Protracted Benzo withdrawal

I just want to offer some hope to all of you who are suffering withdrawal side effects from benzodiazepines and Ssri's. I am finally feeling well. The RLS and tactile sensations on my feet and legs have subsided. It just took time. I am now sleeping well and feeling more confident that I have passed through the worst of this. I have stopped drinking alcohol as well. I believe that the rls was benzo withdrawal and the tactile pins and needles were from ssri withdrawal. Listen to your body. I refused to take Gabapentin or other heavy duty meds and just gave my body time to heal. I had been on benzos and ssris for 15 years. I am 73. Thank you and be kind to yourselves. Keep the faith.

Jump to this post

I am so sorry about your son. Unfortunately, I feel that to get off of Benzodiazepines you MUST have a Dr. Experienced with tapering. I went Cold Turkey after taking Lorazepam for over 10 years (very angry with the Dr. who prescribed them for so long) I was in terrible shape when I called my Primary Care Dr at 4:30 AM and got a prescription. I was then on 4 different medications to get through the withdrawal. I have been on Clonazepam for 8-1/2 months with a psychiatrist on ZOOM. She has made no plan for tapering and I just tapered myself. I am obsessed with researching about all the drugs I have been on to get off the one Benzodiazepine. I cannot stress enough to read, read, and read before making any decisions on the future of your son. You are your own best advocate. I know I will get better after looking back at where I was. That Dr. should be culpable for malpractice. Thank God I found Connect Mayo Clinic, it's been a WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND ADVICE.

Jump to this post

I have been looking for 2 years. No help from local does or neurologists that we traveled 5 hours to see who were really brilliant but refused to read any information given to the on prolonged benzo withdrawal syndrome. Wickepedia , under prolonged benzo withdrawal syndrome,has a fair amount of info. I just today discovered that hydrocodone works on the MU receptors so my husband can use it for muscle ( fasciculations, spasms)and bone pain. He had many other symptoms but he needs something for pain and this works. He had been on a prescription NSAIDS for arthritis and I discovered a year into his withdrawal symptoms that you can not take NSAIDS. Today I found out that any medication, herb, drink, food or supplement that attaches to the GABAreceptor site will worsen the withdrawal symptoms, so that means no caffeine, alcohol,vitamin B or D, magnesium, no anti depressants, also there is a group of antibiotics,Cipro is part of that group, that will intereact poorly on any one who is on benzos or in withdrawal symptoms from them. I hope this can be of help to you. Good luck.

Jump to this post

I need help!
I’m on ambien 5 mgs and Ativan .25 three x/day for 7 weeks….
They never told me about benzo’s, tapering, etc.
I had to go to the hospital may 3, terrible reaction to trying Celexa after 9 months of incredible withdrawal from Paxil which had worked well for 25 years then pooped out. Psych took me off too fast I found out later. Obsessive thinking and rumination about these drugs and so afraid. I’m in a small town and only have a psych nurse who wants me to taper Ativan with Hydroxyzine. And get off ambien with trazedobe. Researching that says Hydroxyzine makes you sleepy but doesn’t help tapering. Benzo sites say to cross over to Valium then taper that….can’t get in to a psych 3 hrs away for months and not sure if they taper properly….there is no way in my mental state that I can crush, weigh Ativan powder and I’m in deep despair.
And how to taper ambien?
Which one first?
I’m also on Primidone a phenobarb for essential tremor and the A and A say don’t use with other CNS suppressants….all three are a terrible mix😫
I’m so scared

Jump to this post

Hi there
Thanks for sharing your insight

Currently a family member is going through MAJOR. SSRI and recent Benzo withdrawal
10+ years of SSRIs (64 year old , female, overweight, lack of lifestyle, movement)

And 5 week of Ativan/lorezepam (28 tablets of 1mg in total across 4-6 weeks) and then switched to Diazepam/Valium following Ashton method. to taper of

Now The patient has come from 2*5mg Diazepam daily , to 1*2.5mg and now 1*1.125mg daily

Major progress...
but as Mark horowitz from Benzo Warriors on YT Noted, the large doses are much easier for the brain to wane of but the last 10% is near damn impossible .

The first 5-10% of BZD dose ( 1-10mg) have the HIGHEST Brain receptor attachment/ affinity.
Therefore, it's the most difficult and has the most part of PAWS/BIND/Protracted risk at this stage.

You noted no herbs but there are plenty of people who used CBD (Not THC) to safely leave Benzo but I was wondering whats your experience in that and also, do you have evidence for your insight above I can take to the patients Dr? I believe you %100 and have read similar about Substances /chemicals that Trigger Benzo withdrawal Relapse. Do you have a list of Foods that Trigger GABA sites? Fasting recommended?

Your help and insight is much appreciated
Thanks

Jump to this post

I was trying to wean from Ativan and dropped out of the benzo warriors site. Way too alarmist for me and TMI.

Jump to this post

Anyone found anything that helped this brutal condition so you could have any sort of life again? I am on 8 different Benzo withdrawal sites including benzo buddies and found zero help!

Jump to this post