Jump to content

problems after w/d from benzo's


[sk...]

Recommended Posts

 

Hi,

 

I've been coming off of meds for a few weeks now and having major probs. Was wondering if they are typical for these damn things to do such awful things to the human body.

 

I'm feeling some awful numbness with tingling and pins and needles, throughout entire face, eyes, ears, nose, neck, torso, arms, hands, legs and feet. The torso is so bad it's also in my bones, and feels as though bungee cords? are wrapped around them so tight and continuous squeezing around and around. And it doesn't stop for a second. Constant tinnitus. So many symtoms and no rest to speak of. I've been doing this for about 6 months now with a few slip ups and all I can think is that each time I have slipped up I've had to start over. Even though the slips were only a day or two. 3 weeks ago I stopped taking Seraquel after taking them for 6 days. I get these memory lapses about the meds and have just taken something for reasons of not being able to continue with all of these outrageous intolerable feelings.

 

I've been on meds for approx. 20 yrs. On a variety of them and to many to remember. Stopped a/d's about 12 yrs. ago now. Been on to many anti meds to remember all of them and the last of them were the benzo's. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Really worried that I've messed myself up and will suffer all of these feelings forever now as I didn't find the info on all of this tapering info until after I stopped. And now realize that I've done this w/d b.s. way to fast and suffer from the benzo withdrawal syndrome. Praying I don't have it the rest of my life now as am sure I cannot live this way and I am hoping and praying for a miracle now.

 

Hope everyone else is doing all of this proper and as I said sure wish I had found the Ashton manual before I started my detox as I probably wouldn't be in this predicament now. To those whom are just starting, please don't go c/t or cut down so fast it isn't a pretty picture.

 

  God Bless

 

C.P.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 203
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • [sk...]

    83

  • [Lo...]

    19

  • [Pa...]

    12

  • [ad...]

    10

Top Posters In This Topic

Hi skooter,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!! I am so sorry to hear that you are still suffering from w/d symptoms. If you are familiar with The Ashton Manual, then you know that Dr. Ashton believes that everyone heals eventually. You also know that there is not really any way to predict how long it will take for you to heal as everyone heals at different rates. Since you tapered so quickly, I am sure this has added to your prolonged suffering. We have a few people here that have experienced what you have and hopefully they will be stopping by to share their experiences with you.

 

We're glad you're here!! Make yourself at home!!

 

T2 :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi T2

 

Thank you for your quick reply. I was hoping that someone could tell me if all of these feelings are normal as I am having great difficulty in dealing and handling of them all. The major ones of distress are the numbness and tingling that is in the majority of my body and I'm unable to even relax let alone sleep, or concentrate on anything else as it is as if I'm in a pool of electrified cotton wool or something. And the torso of the skeleton is squeezing me constantly around the mid section from spine to breast bone. So hard to even explain and as most in here the docs are of no help what so ever. I am still very proturbed none would even help me with getting off let alone tell me they knew nothing about how to taper.

 

I guess I'm looking for a sign that with the bws that I've gotten myself into that others have had these terrible experiences. Not that I would want anyone to feel these awful things. But so as to not worry that I have some terrible disease. Nobody knows nor did I that a person could feel such incomprehensable feelings such as these and I have never heard of anything remote as to what it all feels like. Again thank you for replies and the help as it is greatly appreciated.

 

C.P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi T2

 

Thank you for your quick reply. I was hoping that someone could tell me if all of these feelings are normal as I am having great difficulty in dealing and handling of them all. The major ones of distress are the numbness and tingling that is in the majority of my body and I'm unable to even relax let alone sleep, or concentrate on anything else as it is as if I'm in a pool of electrified cotton wool or something. And the torso of the skeleton is squeezing me constantly around the mid section from spine to breast bone. So hard to even explain and as most in here the docs are of no help what so ever. I am still very proturbed none would even help me with getting off let alone tell me they knew nothing about how to taper.

