Jump to content

Gerd and Benzo withdrawal


[...]

Recommended Posts

Hello, my wife is having a terrible time coming off Valium (Benzo).  Her doctor gave her no instructions on tappering, so not knowing she went cold turkey and had some pretty dramatic withdrawal symptoms, including acid reflux.  This Gerd will not go away. She went back on Valium and tappered off from July thru Sept, had a good Oct but then it all came back.  Just the Gerd.  She's got the constant burning and feeling of something in her throat.  The only time it seems to subside is when she takes her Ambian to sleep.  Sometimes we think it's all stress/anxiety related, for she's off the charts worrying about long term damage to her esophogus.

 

Her gastro doctor gave her the esoscopy and found nothing to worry about, a little acid was coming up but nothing else noticable or no damaged or signs of trouble.  He put her on Nexium, but it didn't work and when she came back to see him he recommended an SSRI, noting it was stress related.

 

All I can tell you is she's very uncomfortable and can barely function. She's in bed all day stressful and crying.  We are thinking about going to another GI but maybe she needs to see a phychopharmacist or phychiatrist.  She seems to need something to calm her down during the day.  She's been taking Lexipro for the last week, hoping it may help her depression and anxiety, but so far, nothing is working.

 

We read the Ashton manual on benzo withdrawal, and all it says is gastro problems may take a long time to go away.  All she can think about is that it won't go away and she'll eventually succumb to something horrible.

 

A distressful husband....Anybody out there with any hope to share?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, my wife is having a terrible time coming off Valium (Benzo).  Her doctor gave her no instructions on tappering, so not knowing she went cold turkey and had some pretty dramatic withdrawal symptoms, including acid reflux.  This Gerd will not go away. She went back on Valium and tappered off from July thru Sept, had a good Oct but then it all came back.  Just the Gerd.  She's got the constant burning and feeling of something in her throat.  The only time it seems to subside is when she takes her Ambian to sleep.  Sometimes we think it's all stress/anxiety related, for she's off the charts worrying about long term damage to her esophogus.

 

Her gastro doctor gave her the esoscopy and found nothing to worry about, a little acid was coming up but nothing else noticable or no damaged or signs of trouble.  He put her on Nexium, but it didn't work and when she came back to see him he recommended an SSRI, noting it was stress related.

 

All I can tell you is she's very uncomfortable and can barely function. She's in bed all day stressful and crying.  We are thinking about going to another GI but maybe she needs to see a phychopharmacist or phychiatrist.  She seems to need something to calm her down during the day.  She's been taking Lexipro for the last week, hoping it may help her depression and anxiety, but so far, nothing is working.

 

We read the Ashton manual on benzo withdrawal, and all it says is gastro problems may take a long time to go away.  All she can think about is that it won't go away and she'll eventually succumb to something horrible.

 

A distressful husband....Anybody out there with any hope to share?

 

Hi Bobo,

 

Welcome to BenzoBuddies!! Many here experience several different GI issues including acid reflux. I experience many GI issues while tapering and have not had the problems since being off benzos. Please know that Ambien is know as one of the Z drugs (sleeping pills). The Ashton Manual discusses Z drugs by saying this....These drugs are chemically different from benzodiazepines but have the same effects on the body and act by the same mechanisms. All these drugs are recommended for short-term use only (2-4 weeks maximum).

 

It is very possible that she may be experiencing w/d symptoms from the Ambien during the day if she has been taking it for a while??

 

T2 :smitten:

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks T2....The Ambien is something she just started after giving up on Nexium and having sleeping issues.  She's had this Gerd since November.....Bobo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks T2....The Ambien is something she just started after giving up on Nexium and having sleeping issues.  She's had this Gerd since November.....Bobo

 

It would be beneficial for you to do a forum search on the Lexapro. Just click "forum" at the top of the page, then type Lexapro in the search box. She is still healing from the Valium taper and that can take months. You may also want to do a search on your wife's other symptoms. I did not have the Gerd symptoms as bad as your wife and only used Tums when needed. Others that have suffered to the extent of your wife should be by to give you their experiences and their advice of what helped them. Hang in there!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bobo,

 

I'd like to throw in my 2 cents about Ambien, it is very similar to the benzo's as T2 told you.  I took it after my cold turkey from the benzo's and it is addictive just like the benzo's.  It's also possible to develop a tolerance to it which means the amounts the body needs increases.  If the Ambien is making her feel better when she takes it, that means she's developed the tolerance to it and her body is craving more of the drug.  Your wife needs to know that Ambien is contributing to her stomach probems, just as the benzo's can contribute to them as well.  

 

If her gastric issues are due to the withdrawal from the benzo's she needs to understand that she'll heal from this.  The problems she's experiencing will go away as the withdrawal symptoms subside.  

 

I took Lexapro during my withdrawal too, she needs to give it some time to work, a week isn't long enough for it to build up in her system.  

 

These symptoms can all be benzo related which means they will go away completely when she's healed, there's hope for a complete recovery.  It can take a long time for the body to completely heal, sometimes long after we've taken our last pill.

 

Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help.

