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Barry Haslam?


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I just read an article on the internet about Barry Haslam and his long hard battle coming off Ativan, his recovery, and his still lingering symptoms after thirty years!  An MRI showed brain damage to some degree which he says at present still leaves him with headaches and cognitive issues.

 

Anyone familiar with his story and why he was so severely impacted and still having physical and mental issues?  For those of us with headaches it is very unsettling to hear of someone who is still having headaches after thirty years!

 

GG

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He's a very close personal friend of mine, GG. He was pollydrugged and was on the equivalent of 300mg of diazepam per day. Plus antidepressants and multiple pain killers per day. I guess they all played their part. He advised me not to touch the benzos again but out of desperation I did, as I didn't see another option. He strongly believes in CBT but my daughter pays private for CBT and its doing her no good at all baring giving her someone outside of the family to talk to. The waiting times for CBT is 6 months on the NHS which is no good what so ever for someone in crisis.

 

He is having a well deserved rest coming up 80 years of age. ☺️

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He's a very close personal friend of mine, GG. He was pollydrugged and was on the equivalent of 300mg of diazepam per day. Plus antidepressants and multiple pain killers per day. I guess they all played their part. He advised me not to touch the benzos again but out of desperation I did, as I didn't see another option. He strongly believes in CBT but my daughter pays private for CBT and its doing her no good at all baring giving her someone outside of the family to talk to. The waiting times for CBT is 6 months on the NHS which is no good what so ever for someone in crisis.

 

He is having a well deserved rest coming up 80 years of age. ☺️

 

I don't believe in CBT either, Dido. It's what ended me up on this benzo  :'( I still don't believe how that's possible. But for someone seeking free online therapy, I can recommend Therapy in a Nutshell on youtube. She's really great. I wish I had just stuck with her videos and not tried to find a real life therapist.

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I just read an article on the internet about Barry Haslam and his long hard battle coming off Ativan, his recovery, and his still lingering symptoms after thirty years!  An MRI showed brain damage to some degree which he says at present still leaves him with headaches and cognitive issues.

 

Anyone familiar with his story and why he was so severely impacted and still having physical and mental issues?  For those of us with headaches it is very unsettling to hear of someone who is still having headaches after thirty years!

 

GG

 

Hi GG, everyone is different. But it doesn't surprise me that there was damage to see on an MRI. It's mostly microscopic damage due to the benzos so not visible on a MRI but after time the damage can become worse and visible on an MRI. I spoke to a neuroscientist about this. Then it takes longer to heal.

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I know I've got permanent brain damage from drugs.  I had a seizure at work in 2012 from not taking a benzo the night before and it permanently damaged my brain.  I haven't been able to work a day since then.
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I'm sorry Becksblue. Have you looked into things that can aid traumatic brain injuries such as mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy or stem cell therapy? If it's permanent brain damage because of a seizure, it doesn't seem to matter how it was induced and maybe something can help you?
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It's an article in the UK publication, the Telegraph. They have a paywall, but MSN partners with others for content, and they have it without the paywall. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/thirty-years-on-i-still-have-symptoms-from-taking-benzodiazepines/ar-AA18JInl

 

I saw it posted by several in the Twitter #prescribedharm community. Though many took offense at the use of the word "addiction" instead of "dependency." Most benzo sufferers are dependent.

 

GG, I've had headaches through most of my now 2 + years of tapering. Recently, I began experimenting with NAD+ nasal spray. I started a discussion about it. I am virtually headache-free now. They are infrequent, transient, and much less severe. I can't promise others will have the experience I've had, I just wish I tried NAD+ sooner. I used to constantly plop ice packs on my head, I forget the last time I reached for an ice pack.

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Sure, Becksblue, understandable. I also wouldn't go to any random clinic in South America but for traumatic brain injuries and strokes there is a lot of research there. Same for mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It's often used on kids with traumatic brain injuries in the US actually so it seems quite safe.
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