Jump to content

Kindling Please Explain


[So...]

Recommended Posts

Can someone please explain exactly what kindling is and how do you know if you are going through it?  I read about it and I am kinda familiar but I don't know if I am going through it.  Also if you do go through it will you still recover?

 

Thank You!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kindling is when you have gone on and off benzos several times and each w/d gets more intense. That is how I understand it. Looks like this is your third time coming off? From what I have read here everyone recovers in time, some longer than others. Take care Sonria!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually it is the 4th time coming off.  Three times with Xanax and one time with Valium.  Was on Xanax for one week in July, August and Sept.  Then I stopped.  Stopped the Valium in May.  I did not know any better.  Will I still recover? 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3,4,5,6,7 times. People come on and off many times and they recover and heal. The more times they come off the longer it might take to heal each time, but if you stay off everything will repair over time.  :smitten:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking back on your history you took a few times more recently just a week at a time. Were you still having withdrawal from the 10-20mg valium you took for a few years? Then tried the xanax for a week at a time to try and make things better? Those one week periods shouldn't have set you back too far. My guess is you are still in recovery from the valium. You will get better, hang on a keep moving forward!  :thumbsup:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I was having horrible withdrawals so I went to the ER.  Big mistake.  I was told I was having anxiety and was put on the Xanax.  I started and stopped because I did not know any better.  I also wanted to get off all the meds.  I have been on so much crap over the years.  I just hope I will heal even I kindled.

 

Thanks Innadaze!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, if you stopped valium cold turkey at the end of May then you are still well within the withdrawal period. I stopped the equivalent of 10mg valium March 15 and was barley alive for 3-4 months, then still miserable for another 3-4 months. Now after 9 months things are still not right, but there are times I feel like things are getting better very slowly. You will feel this as well in the coming months, and now you know not to take any benzos that can set you back  :smitten:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sonria--I kindled halfway through my taper, it just kicked in. Like you, I did not know any better. It'll get better. Well, there are plenty of others here going through it.

 

I just went into full withdrawal much like the c/t from 2010 during my taper. Didn't know I had kindled until I found this board. I sure hope it doesn't last longer....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since I was on and off the Benzo and took it 1 week at a time for 3 times does that mean I reinstated? 

I guess it is not a rescue dose?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How long does the withdrawal period last?  Is all of this withdrawal?

 

Since I know nothing of your mental health and physical history it is difficult to say what is w/d. Rule of thumb here on Benzo Buddies is if you didn't have the symptom before taking benzos, it is most likely withdrawal. If certain symptoms are bothering you it is a good idea to check with your doctor to make sure nothing else is going on with your health.

 

Withdrawal/recovery takes anywhere from a few weeks to 4 or 5 years. Most people here from what I've read fall into the 6-24 month period. That doesn't mean you will feel awful the whole time though. Most people see steady improvement as the months pass by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sonria,

 

i am kindling. i've done about 12 cold turkey's from benzo's in my whole life. that is a lot. i also did many rapid tapers and then uped my dose again for about 10 years. like within weeks--i would rapid taper from klonopin one week and the symptoms would get too intense so then i would up my dose to way more than i should. that kind stuff will definitely cause kindling.

 

more then the way you described your withdrawals. i sure hope people who are kindling will heal and recover. i feel it's kinda like saying the brain is filled to the brim and absolutely cannot take another drug let alone another benzo. when i took my last rescue dose it caused more withdrawal symptoms then not taking it--my brain had enough, i couldn't take another benzo's even if someone shoved it down my throat. it would be too much. that is how i like to describe kindling.

 

you can also google "kindling withdrawal" and read about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

more then the way you described your withdrawals. i sure hope people who are kindling will heal and recover. i feel it's kinda like saying the brain is filled to the brim and absolutely cannot take another drug let alone another benzo. when i took my last rescue dose it caused more withdrawal symptoms then not taking it--my brain had enough, i couldn't take another benzo's even if someone shoved it down my throat. it would be too much. that is how i like to describe kindling.

 

I like the way you describe this very well prettyd! I took klonopin for a short amount of time, 6 months. But the previous 12 months I had been on and off 8 or 10 different psych meds and they all were making me sick within days. Nothing worked any longer. You have summed up what happened to me>

 

My brain was filled to the brim and could no longer tolerate anything. So then they threw benzo on top of that and it never worked, just made me sicker. Always had a feeling that the other medications had worn me down and messed me up so bad that the little bit of benzo was a killer. Thanks! Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!  :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

more then the way you described your withdrawals. i sure hope people who are kindling will heal and recover. i feel it's kinda like saying the brain is filled to the brim and absolutely cannot take another drug let alone another benzo. when i took my last rescue dose it caused more withdrawal symptoms then not taking it--my brain had enough, i couldn't take another benzo's even if someone shoved it down my throat. it would be too much. that is how i like to describe kindling.

