What should I do?

I took a very low dose of Ativan daily  (0.5 mg and then 0.25 mg)  for a total of two months.  I stopped cold turkey eight days ago.  I only realized very recently that I  have been experiencing with drawl symptoms for the past month.  It never even occurred to me that I could have built up a tolerance.

 

It’s been eight days that I’ve been benzo free.  The first week I experienced some weird symptoms but certainly tolerable.  Today I noticed a spike in anxiety and bloating in my belly.  I have just started taking GABA  supplements and they do seem to help.

 

What should I do and what can I expect?  I just want to feel better!  Should I continue to stay the course?  I know that most people here recommend a slow taper which I didn’t do but I had no idea that I had even build up a tolerance!  Any guesstimate about when I’ll be symptom-free? I’m worried that the with drawl symptoms might get worse  ... Thank you in advance

 

Hi again,

 

Your symptoms actually sound mild compared to some.  One has to be patient through this, you will feel better in time, but the healing process can't be rushed.  Anxiety and insomnia are the most common symptoms, but there are many others.

 

Megan is right.

You are obviously pretty educated already about benzos. You seem to be ultra sensitive to them. Many people are. Many people have awful withdrawals after only taking benzos a couple weeks. The drug companie's literature says they shouldn't be taken for more than 6 weeks. But doctors prescribe them far longer than that.

 

Personally I would stay AWAY from all supplements. Benzos work on your brain. When you go off benzos your brain has to heal. Adding new drugs (supplements, vitamins ARE drugs!) only complicates thing.

You have belly bloating because the entire GI tract has more gaba receptors than most parts of the body. GI symptoms are normal and common. Insomnia is also common.

 

No one can tell you how long your withdrawal will be. This is very individual. But I have a strong feeling that yours will be a lot shorter than most. Short time users of benzos usually heal more rapidly. Yes. Stay the course!!! You do not ever want to be on these drugs again, as you are so sensitive to them.

Let us know how you are doing and if I can answer any questions for you, send me a Private Message. I have been on BB for over 6 years and I went CT off a huge amount of benzos and ADs.

 

east

 

I am in a similar situation. I was on .5 mg of Ativan, “as needed” for a couple months. Didn’t take it every day. Ran out of my script and a week later experienced what I now know was withdrawals but I believed it to be an intense anxiety attack. I took it a couple more times after that, unfortunately, before I did my research.

Now I’m 7’days c/t. Panic attacks the last two nights in the middle of the night. Trouble sleeping, cold and intense shaking spells. Last night some dry heaving.  Today I woke up and my whole body is extremely weak. It’s strange because with each passing day my head feels better and clearer but my body feels more like shit.

Also very scared of what is to come. Good luck xx

Thank you for your replies !  I am trying to stay the course and not reinstate. It’s been exactly 2 weeks. I did take GABA supplements  and today I am wondering if that was a huge mistake !  They did make me feel a lot better for several days though .

 

I am still in disbelief that I am in this predicament !  I took Ativan for a very short time to relieve severe anxiety  ...  it was a godsend at the time but now I so regret touching the stuff !

I am in a similar situation. I was on .5 mg of Ativan, “as needed” for a couple months. Didn’t take it every day. Ran out of my script and a week later experienced what I now know was withdrawals but I believed it to be an intense anxiety attack. I took it a couple more times after that, unfortunately, before I did my research.

Now I’m 7’days c/t. Panic attacks the last two nights in the middle of the night. Trouble sleeping, cold and intense shaking spells. Last night some dry heaving.  Today I woke up and my whole body is extremely weak. It’s strange because with each passing day my head feels better and clearer but my body feels more like shit.

Also very scared of what is to come. Good luck xx

 

Let’s stay in touch and keep each other apprised of our progress. We can do this!

Please, just hang in there and tough it out. Your future self and health depend on it. You will understand why I say this once you start to heal.

Feel free to Private Message me, okay?

east

Just checking in to see how you’re doing. I thought about taking GABA as well but read a negative thread about it on this forum and decided against it... what are your thoughts on it now? I took an Ibprofen PM Monday night because it had been a while since I slept and I was desperate even with the mixed reviews..  it was awful and pointless and totally set me off. today was so much better though! I took magnesium 500 mg and that seemed to help, at the least it didn’t make feel worse. I have weakness, I’m edgy, my chest still feels weird from time to time, and some other unpleasant but manageable symptoms.  but no panic today. Hope you are feeling well and getting some rest!!!

Please, just hang in there and tough it out. Your future self and health depend on it. You will understand why I say this once you start to heal.

Feel free to Private Message me, okay?

east

 

Thank you East! Your support is greatly appreciated!

Hang in there, Restoration. This will all get better. It just takes time.

Tell me about your name...? Restoration... of what? You? (That would be an apt choice of screen names!)

east

Please, just hang in there and tough it out. Your future self and health depend on it. You will understand why I say this once you start to heal.

Feel free to Private Message me, okay?

east

 

Just checking in to see how you’re doing. I thought about taking GABA as well but read a negative thread about it on this forum and decided against it... what are your thoughts on it now? I took an Ibprofen PM Monday night because it had been a while since I slept and I was desperate even with the mixed reviews..  it was awful and pointless and totally set me off. today was so much better though! I took magnesium 500 mg and that seemed to help, at the least it didn’t make feel worse. I have weakness, I’m edgy, my chest still feels weird from time to time, and some other unpleasant but manageable symptoms.  but no panic today. Hope you are feeling well and getting some rest!!!

 

Hi Kmr. Today is the beginning of week 3 for me ... I’m taking it day by day and hanging in there. I think I felt the worst back in late December when I was going through interdose withdrawal ... the past 2 weeks the symptoms have changed. Some have gone away while others appear. I do think that it’s trending upwards and hope that I continue to feel better. I haven’t yet noticed any adverse effect from the GABA but I do think the CBD May be causing anxiety — I might experiment with a different kind. I definitely don’t feel great but it’s not the “living hell” that I’ve heard others describe thank God. My most annoying symptom is head pressure that comes and goes intermittently. Fortunately no panic attacks but I’ve been on Zoloft for 2 months