 

I guess I'm looking for a sign that with the bws that I've gotten myself into that others have had these terrible experiences. Not that I would want anyone to feel these awful things. But so as to not worry that I have some terrible disease. Nobody knows nor did I that a person could feel such incomprehensable feelings such as these and I have never heard of anything remote as to what it all feels like. Again thank you for replies and the help as it is greatly appreciated.

 

C.P.

 

Hi CP,

 

What you are describing does sound like typical w/d symptoms, but we always recommend that you have things checked out by a doctor to rule out any other causes. I experienced face numbness towards the end of my taper. Other symptoms I experienced during/after tapering are anxiety, insomnia, cog fog, headaches, neck/shoulder tension, sore joints, GI distress, abdominal pain below right rib cage, head tremors, eyes-flashing zig zags, depression, lack of motivation, crying. I think that is all of them, but might have missed a few. Hope this helps. I am feeling well after 3 months off but did an extremely slow taper over a nine month period.

 

T2 :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for some insight to my problems I'm experiencing Theresa and T2. Am glad to be here and look forward to hopefully hearing that I'm not going mad. I hope others are doing better than I in that my experiences thus far with the w/d syndrome are pretty terrible and wouldn't want anybody else to go through the madness of it all. I would just love to have some of these windows everone speaks of. Just to know that I am on my way to recovery. Docs are of no help where I live unfortunately, some are to quick to get you on the awful things but when you want help to get off they have no clue how nor what you will go through which is so wrong for those of us that have to w/d from these things that should be off the market. I would love to see the faces of the docs and pharmecuticals that make this stuff be handed a huge law suit for all of the suffering they have caused people to go through. May God Help Us All.

 

Take care all and thank you for the warm welcome it truly is appreciated and all the help I can get as I am not seeing the light as of yet.

 

C.P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi skooter,

 

I have had my bouts with numbness many times, these are normal withdrawls and side effects, they do get better with time though, have a tolerable day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi skooter,

I cold turkeyed off of the benzo's and it was the nightmare you're describing.  The first few weeks it felt like monsters were chewing on the core of me, then it seemed like they started gnawing on my extremities.  After that the pins and needles came and stayed.  I could feel them everywhere, all of the time, there was no relief, not even for a few minutes.  I felt like my face was twitching all of the time.  I couldn't believe that the torture I felt inside didn't show on my face.

The chest tightness was scary, I couldn't yawn or even take a deep breath.  The sleeplessness, the inability to relax was constant.  People would tell me to relax, I didn't know how to do that anymore, it was impossible. 

What you're feeling is benzo withdrawal and it's real, but I'm here to tell you it won't be this way forever.  I made it through and I know you can too.  There's no going back to get relief by starting to take the benzo's again, they don't work that way.  There's only one way through this and that's through it. 

Let me know how I can help you, I've felt your pain!

Pam

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi skooter-I also ct off xanax-between the pins and needles-depression-anxiety-GI distress-fear- crying etc,etc I thought I was gonna die-the doc put me back on xanax and no matter how much i took i couldn't re-instate. After about 3 months of this  i saw a shrink who put me on klonopin-IT took hold eventually and NOW  I am tapering off that. LOt of  good people here with a lot of good advice-whatever you decide to do keep going-IT WILL GET BETTER-bOXERMAN
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Scooter,

