Would like opinion on my c/t

So i quit my benzo trip of 5 and a half years of xanax (i went from 1 mg a day from start of taking it to .5 mg a day from the last year) as of july 1st this year. That's 39 days today since i last touched a benzo. Currently feeling like crap. Brain fog is so severe, my memory feels like it's been destroyed, and im getting tmj flare up which could be unrelated but i feel it is in the bin of side effects. My question and please don't be afraid to share your personal opinion, is do you think i should just keep pushing on? Or should i consider a taper method even though it's been 39 days.......I do understand tapering is considered the smoother route but i guess you can say im impatient lol. I have no emotions what so ever including anxiety which is definitely a breath of fresh air. I find it so bizarre that the anxiety is why i took this medication to begin with and it's killed off on this withdraw. Strange stuff.

 

 

Hi dreamer,

Yes. I do think you should just keep pushing on and deal with benzo wd as best you can. Reinstating will only cause you more trouble. If one has already gone CT off benzos, reinstating and then tapering is probably a wrong way to go.

Your symptoms sound very normal to me for bwd. Now is this the time to read up on what causes your weird symptoms. ALL of it comes from your brain.

Benzos work on the fear center in your brain the amygdala. And when you go off benzos by any way, all hell can ensure. Severe anxiety, fear, all sort of weird symptoms can happen. What you descried IS benzo wd.

You have to give your brain time to heal itself, because it WILL, all on its own.

How does one get through bwd? By distracting your mind, by staying as active as possible, by eating healthy but not obsessing about this. Drink enough fluids. Don't try supplements or other stuff. None of them will help you, so why bother.

You can doo this, dreamer. You can beat benzos. I did and I just an ordinary woman who took benzos far too long.

east

I suggest you read the best information you can find from many sources then decide the best actions to take based upon how you feel. Some people may try to convince you to do some things that are not in your best interests.

 

best wishes

east, I agree with you !  Your advice to me has been very helpful !

I would stay off. You don't want to be here in 2 years working off the last of your reinstatement feeling just as bad as you do now. I've been here a long time and I have seen this too many times to count. Be patient...you will start feeling better over the next few months. Congrats and good luck!!!!

Coming from someone 6 years post jump from Xanax, and still suffering. Transfer to valium, and do a long drawn out taper. (Suggestion)

 

From my experience, the withdrawal didnt peak until around the 1 year mark. Started out as the way you explained, morphed into full on dissociation. The dissociation stayed for almost 3 years.(completely detached from emotions/self)

 

You're not speeding up the process by jumping from .50mg. All you're doing is putting serious strain on your nerves. Leaving them vulnerable to the toxic effects of excess glutamate (stimulation)

 

 

I will stand by what I said before. Dreamer is now past the acute wd stage, the most dangerous time. Dreamer is now in normal benzo wd, with all the unpleasant, scary symptoms. Why go BACK on a benzo? What will that accomplish?

 

Dreamer, just keep on going and deal with your symptoms just like all of us had to do. I know you feel awful. I sure did. But I managed to get through a really bad CT wd and survive. I can definitely tell you that sticking it out will be your best bet.

east

Again agree with East !

 

Yes I agree, stay off the benzos. You made it this far please don't go back. Tapering will make it worse and slow torture.  I cold Turkeyed 7 months and going strong. You can do this.

Thanks so much everyone for the imput! It's been extremely helpful. These 41 days seems to be rushing by, but not really in the good way, i'd like to feel better lol. I do think theres no reason to go back to the poison. I'll keep pushing on with this and no looking back.

 

Yes I agree, stay off the benzos. You made it this far please don't go back. Tapering will make it worse and slow torture.  I cold Turkeyed 7 months and going strong. You can do this.

Do you feel substantially better? 7 months is a long time compared to just a month and a quarter (me) and i feel like hell.

 

Thanks so much everyone for the imput! It's been extremely helpful. These 41 days seems to be rushing by, but not really in the good way, i'd like to feel better lol. I do think theres no reason to go back to the poison. I'll keep pushing on with this and no looking back.

 

Yes I agree, stay off the benzos. You made it this far please don't go back. Tapering will make it worse and slow torture.  I cold Turkeyed 7 months and going strong. You can do this.

Do you feel substantially better? 7 months is a long time compared to just a month and a quarter (me) and i feel like hell.

 

East coast came off klonopin. Xanax is a different animal. Xanax will abruptly throw you into the deepest layer of hell, while klonopin slowly builds up to it

 

It may be wise to take a long acting benzo like valium, to help stabilize. And then slowly wean off to prevent damage.

 

If i could go back in time, that's what i would have done.