 

Oh, I see you posted to T2 that the Ambien is fairly new, that's good, there's still time to get her away from it.  It's not a good drug for someone trying to be free from benzo's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi bobo,

 

Here is a thread I found regarding Nexium and anxiety. Maybe something in there will help...http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=11577.0

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, my wife is having a terrible time coming off Valium (Benzo).  Her doctor gave her no instructions on tappering, so not knowing she went cold turkey and had some pretty dramatic withdrawal symptoms, including acid reflux.  This Gerd will not go away. She went back on Valium and tappered off from July thru Sept, had a good Oct but then it all came back.  Just the Gerd.  She's got the constant burning and feeling of something in her throat.  The only time it seems to subside is when she takes her Ambian to sleep.  Sometimes we think it's all stress/anxiety related, for she's off the charts worrying about long term damage to her esophogus.

 

Her gastro doctor gave her the esoscopy and found nothing to worry about, a little acid was coming up but nothing else noticable or no damaged or signs of trouble.  He put her on Nexium, but it didn't work and when she came back to see him he recommended an SSRI, noting it was stress related.

 

All I can tell you is she's very uncomfortable and can barely function. She's in bed all day stressful and crying.  We are thinking about going to another GI but maybe she needs to see a phychopharmacist or phychiatrist.  She seems to need something to calm her down during the day.  She's been taking Lexipro for the last week, hoping it may help her depression and anxiety, but so far, nothing is working.

 

We read the Ashton manual on benzo withdrawal, and all it says is gastro problems may take a long time to go away.  All she can think about is that it won't go away and she'll eventually succumb to something horrible.

 

A distressful husband....Anybody out there with any hope to share?

 

Hi, bobo, glad to meet you but sorry you need to be here.  ;)

 

I developed GERD long before I tapered off my benzo and have had very good results on Prevacid. Nexium didn't do anything for me.  It does sound like your wife ialso needs to learn how to lessen her anxiety without a drug.  Would she consider some talk therapy?  I was in an awful state when I started to taper last year and saw a couselor every week for many months; the talking and getting rid of the benzos (and ambien), really helped.  I also read "Hope and Help for Your Nerves" by Claire Weekes and listened to some of her lectures that are on iTunes. It helped me understand how something small could turn into a full-blown anxiety frenzy just because of how I thought about it.  And, btw, alternating tylenol pm and melatonin helped me get off the ambien.  I seldom take either of them nowadays so even sleep will improve, but it does take time.

 

Bless your heart for helping your wife. Good luck to you both.  :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, my wife is having a terrible time coming off Valium (Benzo).  Her doctor gave her no instructions on tappering, so not knowing she went cold turkey and had some pretty dramatic withdrawal symptoms, including acid reflux.  This Gerd will not go away. She went back on Valium and tappered off from July thru Sept, had a good Oct but then it all came back.  Just the Gerd.   She's got the constant burning and feeling of something in her throat.  The only time it seems to subside is when she takes her Ambian to sleep.  Sometimes we think it's all stress/anxiety related, for she's off the charts worrying about long term damage to her esophogus.

 

Her gastro doctor gave her the esoscopy and found nothing to worry about, a little acid was coming up but nothing else noticable or no damaged or signs of trouble.  He put her on Nexium, but it didn't work and when she came back to see him he recommended an SSRI, noting it was stress related.

 

All I can tell you is she's very uncomfortable and can barely function. She's in bed all day stressful and crying.  We are thinking about going to another GI but maybe she needs to see a phychopharmacist or phychiatrist.  She seems to need something to calm her down during the day.  She's been taking Lexipro for the last week, hoping it may help her depression and anxiety, but so far, nothing is working.

 

We read the Ashton manual on benzo withdrawal, and all it says is gastro problems may take a long time to go away.  All she can think about is that it won't go away and she'll eventually succumb to something horrible.

 

A distressful husband....Anybody out there with any hope to share?

 

Hey bobo,

Welcome to BenzoBuddies! It's wonderful that you are seeking answers to help your wife. I can identify with your wife's worrying/stressing about having something major wrong with her. Even after I have had medical tests done, my mind can still imagine that there is something bad wrong because I still have a symptoms(s). Maybe this will help to ease her mind. To know if it's totally benzo related, present it this way to your wife. You said she did a cold turkey and had the bad GERD symptoms appear. Then, she went back on the valium and tapered from July-September. During this time period, did she have any GERD symptoms?? You said it all came back in October, so it shows that this IS a benzo withdrawal for her (plus having the GI dr. do the test to show nothing major was wrong). Stress can rev up withdrawal symptoms, so if this is an area that is going to take longer to go away for your wife, worrying about it will only make it worse. I know what it's like for the mind to get "stuck" on one issue and play over and over again like a broken record. What did we use to do when a record got stuck.....we would nudge it to make it get going again. Something has to nudge your wife, so to speak, to get her to stop the thoughts that are focusing on the GERD and having something really bad wrong with her. It could be by seeing another GI dr., having another medical test done, or going to some talk therapy. Maybe, just pointing out to her what I said above could do it. I know, being a hypocondriac myself, that when I was going thru bad withdrawals a few days after my last pill, my husband would say to me, "It's all withdrawals because if you went and took one of your pills, the symptoms would get better." That's all I needed to hear to know that I wasn't dying and that I didn't need to go to a medical dr. and get a series of tests done to prove it. My heart goes out to you and your wife, because I know how scary and difficult things like this can be. Just know, somehow, this too shall pass and you will make it through.

