seizures???

I am desperate!!! so many nights with zero sleep. Last night I managed to sleep two hours but only to awake in panic. Drenched in sweat, body pain, pulling, tingling sort of a pressure all over!? Crying full of fear and then I start hyperphentilate so that I have to brief in a bag. I had that many many times but ever time it seems to get worse. As soon as I calm a bit it starts all over. At the the moment I am shaking all over. I am so scared….. does that ever get better? I can not believe it at the moment :'( I am 5 months off.

Hey shamrock.  In the first 4-6 months of my withdrawal I had much of the symptoms you describe: zero sleep, drenched in sweat, pulling tingling, and panic all on top of severe anxiety and depression.  I can tell you that it does get better.  While everyone is different I noticed levels of improvement starting in month 6 and then more in month 8.  While I am not healed and still have a lot of waves, life is much better.

 

Just hang on tight and ride this out.  You will improve.

 

Also if you dont yet have a weighted blanket, I highly recommend getting one.  It helps you to sleep, to cope with anxiety and to put pressure on your body when it is pulling and tingling.

Hey JBen021, thank you so much for your reply and your encouragement! you give me hope! It’s such a scary journey. Especially when symptoms get worse again. Thank you for mentioning the weighted blanket. I have heard of it before but forgot about it. Good healing for you!!!

You mention seizures in the subject line.  Are you having seizures?

I am not quite sure what is understood under seizure. What I experience is severe fears not really in my minde but in my body and then I start hyperventilating and it would not stop for hours. I am so exhausted and depressed. I had a bit of a better night today but woke up in severe pain in my arms and hands. Like having a cramp all the time. Hope thats a sign of healing. Thank you so much for your support! wish you a nice day. shamrock4

Ah ok.  This doesnt sound like seizure.  It is more of a physical anxiety or panic.  The pain and cramps are also benzo recovery issues for a lot of folks.  Benzos act as a muscle relaxer when you are on them.  The muscles tense up once you are off.  The anxiety and panic can also tense up your muscles. 

 

You will heal.  In my experience it takes a lot of time.  You will get there though.

Thank you so much for your explanations and your help! so that explains also the weakness!? I used to go horsbackriding 3-4 hours now I can hardly walk for 15 minutes. Going down the stairs my knees shake. It’s so scary and depressing. Hope so much to get my real me back…. I would like to distract but as I am very sensitive to noise I can’t even listen to music or watch TV. What improved is reading a book not during the day (to nervous) but in the evening. Good healing to you!

Yep. It gets better. Hold on tight - you will get through this. Make sure you are drinking lots of water & stay away from sugar, dairy & alcohol. If you can go on a plant based anti inflammatory diet - this is what helps me. IRS as boring as bat sh-t but it works. Be kind to yourself. You’ll get through this.

 

 

Food is a very big problem at the moment. I lost so much weight since I jumped. No appetite. Histamine intolerance. So I try to gain weight with dairy. Otherwise I eat lots of vegetables. At nights when I can’t sleep I drink a milk with honey. Sometimes it helps. I can’t risk to loos even more weight. I am so skinny. I hate it. I used to enjoy eating very much. Hope appetite returns soon.

You won't be having seizures 5 months off. The type of seizures associated with benzo withdrawal typically occur within a 3-14 day period from jumping off a relatively high dose. The seizures also result in an instant loss of consciousness, so you wouldn't even be aware of them while they're occurring.

 

What you are experiencing is very common with benzo withdrawal. The odd physical and mental sensations can peak at random times. Even several months later. This can effect people psychologically and the psychological effect can feed back into the severity of the symptoms creating a bit of a vicious loop.

 

The best things you can do right now are practising mindfulness techniques, finding ways to distract yourself when you feel an onset of symptoms which can help to take the edge off them, avoid common stimulants such as Caffeine/Nicotine and try to limit your Glutamate intake by avoiding highly processed foods, instead sticking to a diet of fresh meats, fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables.

 

It will pass. Gradually over time, the symptoms will occur less frequently and less severely, even if they feel like they're at their peak right now. Hang in there.

Hi Fraz1990, thank you so much for your post! It helps to hear that it is common. Yes food is a very big challenge at the moment as I have lost so much weight. Huf, everything is so scary. Thanks for your encouragement! wish you good healing.

Hi Fraz1990, thank you so much for your post! It helps to hear that it is common. Yes food is a very big challenge at the moment as I have lost so much weight. Huf, everything is so scary. Thanks for your encouragement! wish you good healing.

 

Don't get too caught up on the lack of calories. Eat lean and nutritiously to keep your strength up, even if the calorie count seems low.

 

The feeling of fear and despair can seem overwhelming at times. But fully embracing it as part of the healing process will help you to get through it. Whenever you feel the symptoms starting to peak, just remind yourself that it's entirely necessary in order to get better. Your brain is simply making corrections.

I appreciate your encouraging words! it helps! thanks! I will write your words in my healing book so I can read them every time I get desperate.

I had similar symptoms at 5 months Shamrock.  It's still early days. 

 

It's great when the jolting awake in terror stops.  It will happen for you too. 

 

 

Hi deadwoodgone, your post is just what I needed this morning! Thanks a lot! Again I had only one hour sleep. Woke up in pain. Panic so full of fear. Wondering if I am going to survive this horror!? Housebound. Living next to a street. Every single car and there are many in a minute sends chockwaves through my body…. I am sooo desperate  :'(

Hi deadwoodgone, your post is just what I needed this morning! Thanks a lot! Again I had only one hour sleep. Woke up in pain. Panic so full of fear. Wondering if I am going to survive this horror!? Housebound. Living next to a street. Every single car and there are many in a minute sends chockwaves through my body…. I am sooo desperate  :'(

 

You're over stimulated. Try wearing some ear plugs to block out the sound of traffic and sit yourself on some soft cushions to help nullify any vibrations that the traffic may cause as it passes. You may find some relief in limiting your exposure to such stimulus.

Thank you for your succession! The problem is, I have been wearing ear plugs for the last 8 months. Always during the nights. About a months ago I got ear pain. Only a slight inflammation but I do not want to wear them again. And then there is also that nasty tinnitus…

Thank you for your succession! The problem is, I have been wearing ear plugs for the last 8 months. Always during the nights. About a months ago I got ear pain. Only a slight inflammation but I do not want to wear them again. And then there is also that nasty tinnitus…

 

If you turn a fan on at night, or anything that can generate a bit of white noise, it can really help with the tinnitus. I've been doing this for several months, as the tinnitus has been particularly bad in my right ear. White noise is good for masking the pitch and usually doesn't need to be very loud either. The tinnitus will get better over time though, even if it seems bad right now.

Thanks for your help! I also live next to a brook so that helps a bit.  As I have only slept for one hour last night it seems to be even worse today. Thank you so much for giving me hope!!! Hope sleep will improve soon. Some nights I am able to get 5-6 hours of sleep and that makes big difference.. wish you good healing!