 

 

 

Hi dreamer,

Yes. I do think you should just keep pushing on and deal with benzo wd as best you can. Reinstating will only cause you more trouble. If one has already gone CT off benzos, reinstating and then tapering is probably a wrong way to go.

Your symptoms sound very normal to me for bwd. Now is this the time to read up on what causes your weird symptoms. ALL of it comes from your brain.

Benzos work on the fear center in your brain the amygdala. And when you go off benzos by any way, all hell can ensure. Severe anxiety, fear, all sort of weird symptoms can happen. What you descried IS benzo wd.

You have to give your brain time to heal itself, because it WILL, all on its own.

How does one get through bwd? By distracting your mind, by staying as active as possible, by eating healthy but not obsessing about this. Drink enough fluids. Don't try supplements or other stuff. None of them will help you, so why bother.

You can doo this, dreamer. You can beat benzos. I did and I just an ordinary woman who took benzos far too long.

east

 

Easy Coast, why do you think some people can stay active like you recommend and many are housebound or even bedridden? Dreamer I hope you find what's right to you. I don't know enough to give advice.

You can do this ! So very proud of you !

Vnomore,

I really don't know. Maybe its the luck of the draw. Everyone is different even though many share the same weird symptoms. I do think that one has to kinda force themselves to TRY to stay semi active, because if you don't, your muscles will atrophy and everything begins to get even more difficult. I worked as a nurse for many  years and patients who didn't kind of push themselves did not do as well as those who did. Of course, there are going to be people who simply cannot do this and that's fine. Each of us has to find our own way out of this mess. I know what helped me and I am sure all of you are learning what does help you. Sharing that stuff is really important.

east

Hi dreamer,

Yes. I do think you should just keep pushing on and deal with benzo wd as best you can. Reinstating will only cause you more trouble. If one has already gone CT off benzos, reinstating and then tapering is probably a wrong way to go.

Your symptoms sound very normal to me for bwd. Now is this the time to read up on what causes your weird symptoms. ALL of it comes from your brain.

Benzos work on the fear center in your brain the amygdala. And when you go off benzos by any way, all hell can ensure. Severe anxiety, fear, all sort of weird symptoms can happen. What you descried IS benzo wd.

You have to give your brain time to heal itself, because it WILL, all on its own.

How does one get through bwd? By distracting your mind, by staying as active as possible, by eating healthy but not obsessing about this. Drink enough fluids. Don't try supplements or other stuff. None of them will help you, so why bother.

You can doo this, dreamer. You can beat benzos. I did and I just an ordinary woman who took benzos far too long.

east

 

Easy Coast, why do you think some people can stay active like you recommend and many are housebound or even bedridden? Dreamer I hope you find what's right to you. I don't know enough to give advice.

 

Genetics probably play a role. Alot of us have auto-immune predispositions and taking an immunosuppressive drug such as xanax can trigger some pretty disabling symptoms

 

Many of us in protracted (6 years plus) have had spinal taps and tested positive for proteins associated with multiple sclerosis

 

There are many unknowns

 

My buddy has been taking xanax and never got sick like myself. I recall 8 years ago, all of my lymph nodes became swollen exactly when i started experiencing inter-dose withdrawal

 

I developed a 2 mm chiari malformation, my eye pressure increased to 45 per eye, and my spinal tap indicated elevated proteins. I also started dumping water at night, and suffered with night sweats, and an elevated temperature of 99.1 for almost 16 months

 

My friend on the other hand hasnt experienced anything like that

 

Most people 6+years into protracted all had a similar side effect profile. Which indicates some sort of auto immune disorder, such as MS

Hi dreamer,

Yes. I do think you should just keep pushing on and deal with benzo wd as best you can. Reinstating will only cause you more trouble. If one has already gone CT off benzos, reinstating and then tapering is probably a wrong way to go.

Your symptoms sound very normal to me for bwd. Now is this the time to read up on what causes your weird symptoms. ALL of it comes from your brain.

Benzos work on the fear center in your brain the amygdala. And when you go off benzos by any way, all hell can ensure. Severe anxiety, fear, all sort of weird symptoms can happen. What you descried IS benzo wd.

You have to give your brain time to heal itself, because it WILL, all on its own.

How does one get through bwd? By distracting your mind, by staying as active as possible, by eating healthy but not obsessing about this. Drink enough fluids. Don't try supplements or other stuff. None of them will help you, so why bother.

You can doo this, dreamer. You can beat benzos. I did and I just an ordinary woman who took benzos far too long.

east

 

Easy Coast, why do you think some people can stay active like you recommend and many are housebound or even bedridden? Dreamer I hope you find what's right to you. I don't know enough to give advice.