 

I was curious how much valium your wife was on and how long she was on it?? Please keep us posted.....

 

Lori :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everything you say makes total sense.  When I convince her she's going to be alright, for a long as she believes in me, she feels the sympton subside.  She was on them when the symptoms disappeared, taking up to 5mg a day....she's very small and petite as well.

 

thanks for your support, this has been very imformative.

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bob,

I'm sorry you and your wife are going through this. You are wonderful for standing by her and giving your support. These symptoms DO go away. It does take time. But they do go away. I know it's hard but she needs to believe that. Don't let her talk herself into thinking she has some horrible problem. Her body is healing. It's too bad she wasn't able to taper longer, but this will get better. I'm praying for you both. Be strong. Kel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi bobo,

 

everything that you described sounds like withdrawls, it takes time to heal and the ambien can cause lots of withdrawls and side effects as well, take care.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi BOBO- Your story sounds just like mine-Six years ago when I started to go into tolerance withdrawl I had the same thing as you. Figured my esophagus was ate up by the acid and I had cancer for sure-Well the scope went in and the doctor said he couldn't see really anything wrong -except the wear and tear of 50 years of living. Fast-forward to this year and in my second month of tapering from K-guess whats back again-oh yah-same old stomach problems again-at this  point in time I'm just trying to roll with the flow-great thing about benzos-if it ain't one thing its another-right now my stomach- chest pain will come and when I take my next dose it will usually go away or feel better-I didn't know benzos were proton pump inhibitors too -besides all the the other things they are-somebody told me apple cider vinegar-1 teaspoon a day helps with gerd-maybe it helps benzo withdrawl too-wonder woman talked about it on her salad-might be worth looking into- I personally have been taking baking soda-they dig it out of the ground so its got to be a natural thing-try not to worry-easier said then done-remember you're not the only one with this problem-I'm right there with you and like they say "misery loves company" Seriously-try not to worry-we are all going to get better-JIM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

  Hey Bobo

 

  I too am having problems with gerd..I am 17 days benzo free and its just not letting up on me.. I do take acid soothe and ceasefire ..they are natural products and they do help but its just not letting up at this time.. I do have tums and I take one when things get pretty rough for me . It got so bad while going through wd that my chest hurt all the way up my neck and that lasted a whole week .good thing it ended when it did cause I was beginning to wonder if I had something too...its awful your wife is going through all this but like they say it will get better ..Kudos to you for being there for her and helping her out.. I have battled my way through by myself for the most part ... other than the wonderful buddies on here that is.. no real help from hubby ..I think he was scared of me at times..  :laugh:  and I can relate to that now... :) my kids were scared of me too... the devil sure came out of me at times I can say.. :laugh:

  benedryl helps calm me down at this point and I use it only as a back up for the bad days ...there will be many more of those ..maybe she could try that it can't hurt her .. if she can take it that is ..it hypes some people up but it knocks me out and gives me some relief for a while ..down side to that is it can cause short term depression or at least I have noticed it does for me..everyone is different..

 

  I wish I had more comforting words or advice to give you ..

 

                                                        :smitten:  WS

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Hello BB's.....Well it's been over 2 years since I was last posting on this board, and we're back to the drawing board.  My wife ended up with the globius throat thing last summer and with her high anxiety and OCD off the charts, she ended up going back on Valium....  She hit here tolerance and did a slow taper and finally got off them about 7-9 months ago.  Since then she has had good windows and bad windows, where she feels pretty good, not perfect, but she's been battling what she describes as burning in the throat, acid in the throat, feeling of acid in her nose, soreness in her throat, tightness, lump....you name it.  She was in a good window 2 weeks ago and decided to have real ice coffee, not the bottled starbucks frappicino.  That seemed to start this tear again...this acid burning feeling. she had no acid feeling last summer, like she does now.  She's major OCD and I think it's worse than ever....Can this be real?  She's definitely afraid of going back to the throat guy who told her she had mild acid reflux 3 years ago....She's afraid of the cancer thing of course and this is eating her up and making the family slowly fall apart....(we have 4 kids, 9-16).....She wants to get help with a psychologist who specializes in OCD and thinks getting amino acid test done may give her something positive to believe in....but she won't make this step until she starts to feel better and the acid feeling or whatever it is goes away...I've been searching your site but don't see much in larynx reflux or the like....I'm slowing falling apart myself and am having major days of depression for the weight of all this is making me slowly fall apart. 

 

Bobo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry you and your family are having such a rough time, bobo.  I had to see a GI specialist to find out if I had acid reflux disease (I do) and get it treated (I did).  Certainly seeing a therapist who specializes in OCD would be helpful but if she really does have acid reflux, that's a physical thing.  I hope you can convince her to do both.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...