Jump to content

'Ken Likes' (Ex-Facebook) Success Story - Yes that’s me, Got to beat this... ✊🏻


[Go...]

Recommended Posts

Some of the members here in the BenzoBuddies forum, have already read my Success Story, elsewhere.

 

I've posted it before in other Facebook-based Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal Support groups... I’ve also posted it on the World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day website too.

 

Its posting here in BenzoBuddies is looooooong overdue... until now.

 

Healing happens... and 💯 fo' sho'... 👍🏻

 

Do all the right things to get there, and it cannot not happen... ✊🏻😎👌🏻

 

################################

 

Ok... so here's the short version of my "Success Story"... bearing in mind I did not become "Benzo-Wise", until the tail-end of May 2010.

 

That's when I thought..........

 

"Could it be this Valium?"

 

.......... that's when I went online, and eventually - through Google - I found the Ashton Manual, then I found - my now dear friend - Baylissa Frederick.

 

I also eventually found the "Bristol & District Tranquilliser Project" too, a charity run organisation, here in the U.K. who know exactly what this stuff is all about.

 

"Battle Against Tranquillisers - BAT" is another one.

 

Between them and Baylissa, they literally... saved my life.

 

I also found, and would desperately post on "BenzoBuddies", as well (an internet-based "Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome" support forum) however, I was far too 'paranoid' to post all of the time... but every single evening I private messaged (behind the scenes) with a Moderator on there, who had since healed... and she answered every single terrifying message I sent... and with encouragement to just keep going, and that my healing would eventually come.

 

That to me, was just invaluable back then.

 

I needed to 'hear' it over and over, and every five minutes... it was THAT bad.

 

I also found another Facebook-based "Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome" group too, within this sad, sorry, mess... and one that was ran by someone, who also 'held my hand' during my darkest hours - for years - and also whilst they were (and still are) so ill with "Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Syndrome" themselves, as well.

 

Bless them all.

 

Here's some history...

 

In September of 2001, I attended a G.P. appointment for some minor physical ailment, and one that I can't even remember what it was now, it became that insignificant.

 

During that twenty minute experience, she noticed that I was looking and sounding a bit "down in the dumps"... and she asked me why that was... so I just happened to mention the fact that some things were getting me down... life 'stuff', and pretty much all created around me by 'people', one of which whom was very 'close' in particular.

 

It was then she (the G.P.) convinced me that I was "depressed" and, because my Father had a 'history' of such, she convinced me it was "genetic", and prescribed me an SNRI antidepressant, shortly followed by Benzodiazepines... for my 'troubles'.

 

In hindsight, any well-informed Doctor would have just empathised and told me to go and sort out my 'people problems'... and then inevitably, after doing that, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind, that I would have just naturally felt better again after a few weeks or so, more... as one very most usually does.

 

But, oh no... not her... and this trusting innocent (namely me) stepped onto the 'Hamster's Wheel', of what was going to be the most unbelievably horrifically painful ride, that I would EVER experience in my entire life, and one I know now will NEVER ever be repeated again... and that's because it wasn't me... it was actually never me... for it was always..........

 

T

H

E

I

R

 

D

R

U

G

S

 

.......... shame on them.

 

My N.H.S. induced poly-drugging then came along very shortly thereafter... featuring the likes of SSRI's, SNRI's, SARI's, Tricyclics, Z-drugs... but always 'starring' the Benzodiazepines.

 

The toxicity withdrawal, tolerance withdrawal, and full-withdrawal happened in three time-stamps, but all mixed together, and every time.

 

It also got worse every time... and so did my ensuing - iatrogenically imposed upon me - "poly-drugging", as well.

 

I was also "kindled" greatly..........

 

2001/2002

 

2005/2006

 

2009/2010/2011/2012/2013

 

.......... I eventually healed for the third and last time at the tail-end of July, going into August, 2013.

 

After my forced cold-turkey, in hospital as a result of my attempted suicide in May 2010, my 'light bulb moment' came on about two weeks thereafter... after they had sent me home with my prescribed 'stuff', because I was "Ok"... 🙄

 

Previous to that time - and during - I was 'sleeping' between zero to four hours... pacing for twelve to sixteen hours... and then managing to maybe lay down for four to eight hours in the evening, if I was 'lucky'.

 

I could never actually sit the entire time... and if I tried to, I couldn't help but to have to stand up again and pace around.

 

So... my daily routine, pretty much always went...

 

'sleep' for four hours

 

pace for twelve hours

 

and

 

lay down highly uncomfortably for eight hours

 

... it was only then I could go online etc etc, and pretty much 'live' within the 'Benzo Community' that I had eventually found, after my further life-shattering cold-turkey experience of May 2010.