Alot of those symptoms are really common. I've had the tinnitus really bad. I started accupuncture for it. It has really helped. As a by product of that it also helped alot of my numbness and tingling. It might be worth a try. It sounds like you also have some anxiety. That alot of times makes you feel that bungee cord feeling. I hope you find relief soon. Kel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just want to thank all for the fast replies. Means alot to have someone actually listen and understand just what you are feeling and tell you aren't going mad. Still feels that way tho. I have been wondering if  I started taking the librum again (it's a higher dose and am trying to understand the differences, and from what I understand u take 10mg of valium, librium, per 1mg of ativan, lorazepam etc.) Not sure how they work or what's the difference. One is long lasting and others are short? Also don't understand the half shelf life etc? I've read and reread but my mind isn't grasping, feels like holes in me head. Anyhoo, as I say I'm wondering if I should reinstate the librium and start a longer w/d regime and if that would stop all of this insane craziness going on inside of me so that I could function again. Then again it is all so terrifying to me either way. To start over...........sorry this is very difficult as I'm sure it has and is for most of you. I ask this as I see boxerman said they started on klonopin after 3 months and is doing better now which is great. Thanks for info boxer! Hope it keeps up for you and all whom have answered me. Thank you for the encouragement pam and recover and kel!!!!!

 

Again thanx for all of your understanding and caring and am happy I finaly found people who do care and listen.

 

Take care all. Hope I can get 2 hrs. sleep tonight. Maybe tomorrow will be better for all of us. Night and God Bless.

 

C.P.  (excuse spelling errors, head full of holes ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good morning, skooter.  ;D

 

I must say, you write very well with "holes" in your head.  Makes me wonder if writing is part of how you make your living.

 

The business of the half-life of benzos is one of the harder ones to wrap my head around (with or without holes  ;) ).  Half-life is a numerical expression of how long it takes for a drug to leave your body. Technically, the "half-life," expressed as a range, is the time it takes for half of the amount consumed to be eliminated from your body, and so on.  Benzos with a longer half-life (like valium) leave the body more slowly than those with a shorter half-life (like librium).  The importance of half-life is that a longer half-life generally makes for an easier withdrawal because your blood levels remain relatively constant, as opposed to the up and down roller coaster that you experience with short half life benzodiazepines. Furthermore, longer half-life benzodiazepines require less dose micro-management. For example, Valium can be taken once every 12 hours, or in some cases, once every 24 hours. Xanax, however, must be taken once every 4-6 hours to maintain constant blood levels. This is a practical impossibility for some people. 

 

The half-life range can vary widely, meaning there's a big variation on  how a particular benzo leaves the body of a particular person.  That's why the value is expressed as a range.  In addition, different sources give different half-life values.  For our purposes and consistency sake, we use the values provided by Prof Ashton (of The Ashton Manual).  According to Prof Ashton, the half-life of librium is 5-30 hours compared to valium's which is 20-100 hours. These figures are taken from the following table:

http://www.benzo.org.uk/bzequiv.htm

 

Moving on to the equivalencies of different benzos (also shown in that table), I think of these as representing the approximate amount a person would take of a different benzo to have the same effect.  These again vary with the individual which is what makes the crossover method rather difficult to do without a very involved doctor who will "tweak" the dose as needed.  According to the above table, 10mg of valium is equivalent to 25mg of librium or 0.5mg klonopin.  When you were taking 4mg of clonazepam, you were taking the equivalent of 200mg librium!

 

I hope this a little bit clearer.  Just keep asking about what you want to know and we'll do our best to explain.  I really can't advise you one way or the other about reinstating the librium.  Maybe you should take that up with your doctor or wait for some other opinions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the explaining of the half lives, dosages and other info beeper. Just woke up half hr ago and in another state. Have no idea how much more of this I'm able to take. It is truly as if being tortured to say the least. Sorry I whine so much, but writing at least feels somewhat a small reprieve to getting it out of you system so to speak.

 

Really unable to think either. My daughter has been nagging me to go see nateuropath and my appt. is finally tomorrow. It will be interesting to see just how and what will affect me with all of the sensitivities I have seem to aquire since starting all of this insaneness. More whining, best go and battle the beast somemore.

 

Have a good day all. Thanx for lending me you ears all. Means a lot.

