some weird stuff

I have had some very painful stinging pain (exactly like bee sting) in my fingers few times today and yesterday. Don't have any diabetes etc. Only thing I have been doing is tapering Klonopin very slowly for past year or 2 ? and I'm familiar with many types of weird sensations and pains but this stinging pain is new and very sudden and painful, almost want to yell. it lasts 1-5 seconds and can disappear for even 1 hour. Any insights if it can just be the Klonopin again or something else. I'm otherwise healthy. Calcium, magnesium etc are Okay.

hpc

Hi,

The pains you describe are among the many commonly described benzo withdrawal symptoms.  I had them, as well as all sorts of other nerve, muscle and joint pains that would come and go randomely.  Withdrawal affects our CNS in many bizarre ways.  If this really worries you, however, do have it checked out.

This is from The Ashton Manual:

Bodily sensations. All sorts of strange tinglings, pins and needles, patches of numbness, feelings of electric shocks, sensations of hot and cold, itching, and deep burning pain are not uncommon during benzodiazepine withdrawal. It is difficult to give an exact explanation for these sensations but, like motor nerves, the sensory nerves, along with their connections in the spinal cord and brain, become hyperexcitable during withdrawal. It is possible that sensory receptors in skin and muscle, and in the tissue sheaths around bones, may fire off impulses chaotically in response to stimuli that do not normally affect them.

In my clinic, nerve conduction studies in patients with such symptoms revealed nothing abnormal - for example, there was no evidence of peripheral neuritis. However, the symptoms were sometimes enough to puzzle neurologists. Three patients with a combination of numbness, muscle spasms and double vision were diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis. This diagnosis, and all the symptoms, disappeared soon after the patients stopped their benzodiazepines.

Thus these sensory symptoms, though disconcerting, are usually nothing to worry about. Very occasionally, they may persist (see section on protracted symptoms). Meanwhile, the same measures suggested under muscle symptoms (above) can do much to alleviate them, and they usually disappear after withdrawal

Thanks Megan,

I figured as much that it 90% is from withdrawals again.. but it's so bad sometimes you know.. you get used to some symptoms and are pretty much Okay with it, but then there is something new.. or old that has been gone for months so you thought that it's over.. and then you get something so bad.. it's unbelievable to think I have to live with this now.. and then you can get all depressed and stuff.

I would really not want to feel this absurd stinging pain, it really feels like some super bee is slowly sitting on my finger and putting it's needle in.. sigh

Hpc