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Your top 5 withdrawal symptoms.


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As we all go through this w/d process I am amazed at how differently each of us progress and equally amazed at how different our symptoms are.  I've been a member of this board for a few months now and can honestly say that if it were not for some of you I probably would not be here.  The encouraging words, friendships and strength that have been offered has gotten me this far. 

 

I've read countless posts about symptoms, relapses, reinstatements, doctors advice, windows & waves but I'd be interested in hearing about your monthly progress beginning at month one through month 6 if you are that far out.  Here's an example of my 3 month detox.

 

Sept. 20 - Oct. 20, 2011:  First 2 weeks were actually pretty good.  No mental or physical symptoms at all other than and I actually thought this was going to be a walk in the park.  During this time I also noticed that I had NO CRAVINGS at all for my pain pills which I've been on for 5 years.  Weeks 3 the nightmare began with all the typical w/s symptoms and it felt like they hit me overnight.  The worst for me was the heart palps.  Week 4 no change and no windows at all.

 

Oct. 21-Nov. 21, 2011:  Week 5 saw a reduction in severity of w/d symptoms but there were still constant and bothersome.  Sleep returned almost overnight as well and I had not difficulty falling & staying asleep. Week 6 noticed very slight windows that would last 5-6 hours then disappear instantly.

Week 7-8 no windows at all and w/d symps felt as they were increasing.

 

Nov. 22 - present: Week 9 tinitus hit me like a truck and has not let up.  Face/neck began to turn red and my head felt the size of a basketball.  Fever started, headache, constipatioin, eye floaters, allergies began to rage like never before and those dreaded mental w/d's set in.  Week 10 a head cold hit me and has not let up.  To deal with the congestion I started taking nyquil, dayquil, sudafed..etc.  These worked for me about a week when I began to notice some old symptoms return like cold/numb hands & feet, stinging/burning sensations in both feet, could nto stand very long due to pain in feet and ankles, knee pain, anxiety really cranked up and had to fight a few bouts of depression, extreme chest pain but I just chalked those up to w/d.  As the days passed a light bulb went off so I searched side effects of decongestants and antihistimines and guess what?  All the above symptoms are realted to the use of decongestants/antihistimines.  Then another light bulb went off.  I live in teh central part of the US and have suffered from allergies all my life and have taken decongestants/antihistimines for 30 years.  Some years I would take sudafed every day.  I can now connect the dots and see exactly when my problem with anxiety/depression first began is when I was constantly on sudafed.  By the way...there are no warnings on the boxes.  Anyway...I'm hoping these symptoms go away pretty soon.  If they do...I'm certain they are decongestant related.

 

I'd like to see your history.  Mainly because I'm documenting our journey. I truly believe that my calling is to bring the benzo nightmare to light for as many people as I can.

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ok. Here goes. This is my third jump, getting to 3 wks the first time and 2.5 months the second. i was on a very low dose of k for 3 yrs- .25. Each jump I have gotten to about 3 wks and been hit. Then it eased up at 2 months for a short window. At 3 months I thought I was in the clear, and ready to call it victory. At 3.5 months I am hit with the biggest wave I have ever had.

Symptoms; first 2 months and during 2 month taper- vertigo, spinning, boaty feeling, nausea, heart palps, insomnia, and waves of fear.

Third month- physical pretty much over, and mental slam me. Addition of sadness. Beyond fear, and shaky nervousness, obsessive thinking

no victory yet. Just hoping its w/d now/

Susan

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I am six months out.

Burning skin, tingles, teeth, jaw pain, blurry vision, fatigue, depression, high anxiety, obsessive thoughts about death/dying (this is my worst sx. it is all day, every day. I feel mentally ill!!) nerve pain bottom of my feet, bone pain, lack of joy, restlessness, feeling out of control of everything, easily overwhelmed, hopeless that this is ever going to end.

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Month 1 for me was physical, mental and everything hard.  Heart palpipations, extreme fatigue, intense d/r and d/p. Night sweats, depression, lots of crying. I just tried to get to the next day and was on the couch.  At times, I forced myself to go out.

 

Month 2 physical was gone except mild internal tremors that only happened in small parts of my body and for a few seconds.  Mental d/r was mild-moderate and was pretty constant.  Fatigue hit sometimes. Depression and crying, but not as bad as month 1. 

 

Month 2 1/2 - (I'm currently almost 12 weeks off.) In the past few weeks a lot is lessening. Depression lessening. Crying lessening.  Fatigue lessening. D/r seems to alternate days.  One day I have it and the next I may not.  With d/r I have loss of smell, taste, and a general boaty feeling along with visual blurriness in one eye or the other.  When I don't have d/r, I feel amazing and like I"m healed.  When I have d/r, it's VERY frustrating, because I lose my motivation and ability to feel natural drive.  The d/r also seems to come along wth fatigue for me.

 

FYI, on the advice of my family, I started keeping a written journal this week, because I needed to remember that on the good days, it really is good.  I have a VERY hard time remembering or believing yesterday was great when the d/r is thick today.  So - the journal helps keep me grounded.

 

;)Parker

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Four months off:  tinnitus, light-headed, burning skin/eyes, tooth pain, body aches, plugged up ears, sinus congestion, (had this for almost six months) dry mouth, heart skipping a beat, waking up with adrenaline rushes, blurry vision, unrelenting anxiety and fear.  I'm sure there are more.
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My top w/d symptoms:  The very worst and longest lasting is burning/tingling skin.  This started two years ago as I was reaching tolerance.  Instead of taking more clorazepate I decided to get off the drug.  After withdrawal other symptoms kicked in.  Tooth pain, inability to sit still for very long, gastro issues, light and sound sensitivity and avoidance of crowds.  Most of the symptoms have gone or greatly subsided except for the burning/tingling skin.  I've been off for 16 months and seen a tiny, tiny bit of improvement on the skin problem so there's hope. 

