How long should I expect hightened pre-existing symtoms?

I stopped the 2mg a day xanax and 10mg a day ambien back in late October. Here I am, nine months later, with daily ups and downs. The worst of it is the agorophobia. I feel like I can never get out to do anything. I went to see a movie this evening and my hands went cold and numb, fingers got tingley, stomach hurts really bad, I was panting and felt really scared. When I drive I feel really uncomfortable. Major headaches, tingley fingers, stomach pains and being very scared.

I dont understand why after so long I still feel this way. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

-Tony :'(

Hi, Tony.  Can you clarify?  Your profile says you quit in Oct 09.  Did you mean 08?

I'm in the process of quitting Ambien and can attest it's not easy.

Yes it was Oct of 08. I read that ambien has the same affects as benzos. Do they have the same withdrawal effects as well? What are you experiencing?

Sorry for the mistake. Ill get it corrected.

I stopped the 2mg a day xanax and 10mg a day ambien back in late October. Here I am, nine months later, with daily ups and downs. The worst of it is the agorophobia. I feel like I can never get out to do anything. I went to see a movie this evening and my hands went cold and numb, fingers got tingley, stomach hurts really bad, I was panting and felt really scared. When I drive I feel really uncomfortable. Major headaches, tingley fingers, stomach pains and being very scared.

 

I dont understand why after so long I still feel this way. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

 

-Tony :'(

Hello, again, Tony.

I'm sorry to hear you still aren't feeling a lot better than you were the last time you posted.  Your symptoms sounds so much like anxiety it makes me wonder what stratagies you use to cope with anxiety.  We all have to learn new ways of coping without benzos.  I was pretty much numbed out for nearly 20 years so you can imagine how much re-learning I had to do.  I use controlled breathing a lot, along with Tai Chi, meditation, walking and listening to Claire Weekes audio lectures to keep anxious feelings from turning into outright panic. You can find a lot of tips for lowering your anxiety on the Anxiety and Panic board.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=58.0

BTW, going to the movies (being in crowds) took me several months to do.  I actually ended up going by myself, or trying to, until I could sit in the seat and enjoy the movie before going with friends.  Took the pressure off.    The trick for me was setting up a plan of little steps I could take to overcome my fears.  I had pretty bad agoraphoia for several months and only went out to get the mail after dark.  So, picking up the mail in the daytime became one of my first goals.  Once I did that, I set another goal and "baby stepped" my way back into the world. 

No one knows why some people experience symptoms for months or even years and others are fine in a few weeks.  Luck of the benzo draw or maybe pre-existing conditions and environment, I guess.  Here's what Prof Ashton had to say about protracted withdrawal:

Coping with protracted symptoms. A number of people are expressing fears that some benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms last for ever, and that they can never completely recover. Particular concerns have been raised about impairment of cognitive functions (such as memory and reasoning) and other lingering problems such as muscle pains and gastrointestinal disturbances.

People with such worries can be reassured. All the evidence shows that a steady decline in symptoms almost invariably continues after withdrawal, though it can take a long time - even several years in some cases. Most people experience a definite improvement over time so that symptoms gradually decrease to levels nowhere near as intense as in the early days of withdrawal, and eventually almost entirely disappear. All the studies show steady, if slow, improvement in cognitive ability and physical symptoms. Although most studies have not extended beyond a year after withdrawal, the results suggest that improvement continues beyond this time. There is absolutely no evidence that benzodiazepines cause permanent damage to the brain, nervous system or body.

People bothered by long-term symptoms can do a lot to help themselves. For example:

Exercise your body. Physical exercise improves the circulation and function of both brain and body. Find an exercise that you enjoy: start at low level, work up gradually and keep it up regularly. Exercise also helps depression, decreases fatigue and increases general fitness.

Exercise your brain. Use your brain to devise methods to improve its efficiency: make lists, do crossword puzzles, find out what bothers you most - there is always a way round it. Cognitive retraining helps people to find ways around their temporary impairment.

Increase your interests. Finding an outside interest which you have to work at employs the brain, increases motivation, diverts attention away from your own symptoms and may even help others.

Calm your emotions. Above all, stop worrying. Worry, fear and anxiety increase all withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are actually due to anxiety and not signs of brain or nervous system damage. People who fear withdrawal have more intense symptoms than those who just take it as it comes and think positively and confidently about recovery.