Hello from Sunny South Africa

Today im 2 months free from benzos. I feel good for the last fee days. The dizzy spells much less. O ly struggle is pain in my shoulder but thats nothing compare with dizzy spells. I feel great!

Hello fellow South African so glad you're feeling good. For how long were you on benzo's?

I started wit Zopimed 15 years back. For the passed 3 years I misused Ativan, Zopimed and Alazopam. Popped all of them suring the Day as wel.......

.... and you're feeling good? That's amazing I'm happy for you. I'm suffering terribly and I'm sure it's because I abused my benzo's too. How long did you taper and have you found a benzowise doctor in SA?

What Benzos Did you take and how. I was admitted into a rehab for 24 days, when I got dis charge I was off all. They prescibed 2 dopaquel and trazodone for the evenings and fluanxol and menograine for anxiety but i dont use it very often. I still have some left of Last months. Only take my meds as prescibed in the eavening. So far so good........

I  was on Bromazepam,  up to 12 mg for 10 years. I stopped in March this year after tapering for a year. I'm currently on an antidepressant and a anti-psychotic for sleep. I plan to taper off those once I feel a bit better. Perhaps you're one of the lucky few that has come off unscathed. I'm so envious!

Make no mistake, I had severe withdrawel. Dizziness, muscle spasm, pain in my shoulder, pain in my neck, headache, dry mouth, frequent urinating, extreamly tired, burning sensation on my sin, dry eyes, weakness in my legs.... I still get some spasmas and shoulder pain, but what bothered me the most was the dizzy spells. Im also on a antidepressant sertra 100mg. O, and the last thing i los 9kg in 30 days......

I also lost a lot of weight during my taper, I became skeletal but my psychiatrist changed my meds and I gained weight. I'm not suffering from physical symptoms except fatigue and a clenched jaw, it's the mental symptoms that are killing me.Any bit of stress makes my symptoms a lot worse. What part of SA are you from? I'm in Springs, Gauteng.

From Pta Gauteng. Wish we can meet some day

That would be no nice  Nobody understands or relates to this, so it is a very lonely process. Do you have a good support system going?

Very good.  My husband is soooooo understanding.  If I tell him I want to lay down far a hour or so, when I had those dizzy spells, he understood.  He is also not forcing me to go to the shop, he will do so.  Last weekend we had a braai at my son's house and that was my firs time out of the house.  I was a bit anxious at first but it all went well as my mom (best mom on earth) was also there.  This weekend we are going for breakfast.

That's great that your hubby is helping you and that your'e getting out. My husband hasn't been very supportive and doesn't really understand the magnitude of my withdrawal symptoms. He has spent time in a rehab and recovered quickly so he loses patience with me because I'm still struggling. Do you work? I've been working throughout, it's been really hard and now I've been put on short-time which is causing a lot of stress at home, we're financially strained.

Yes, I am working,but luckily 4 ourselves.  We are in business as building contractors for 28 years and our office are from home.  I can just imagine how you must feel with your hubby that  is not very supportive.  That is also  add to your well-being.  I feel really sorry 4 U. I am a very emotional type of person and I would not have make it without support.  Feel free to discuss anything with me

Thank you so much Els123, I did send you a PM, let me know if you got it.

 

Thanks

 

Danni

I also send you a PM. Not sure if you received it. Not sure how it works

Yes I got it and I know it's discouragEd to disclose identity on this forum but I'm so desperately looking for a friend nearby that I can chat to on a regular basis. Well let's keep in touch on a regular basis as much as is allowed. I'll look out for your  posts if you contiue to post. The fact that you're nearby just makes me feel better .