Digestive Issues-Benzos?

Has anyone been diagnosed with IBS, CROHNS, ULCERATIVE COLITIS, CDIFF, etc since starting a benzo regimen?

I was recently diagnosed with Microscopic Colitis after using Benzos on and off for a few years back in 2009-2010. [Going through ugly divorce at the time and had a panic attack. Was reinstated back on Xanax in 2017 to calm me down and relax my digestive tract [per doctor of course] after having diarrhea for 6 months.

I know tolerance and withdrawal can cause digestive issues but, curious of anyone was diagnosed with these more serious digestive diseases since going on a benzo? It's a debilitating battle to work through digestive disorders and withdrawal at the same time.

Yes! In past 11 years of being on Clonazapam,  I been diagnosed with IBS, Cdiff, Salmonella species carrier, have had 25 precancerous colon polyps removed and next week will be having a follow up 3 year colonoscopy to look for more polyps and look for microscopic colitis or something to tell me why I have so many bathroom visits a day, lol! I have IBS-D. Since tapering it's been horrible! Having 20 bm's a day. I am so nervous.  This is where the D is coming from.  You are not alone. I am curious to this question as well with others. They say your stomach is your 2nd brain. Be gentle and kind to yourself. 

 

[quote author=RileyBones

link=topic=218743.msg2810000#msg2810000 date=1550695419]

Has anyone been diagnosed with IBS, CROHNS, ULCERATIVE COLITIS, CDIFF, etc since starting a benzo regimen?

I was recently diagnosed with Microscopic Colitis after using Benzos on and off for a few years back in 2009-2010. [Going through ugly divorce at the time and had a panic attack. Was reinstated back on Xanax in 2017 to calm me down and relax my digestive tract [per doctor of course] after having diarrhea for 6 months.

I know tolerance and withdrawal can cause digestive issues but, curious of anyone was diagnosed with these more serious digestive diseases since going on a benzo? It's a debilitating battle to work through digestive disorders and withdrawal at the same time.

I was diagnosed several months ago with IBS, but my symptom, after months of tapering has been chronic constipation. On hindsight my constipation started with my benzo use, but it was never as severe as in my tapering. I was prescribed medications for it, but I had to stopped them because they increased my tachycardia.

Yes! In past 11 years of being on Clonazapam,  I been diagnosed with IBS, Cdiff, Salmonella species carrier, have had 25 precancerous colon polyps removed and next week will be having a follow up 3 year colonoscopy to look for more polyps and look for microscopic colitis or something to tell me why I have so many bathroom visits a day, lol! I have IBS-D. Since tapering it's been horrible! Having 20 bm's a day. I am so nervous.  This is where the D is coming from.  You are not alone. I am curious to this question as well with others. They say your stomach is your 2nd brain. Be gentle and kind to yourself. 

 

[quote author=RileyBones

link=topic=218743.msg2810000#msg2810000 date=1550695419]

Has anyone been diagnosed with IBS, CROHNS, ULCERATIVE COLITIS, CDIFF, etc since starting a benzo regimen?

I was recently diagnosed with Microscopic Colitis after using Benzos on and off for a few years back in 2009-2010. [Going through ugly divorce at the time and had a panic attack. Was reinstated back on Xanax in 2017 to calm me down and relax my digestive tract [per doctor of course] after having diarrhea for 6 months.

I know tolerance and withdrawal can cause digestive issues but, curious of anyone was diagnosed with these more serious digestive diseases since going on a benzo? It's a debilitating battle to work through digestive disorders and withdrawal at the same time.

 

I feel for ya! Having diarrhea everyday starting as soon as your feet hit the floor in the morning and continuing most of the day can wreck you mentally as it did me! I was constantly late for work, leaving my desk several times a day (6-10 times) everyday for 6+ months straight! Leaving for doctors appointments, brain fog, anxiety off the charts, constant worry as I kept losing weight, even though I was eating breakfast, lunch and dinners. Finally after firing my first rude GI doctor, x(said I had IBS-D and a lot of it was stress and all in my head!)

My next doctor started from scratch and did a full colonoscopy and endoscopy with BIOPSIES. Very critical when doing a colonoscopy to do biopsies of colon and small intestines to diagnose MC. Due to the stress, anxiety and non performing at work, I was laid off! I was interdosing on Benzodiazepines from the anxiety of daily diarrhea and weight loss. Thought I had Cancer of some kind. Request or demand a biopsy with your colonoscopy!!! Now I'm tapering of Clonazepam, along with dealing with unemployment and lack of good health insurance.

Bill's are piling up, heavy benzo use side effects are keeping me from working, as my physical and mental health are a wreck. I'm only 56 and was leading a happy and productive life before MC and being prescribed Benzos. Good luck with your digestive issues, as they can be as debilitating as benzo tolerance and withdrawal!

 

Dear RileyBones,

I’m so sorry for all you are going through. I know you probably have, but have you tried taking probiotics and prebiotics? I did and they don’t help much for constipation, I was finally diagnosed with lazy colon, which is a side effect from benzo withdrawal. The only thing that has helped me some is taking psyllium, it’s supposed to help both diarrhea and constipation. I take the one made with the psyllium seed, it can be found on Amazon. Believe I’ve tried a lot of different things dietary wise to no avail.

Also, when I go to bed I put something warm on my belly, a heating pad on low helps to relax the gut.

I know how debilitating all these symptoms are, I also have had a zillion tests, colonoscopy, abdomen MRI, blood work, ovaries ultrasound, etc., innumerable diets, on my quest for a solution to my chronic constipation. May we stay strong and beat all this.