost 15 lbs in 3 months.  This is crazy, 95 lb weakling.

Also when I did a search on Protonix it said it should not be taken with valium.  All those PPIs are pretty similar, you might want to look into that.  I would think if you are not supposed to take it with valium, that might include the whole benzo family.  Something to think about.

 

Have a great Sunday

Overcomer    :smitten:

[[br...]]

OC,

 

Try putting an ice pack on your lower back when it flares up, something like a frozen bag of peas is ideal, hold it in one place for 10 mins max,, maybe you have 3 really sore spots, each sore area gets 10 mins on the ice pack. This will help the muscles unspasm, try and feel your lower back when it is in pain, usually it will be very hot, I know baths can help but I too have seen them make my back worse, usually when the bath was very hot, if you have a bath, make it on the warm side, rather than hot.

 

I think it is all connected, when our stomach flares up then our lower back pain flares up. I have instants where I have had a BM and my lower back pain has dramatically improved or even almost completely gone.

 

I will taper the PPIs, the plan is to go down to 1x30mg every other day, then 15mg every day, then 15mg every other day, then jump and cross over to something called Zantac which is not a PPI, but its the next best thing. When I do stop, I will go on a very strict diet too, even more so than now, for one month. It wont be pretty, but the end result will be worth it.

[[br...]]

*Update*

 

Just an update, I said I would if anything changes good or bad. Thankfully, it's good news. My Bladder issues seem to be calming, now I can pee with out having to constantly stop and start, I still have the feeling that I have not emptied my Bladder but the actual flow or stream of pee is a lot more consistent and it improves all the time. I also see dispelling happening earlier and earlier both at night and in the mornings, as I type this I am waiting for my stomach to dispel so I can eat breakfast.

 

 

[[do...]]

I am on Tecta PPI for my acid reflux issues which I think were caused by the ativan.  Now I am off the ativan one week.  I am.still having esophagus pains.  Having an endoscopy on Wednesday to see if they see anything.  Am eating only lean protein and steamed veggies and drink only water.  Have lost 40 lbs since November.  I needed to though.  The positive side of all this pain is I am at my wedding weight.  Yeah!  Am taking childrens probiotics after each meal as the adult ones are too hard on my system at this time.  Take a good multivitamin, fish oil, iron and magnesium.  Go to a massage therapist, chiropractor and a counsellor too.  Wojld love to get off this PPI, but need to wait til my sxs subside more and to see the results of my endoscopy.  Any comments would be appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

DA

[[la...]]

GREAT thread, I was dx with H-pylori after an endoscopy last summer. Treated with antibiotics, still sick as a dog

had hydrogen breath test and found to have SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) was treated once again with antibiotics , still sick as a dog. was retested for both and they both had been eradicated

 

was told its IBS....well the infections left my gut a mess and the benzo is just destroying it even more.

I have gut pain DAILY, sometimes so bad IO am curled up in a ball on my bed

 

would take Tums or Pepto Bismol when it got real bad

 

now I find that Tums is a no no because the contraindication with benzos

 

so now its just Pepto Bismol and Chamomile tea (natural antispasmodic)

 

Lost over 50lbs since all this started and try to stay in this weight and not lose anymore

 

never did any DR suggest that the benzo could be bothering my already ripped up gut...so glad they all went to school for medicine

[[ma...]]

DomisticAdvisor,

 

What brand of children's probiotics do you take.  Sometimes yogurt will tear my stomach up.  Your diet sounds just like mine. 

 

Mama2

[[do...]]

Hi Mama:  my probiotic is from a company called Flora.  UDO'S Choice, Super probiotics for children.  A nice small capsule too.  I take three a day, one after each meal with almond milk.  Finding gluten and dairy hare to tolerate as well as following the diet for acid reflux issues.  I really think the ativan caused all the problems and am hoping and praying in time it will all heal.  I plan to continue to eat healthy as the weight loss was needed, but would really love to taste the odd good chocolate again.

 

DA

[[wi...]]

I wonder if the nexium is making the valium so problematic to me?    I will try to see if I can find anything on the net about it.    I so need a break as I've got a long taper ahead of me..  Me and overcomer are holding each other's hands from across the ocean...  but I can't get started until I sort out what about valium that is giving me diarrhoea....

 

so many on this thread have tapered already....  did you all feel you'd never get off this crud?

[[ov...]]

Hey Wiser:  Found you and holding your hand.  I looked up Protonix, which is similar to Nexium and it said not to be used with valium.  But don't cold turkey the nexium, you will have rebound acid.  I think even the nexium can cause diarrhea.  I hate all meds  now, they all have side effects.  According to our reaction to the benzos, we are more likely to have probs with all meds.  JMHO.

xo Overcomer  :smitten:

[[br...]]

GREAT thread, I was dx with H-pylori after an endoscopy last summer. Treated with antibiotics, still sick as a dog

had hydrogen breath test and found to have SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) was treated once again with antibiotics , still sick as a dog. was retested for both and they both had been eradicated

 

was told its IBS....well the infections left my gut a mess and the benzo is just destroying it even more.

