Post-concussion syndrome symptoms - sound familiar?

Take a listen to this doctor explaining post-concussion syndrome. I think you may recognize the symptoms list. More evidence that the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome is a brain injury:

 

Here is the list from the Mayo Clinic website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-concussion-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353352

 

Headaches

Dizziness

Fatigue

Irritability

Anxiety

Insomnia

Loss of concentration and memory

Ringing in the ears

Blurry vision

Noise and light sensitivity

Rarely, decreases in taste and smell

 

 

Not a great job by the medical profession to leave people with a brain injury and then let them figure out for themselves that they have one and how to treat it. The claim that it is some form of mental illness is extremely harmful, not least of which because it almost guarantees the wrong treatment.

 

 

It is certainly a brain injury. Benzo withdrawal probably as as much in common with a stroke or traumatic brain injury as it does any other illness or injury.

I agree. Benzos injure the brain, not just the mind. That's why when I have to explain it to others I always compare it to being shot in the head. Recovery requires more than just removing the bullet (i.e., the pills). The brain damage done by the bullet also has to heal, and that can take a long time.

Oh yes, it is definitely a brain injury.

 

It's despicable how some doctors treat it as "psychosomatic" and suggest the patient stop reading "those horror stories on the internet" and "snap out of it". I was in CBT treatment where my therapist was trying to convince me it's all in my mind and I just need to push myself and "face my fears". It's abuse. Pure abuse.

I agree. Benzos injure the brain, not just the mind. That's why when I have to explain it to others I always compare it to being shot in the head. Recovery requires more than just removing the bullet (i.e., the pills). The brain damage done by the bullet also has to heal, and that can take a long time.

 

Great analogy 

I'm not sure if anyone has heard of "Havana Syndrome", but a number of Canadian and American diplomats stationed in Havana have experienced a range of neurological injuries that seem to mimic a concussion, but there's no clear understanding of how these symptoms were acquired. In the radio and newspaper reports, I was struck by the similarity of the symptoms to benzo withdrawal symptoms, and these people were tested and found to be suffering from brain injuries. In the case of benzo withdrawal, though, our tests usually come back as "normal".

Take a listen to this doctor explaining post-concussion syndrome. I think you may recognize the symptoms list. More evidence that the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome is a brain injury:

 

Here is the list from the Mayo Clinic website: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-concussion-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353352

 

Headaches

Dizziness

Fatigue

Irritability

Anxiety

Insomnia

Loss of concentration and memory

Ringing in the ears

Blurry vision

Noise and light sensitivity

Rarely, decreases in taste and smell

 

 

Not a great job by the medical profession to leave people with a brain injury and then let them figure out for themselves that they have one and how to treat it. The claim that it is some form of mental illness is extremely harmful, not least of which because it almost guarantees the wrong treatment.

 

I am in no doubt I have a serious brain injury but I only have a few of those symptoms.  For me it was as if someone had hit me on the head and the blow impacted on my spine and legs ... it is shocking that coming off a drug could actually do this to me.

 

 

Not only a brain and nervous system injury, often they injure the immune and endocrine systems. HPA disregulation, how does it all fit in and fit together?

 

...and it’s only us, the injured, who are willing to investigate and really figure it out. This will go down as one of the most hidden and heinous crime of two centuries.

 

Almost wish we would organize into groups for each system—if we were to do this? count me into the immune system group.

Not only a brain and nervous system injury, often they injure the immune and endocrine systems. HPA disregulation, how does it all fit in and fit together?

 

...and it’s only us, the injured, who are willing to investigate and really figure it out. This will go down as one of the most hidden and heinous crime of two centuries.

 

Almost wish we would organize into groups for each system—if we were to do this? count me into the immune system group.

 

Hey MP, I am all in favour of doing something in groups that is more goal-directed.

 

Do you need any articles for the immune system that you haven't been able to find on SciHub?

Not only a brain and nervous system injury, often they injure the immune and endocrine systems. HPA disregulation, how does it all fit in and fit together?

 

...and it’s only us, the injured, who are willing to investigate and really figure it out. This will go down as one of the most hidden and heinous crime of two centuries.

 

Almost wish we would organize into groups for each system—if we were to do this? count me into the immune system group.

 

Hey MP, I am all in favour of doing something in groups that is more goal-directed.

 

Do you need any articles for the immune system that you haven't been able to find on SciHub?