 

Then, after a maximum of four hours 'sleep' (sometimes less or zero 'sleep') at about 4am, I would awake with what seemed like a 'nuclear missile' going off inside me, and continuing to 'blast' for the next twelve hours, at least... and thus the whole pacing torturous regime started... all... over... again.

 

And every day and night... continuously, and for over one thousand days straight.

 

Forty four months straight, to be exact.

 

In the July of 2010, nine weeks after the cold-turkey, I was incorrectly advised to 'reinstate'*... and to taper off of what was my initial dose... and that way, I'd be able to "return to work, and be a lot more comfortable" during, as well

 

I never managed to "return to work"... I never got "a lot more comfortable", either... I actually got... even more worse, than worse.

 

Who could imagine, huh?

 

(My advisor of reinstatement will remain nameless - please don't ask me who it was.)

 

So... it’s not a good idea to reinstate more than four weeks out... huge chances are, it simply just... won't work.

 

I still tapered though during, hoping it may ease up as I did... however... it didn't.

 

So my ensuing taper then just added an entire year to my iatrogenically imposed 'sentence' of unbelievable physical and mental torture... and one of unmeasurable, and indescribable proportions... and that is what mostly comes of reinstating more than four weeks out of a (mostly) Doctor induced cold-turkey withdrawal.

 

There should be NO cold-turkey withdrawals ever imposed upon unsuspecting and uninformed patients, in the first place, anyway.

 

However... there is.

 

There also should be, no uniformed Doctors around, either... yet... there still is, as well... and it's just... everywhere.

 

I became "Benzo-Free" in June of 2011.

 

I eventually healed in the August of 2013... and much to my amazement, I might add... for 'the drug', always 'tells us' otherwise.

 

My journey was actually a linear (rare) type healing in the end... prior to that though, it had plateaued a complete intense horror, and for forty four months straight... and that was actually the third time, remember... bear in mind the previous two times I had also struggled with it all before, and those previous two times were also unbelievably horrific, as well.

 

But the third time was the absolute worst... and even more intense version of horrific... an horrific that any 'unaffected by this person', will never ever even remotely fathom, to imagine.

 

There won't be a fourth time.

 

I had NEVER had any issues like that before 2001, not even remotely close... and I have also NEVER had any like that after 2013 either, since.

 

I have a professional career... I'm now forty nine years old... you do the maths.

 

Here's pretty much what I had to endure the entire time...

 

Fear beyond belief

Paranoia

Insomnia

Gastrointestinal issues

Memory issues

Intrusive thoughts

Tinnitus

Muscle tics and spasms

Intrusive memories

Deep depression

Mental anguish

Negative thoughts

Intense anxiety

Muscle tension

Doom and gloom

Suicidal ideation

Dizziness

Physical pain

Myoclonic jerks

Vivid dreams

Toxic naps

 

and the worst horror of all

 

Akathisia - the uncontrollable feeling of needing to constantly physically move... the need to pace for miles and miles, for hours and hours all day, every day... and also the internal and mental feeling of it too, except one can't physically move one's insides, so one tries to rip one's skin off, and/or pull one's hair out, instead

 

... and all consistently, throughout.

 

Forty four months straight.

 

In 2012 I had two 'windows'... one for forty five minutes... the other for twenty minutes... and that was it.

 

Forty four months straight.

 

At twenty six months off the offending drug though... I did actually heal... over a period of roughly three weeks, it all... just... left.

 

And normal service was resumed.

 

Heaven on Earth.

 

"The Prize" had finally come.

 

I went back to work in January of 2015... the socioeconomic nightmare (amongst many other totally preventable life-based things, that had also happened, as a result of it all) had finally... ended.

 

On the third occasion, I was on "sick-leave" from my work-place, for just over... a monumental... five years.

 

So you see, if I can heal from that level of complete and utter UNNATURAL iatrogenically induced insanity... then... so can you.

 

Anybody can.... just keep doing the right things to get there... and... you will.

 

Everybody will.

 

So keep going... hold on... and stay strong... ✊🏻

 

Stay alive.

 

Your "Prize" awaits you too.

 

It's coming.

 

Trust me.

 

My BenzoBuddies support forum username was...

 

"Got to beat this"

 

... and... I did... 😊

 

*caps used for emphasis purposes only*

 

edit: personal information removed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting this! I was looking for it again on Facebook recently. I'm 21 months in a couple days and just back in the worst wave I've had in months. I had windows feeling close to 100% so its discouraging.

 

Trying to hold on a bit longer, 2 years isn't far off though it feels that way.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting this! I was looking for it again on Facebook recently. I'm 21 months in a couple days and just back in the worst wave I've had in months. I had windows feeling close to 100% so its discouraging.

