After eight grueling months of tapering, I desperately wanted to believe the doctor who said that I could cold turkey with phenobarbital and detox at home. The .625 dose of clonazepam I was on at the time was “insignificant” in his opinion. Never mind that I entered his office with the help of a cane, could barely sit up to talk to him and that my dose was equal to 12.5 milligrams of Valium, plus I was kindled. Not one doctor who I saw in my desire to get off my benzo understood benzo withdrawal, but they all promised me that they could help me. They didn’t. They made my suffering worse.
Many clients I’ve worked with have experienced the same with their doctors who promise to stop the suffering of benzo withdrawal—some even claiming that their treatment will reset the GABA receptors—a quick cure. People have been put on drugs that can hinder recovery, subjected to electroconvulsive shock treatment, infused with amino acids, Meyers cocktails, flumazenil, as well as undergone stem cell therapy, hyperbolic chambers, magnetic and light treatments, and more, none of which really helped their symptoms and sometimes made things worse.
Most doctors mean well, and they truly do want to help, but unless they can prove that their treatment for benzo withdrawal is based on solid evidence that it works for everyone, I’d be hesitant to move forward with it. (I’d also want to see research that proves conclusively that a treatment resets receptors.) What does work to cure benzo withdrawal? Time. Rest. A clean diet. Avoiding stress. Practicing acceptance and gratitude and having a spiritual practice also helps with coping while haling. The body was designed to heal itself, and it will, in time, especially if we get out of its way and allow it to work its magic.
Please be wary of anyone in the medical community who promises that they can cure benzo withdrawal or reduce the symptoms. Do your research. Ask on benzobuddies.org for other people’s experience with the drug or treatment that is being offered. Google side effects. Google to see if there are withdrawal forums or support forums for the drug or treatment. Google long-term effects or outcomes. I know that people in withdrawal are desperate for the suffering to end. I certainly was. But that desperation can lead us to trust in a drug or treatment that may not be helpful and maybe even harmful. I’ve always felt that my recovery would have been shorter and less traumatic had I not trusted the doctors who led me to become kindled and cold turkeyed.
Remember that the best cure for withdrawal is time. Your brain and central nervous system are designed to heal. They will. In time.
Thx jenn really needed to hear this yet again ….and again it seems to never end we’ve talked about this before…all I say is one day we’ll all look back and it will finally be over…thx for all your help time and time again!!! And it is so hard to trust doctors..really having a tough time with that…maybe that too will end one day..hope so!! Thx again..lynne❤️
Did you have any issues with your thyroid? Since April I have been in a very serious wave which makes me think it isn’t a wave anymore, due to how constant it has been. It’s 100x worse than acute or my time on the drug. My tests show I was quite severely hyperthyroid and IM not sure if that was/is contributing to it or a symptom. A few people have told me to wait it out but I’ve lost around 2 stone since april and I’m getting into the territory of it being dangerous. I have consulted with a doctor many times who obviously doesn’t think this is withdrawal related. Any ideas, is the medication to lower my thyroid going to interact with withdrawal?
It’s interesting that you mention this because I am almost a year off my benzo, and still very much under its power with symptoms that I cannot just ignore and live with. I invested in such a “miracle” program, am about a month in and am questioning my decision. I was told to start on Passion Flower for my anxiety and introduce GABA with L-theanine but hesitating to start. I realize you cannot offer medical advise, but am wondering if as a survivor if you tried either in your journey? I trusted the first doctor I consulted after getting off and he put me on Remeron. What a nightmare that was. I’m homozygous MTHFR and whether it’s related or not, had a very difficult time on it. Every adverse reaction I think I had and when I was told I could just “stop” taking it, it was impossible. For the 2 months I was on, I spent another 5 months weaning off. I really hope it didn’t set back my recovery. But I am questioning every little thing prescribed or suggested now. I had health anxiety before benzos, but this is a whole different beast after!
I am sorry you’re suffering so much. I did try quite a few things. Like most of us, I was desperate for my suffering to end. But nothing I tried helped and many things made me worse. Sometimes, a lot worse! I didn’t try Passion Flower but I’ve heard from others that it didn’t help them or it made them worse. L-theanine is usually well tolerated but does very little for us. It may flare some people. I doubt you’ve added a great deal of time to your recovery, so try not to worry. Keep moving forward. Do your best to avoid taking any meds or supplements unless you truly have to. That will minimize the risk that you’ll be flared.
I was wondering if its possible to get so many withdrawal symtoms as I have from short life benzo? I ask because I was “only” on Oxazepam. Got them in May 2017 but did not take them every day (about 4 times a week) Then this year I started to have panicattacks and the result was anxeity for what ever I was going to do (fear of fainting etc) doctors-appointments, shopping and so on. So I started to take them almost every day. 15-25 mg per day. August more steady 20 mg every day. Then I started tapering. To fast I guess the dose from one week to another was 10 mg then 5mg per day. I got a lot of symtoms. So I had to start over again and not so fast. Ive read about fear here in your blog. Thats my feeling to and it take over and its horrible. I just wonder: everyone write about Klonopin, Xanax and all of the more “heavy” drugs. So I feel so alone about Oxazepam (Serax) and start to wonder if they really can give so strong withdrawals (fear, benzobelly, sensitive to sounds, light, depression, anxeity, pain)? I hasitate and worry instead its not them causing it? They are not so strong and it was not so high in dose.
Thank You for writing in your blog its so so help full to read.
I’m sorry you may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Yes, it is possible to have withdrawal symptoms from low dose benzos. Or even from sporadic use. Please get checked out by a doctor for any other possible cause of your symptoms so that you have some peace of mind. If nothing is found you can rest assured then that it’s withdrawal—- symptoms from an over excited central nervous system. Educate yourself about withdrawal so that you know how to take care of yourself.