 

Later, C.P. :pokey:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skooter-Just knowing that all the stuff you're  experiencing is basically normal means a LOT-It did for me -the pins and needles thing -that and the GI distress -just knowing what it was helped-doesn't make it any easier but at least you know. If I would. have known about this site I probably would have just stayed CT and rode it out-I swear I thought I was dieing-everything from a brain tumor to MS to stomach cancer.I was a physical and emotional mess for about 4 months. If you have questions about tapering or substitutions there is a whole bunch of help here.Colin great at titration schedules-also he actually knows how to do the math ,not just chuck it into a spreadsheet-I thought I was  good at math I have found out i run a shabby second to Colin. Guess I'm trying to say its all here-Thank the lord for the internet and this site-Boxerman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey skooter,

My heart started hurting for you when I read your first post on this thread. You really described WELL, the feelings of withdrawals from a benzo. They are soooo hard to describe to other people who have never gone thru it. I knew EXACTLY what you meant by:

 

 

I'm feeling some awful numbness with tingling and pins and needles, throughout entire face, eyes, ears, nose, neck, torso, arms, hands, legs and feet. The torso is so bad it's also in my bones, and feels as though bungee cords? are wrapped around them so tight and continuous squeezing around and around. And it doesn't stop for a second. Constant tinnitus. So many symtoms and no rest to speak of. I've been doing this for about 6 months now with a few slip ups and all I can think is that each time I have slipped up I've had to start over. Even though the slips were only a day or two.

 

 

Withdrawals are the hardest thing I have been thru in my life, up to now. I am 29 days free from klonopin, and never dreamed of how difficult it was going to be. I will say, I never took a dose to relieve any of the symptoms. I knew that it would only be like a bandaid on a gaping wound and that withdrawals could even come back with more of a vengeance by trying to get relief from a small dose. The best way is to push thru it. How long the symptoms will last, only God knows, but for me, reinstating was not the answer. Even if you went back on a benzo and tapered slowly, you will still go thru some sort of withdrawals again; no one is exempt from withdrawals. But, that is your choice to make and others have done this. Try to remember that these symptoms are signs that our bodies are healing (even though it doesn't feel like it) and going back to how they were pre-benzos. Did it feel hopeless at times....yes, it sure did, but I was determined that I wanted a better life without benzos in it! I can say, I am now having hours and even days of "windows" and am seeing that there is much hope. One of the biggest worries/fears during withdrawals is that "this will never go away." But, they will. I will suggest that you see a dr. if some of the symptoms are worrisome to you. I have been to many doctors pre-tapering, during my taper and even got a bloodtest last week to test my thyroid. It gives a peace of mind to rule the scary diseases out; just be careful about any new meds. the drs. might prescribe for relief (like pain killers, another type of benzo, etc.). If you can truly look at symptoms as signs of healing and know you don't hae a dreaded disease, it can lower the anxiety a great deal. So, just my two cents and wanted to welcome you to this forum and hope that you find help and support to get thru this "season" that you are in. Just said a prayer for you and praying for your miracle....

 

Lori :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Gosh, you are all so kind and so helpful. Makes me all warm and fuzzy, thank you all!!!! Forgive me if I haven't thanked certain names as the memory is so mushy due to all of these nasty meds that are melting away from my brain lately. But I am truly so thankful to you all!! :D

 

I'm even somewhat smiley right now from all of your helpful words. I recently took an omega 3 tablet and I think the tingling is calming down. Maybe I'll be able to sneak a nap in under these monsters turmoiling attacks.  :o

 

Again thank you all for the encouraging wisdom. I will be sure to check back often.

 

I am a bit worried about my trip to the nateuropath tomorrow although looking fwd to getting proper blood work done. My family is pushing me to take the supplements and don't seem to want to hear that they can cause worse probs. They think I am sabotaging myself before giving it a try. :'( Oy vay, whoa is me. Wish they understood and would listen and believe me for once when I say that I'm not able to handle so many toxins in my body. Wish me luck all. I can't handle all of the additives in our foods these days!!!!  :crazy: Later all, hope all are feeling better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi skooter,

 

It would be better to only introduce one supplement at a time so you are able to recognize whether it is helping or hurting. Good luck tomorrow!!