 

Genetics probably play a role. Alot of us have auto-immune predispositions and taking an immunosuppressive drug such as xanax can trigger some pretty disabling symptoms

 

Many of us in protracted (6 years plus) have had spinal taps and tested positive for proteins associated with multiple sclerosis

 

There are many unknowns

 

My buddy has been taking xanax and never got sick like myself. I recall 8 years ago, all of my lymph nodes became swollen exactly when i started experiencing inter-dose withdrawal

 

I developed a 2 mm chiari malformation, my eye pressure increased to 45 per eye, and my spinal tap indicated elevated proteins. I also started dumping water at night, and suffered with night sweats, and an elevated temperature of 99.1 for almost 16 months

 

My friend on the other hand hasnt experienced anything like that

 

Most people 6+years into protracted all had a similar side effect profile. Which indicates some sort of auto immune disorder, such as MS

 

Incognito I'm sorry to hear you've been in protracted for so long. I hope you start getting better. Baylissa does say everyone heals even if it takes years for some.

 

 

Hi dreamer,

Yes. I do think you should just keep pushing on and deal with benzo wd as best you can. Reinstating will only cause you more trouble. If one has already gone CT off benzos, reinstating and then tapering is probably a wrong way to go.

Your symptoms sound very normal to me for bwd. Now is this the time to read up on what causes your weird symptoms. ALL of it comes from your brain.

Benzos work on the fear center in your brain the amygdala. And when you go off benzos by any way, all hell can ensure. Severe anxiety, fear, all sort of weird symptoms can happen. What you descried IS benzo wd.

You have to give your brain time to heal itself, because it WILL, all on its own.

How does one get through bwd? By distracting your mind, by staying as active as possible, by eating healthy but not obsessing about this. Drink enough fluids. Don't try supplements or other stuff. None of them will help you, so why bother.

You can doo this, dreamer. You can beat benzos. I did and I just an ordinary woman who took benzos far too long.

east

 

Easy Coast, why do you think some people can stay active like you recommend and many are housebound or even bedridden? Dreamer I hope you find what's right to you. I don't know enough to give advice.

 

Genetics probably play a role. Alot of us have auto-immune predispositions and taking an immunosuppressive drug such as xanax can trigger some pretty disabling symptoms

 

Many of us in protracted (6 years plus) have had spinal taps and tested positive for proteins associated with multiple sclerosis

 

There are many unknowns

 

My buddy has been taking xanax and never got sick like myself. I recall 8 years ago, all of my lymph nodes became swollen exactly when i started experiencing inter-dose withdrawal

 

I developed a 2 mm chiari malformation, my eye pressure increased to 45 per eye, and my spinal tap indicated elevated proteins. I also started dumping water at night, and suffered with night sweats, and an elevated temperature of 99.1 for almost 16 months

 

My friend on the other hand hasnt experienced anything like that

 

Most people 6+years into protracted all had a similar side effect profile. Which indicates some sort of auto immune disorder, such as MS

 

Incognito I'm sorry to hear you've been in protracted for so long. I hope you start getting better. Baylissa does say everyone heals even if it takes years for some.

 

Thank you 

 

I've been trying to turn this negative into a positive. Lots of free time. Decided to remaster highschool math/science to get back into a good college by mid 2020

 

Benzo withdrawal may turn out to be a blessing ironically

Anyone try antidepressants while w/d? Does it help?

Incógnito I'm so glad you're back to studying. That's exciting that your improving your future. Dreamer some people have only been months on benzos and cold turkeyed. I expect they would usually recover faster than those of us who've been on them for years.

Anyone try antidepressants while w/d? Does it help?

 

Cymbalta and Remeron helped me big time. Couldn't have made it without them

Hey Keagan, did The Remeron only help with sleep or anxiety as well?

I was on Cymbalta as well as Remeron. So I cant say for sure, but Remeron works on serotonin which can help for anxiety, but probably not at the low doses that some members use just for sleep. I would suggest that you talk to your doctor about an intermediate dose, 30 -60 mgs. Good luck!!!!

How are you feeling now after the quick detox?

So OP here. Here is every symptom im going through starting with the most severity with 52 days c/t.

 

-brain fog (i swear if this went away i wouldn't even care about the others)

-massive confusion that only appears to be getting worse

-Tmj pain (i feel like when this flares up, my brain fog gets extremely worse)

- weird eye pressure and feels like im im delaying my eye movements <- this one a bit concerning now

-neck pain that makes it feel so stiff

-constipation (this hasnt been as bad of late)

-leg and lower back pain

 

 

 

 

 

 

How are you feeling now after the quick detox?

 

That was 6 yrs ago. Great now, but took 3 or so years to recover entirely. I was basically fine for most of that time though.