 

Hope for us all, Paresthesia

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Since my Klonopin taper:

 

1.) Tinnitus - only in the right ear.

2.) Circulatory and heart rhythm issues (mostly racing heart).

3.) High blood pressure

4.) Terrible anxiety at times. (Can't relax / sit still.  Sitting in traffic bothers me now.)

5.) Uncertainty that this will get better.

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1)Helium head. It feels like there is gas being pumped in my head. Makes me feel under the influence of something constantly. Sometimes feels like my head will float off.

 

2)Head pressure or I can describe it as airplane cabin pressurizing feeling in my head. Cycles daily in strength but is never gone.

 

3)Electric current feel vibration in my brain. My brain activity is always charged out of control from it and out of my control as it's from the physical not psychological stance.

 

4)Rapid thought process like a computer always flipping screens. Constant.

 

5)Heatwavy vision which is constant. Things shimmer and grainey at night. My surrounding always move.

 

*So short broken sleep from it. 26 months out.  :-\

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Tapering clonazepam....

 

1.  adrenaline surges

 

2.  severe pain in the knees, hips, shoulders

 

3.  compromised immune system--several uti's, bronchitis, every stomach virus that happens by, conjunctivitis

 

4.  fatigue

 

5.  the shakes

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Tapering clonazepam....

 

1.  adrenaline surges

 

2.  severe pain in the knees, hips, shoulders

 

3.  compromised immune system--several uti's, bronchitis, every stomach virus that happens by, conjunctivitis

 

4.  fatigue

 

5.  the shakes

 

I keep reading others' Top 5 list, and I say to myself, "Oh, yeah.  I should have put that on my list!"

 

I guess we all need a Top 10 or Top 15.  :)

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Off of Klonopin for almost 7 months now, and the top 5 are:

 

1. Anxiety, especially social

2. Insomnia (equally as bad the anxiety, couldn't decide which should be no. 1)

3. OCD symptoms

4. Brain fog/zoning out/memory problems

5. Depression

 

 

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1) anxiety...sometimes high anxiety

2) whole body muscle aches

3) cold hands and feet

4) neck spasms

5) inner tremors

 

Boomer1946

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1) anxiety...sometimes high anxiety

2) whole body muscle aches

3) cold hands and feet

4) neck spasms

5) inner tremors

 

Boomer1946

 

Oh, I totally feel your pain with #1, #3, and #5...  There's 3 more I should have on my list.  :)

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I was just inquiring from a fellow ex benzo user as to what exactly were the variety of sx of folks suffering from post benzo use (protracted.)  I do have one person on here who I am close to who has been suffering so I do know her sx....horrible.  Then I saw this.  Now I know more of what folks are going through having read this thread.  Yikes.

 

I sure feel awful for all of you who have to suffer through this.  Damn.  I was fortunate as I did not have any issues after kicking benzos to the curb except for withdrawal discomfort during the process.  Nevertheless, I sure have empathy for all of you and hope you a quick end to all of this.  This has to end for everyone...right....hopefully sooner than later.

 

 

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1. Dizziness, Dizziness and more Dizziness

2. Unable to think - Brain Locked Up

3. Headache - Unbearable

4. Muscle pain - Excrutiating

5. Muscle Jerking and twitching

6. Fatigue

 

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I was just inquiring from a fellow ex benzo user as to what exactly were the variety of sx of folks suffering from post benzo use (protracted.)  I do have one person on here who I am close to who has been suffering so I do know her sx....horrible.  Then I saw this.  Now I know more of what folks are going through having read this thread.  Yikes.

 

I sure feel awful for all of you who have to suffer through this.  Damn.  I was fortunate as I did not have any issues after kicking benzos to the curb except for withdrawal discomfort during the process.  Nevertheless, I sure have empathy for all of you and hope you a quick end to all of this.  This has to end for everyone...right....hopefully sooner than later.

Very kind words to everyone Jackson. As usual, there's an  :angel: among us. xo
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My top 5 at 5 months off:

 

1)  Nausea

 

2)  Gag sensation

 

3)  Adrenaline rushes

 

4)  Abdominal/rib pain (like nerve pain)

 

5)  DP/DR

 

I feel so discouraged seeing no one w/ the same GI issues....not that I want anyone to have them, but it makes me obsess over wondering if something else is wrong with me.  I can't lose more weight.  :'(

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1. Insomnia -wake up 3-4 times a night / super dreams + nightmares

2. Tingling arms, legs - as soon as I move, + heart palpitations

3. Depression/ sadness /anger

4. Tired, unable to koop with any stress

5.Tinitus

:tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff:

 

That doctors give this stuff -while they have made an oath to take care of their patients!!!

They are being careless and unprofessional - irresonsible regarding somebodies elses health - they should all be put on benzo's for a year and the cold turkey!!!  and them tell them its nothing!!! :tickedoff:

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Insomnia, insomnia, insomnia, muscle jerks, anxiety (mostly about sleep). I guess I'm the only one with severe insomnia? I'm six months out.

Nope, you're not alone jittery. I'm right here too. Short broken sleep. Sucks.

 

I hope you have a reasonable to great day.

 

Merry Christmas you. xo

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