 

Hey Data_Guy,

 

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, but that’s a great offer I may not want to refuse. You can always post them to the Basics of Immunology thread, here.

 

Right now I am just trying to get basic needs met in a day, but the odds are that I will want any you find. I’m behind in thoroughly looking over the information that is already there, but I have no doubt it could be of interest to someone else... and eventually to me.

 

Thanks for everything, I’ve been meaning to read your blog and really liked the songs you posted.

 

Wishing all of us well and trying to pull back a bit for now, before I entirely loose the plot.

 

 

I'm not sure if anyone has heard of "Havana Syndrome", but a number of Canadian and American diplomats stationed in Havana have experienced a range of neurological injuries that seem to mimic a concussion, but there's no clear understanding of how these symptoms were acquired. In the radio and newspaper reports, I was struck by the similarity of the symptoms to benzo withdrawal symptoms, and these people were tested and found to be suffering from brain injuries. In the case of benzo withdrawal, though, our tests usually come back as "normal".

 

They were attacked by some sort of device emitting targeted High Frequency Microwaves. Same thing happened to some diplomats in China. 60 minutes just aired a piece about it a couple weeks ago.

 

So many of their symptoms resembles what so many of us have.. or at least what I have. It's pretty crazy.

 

I feel for them because some of them had kids with them and their kids were affected as well.

I'm not sure if anyone has heard of "Havana Syndrome", but a number of Canadian and American diplomats stationed in Havana have experienced a range of neurological injuries that seem to mimic a concussion, but there's no clear understanding of how these symptoms were acquired. In the radio and newspaper reports, I was struck by the similarity of the symptoms to benzo withdrawal symptoms, and these people were tested and found to be suffering from brain injuries. In the case of benzo withdrawal, though, our tests usually come back as "normal".

 

They were attacked by some sort of device emitting targeted High Frequency Microwaves. Same thing happened to some diplomats in China. 60 minutes just aired a piece about it a couple weeks ago.

 

So many of their symptoms resembles what so many of us have.. or at least what I have. It's pretty crazy.

 

I feel for them because some of them had kids with them and their kids were affected as well.

 

Yes, agreed, Woods. Very scary and very upsetting. I, too, was surprised by how similar their symptoms are to ours, e.g. dizziness, tinnitus, fatigue, insomnia, etc.

 

A number of the Canadian diplomats are suing the Canadian government over this issue, as per this NYTimes article:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/world/canada/havana-syndrome-canada.html

I'm not sure if anyone has heard of "Havana Syndrome", but a number of Canadian and American diplomats stationed in Havana have experienced a range of neurological injuries that seem to mimic a concussion, but there's no clear understanding of how these symptoms were acquired. In the radio and newspaper reports, I was struck by the similarity of the symptoms to benzo withdrawal symptoms, and these people were tested and found to be suffering from brain injuries. In the case of benzo withdrawal, though, our tests usually come back as "normal".

 

They were attacked by some sort of device emitting targeted High Frequency Microwaves. Same thing happened to some diplomats in China. 60 minutes just aired a piece about it a couple weeks ago.

 

So many of their symptoms resembles what so many of us have.. or at least what I have. It's pretty crazy.

 

I feel for them because some of them had kids with them and their kids were affected as well.

 

Yes, agreed, Woods. Very scary and very upsetting. I, too, was surprised by how similar their symptoms are to ours, e.g. dizziness, tinnitus, fatigue, insomnia, etc.

 

A number of the Canadian diplomats are suing the Canadian government over this issue, as per this NYTimes article:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/world/canada/havana-syndrome-canada.html

 

The 60 minutes piece..

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/targeting-americans-billionaire-on-the-bus-monaco/

Not only a brain and nervous system injury, often they injure the immune and endocrine systems. HPA disregulation, how does it all fit in and fit together?

 

...and it’s only us, the injured, who are willing to investigate and really figure it out. This will go down as one of the most hidden and heinous crime of two centuries.

 

Almost wish we would organize into groups for each system—if we were to do this? count me into the immune system group.

 

Hey MP, I am all in favour of doing something in groups that is more goal-directed.

 

Do you need any articles for the immune system that you haven't been able to find on SciHub?

 

Hey Data_Guy,

 

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, but that’s a great offer I may not want to refuse. You can always post them to the Basics of Immunology thread, here.

