Exercise during withdrawal.

I am glad to be living in the boonies during this experience. This experience in downtown Toronto would have been horrific. At least I am glad to be in the woods during this. The last two days I went walking on trails in the middle of nowhere for over three hours each day. I scared off partridge and smaller birds, but I just kept on walking even though all around me gunshots were going off because it is hunting season. It felt pretty good being a part of a different surrounding for a little bit, anything is better then this same room and couch. I will hate this room and couch forever. Anyway..I don't know where I am going with this, just wanted to say I walked for 6 hours in two days and I paid for it my symptoms got worse, last night while I was trying to sleep the sudden body jerks came back. I think doing too much was definitely a bad idea.

Too much exertion or stress of any kind can rev up symptoms. Moderation, even going more gently may well help. Exercise is definitely good, so don't give it up completely, just maybe a little less.

 

I know what you mean about being in the boonies during withdrawal. I live in an isolated rural area. I doubt I'd fare very well in the city with neighbors, noise, cars, etcetera. My torture chamber is my bedroom since it is the scene of my worst symptoms which are mostly at night. My bedroom used to be my sanctuary, now I feel like it is my own private torture chamber and I dread going in there at night.

 

Perhaps in time after we heal this feeling will fade. I hope so because I really loved my little sanctuary.

 

I know how you feel, Obsid.  Bedtime and bedrooms can be scary, especially for those of us who have difficult nights.

Doing too much revs me up too. If I'm in a wave, I don't do anything. Night time is my worst time too, I dread going to bed. Around 7 pm my sx start in and don't let up for most of the night. It is pure torture!

Exercise is great. Just avoid too much. A little each day is ideal. Fresh sir and sunshine are a bonus too!

It's been a delicate balance for me; too much exertion definitely has a price tag associated with it, but so does doing nothing.

Spengler, I couldn't agree more. I think benzo recovery depends on finding that balance, so you don't over-do it and you also don't become such a zombie that you don't just sit and do nothing all day.

 

I've found walking to be helpful. I've found about 45 minutes to work best for me. I walk along a major city street and carry a canvas bag with me. I pick aluminum cans out of trash bins at bus stops, plus any cans that people have thrown by the side of the road. The going price for recycled aluminum is 80 cents a pound, so I've probably only made about $5 or $6 so far for all my efforts. It's not the money, though, it's that focusing on looking for cans (while also listening to my iPod) keeps my anxiety in check, my mind occupied, and I don't get frazzled by all the traffic.

 

 

I have to keep my exercise moderate. I do elliptical or something at a very moderate pace for 25-30 minutes. I can only do 2x a week. If i do more I'm unable to sleep and the muscle soreness kills me. I just had to remove and put a new area rug in my living room and I felt like I ran a marathon when done. I hate being 45 feeling like an 80 year old

Agree with the "anything is better than this room/couch" statement.  I can't stand the smells, sounds or places I was in during acute withdrawal. 

 

Exercise is a great natural way to release endorphins and get blood flowing to your ailing brain.  (Or just wear yourself out when you're feeling panicky, lol).  I've been doing 3 days of moderate cardio per week and 2 days of weight training/yoga.  You figure out your limits really quickly, but overall it's worth it IMHO. 

 

Keep enjoying the countryside! 

 

Sincerely,

 

Your Slightly-Jealous Urban Dwelling BenzoBuddy  

I made the mistake of trying to do too much too soon and really felt like hell. I would walk on my treadmill then stagger over to the bath and lie there feeling like I was going to die. But as I got better I gradually started to do more ... my body basically told me when it was up for it. I started by walking around the garden. When I could do that, I walked around the block. I gradually increased to two blocks. Today, at almost eight months off, I can run 10km again. And the amazing thing is, when I run, I feel 'normal'. It's the one time when I barely notice my symptoms, thanks to muscle memory - plus the endorphins make me high in a good way.

 

So don't give up completely. The payoffs are worth it once your body has reached a certain level of healing. And walking is wonderful - the best exercise (I'm a running addict, so that's why I went back to running!). Considering I couldn't even walk initially, as I was too dizzy and felt like I was pulling a truck, it's great to have a good proportion of my health back! Thought it would never happen. But it did.

 

 

Hi Maggie

What a great exercise success story! How are your symptoms coming along?

Bart

Hi Maggie

What a great exercise success story! How are your symptoms coming along?

Bart

 

Hey Bart! Quite a bit better, thanks, despite last week's nasty window, complete with itching and tremor. I'm still anxious and loud or persistent noises affect me very badly, plus I'm still a bit depressed, but on the whole I'm getting there. Cog fog, frustration and tiredness are the most irksome at the moment. You?

