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Foods to avoid during taper?


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I am somewhat new to BB, and was wondering if I might get some feedback/opinions on foods that seem to ramp up w/d symptoms.  I have learned the hard way a few things to stay away from and have given up sugar, never had a thing for coffee or alcohol.  I am eating mostly chicken, fish and brown rice and oatmeal with milk and blueberries and bananas.  I seem to be very sensitive to food or just simply eating a meal raises my blood sugar and therefore ramps up the w/d symptoms.  I have read cruciferous veggies produce and enzyme that causes the liver to metabolize benzo much faster.  This seemed true for me when I was eating cauliflower and broccoli.  What about corn base products like tortilla chips and flour based foods?  I eat a hamburger once in a while and some yogurt and seem to do okay.  So whatever your experience might be with food, good and/or bad, please share.  Thanks!
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Boagie:

 

I also stay away from salty stuff - pretzels, etc.  And I try to cook with low salt products.  And MSG is a huge no no for benzo peeps.  I read labels judiciously and try to stay away from packaged processed stuff. 

 

Sugar, caffeine, and alcohol are the top three "No Nos" so you are off to a great start.

 

Best regards,

Rocko

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My experience, the more clean you eat the better. I just got out of a big wave, feeling good this morning and knew better than to eat onion rings and fried zucchini at lunch. Came home and went straight to bed.

 

Diet DOES make a difference.

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I ate whatever I could, whenever the nausea let up, I didn't have a problem with any foods that I know of.  I tried to eat only the ones which tasted good.  ;)
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Hi Boagie, I was too sick to eat much during my early days of withdrawal. Once I got my appetite back, I pretty much ate whatever I wanted except for some fish. For some reason fish reved me up, it could have just been a complete coincidence. But I ate whatever tasted good to me for the most part and never really had any problems. The only things I avoided were alcohol and caffeine. I still ate sugary foods, junk food, etc in moderation and did not have any issues. Everyone is different.
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These aren't foods, but things I've heard that should be avoided: aspartame, valerian tea, and FLUOROQUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS most importantly.

 

hope that helps

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Thanks for the feedback, absolutely no MSG and staying away from all processed food.  Unfortunately, I was given a three day course of cipro in mid May that I believe sent me into tolerance withdrawal.  However, had I not wound up in tolerance withdrawal I wonder how much longer it would've taken me to figure out it was the benzo that was causing my problems.  I was just mystified by myself as I seemed to be changing into a messy disturbed version of myself.  It was so scary to not know what in the world was happening to me.

 

To cantwaittobebetter... can you give me some feedback on your recovery.  I have gone through to look at some of your posts as I am wondering how you have progressed and healed through your recovery since last summer.  We have a similar short term use story line.  I took 1 mg ativan for 10 days and when I stopped has withdrawal.  Three days later went back to 1 mg ativan off and on for five weeks and then stopped with more even worse withdrawal.  Still didn't get it.  Then family doc gave me xanax .5 mg that I took for four weeks, finally figured it out and was stubborn enough to cold turkey.  Four days later began valium taper.  So about nine or ten weeks of benzo use before I began taper.  The valium has helped a bit with sleep and anxiety, but I have so many other nasty symptoms... I wonder if they will truly ever go away after the taper and recovery or if this is who I am now.  Just wondering how you are after being a year out.  Thanks!

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Like Pam said...I stick to foods that taste good to me...especially since one of my main s/x is nausea.

 

Things that I've stayed away from all and all:  too much sugar, MSG, fried foods, gas-producing veggies like broccoli, dairy, red meat, caffeine and alchohol, jarred sauces like pasta sauce (I make all my own sauces using fresh ingredients instead now)

 

Food that I have enjoyed:  hummus, yogurt, grapes (in moderation since they can make me gassy), cucumber and tomato salad, oatmeal, bananas, applesauce (unsweetened) with cinnamon sprinkled in it, simple pasta dishes using whole wheat pasta (w/ olive oil, sauteed veggies and salt/pepper to taste...easy but good)

 

I am now eating more and can even tolerate some sugar since my last dose, but I was really limited to what i could comfortably eat during my taper.  I will always stay away from red meat, fried foods and dairy from now on...but that's my personal choice - not to do with Benzo w/d.  I have IBS and did before Benzos and those are all triggers for me. 

 

All the best,

Schatje

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There's also the BRAT diet when a person is nauseous and can't tolerate most foods.  It stands for:

 

B - Bananas

R - Rice

A - Applesauce

T - Toast

 

Hope this helps.

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