The nervous system in withdrawal

My taper so far has been quite traumatic.

I went too fast too quickly and suffered the consequences.

Terrible gut issues, hot flushes, psychological problems.

Now, after nearly 3 months, I feel it’s time to make cut. I like the idea of a symptom based taper however I’m still experiencing symptoms from previous rapid taper.

I have developed health anxiety. I’m sure I have dysautonomia as I’m experiencing many of the symptoms related to this condition however my more rational brain suggests my autonomic nervous system has taken a beating therefore my symptoms are a result of my taper.

Can someone please explain how the nervous system works in withdrawal? Can many of the symptoms we experience in withdrawal mimic medical conditions?

Not sure what I’m seeking from this post. Maybe reassurance? I just don’t feel ok-ever and terrified about the next cut. I’m still symptomatic although not as bad as 2 months ago (last cut).

Health anxiety is very common during withdrawal and it's also logical because withdrawal symptoms can mimic many different conditions. Most of the time symptoms are withdrawal related, but if your health anxiety is severe, it doesn't do any harm to have it checked out, even if it's just for peace of mind.

You'll likely continue to experience symptoms from your rapid taper - in my experience once I started reducing, the symptoms never disappeared. It only got better/worse but never went away completely. You just need to determine whether you're functional enough to start cutting again. Maybe even if you just make a very small cut like 2% to get you over that initial fear of reducing again?

I don't know if you've read this post but many have found it helpful What’s happening inside your brain