Stomach Healing Support

[[Buddie]]

Hello:

I have been trying to find a support group for people who are going through [...] issues; and I found a few on the forum, but they have been discontinued; so I have decided to restart a new group because I need community support and encouragement to help us deal with our healing and recovering.

We all know that benzo withdrawal dis-regulates the CNS so much and the suffering that we [...] through is just for many unbearable. I jumped exactly six months ago, and since then I have experienced many of the symptoms typical to withdrawal. Calling it 'withdrawal', I believe is an understatement. It feels more like brain damage to me. Most of my symptoms have lessened, but the one symptoms that is causing a lot of distress is a [...] problem that I developed when I was having horrible headaches three months ago. I guess I took too many NSAIDS and developed stomach discomfort.

About a month ago, I went to my [...] and did an H. pylori test. The blood test came positive because it shows that I had the infection years ago. Then I was treated with antibiotics and healed with no problem. To confirm the diagnoses, he had me do a breath test which came negative. So he wanted to prescribe a ppi for what he thinks is gastritis. Anyway, I haven't started with the ppi yet because I am so afraid to put anything in my mouth since my I have developed so many sensitivities. I started treating myself with some natural supplements, but I don't feel any better. I started taking some pepto bismol which helps with the acid reflux I feel, but it has made me so constipated. I will stop this. I took some magnesium last night and it worked.

Today I have an appointment with a [...] specialist because the other symptoms that I feel are extreme fullness, bloating, pain. I can hardly eat anything, and I am becoming very anxious about this. I am now thinking I may be having gastroparesis. I am scared and overwhelmed. I need to know about other members who have gone through this experience and how they healed or members who are going through this as well.

I [...] this group will bring us together to find solutions and help each other get through this very painful phase in our lives. 

[[Buddie]]

HI Soly,

I have had stomach issues for ages! Horrid heartburn, nausea, just a sick stomach.  I started a new PPI! Tecta about 2 months ago and it took a month but my heartburn is gone, as well as my sick stomach thing. I too was taking too much IBuprofen so I stopped that back then too.

I had tried other meds for the stomach Zantac, Nexium amd some OTC meds too but nothing worked till the Tecta.

I [...] you feel better soon, or in our world at least get back to baseline.

God bless,

[...]

[[Buddie]]

Thank you Bigbanfan for at least responding to my cry in trying to find some support through this difficult time. I am now learning the horrid effects that the syndrome of withdrawal from a benzo can do our systems and especially the [...] system. I am struggling to find the right approach to treat my issue. It is a scary time, but I don't want to feel hopeless; hence I started this thread.

I am only a bit over six months of my jump; and basically I still feel like I have so much to learn from what happens during withdrawal. Like most of us, when my issue started with insomnia five years ago I sought the help of a conventional doctor. She put me Ativan for the first time in my life and other drugs, and my system couldn't take. After c/t most of them, that is when all hell broke lose; kindled and reinstated Ativan to do a slow taper. In spite of the slow, long taper my [...] system has suffered quite a bit, but I aggravated it with the use of NSAIDS and paying the price now.

I will see a functional integrative doctor to get some help with an alternative approach; if that doesn't work, I may have to [...] on a PPI that won't setmeback like omeprazole has.  This is so hard because our [...] system is crucial for serotoning and absorption of nutrients and the lack of sleep makes it so much harder.

I like to post an article on this thread that has opened my eyes and has made me realize that I need to find alternatives and other approaches to be able to heal. I am thinking about acupunture, have you tried? [...] the new ppi works for you and get relief. Let us not lose [...]!

Hugs 
 

[[Buddie]]

Thanks Doly,
Nope we can't give up [...] and you are so right, almost every person in w/d had [...] symptoms and one point or another.

My new PPI called Tecta in Canada, works real well. It took several weeks before it did. Heartburn was my biggest issue, heartburn so bad it burned all the way up my throat.

Good luck Hun, I [...] the new PPI or whatever you try works for you. Please do pit imfo about this up here.

God bless,
[...] 

[[Buddie]]

Thanks for starting this thread. I am suffering from extreme nausea; it is awful and really making it impossible for me to taper further. I too have avoided PPIs as they don't seem to help. Waiting for a medical marijuana card hoping that might help. We'll see.

[...] you feel better soon.

[[Buddie]]

Thank you [...] for posting on this support group. I created this support group because the suffering that we [...] through during w/d is so traumatizing and for many unbearable. We all experience different symptoms at different times and levels, and [...] is one of them. Lucky the ones who don't have it. I am right now very concerned because I went to an integrative functional doc for more testing; and she ordered a [...] Map/stool analysis and now I have high levels of giardia and e.coli    Since I don't have diarrhea, she said most likely I had it for a long time. Well there are only two places that I could have gotten it. One is from Peru, where I am from; when I traveled there fours years I had the worse food poisoning, I thought I was going to die; but I recovered. I had been tested for parasites last years by my [...] and it was negative; so I felt kind of safe; didn't have any [...] issues then. The other source where I could have gotten it is from the swimming pool. I swim at least twice a week i a salt water pool.

At first I thought I had gastritis or a bad case of belly benzo. When I bumped the ppi 40mg I couldn't sleep for two nights. When I stopped my sleep returned. I was sleeping 4-5, and I thought I was on the road to recovery. My CNS is hypersensitive. I am following a protocol with some supplements and the benzo belly/pain has gotten somewhat better; but still cannot each much; my stomach feels clenched. My doc has suggested I have two tests in one, colonoscopy and an endoscopy; this way I can use one set of anesthesia for both. Once I am cleansed she wants to build the good bacteria up; then much later take an antibiotic for the giardia because she feels that I won't be able to do well on it right now. I agree. I am scared that would put me back in acute. Needless to say all of this and family problems are affecting me so much. My sleep is non linear. I slept only maybe 3 hrs last night; when Sunday I slept five. I tried some valerian tincture and it didn't work.

What state do you live? I assume you ca get the marijuana legally. I [...] it works for you. I am sorry for your suffering too, and I [...] you get to feel better soon. Do you think this is just withdrawal or some other underlying issue? Please let's keep posting so this group won't die. We need all the support we can get.

[[Buddie]]

I have had some tests ... endoscopy, gall bladder scan, hpylori, stool tests ... all come back negative.

I ended up vomiting all night last night, got two hours of sleep, had to come to work today. This happened last week too but I took off then.

I can get the marijuana legally once I have a card. I really need for it to come soon. I am totally overwhelmed with the constant nausea and now very frequent vomiting. I think it is all from tapering. What a nightmare!

[[Buddie]]

Hi[...]:

Wow, you have been through the grinder from all those tests? Did you have the endoscopy done while tapering? Did you have any reations to the anesthesia? I plan to get some testing  also, but my CNS is so hypersensitive I am dreading it. I understand during withdrawal the vagus nerve can get downregulated or sometimes damage than can cause us all the awful symptoms.  May I ask how do you get a marijuana card?

[[Buddie]]

The tests were fine--done during this taper. With the endoscopy, I know they said not to take the benzo the same day but I did and nothing bad happened.

In[...], you need to work with a dr. to get a medical marijuana card. I just had mine approved and should get it in a week. I really [...] it works because I am barely hanging in at the moment.  Depends on the state if you are in the US whether it is an option or not.

[[Buddie]]

Well, my benzo belly is still bad ...Waiting for a call from my doc to discuss some testing. I [...] I don't have gastroparesis becaue it sure feels like it and I am in pain.

I found this interesting article why [...] issues can be be aggravated by withdrawal:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=18807.msg288318#msg288318