I have gut pain DAILY, sometimes so bad IO am curled up in a ball on my bed

 

would take Tums or Pepto Bismol when it got real bad

 

now I find that Tums is a no no because the contraindication with benzos

 

so now its just Pepto Bismol and Chamomile tea (natural antispasmodic)

 

Lost over 50lbs since all this started and try to stay in this weight and not lose anymore

never did any DR suggest that the benzo could be bothering my already ripped up gut...so glad they all went to school for medicine

 

Hi LaineyK,

 

I lost about that during my taper, thankfully, it is slowly coming back on. About 2-3 months after I jumped my stomach settled a little, call it a window, call it being in a good mood and in this time I went on one almighty naughty food binge, it was simply to gain some weight back.

 

I ate everything I wanted, it was a bit ott looking back, but I gained the weight back, around 30lbs then streamed down to about 20lbs. Now I just maintain the weight I have gained back by eating regularly and clean, healthy whole foods is all I eat now, the majority of my weight gain is now sustained from sugars in fruits, like figs, dates, strawberries, blueberries and carbs in nuts, walnuts, almonds, pecan nuts, also brown bread, about 4 slices a day. You just have to keep up the eating,  even if you have no energy, now don't physically force yourself to eat but do force yourself to be in the right mood to eat if that makes sense? I hope your'e feeling ok today anyway.

 

I wonder if the nexium is making the valium so problematic to me?    I will try to see if I can find anything on the net about it.    I so need a break as I've got a long taper ahead of me..  Me and overcomer are holding each other's hands from across the ocean...  but I can't get started until I sort out what about valium that is giving me diarrhoea....

 

so many on this thread have tapered already....   did you all feel you'd never get off this crud?

 

Hi Wisernow,

 

I always knew I would get off it, however I did and still do have my doubts about whether my stomach will heal, its just so mind blowing to think that all of this pain will go away and that it was all caused by an evil pill. I still don't believe it even as I heal, its very confusing, but at the same time I know I will heal. I know that makes no sense. Anyway, I hope your'e not to bad today, Sundays are always a tough day to get through I find.

 

 

[[ma...]]

Sundays are the worst for me.

 

What do you eat for breakfast?  Cereal causes me to have hypoglycemia, eggs, yogurt, causes nausea and extreme weakness. Once the extreme weakness in the arms and legs comes on in the mornings, it is with me the majority of the day. 

 

Mama2

[[br...]]

Sundays are the worst for me.

 

What do you eat for breakfast?  Cereal causes me to have hypoglycemia, eggs, yogurt, causes nausea and extreme weakness. Once the extreme weakness in the arms and legs comes on in the mornings, it is with me the majority of the day. 

 

Mama2

 

Hi Mama2,

 

I used to eat very light through out my taper and often very wrong, binge eating bad foods when I was down. Today is a different story, I eat the same breakfast more or less every morning and it has helped me greatly, I just wish I ate correctly from the start of my taper. I'll talk you through what and why I eat for breakfast.

 

Ingredients:

Brown uncut Bread

Strawberries

Blueberries

Real Butter

Organic Peanut Butter

Walnuts

 

Breakfast:

 

Brown bread, which I toast (fresh wholemeal uncut bread, no brands if you can avoid it, to many additives and other rubbish in them, if you can access one try and use small local bakeries or if not the try the fresh bread area in a good grocery store, this is sometimes just as good, look out for organic bread and get there early rather than late, if you want first dibs on the freshest)

 

I top the toasted bread with real butter, you can buy the light version if this is to much for you, I would stay well clear of margarine or fake butters like 'I cant believe its not butter' as they contain citric acid and other preservatives which aggravate acid reflux

 

I then add Organic smooth Peanut butter as a further base and which is packed with protein, then this is topped with finely chopped fresh and juicy red strawberries which are really hard to find, I had to taste some really sour ones before I found some nice ones (I use 3-4) then I add some blueberries (placing them inside the gaps created by the strawberry layout, a handful for both slices is enough), these act as an antioxidant and finally I sprinkle with crushed up walnuts, more protein and they just taste nice.

 

What I sometimes do is cut each slice up into 4 squares so I don't rush when I'm eating. I also like to check what time it is right before I start eating my meal, then I make sure the food takes at least 10 mins to eat. I would try and make the meal last longer, around 20 mins is good but 10 mins minimum if you can. This is how I stop myself from eating to fast, by simply checking the time before I start and a little mantra to remind myself along the way. This eating to fast is a by product of the acid reflux worries and just the stress of the whole situation.

 

You may or may not be able to handle this breakfast, I would say give it a try, let us know how you get on, you should be good with this meal. I would stay away from any diary whilst in wd though, so no eggs, milk, yogurt. Cereals are rubbish to be honest, whether your'e in wd or healthy, their full of processed sugar, even the good ones, processed sugar ideally should be completely cut out and replaced by natural sugars. You need to build your strength up and each meal should have a large portion of protein/veg or fruit if you can of course, I know it's a real chore but its important to keep our strength up during withdrawal.

 

Sundays are my worst day too, I used to dislike them pre benzos, but now they are perking up a little at least, not there yet, getting closer each month. We will soon be eating our Sunday meals with big smiles on our faces, I'm certain and all this will be a distant memory.

 

 

 

 

 

[[ma...]]

Thanks, Bring-it-own,

 

That sounds pretty good.  Finding the bread will be a challenge.  I grow my own blueberries.  I was putting them on my cereal until I felt like it was spiking my blood sugar.  Maybe this way I can have all the ones I have in my freezer again.

 

I'm waiting for that distant memory.  Thanks again for the good ideas.

 

Mama2