Jump to content

Solar Plexus Pain/Tightness and other Nerve Pain


[Sc...]

Recommended Posts

Hello to all...still riding this wave, but managed to get out to visit at a friend's house today w/ my hubby/daughter. 

 

Now I have this feeling I've had many times throughout my taper and since jumping 5 months ago...but today it's extremely intense and I truly feel everything is being thrown at me right now.  :o

 

First, I have this extremely tight/painful feeling in the solar plexus area just below but between the rib cage.  I believe someone just wrote about it a few days ago, but could not find their post.  It feels like I have to stretch it out and as soon as I sit in a relaxed position the pain begins again.  So I continuously have to straighten my back and stretch.  I also have a LOT of nerve pain - almost pinch-like - in the abdomen and pelvis areas...very uncomfortable and it's the most I've ever had.  It just won't let up.  The pain in the "solar plexus" area is so bad that it almost feels like it takes my breath away.  It also makes my ribs hurt...and my ribs are SO sore today b/c of the stress I put on them 2 nights ago w/ my 6 hour panic attack.  I think I'm a bit of a mess.  :o

 

Not a great night...but trying to remain calm and will now watch a movie w/ my husband. 

 

All the best to each and every one of you.

 

Love,

Schatje

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pain is getting worse...and it's making me anxious.  Every time I start to cry it shoots out TONS of tiny nerve-ending pain all throughout my stomach.  I'm in so much discomfort.  I keep thinking "is this my appendix?", etc...fearful I'll end up in the hospital and having to take something that makes me worse.  The pain is worse on the right side, so that's why I get scared.

 

Does anyone have this nerve-ending pain in the stomach (all over) and the tightening-muscle feeling in the abdomen and the "solar plexus" areas?

 

Not a winner of a night.  :'(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me again...

 

Shaking and so scared.  My husband is rubbing my feet to try to take away my fears...but this is too much.  When the nerve-like pain isn't there, it feels like my abdominal muscles and intestines, etc are all burning...like  a numbing/burning pain.  My ribs as well.  Can anyone relate to this feeling?  I know burning/nerve pain, etc is all "normal"...but i hear it more in the back, neck or legs.  Everything between my pelvis and ribs are taking a beating.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Schatje, sorry to hear your feeling bad. If it still persist I'd go get it checked out. with that said I've had a few bouts of intense wd when im trying to break the shell and get out. 6 hour panic  attack plus the getting out part could have thrown you for a loop, I sure a hell know it would have for me. Hope youre feeling better.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh Schatje ... this sounds so horrid what you are describing.  I have had the torso feeling squeezed in a crushing kind of way ... right now it is only light compared with some periods in the past.  Is this the area you mean?  It would not surprise me one bit if this is w/d ...  I haven't felt my intestines burning, just the brain.  I'm so sorry that this is so very difficult to get thru.  I am so glad that your husband is there for you.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for responding, Mixin and Whoopsie.  It's now 3am and I can't sleep b/c the pain is too intense.  And now the panic has come back.  I don't feel it's anything other than withdrawal b/c it comes and goes and moves from one area to the next.  Plus I had a lot of the jerking movements w/ my legs and arms tonight which comes when I'm in a really nasty wave.  I shiver as though I'm cold, but I'm not really cold. 

 

I've spent the last hour crying to my husband in bed, wondering why it has to hurt this much at 5 months off.  I just don't get how those little pills do this much damage.  He constantly reminds me it's our central nervous system healing, and that the CNS Is so intricate and it takes time. 

 

I think back to my mom's mastectomy she had 3 years ago.  She had nerve pain under her arm for 2 years after that surgery.  So I know nerves can take a long time to heal.  And I had bunion surgery done (one foot 2 years ago, and the other foot 1 1/2 years ago) and the last foot still has a lot of nerve damage, although it continues to improve.  So I know nerves can do funny things...but it makes sense to me w/ surgery...but this just boggles my mind.

 

You can tell I'm panicked tonight as I replied to my own thread so many times...just needing to "hear" someone else...so instead I replied to myself.  ;D 

 

My daughter has a friend coming over for lunch tomorrow at noon and she is spending the day here...I just hope I can get enough sleep tonight to function while she's here.  My husband has the whole week off and he's already stated tonight "remember, I'm here too!".  But this is just so tough.  I hope this is my last "biggie" wave...b/c it's the biggest by far so far.  Constant anxiety, fear, panic, sleep disturbance...not to mention the multitude of physical feelings going on.

 

This pain really scared me tonight.  It is lessening a bit, but now the panic has set in...and I now "nervous ramble" on here.

 

Thank you so much for listening.  You know I'll get through it.

 

Love,

Schatje

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Schatje  :therethere:

I am sorry you had so tough time. This must be that big wave before gets better.

I am sure everything will be fine soon.

Thinking of you.

 

Marry  :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You just mentioned a few key things that happen to me EVERY TIME I get these waves:

 

1. "I shiver as though I'm cold, but I'm not really cold." - One of my classic wave issues.

2. "Plus I had a lot of the jerking movements w/ my legs and arms" - Another classic wave issue I get.

 

But I totally understand and know those waves all to well. They can be very scary and debilitating.