 

T2 :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Lara for the prayers. I pray for us all to get through these trying times.

 

Thank you T2 for the wishes of luck for tomorrow. I will try the sups one at a time.

 

I think we should all write a book together. So much good info to help us and so many need the help, seeing as most docs know nothing except how to push these drugs!

 

God Bless everyone

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi all,

 

I wanted to thank all of you that helped me since I started here. An update today to tell you I had a wonderful afternoon today and I am sure it has to do from all of your encouraging words of advice and positivity that made me have such a good aft. I'm so thankful for it and all of you!!

 

I haven't been able to experience emotions for a long time and today I had a sense of happiness. Even though my symptoms didn't go anywhere, but they did dissipate. I would say they went down by 20% which was so wonderful.

 

So again I say thank you from the bottom of my heart :smitten: and I hope everyone can or does feel much better. I almost started melds again but thanks to the advise given to me, even though I thought maybe it would be good to go back on and start a taper plan, I changed my mind (I'm sure it won't be the last) and thought why start all over and enhance all of the b.s. symptoms again and not be able to succeed. Anyways I'm rambling now and I'm so tired. Hoping I can sleep as I have the appt. tomorrow to get supplements. I really am looking fwd to getting all of my blood work done and is the main reason I'm going.

 

Take care all, hang in there. It does get better. (wow never thought I'd say that!!!!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Not a good day. No sleep lastnight again. I'm so tired, exhausted to say the least. Not sure how I'm going to do with the nateuropath. Terrified of taking sups, so sensitive to so many things now and not knowing what will set it off is so confusing. And when I do eat something that I shouldn't it takes hrs for the calm to come back after the storm.

 

Sigh.........how they can continue giving these poisons to people to destroy lives is beyond me. It's truly insane. :-[

 

I just hope I can get up enough strength to get through my apt and the day again. Not even enough to keep my chin up. Whining again, will this ever stop?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

scooter-just wanted to say that your thread has been very therapeutic for me .I  like yourself was on benzos for about 18 years. The thing about my situation was i never woke up in the morning and took the same dose. I would sliver like the doctor told me to do when the anxiety would come. Well about six years ago I started having withdrawl symotoms-pins and needles mostly-my body was telling me it needed more-last summer I thought it possibly could be the xanax-my doctor had no clue after running tests telling me i'm just fine. Well after a month of tapering real fast-I had no idea what my actual dose level should be-i ct. It took about a month and then i stepped into hell like i told you.i had no idea the power of these little pills. Even when i was going through hell I would have windows of normality. I would think that everything was done with and then hell would come roaring back .What I was experiencing were the "windows " of normality that they talk about. I still hadn't hit this sight yet so the shrink put me on k and things started to smooth out. I knew i wanted off so i finally found this sight. just knowing what i was going through with all the f---ing withdrawl symptoms helped like no doctor or medical test could ever do.you'll make it-one day at a time -it will get better-your friend- jim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Skooter,

 

Following your story.  IMO I wouldn't put a single med/supplement in my body during tapering.  I came off Xanax over 5 months ago and feel quite well today.  I did have to take amoxycillin for a sinus infection and it did rev up my symptoms.  Tylenol didn't have any affects on me.  I ate organic during my taper, too.  Just be careful with supplemnts, Skooter.