 

I like the way you describe this very well prettyd! I took klonopin for a short amount of time, 6 months. But the previous 12 months I had been on and off 8 or 10 different psych meds and they all were making me sick within days. Nothing worked any longer. You have summed up what happened to me>

 

My brain was filled to the brim and could no longer tolerate anything. So then they threw benzo on top of that and it never worked, just made me sicker. Always had a feeling that the other medications had worn me down and messed me up so bad that the little bit of benzo was a killer. Thanks! Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!  :smitten:

 

yeah, i like the way you describe it too 'nothing worked anymore' that is the true sense of kindling. i think anyone who is kindled will know what it feels like. you know you're done with benzo's if you're kindled too.

 

hope you have a wonderful Holiday too! :smitten:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you.  My body cannot handle any meds.  I take Benadryl and I react.  I do not know if that is kindling or my body just saying no more meds.  I just hope I recover.  I have been having horrible burning in my upper gastric area.  Have no clue to what that is.  Had tests done last year and everything was fine.  Hope it stops soon!  I did read about kindling online.  Can you still recover if you are kindling?  I never had any problems like this before the benzos except for upset stomach once in awhile.  I also have to get an epidural steroid injection for the pain in my neck and arm.  I know this will set me back.  Anyone experience with this?

 

Have a great holiday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sonria,

 

i don't know if the fact that you're reacting means to benadryl that you are kindling? i know that i am kindled but i can take a little bit of benadryl. the only thing i can take is benadryl and some excedrin for the head pressure but that's it. i can't take any thing else. except the suboxone med which i am tapering from and almost off of.

and i cut the benadryl up so i take less than 25mg.

 

i sure hope people who are kindled can recover. i need to recover from this. i think the kindling is just a condition like anything else.

 

here is Wiki's version of kindling:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindling_%28sedative-hypnotic_withdrawal%29

 

 

and here's a little excerpt in Wiki's:

 

"Benzodiazepines

 

Repeated benzodiazepine withdrawal episodes may result in similar neuronal kindling as that seen after repeated withdrawal episodes from alcohol, with resultant increased neuro-excitability. The glutamate system is believed to play an important role in this kindling phenomenon with AMPA receptors which are a subtype of glutamate receptors being altered by repeated withdrawals from benzodiazepines. The changes which occur after withdrawal in AMPA receptors in animals have been found in regions of the brain which govern anxiety and seizure threshold; thus kindling may result in increased severity of anxiety and a lowered seizure threshold during repeated withdrawal. Changes in the glutamate system and GABA system may play an important role at different time points during benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.[1"

 

 

it sure doesn't say in Wiki if recovery is possible, but we have to believe that it is. the one thing it stresses over and over is increased risk of seiszures. so if you're off all benzo's and in the process of healing--there's no reason why it can't heal all the way like anyone else who isn't kindling. it's just that someone who is kindling is going to be extra sensitive to most meds and increase their risk of seizure. i wouldn't worry too much about it and by reading your signature line, i would say that you are not kindling. but i would have any way of knowing for sure?

 

prettydaisys

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i said in my earlier post, from reading your signature, it does not look like you would be kindling.

 

and also, you said in the PM to me that the symptoms you have in this withdrawal are not as bad as the last time. that

would be another good sign that you are not kindling. but if by chance you are, you can still recover. i plan too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My body cannot handle any other meds.  Is that a sign of kindling?  My symptoms are not as bad but they are still bad.  Having lots of symptoms!  Thank you!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

there are many people on this forum who cannot handle any meds or supplement, does not necessarily mean

they're kindling. the CNS is so fragile when the benzodiazepine drug has been taken away. it needs time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish I would have known about kindling earlier. I actually took Ativan 0.50 mgs for six months in 2011 and CT'ed it with minimal withdrawal symptoms that only lasted about a month.  Made the mistake of taking another mere 5 pills spacing them out over periods of days in October and this time I got hooked.  Once you are off this stuff and feeling better you should never touch it again.  Golden rule. 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i took 3 rescue doses after i came home from the detox and cold turkey'd. it was huge setbacks each time and definitely made

me kindle even further. i woulld not take a rescue dose if you're worried about kindling. that is how the kindling starts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...