Tex, that's pretty neat about the cans! It reminds me of a doctor I saw in my teens who encouraged me to count things as a way to deal with unrelenting anxiety. For instance, he encouraged me to dump out a big bucket of screws that my dad had, and count them back in to the bucket. It was definitely the best advice he gave me, since the rest of it was all prozac/valium/etc.

 

I got up this morning, put gym clothes on -- and then spent the last 40 mins on here . Off I go!

 

I'm on the road at 4:45 AM.  Running in the cold November rain, pitch dark outside, with a headlamp on.

 

Funny what these whacky little pills will do to you. 

Just back from deer hunting. It's a balmy -23 degrees here and I just walked miles. Still no food for the freezer yet, but I got plenty of fresh air and exercise!

Just back from deer hunting. It's a balmy -23 degrees here and I just walked miles. Still no food for the freezer yet, but I got plenty of fresh air and exercise!

 

Man, that's cold!  Nothing like getting out in nature.

There is not much time left, hunting season ends Nov 23 here. I guess seeing a deer would ramp up anxiety levels. I am only three months out so I am settling for small game. 

Yes, I'm thinking that this is an anxiety exposure!  Nothing like a little bit of buck fever!

@[ t...]

What u said about doing your w/d where u live out in the sticks? I live in a large urban town in Scotland (the largest in fact) and would give just about anything to live out in the country for a year or two while going through my Valium w/d hell.

In the last 7 or 8 months since I cold turkied fm Valium ive found it really hard to go out into the town or go on public transport etc. because of the condition ive been in but if I was living out in the country where its quiet and hardly anyone around I think it would suit my condition a million times better than my current situation.

It would be great to just go for long walks every day in the middle of no-where but alas being in a really busy town I really do hate it....

Ah well if i ever win the lottery Im buying a massive mansion in the boonies and becoming a hermit lol.

It is tough to get out in the boonies given the fear and paranoia of withdrawal. However I just bought 160 acres of woodlands in the middle of Canadian wilderness. It is pretty nice!

Redorblue

I am here temporarily, my home is in Toronto. I grew up in the boonies and it was booring. It is great for people who are retired. Maybe, when I get older i will buy a house on the lake and stock it full of fish and catch my supper. But, I do prefer the bigger cities. It is ok being here while I am sick because there is not much commotion. How are you doing since you quit? Have you improved a lot since? I wish you faster healing and luck with winning the lottery. I like the idea of a mansion and becoming a hermit, that would be great right now because i could have butlers,masseuse and anything else that would cater to my needs. Unfortunately, I only have a wooden backscratcher to work with.

 

Svenhoak,

Did you buy 160 acres of land so you have a better chance at hunting? 

Indeed Chris!

 

It's a nice place just to yo and chill out....

Hi Maggie

What a great exercise success story! How are your symptoms coming along?

Bart

 

Hey Bart! Quite a bit better, thanks, despite last week's nasty window, complete with itching and tremor. I'm still anxious and loud or persistent noises affect me very badly, plus I'm still a bit depressed, but on the whole I'm getting there. Cog fog, frustration and tiredness are the most irksome at the moment. You?

 

Still banging away with the weights and treadmill. So far I'm feeling well so long as I don't get off my "program" which includes lots of exercise and rest. Symptoms are still pretty close to the surface so I'm not yet able to throw all caution to the wind. Take care.

Bart

Hi Maggie

What a great exercise success story! How are your symptoms coming along?

Bart

 

Hey Bart! Quite a bit better, thanks, despite last week's nasty window, complete with itching and tremor. I'm still anxious and loud or persistent noises affect me very badly, plus I'm still a bit depressed, but on the whole I'm getting there. Cog fog, frustration and tiredness are the most irksome at the moment. You?

 

Still banging away with the weights and treadmill. So far I'm feeling well so long as I don't get off my "program" which includes lots of exercise and rest. Symptoms are still pretty close to the surface so I'm not yet able to throw all caution to the wind. Take care.

Bart

 

Good to hear, Bart. Keep it up! I also feel good if I don't divert from my programme. Unfortunately I have a bladder infection at the moment (have had it for two weeks now and tried to push through but have now realised it's not getting better - as I can't take meds, I have to just ride it out). So no running for me at the moment. But I will walk for an hour on the treadmill. I feel so weird without exercise - anxious and out of sorts.

@[ C...]

I honestly don't know how I'm still on this planet.I should really be dead with how severe the withdrawals I had were..If any1 else is reading this,I don't condone doing it CT but if your going through it with no other choice it DOES get better.