 

This is my 3rd time wd'ing and those are 2 wave symptoms I know all to well, along with a dozen others :(

 

One of the other ones I get that I really hate is this annoying very sore to touch issue on my chest, it's like

if I put a little pressure it goes away (nerves flaring up my doctor tells me).

 

BTW did you have a drink of alcohol? I avoid it like the plaque but I know it flares me up even with a single beer or class of wine.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you again for the support...not an easy night. 

 

Mixin, I steer VERY clear of all alcohol.  I learned during my taper.  I have never been a big drinker, but I enjoyed having 1 MAYBE 2 beers on a Friday night w/ my husband.  It was my husband who noticed whenever I decided to join him w/ a beer, the next day would be horrendous.  All of my s/x would intensify and I'd be a wreck.  Once we read more about the effect alcohol can have on you during w/d, I quickly made the decision to stay away and have not touched even a sip since. 

 

The jerking movements and chills are really bad tonight.  Not sure when I'll fall asleep and I really need to be alert tomorrow.  What a rough road this can be.  :(

 

All the best to you...hugs,

Schatje

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep the shivers and muscle twitches get really bad for me as well when I have a wave hit me, to the point my wife will sleep in our daughters room so I don't keep her up with constant tossing and turning.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just heard about the solar plexus from "Still Alive".  Possibly this is where you saw it.  Following is a link of a response from Still Alive to me Lislis:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=43891.190

 

That is how my GI sensations started, first the burning pain in that area, followed by bloating and such tightness that it felt like a rock.  I believed it was withdrawal, but still had doubt, but after conversing with Still Alive, I have less fears and hope to just ride it out.

 

I know how you feel!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Schatje-

 

I just read this entire thread. I hope you continue to find relief.

 

I wanted to let you know that I know the solar plexus thing you're describing. For me it feels like someone punched me right in the center of my rib cage HARD and it's bruised and tender. If I sneeze or cough really hard, it feels like a searing pain like I ripped muscle tissue or something.

 

I read a book called 'Hope and Help for Your Nerves' by Dr. Claire Weekes, and SURPRISE SURPRISE, MANY others report these sensations and lots of variations when dealing with extreme anxiety. And of course our bodies are going through some intense things right now, so anxiety makes sense.

 

I think you're absolutely right that this is W/D (or better yet, let's just call it recovery-related because I think the term fits much better, since w/d is too open to interpretation.) I have laid in bed thinking the same thing you did regarding the fact that it comes and goes. If this were a heart problem or something else extremely serious, it would be acute and constant. It never hurts to get checked by a doc to be on the safe side, but hang in there, trust your instincts and know you're NOT alone.

 

Your nerves are just EXTREMELY sensitized right now, so everything is 1,000% more intense. It eventually has to subside. It's not possible for it not to.

If you have not read that book, I highly recommend it. It has been my godsend!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Mixin, Lislis and Wylidas.

 

Mixin:  I often end up going to our family room.  The guest bedroom is right beside my daughter's room so I never go there b/c I don't want to wake her w/ my crying.  I often end up on the bathroom floor with the space heater on me..as sad as that sounds.  It's the one room I won't wake anyone up and at least I stay warm.

 

Lislis:  That is EXACTLY where I saw it...thank you for sending me the thread.  I hope this is short-lived.  I had a similar feeling off/on during my taper, but my bowels had been cooperating SO much better since being off of Benzos...this is surprising me that it's suddenly worsening this far out.

 

Wylidas:  I actually own a copy of that book and keep forgetting to read it.  So I will be sure to do that.  I did read most of it 2 years ago when I was in tolerance w/d...but couldn't figure out why I wasn't getting better.  Now that I'm off of all meds, it's maybe a good time to look back and read through it again.  Thank you for the reminder...I've followed your progress on this forum and I'm always so impressed with your positive outlook...I know it's not easy, but you'll always there to lend a hand.  Thank you.

 

My day has been ok considering I'm going on very little sleep.  My bowels just feel off and I think it's more than likely an IBS flare up caused by all this Benzo madness (plus my period is here...which can be a bad time for IBS sufferers).  I can feel my stomach muscles tightening again as the evening approaches, and all I can do is hope that tonight I handle things better now that I know it's withdrawal.

 

Love to each and every one of you,

Schatje

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Schatje - I can relate to three of your symptoms.  First, the tightness in your abdomen.  I have had this off and on for about 6 months (I'm 16 months off plus 6 months of tolerance when I didn't know what was going on).  I think it's my intestines going into spasm.  Sometimes it's high up under my rib cage and sometimes low, in my pelvic area.  I find relief taking enteric coated peppermint capsules.  They relax your GI tract.  I have also experienced the burning abdomen and intestines.  They just feel very hot as if I had a furnace in there.  I also feel hot from the waist up a good deal of the time.  This has been going on for 6 months.  Lastly, the leg movement.  Do you have restless leg syndrome?  I developed this during tolerance and taper.  It's getting better.  I try to stretch before I go to bed and also to massage my legs for about 5 minutes.  That helps a lot.  I try not to get anxious about these symptoms - I'm not worried about them per se, I just find them so uncomfortable, particularly the burning, that it's hard to put them out of my mind.  I hope you are feeling better as you read this and that the peppermint capsules and massage might help. 

 

Paresthesia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...