 

Right now I am just trying to get basic needs met in a day, but the odds are that I will want any you find. I’m behind in thoroughly looking over the information that is already there, but I have no doubt it could be of interest to someone else... and eventually to me.

 

Thanks for everything, I’ve been meaning to read your blog and really liked the songs you posted.

 

Wishing all of us well and trying to pull back a bit for now, before I entirely loose the plot.

 

 

🕊

 

monpilote, could you give me the link to that thread - I am not able to find it over the search function.. thank you

I am an information-hunter.. so I would appreciate that!

Not only a brain and nervous system injury, often they injure the immune and endocrine systems. HPA disregulation, how does it all fit in and fit together?

 

...and it’s only us, the injured, who are willing to investigate and really figure it out. This will go down as one of the most hidden and heinous crime of two centuries.

 

Almost wish we would organize into groups for each system—if we were to do this? count me into the immune system group.

 

Hey MP, I am all in favour of doing something in groups that is more goal-directed.

 

Do you need any articles for the immune system that you haven't been able to find on SciHub?

 

Hey Data_Guy,

 

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, but that’s a great offer I may not want to refuse. You can always post them to the Basics of Immunology thread, here.

 

Right now I am just trying to get basic needs met in a day, but the odds are that I will want any you find. I’m behind in thoroughly looking over the information that is already there, but I have no doubt it could be of interest to someone else... and eventually to me.

 

Thanks for everything, I’ve been meaning to read your blog and really liked the songs you posted.

 

Wishing all of us well and trying to pull back a bit for now, before I entirely loose the plot.

 

 

🕊

 

monpilote, could you give me the link to that thread - I am not able to find it over the search function.. thank you

I am an information-hunter.. so I would appreciate that!

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=220079.0 

 

Marigold1, you got it.

Not only a brain and nervous system injury, often they injure the immune and endocrine systems. HPA disregulation, how does it all fit in and fit together?

 

...and it’s only us, the injured, who are willing to investigate and really figure it out. This will go down as one of the most hidden and heinous crime of two centuries.

 

Almost wish we would organize into groups for each system—if we were to do this? count me into the immune system group.

 

Hey MP, I am all in favour of doing something in groups that is more goal-directed.

 

Do you need any articles for the immune system that you haven't been able to find on SciHub?

 

Hey Data_Guy,

 

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed, but that’s a great offer I may not want to refuse. You can always post them to the Basics of Immunology thread, here.

 

Right now I am just trying to get basic needs met in a day, but the odds are that I will want any you find. I’m behind in thoroughly looking over the information that is already there, but I have no doubt it could be of interest to someone else... and eventually to me.

 

Thanks for everything, I’ve been meaning to read your blog and really liked the songs you posted.

 

Wishing all of us well and trying to pull back a bit for now, before I entirely loose the plot.

 

 

🕊

 

monpilote, could you give me the link to that thread - I am not able to find it over the search function.. thank you

I am an information-hunter.. so I would appreciate that!

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=220079.0 

 

Marigold1, you got it.

 

 

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

Thanks for the 60 Minutes link, Woods. I'll check it out!

 

mon pilote, I don't think I have any info to add on the topics you mentioned. Other than the general effects with which we're all familiar, I've been particularly focused on the serious effects of benzos and SSRIs on the vestibular system, i.e. system of balance. My dizziness continues to be hugely debilitating and even led to a foot fracture in the fall of 2017. I haven't returned to my pre-fracture status either. There are numerous neurotransmitters that are involved in balance, and all of the psychiatric meds affect those neurotransmitters in some way or other, it seems. As a result, dizziness is quite common when people take such meds.

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

 

Lapis is the great overseer and doles out knowledge from the sky when she deems it necessary to interrupt her omniscient repose.

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

 

Lapis is the great overseer and doles out knowledge from the sky when she deems it necessary to interrupt her omniscient repose.

 

Ouch. Thanks for making me feel like crap...as if I need help with that.

Data_Guy, I just saw it as these drugs affected Lapis in this way and it’s affected her life significantly. I can understand all the search for research in this particular area.

 

The way my system was affected was immune, this was my Achilles heel with the drugs.

 

Lapis is really sweet, and she does what she can. I was hoping we could all be respectful to the separate areas of research we choose and our reasons for it. Is there a way to come back from this? I agree that that would have hurt me too.