 

Trying to hold on a bit longer, 2 years isn't far off though it feels that way.

 

Just keep going, your healing is on its way... keep reading the Success Stories, as you are... but try not to compare healing timelines though (although I know you can’t help it, I remember it all too well) as everyone’s journey to 100% full-healing is different.

 

You’re well on your way now though... stay strong... ✊🏻

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting this! I was looking for it again on Facebook recently. I'm 21 months in a couple days and just back in the worst wave I've had in months. I had windows feeling close to 100% so its discouraging.

 

Trying to hold on a bit longer, 2 years isn't far off though it feels that way.

 

Just keep going, your healing is on its way... keep reading the Success Stories, as you are... but try not to compare healing timelines though (although I know you can’t help it, I remember it all too well) as everyone’s journey to 100% full-healing is different.

 

You’re well on your way now though... stay strong... ✊🏻

 

Thanks, appreciate it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for posting this! I was looking for it again on Facebook recently. I'm 21 months in a couple days and just back in the worst wave I've had in months. I had windows feeling close to 100% so its discouraging.

 

Trying to hold on a bit longer, 2 years isn't far off though it feels that way.

 

Just keep going, your healing is on its way... keep reading the Success Stories, as you are... but try not to compare healing timelines though (although I know you can’t help it, I remember it all too well) as everyone’s journey to 100% full-healing is different.

 

You’re well on your way now though... stay strong... ✊🏻

 

Thanks, appreciate it!

 

No probs’... 😉

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am so so happy for you, you are a true testament that healing can happen, I am scared that I am broken beyond repair but you gave me a bit of courage to keep going, I am hoping all the doubts I have about my own healing are just benzo lies, the obsessive thoughts and fear and doubting your own recovery are tormenting me today
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am so so happy for you, you are a true testament that healing can happen, I am scared that I am broken beyond repair but you gave me a bit of courage to keep going, I am hoping all the doubts I have about my own healing are just benzo lies, the obsessive thoughts and fear and doubting your own recovery are tormenting me today

 

So sorry to ‘hear’ that you’re having it so rough... distract, distract, distract from those thoughts, for they are not yours, and belong to the drug... never believe them.

 

They’re incredibly real though aren’t they, I remember them all too well... completely relentless... however, while they are real, they’re also not real... they’re the drug, and a big fat lie.

 

Promise you they are... 👍🏻

 

Keep going, stay strong... ✊🏻

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When did your tinnitus stop?  Did it fade or stop abruptly?  I'm 27 months out, and the tinnitus is still raging.  I'm so afraid it will never go away.  :'(
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on your healing!!!  So happy for you. I too had severe Akathasia, pacing 18+ hrs EVERYDAY, I slept about 1 hour a day for weeks...looking back don't know how I survived. Had my cortisol checked during this time which was supposed to be between 10-20 units, mine was 426! Felt like extreme adrenaline running through me starting at 3 am every day

I'm now a little over 16 mos. off my taper that took me 11 months. I'm not quite ready for a success story but can see the light again! Finally have some clarity in my mind again, I know where you were my friend!

Prayers to you!

 

B strong

To IWSTH, I still have tinnitus all day every day but with other symptoms dropping or diminishing it is easier to deal with and am even hopeful it may totally vanish one day.

How bout you Got to beat this?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[39...]

Ken: Fantastic achievement - thanks so much for the hope!!!  :thumbsup: I, too, have been poly-drugged in the past, and have been battling akathisia and extremely severe anxiety, so your story has really helped. Wishing you a wonderful future!

 

B strong: Your post has also strengthened me. Congrats on how very far you've come! Looking forward to your success story in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken, did you have nerve pain? I used to get it really bad first 6 months, then it slowly went away. But now at 21 months its come back with a vengeance, every morning I wake at 4am and then endure 2-3 hours or pain, arms / hands / legs.. It's got so bad again. Before the last month or so Id get a couple bad days a week, now its every day.. Struggling :/
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Got To Beat This!!!

 

Welcome back and thanks for writing this wonderful post of hope for our members. We both jumped off June 2011 and we've both healed!

 

 

 

I had NEVER had any issues like that before 2001, not even remotely close... and I have also NEVER had any like that after 2013 either, since.

 

 

 

This quote is true for myself as well.  It should also be one for others still in the process to read and believe. 

 

Enjoy your life, you had a difficult struggle but now it's time to savor each and every day of wellness.

 

pianogirl  :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Got to beat this!

 

Thank you for the update, its a great story Got, thank you for telling us of your recovery...it will bring much needed hope to our members.  You had a really tough time of it, its wonderful to read how well you are doing my friend.  I hope life continues to get better and better, you worked so hard for it!

