I lost 9 kilos through hard dieting and slow exercise.

Hey guys,

Just a quick update.

When I started this hell-hole of a Valium taper and dropped the Paxil like a hot potato, my weight ballooned out to 90.1kg. I was constantly depressed and had continuous bad thoughts.

I changed up my diet, and it's made a big difference!

I now eat high protein healthy meals from My Muscle Foods/YouFoodz and it's working great!

I am now down to 81.2kg! 

My stomach is still distented/bloated, but I can see my six pack returning. 

I still have a long way to go, but I feel as though I am healing very slowly.

Dave. 

What foods are you eating /not eating on this diet? I've put on 10kgs since this mess started, I've got awful stomach pain  that feels like "hunger" when I'm in a wave and i just eat a lot of carbs trying to make it go away, it's horrible. I'm very exercise intolerant but can manage a walk twice a day however that's not going to get the weight off me.

What foods are you eating /not eating on this diet? I've put on 10kgs since this mess started, I've got awful stomach pain  that feels like "hunger" when I'm in a wave and i just eat a lot of carbs trying to make it go away, it's horrible. I'm very exercise intolerant but can manage a walk twice a day however that's not going to get the weight off me.

Hi southern star,

I see you are also from Australia, so a lot of these you will relate to.

I was really fit before I started on benzos, so it's perfectly fine if you need to slow down the exercise schedule. Even 10 minutes of walking will suffice. Build up slowly, there is no need to rush to get back to normal.

Benzo Big Ticks

Plenty of Apples

Plenty of Bananas

So Good Unsweetened Almond Milk (this is really good)

Gluten-Free Weet-Bix (yes, there is such a thing)

Any Weight Watchers meals/cereals

YouFoodz boxed dinners.

My Muscle Protein boxed dinners.

Kale Juice - my God, this is good for Benzo withdrawal! I swear by it! This can bring you out of a wave. Benzo No-Nos

Don't drink any alcohol, I think this is pretty obvious.

Don't drink any caffeine.

Don't eat any Chinese or spicy food, no MSG at all.

Don't eat sweets or chocolates (I know this is a bummer).

Limit salts or have no salt.

Limit pastries, pies, any junk food.

 

Try to exercise regularly, but don't do too much at once, otherwise you will rev up your symptoms.

Gym is okay, but limit this to light activity only. Light weights or Yoga will suffice.

15 minutes of light activity, mine is basketball.

30 minutes of walking.

Take your time, rest if you need to.

Don't push yourself.

 

Sometimes, you need to block out your negative thoughts and feelings. Buy a frog fountain, listen to relaxation music, tune out, sleep if you have to.

 

All this will help with your recovery. Of course, I'm not an expert in benzo withdrawal, but this is what is working for me.

For weeks, I could not drive in my car without having a pill about an hour before.

Now, I retrain my looping thoughts into: "I can do this", "I know I can do this", "I have done this before." I no longer need or crave that pill.

 

Also, it is absolutely paramount that you seek out Cognitive Behavioural Therapy whilst going through this.

I see two psychologists and without them, I would be in a much worse place.

 

Good luck, and all the best for a speedy recovery!

Take care,

Dave. 

That is awesome, what an accomplishment. Not too many things more satisfying than losing weight. So glad you ditched the Paxil, that stuff really puts the weight on people.  Zoloft does too that's why I quit it.

Hey guys,

Just a quick update.

When I started this hell-hole of a Valium taper and dropped the Paxil like a hot potato, my weight ballooned out to 90.1kg. I was constantly depressed and had continuous bad thoughts.

I changed up my diet, and it's made a big difference!

I now eat high protein healthy meals from My Muscle Foods/YouFoodz and it's working great!

I am now down to 81.2kg! 

My stomach is still distented/bloated, but I can see my six pack returning. 

I still have a long way to go, but I feel as though I am healing very slowly.

Dave. 

Good to hear Dave. Keep up the good work.

 

Thx Dave, some great tips, never knew you could get gluten free Weetbix, will get that today! Hope you're going ok or as best you can on this highway in hell.

SS

Thx Dave, some great tips, never knew you could get gluten free Weetbix, will get that today! Hope you're going ok or as best you can on this highway in hell.

SS

Hey SS,

I actually went to R'N'B Fridays at the Adelaide Showgrounds.

The lights and standing in one spot were hell to deal with. No offence to the organisers.

Before and after I left the gig, I felt 100% like a zombie and thought I would definitely pass out, but I enjoyed the gig.

I walked a bit funny and had massive DP/DR.

I still danced around and had lots of fun.

Friends offered me alcohol, I pretended to drink, then threw the can out.

Black Eyed Peas, 50 Cent, Janet Jackson and Jason Derulo were on the bill.

It was a 9 hour set. Torture for benzo warriors.

But I did it!

First concert since March!

Dave. 

Hey guys,

Just a quick update.

When I started this hell-hole of a Valium taper and dropped the Paxil like a hot potato, my weight ballooned out to 90.1kg. I was constantly depressed and had continuous bad thoughts.

I changed up my diet, and it's made a big difference!

I now eat high protein healthy meals from My Muscle Foods/YouFoodz and it's working great!

I am now down to 81.2kg! 

My stomach is still distented/bloated, but I can see my six pack returning. 

I still have a long way to go, but I feel as though I am healing very slowly.

Dave. 

Good to hear Dave. Keep up the good work.

Thanks AntiBenzo7! 

Dave. 

That is awesome, what an accomplishment. Not too many things more satisfying than losing weight. So glad you ditched the Paxil, that stuff really puts the weight on people.  Zoloft does too that's why I quit it.

Hi Bracess1,

Yes Paxil was a terrifying nightmare. I swear I had Serotonin Syndrome from taking it whilst weaning off benzos. It caused a foul off-grape taste in my mouth, then I had the worst shaking of my life.

Glad I'm off Paxil. That experience was horrible.

Dave.