 

Please, just need to pull back into myself and have some peace. Overwhelmed. Please try and take care of one another. I’ve made mistakes too, but isn’t it a better approach...

 

 

Peace, Love and Healing,

 

mp

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

 

Lapis is the great overseer and doles out knowledge from the sky when she deems it necessary to interrupt her omniscient repose.

 

Ouch. Thanks for making me feel like crap...as if I need help with that.

 

Lapis most people would not take it as an insult to be called all-knowing. I definitely didn't mean it that way. Sorry.

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

 

Lapis is the great overseer and doles out knowledge from the sky when she deems it necessary to interrupt her omniscient repose.

 

Ouch. Thanks for making me feel like crap...as if I need help with that.

 

Lapis most people would not take it as an insult to be called all-knowing. I definitely didn't mean it that way. Sorry.

 

I took it as a sarcastic slap in the face. I certainly don't sit here pretending to be "doling out knowledge from the sky...". I'm in a horrific hell-hole, trying to hang on, just like everyone else. I like to read and learn and understand, which is why I keep researching. But I'm not in any "omniscient repose". I'm crying.

 

But thank you for the apology. I appreciate it.

 

 

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

 

Lapis is the great overseer and doles out knowledge from the sky when she deems it necessary to interrupt her omniscient repose.

 

Ouch. Thanks for making me feel like crap...as if I need help with that.

 

Lapis most people would not take it as an insult to be called all-knowing. I definitely didn't mean it that way. Sorry.

 

I took it as a sarcastic slap in the face. I certainly don't sit here pretending to be "doling out knowledge from the sky...". I'm in a horrific hell-hole, trying to hang on, just like everyone else. I like to read and learn and understand, which is why I keep researching. But I'm not in any "omniscient repose". I'm crying.

 

But thank you for the apology. I appreciate it.

 

I agree, it can be read as sarcastic. I should have been a bit more thoughtful. I only meant that you do provide knowledge to people on here that most people would not be able to get for themselves. I don't think we have had any negative interactions...? (Now I am sounding like our jackass prime minister). I would never insult you out of the blue for no reason. At least not intentionally. But I can be an idiot sometimes, no doubt, and it appears I just was. All I wanted to say was that I really appreciate all the studies you post and I think everyone appreciates your presence on the forum. You really make it a better place. I hope I didn't ruin your day.

Thank you! Lapis has been a great deliverer of studies - maybe ask her to put some of her findings there? The more we get the more we know

 

Lapis is the great overseer and doles out knowledge from the sky when she deems it necessary to interrupt her omniscient repose.

 

Ouch. Thanks for making me feel like crap...as if I need help with that.

 

Lapis most people would not take it as an insult to be called all-knowing. I definitely didn't mean it that way. Sorry.

 

I took it as a sarcastic slap in the face. I certainly don't sit here pretending to be "doling out knowledge from the sky...". I'm in a horrific hell-hole, trying to hang on, just like everyone else. I like to read and learn and understand, which is why I keep researching. But I'm not in any "omniscient repose". I'm crying.

 

But thank you for the apology. I appreciate it.

 

I agree, it can be read as sarcastic. I should have been a bit more thoughtful. I only meant that you do provide knowledge to people on here that most people would not be able to get for themselves. I don't think we have had any negative interactions...? (Now I am sounding like our jackass prime minister). I would never insult you out of the blue for no reason. At least not intentionally. But I can be an idiot sometimes, no doubt, and it appears I just was. All I wanted to say was that I really appreciate all the studies you post and I think everyone appreciates your presence on the forum. You really make it a better place. I hope I didn't ruin your day.

 

Thanks so much for your thoughtful response, Data_Guy. I think one of the very difficult things around here is communicating without the benefit of eye contact and tone of voice and body language, and all that usually goes with normal human interaction. And no, we haven't had any bad interactions, so that's why I wondered if I'd done something to offend you and you wanted to get back at me.

 

Anyway...

 

...we'll just forget that.

 

Thanks again for your apology. It means a lot to me.

 

I will leave federal politics out of it completely. Yikes!

Oh, Lapis, you've been so very valuable here!!! I would vouch for you any day of the week. I, too, took the comment as sarcastic, and I'm glad it was "talked out." No doling out knowledge from the sky. You have always sought to give us evidence-based studies, and I so appreciate that!!!  :thumbsup: