2 Months out cold turkey - going crazy

Hi all,

 

I'm looking for some advice around benzos and the withdrawal process.

 

I took Diazepam / Valium (10 - 20mg a night) and Temazepam / Restoril (20mg a night) for 6 months.

 

I've now been off benzos for 2 months. I stopped cold turkey (I didn't know that these drugs were so serious and that I should wean off). However in the past few weeks I've been feeling horrible.

 

My symptoms are:

• Migraines

• Heart palpitations and panic

• Trouble breathing (it feels like someone is strangling my throat)

• Insomnia

• Dizziness and nausea. Everything seems blurry.

• Memory loss

• A general foggy feeling

• A general feeling of doom and sadness

• Loss of appetite

• Slurred speech (I try not to talk at all because it's such an effort)

 

I told my Psychiatrist about these sudden symptoms and she has downright refused to believe they are benzo withdrawal symptoms. However after reading many stories on this site, benzo withdrawal seems to be an accurate diagnosis.

 

What do you think, could it be benzo withdrawals? If so, is there anything I can do to help this? How long will it go for? Do i need to go back on them and then wean off... Or should I just keep going cold turkey?

 

My GP wants to refer me to a neurologist for brain scans, and to get bloods, etc done.

 

I feel horrible and dont know how much longer I can put up with this. My loved ones don't seem to understand and I actually feel I'm starting to go crazy 😣

 

Note: I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms within the first few weeks which seems strange

It absolutely could be related to benzo withdrawal, and I'm surprised that they refuse to believe that.  10-20mg of V a night is not a small dose; 20mg is the equivalent of 1mg of Xanax every night (on top of the Restoril).  You can become dependent on benzos in as

little as 2-3 weeks of constant use as prescribed.  You can do the "brains and bloods" if it will ease your health anxiety, but I'm pretty sure they won't show anything.  If it doesn't clear, I would try to find a psych who is competent with benzos, and then consider a V reinstatement followed by a slow taper. 

Thanks for your post gogogaba. I was extremely surprised by my psychiatrists reaction also. There is no other cause for these symptoms.

 

I will try to find a good Psychiatrist. Thank you.

Hello Metoo, I cold turkeyed off Klonopin in a detox facility. When I got out 21 days later and went to see the Psychiatrist who prescribed the benzos he did not believe me either. He said "but you have been doing so good for 4 years it's hard to believe they caused you problems". I told him to do some research and get back with me. He tried to give me lorezapam, gabapentin to help with the withdrawals and I told him no way. I did get a prescription for vistaril 25mg to help with the anxiety, but I was afraid to take it.

 

The first two months were the worst for me. Some of it was my own fear because I would sit around and wait for symptoms to pop up and I am sure I amplified some of them. I even went to another facility for 2 weeks to learn some CBT and techniques for anxiety. It was good to be around other people even though it was an addiction facility. I am alone in this recovery, so the company did me good because i was forced to function 12 hours a day whether I felt like it or not. I caught hell trying to leave though because they want that money.

 

Hang in there and try not to overload on additional medicines because they may not help.

By the way, just like in your case, the worst did not hit until day 10 or 11. Hang in there and do not be adding all kinds of medications.

we have almost the exact same history. diazepam for 6 months 10 mg and some temaz use.

 

I had all those symptoms, 100% of them which started roughly two weeks after I took last benzo. Most of what you describe sounds just like benzo WD.

 

My advice is to try to stabilise your life asap and find some support networks. It may be like that for a while so you need to be prepared.

 

Definitely look for any other causes, it may be something you can fix quickly and feel better.

 

 

 

Sounds like benzo withdrawal. Hang tough. You will feel better. Please don't re-instate. Maybe a low dose beta blocker for the icky heart rate (temporary).

What you described does sound like typical benzo withdrawal. No one knows why the vast majority of psychiatrists havent a CLUE about benzo withdrawal. This is a total mystery to me and many others. I am an RN of many years. I worked on an acute Psych unit and also on a Detox unit. NO ONE there knew either, how awful benzo WD can be for some people. I was forced to enter a detox unit, and those good people hadnt a CLUE what I might have been going through. No one asked me what my symptoms were. Not even the doctors! I was basically just left to suffer, and have my BP checked twice a day. It was a terrible experience. In 30 years of being a professional nurse, I never ONCE heard how awful benzo withdrawal can be for a few unlucky people.

 

Well. Now I DO know. And it was a very painful learning experience.

 

I agree with keagan. A bit of low dose beta blocker could help your BP and help you relax. The detox unit used Clonidine and I still think that works quite well.

 

Getting through WD will be one of the hardest things you have ever done. But it could turn out to be the BEST thing you ever did - for YOURSELF. Stick it out, please.

Are you okay???

Please hang in there. Things will turn around for you.