 

Patty  xo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey skooter,

Sorry to hear that you didn't sleep well last night and that it isn't a good day for you. If it makes you feel any better, my stomach was so bloated last night, I looked 4 months pregnant. When I laid on either side, it felt like somone was continuouly kicking me in my stomach and I couldn't catch a deep breath. Not much good sleep till about 2-6 this morning. SIGH!! Sometimes, knowing others are going thru withdrawals, helps. I was wondering how your appointment with the natural doctor went today? Did he/she come up with any diagnoses and wondering what supplements the doctor suggested. I went to a hollistic doctor during my year of tolerance to klonopin. He told me (before the blood test came back) that I had Candida Ablican overgrowth in my intestines. Well, long story short, my time with him was a nightmare and costs a ton of money (he didn't take ANY insurance, so all out-of-the- pocket). Just be careful, sorry to say, but money motivates a lot of people and is the root reason why doctors keep prescribing these poisons to people (IMO)!!

 

Lori :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Thank you  Lori, Stony and Jim, yes just knowing others are suffering helps some. But it's so upsetting that we have to go through this and is so wrong. I want to cry but as I said in my journal, tears are so hard to create as I haven't been able to experience emotions during all of this. And it feels good to cry sometimes. Or maybe I'm all cried out from all the yrs. I did cry. Shrug. I just don't know anymore. Feel so helpless.

 

All I can do is shake my head in disbelief with all the crap we are put through and they continue getting away with it all for the sake of their greed. You don't hear the pharmaceutical co.s' whining for money as they keep producing poisons for people to keep killing themselves just so they can keep raking in the cash. Money hungry toxin mongers!! :tickedoff:

 

Sorry, it's so hard to keep going through this day in day out. No sleep to be had for some relief. I don't know how my husband keeps coming home to me I feel so ashamed.

 

And I'm just so terrified of taking these stupid sups. I may say I took just to make family happy.

 

Take care all. Thank you for listening and helping me to get through. Really helps to know others are going thru the same. Later :-\

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Thank you  Lori, Stony and Jim, yes just knowing others are suffering helps some. But it's so upsetting that we have to go through this and is so wrong. I want to cry but as I said in my journal, tears are so hard to create as I haven't been able to experience emotions during all of this. And it feels good to cry sometimes. Or maybe I'm all cried out from all the yrs. I did cry. Shrug. I just don't know anymore. Feel so helpless.

 

All I can do is shake my head in disbelief with all the crap we are put through and they continue getting away with it all for the sake of their greed. You don't hear the pharmaceutical co.s' whining for money as they keep producing poisons for people to keep killing themselves just so they can keep raking in the cash. Money hungry toxin mongers!! :tickedoff:

 

Sorry, it's so hard to keep going through this day in day out. No sleep to be had for some relief. I don't know how my husband keeps coming home to me I feel so ashamed.

 

And I'm just so terrified of taking these stupid sups. I may say I took just to make family happy.

 

Take care all. Thank you for listening and helping me to get through. Really helps to know others are going thru the same. Later :-\

 

What supplements are you referring to, skooter?  Were they "prescribed" by a licensed naturopath?  Peoople seem to have very different experiences with supplements.  I was already on calcium/magnesium +vitamin D for osteoporosis and continued that with no problem. I even added potassium to help with muscle cramps.  I also took omega-3 and continued with that.  I stayed away from extra B vitamins due to the experience of other members. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I am feeling so down today and it's early yet. Just can't stand having to wake up again feeling so helpless and the same feelings of desperation of wanting to just have signs that I am going to make it through all of this mess I've gotten myself into again. It just won't stop :'(

 

Such an awful feeling to keep waking up to the same awful symptoms over and over and over. Feel like I'm on a spinning wheel of no return here. I'm sure many here feel the same way and my prayers go out to all of us.

 

I hope all are feeling better and I feel guilty for complaining so much. I must say I do feel a tad jealous of those who say they have had an easy time of it, although I wouldn't wish these terrible things on anyone and am happy for those who have had easier w/d sx. Ugh, you just start to wonder if you are going to make it I suppose. Anyone else feel these things at all? Would like to hear from those who feel somewhat the same to give me some hope again. Thanks for your time and reading my posts.

 

How are others feeling today?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


×
×
  • Create New...