 

I am so very happy for you, and wish the very best for the future.

 

Magrita  :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations for you to make it to the other side! Loved your success story, and thank you for coming back and give us some hope who are still suffering.

Can I ask you did you had a head pain? Like burning squeezing head, nerve pain all over under scalp?

That's my worst symptoms and so scared it will never go away.

Thank you again for your wonderful story.

Love and healing

Vica

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
  • 2 years later...

When did your tinnitus stop?  Did it fade or stop abruptly?  I'm 27 months out, and the tinnitus is still raging.  I'm so afraid it will never go away.  :'(

 

^^^^^ ... Hi.. sorry for the late reply, but better late than never., huh... ;)

 

My tinnitus faded away in those same three weeks when I got better.

 

I hope by now yours has stopped too...  :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on your healing!!!  So happy for you. I too had severe Akathasia, pacing 18+ hrs EVERYDAY, I slept about 1 hour a day for weeks...looking back don't know how I survived. Had my cortisol checked during this time which was supposed to be between 10-20 units, mine was 426! Felt like extreme adrenaline running through me starting at 3 am every day

I'm now a little over 16 mos. off my taper that took me 11 months. I'm not quite ready for a success story but can see the light again! Finally have some clarity in my mind again, I know where you were my friend!

Prayers to you!

 

^^^^^ ... Hi... well here I am finally getting back to you... ;)

 

Hopefully by now you’re feeling much better...  :thumbsup:

 

Thank you for your kind words... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken: Fantastic achievement - thanks so much for the hope!!!  :thumbsup: I, too, have been poly-drugged in the past, and have been battling akathisia and extremely severe anxiety, so your story has really helped. Wishing you a wonderful future!

 

^^^^^ ... Hi, sorry for taking so long to get back to you... ;)

 

Thanks for your kind words, hopefully you’re feeling much bette now too...  :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ken, did you have nerve pain? I used to get it really bad first 6 months, then it slowly went away. But now at 21 months its come back with a vengeance, every morning I wake at 4am and then endure 2-3 hours or pain, arms / hands / legs.. It's got so bad again. Before the last month or so Id get a couple bad days a week, now its every day.. Struggling :/

 

^^^^^ ... Hi, sorry it’s been so long in getting back to you.

 

I did have intermittent random pain, yes... it’s never come back since... :)

 

Hope you’re doing better now...  :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Got To Beat This!!!

 

Welcome back and thanks for writing this wonderful post of hope for our members. We both jumped off June 2011 and we've both healed!

 

 

 

I had NEVER had any issues like that before 2001, not even remotely close... and I have also NEVER had any like that after 2013 either, since.

 

 

 

This quote is true for myself as well.  It should also be one for others still in the process to read and believe. 

 

Enjoy your life, you had a difficult struggle but now it's time to savor each and every day of wellness.

 

pianogirl  :smitten:

 

^^^^^ ... Hi... sorry for the late reply, I’m just going through my unanswered posts here on my ‘Success Story’... ;)

 

Thank you for your kind words here in response, and I’m most definitely (even still) savouring each and every day of wellness... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Got to beat this!

 

Thank you for the update, its a great story Got, thank you for telling us of your recovery...it will bring much needed hope to our members.  You had a really tough time of it, its wonderful to read how well you are doing my friend.  I hope life continues to get better and better, you worked so hard for it!

 

I am so very happy for you, and wish the very best for the future.

 

Magrita  :smitten:

 

^^^^^ ... Well, sorry it’s taken almost three years to reply... ;)

 

I’ll never forget the amount of your precious time you spent with me ‘behind the scenes’ here in the forum’s PM system... :)

 

You were a wonderful ‘Team Member’ then, and you’re still a wondeful ‘Team Member’ now...  :thumbsup:

 

I am (and always will be) forever grateful for your big part in keeping me alive and literally saving my life (along with a few others) back then.

 

You absolutely did... thank you x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations for you to make it to the other side! Loved your success story, and thank you for coming back and give us some hope who are still suffering.

Can I ask you did you had a head pain? Like burning squeezing head, nerve pain all over under scalp?

That's my worst symptoms and so scared it will never go away.

Thank you again for your wonderful story.

Love and healing

Vica

 

^^^^^ ... Hi, sorry it’s been a while...  ;)

 

Yes, I remember having horrendous head pressure all the time... it was akin to having my head in a vice, or like a tight metal band being squeezed around my forehead area.

 

Not too much burning for me though.

 

The good news is it all goes away, hopefully that’s already happened for you...  :thumbsup:

 

Thank you for your kind words...  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...