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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by NealMcCoy on March 6, 2005, at 15:33:24
In the months October through Janruary during my long benzo taper, I had rough days, real rough days. On some days I couldn't even leave my bed because I was very sick! However, none of that compares to what I am going through right now!
I am sick from benzo withdrawal and on top of that whenever I lay or sit still, I feel like I am being tortured from within. I don't know how much I can take this anymore. I have been taking propranolol for over 2 weeks and it's doing literally nothing. I am taking 0.5 mgs of valium, which is very very low. I am thinking about upping my benzo dosage for a while and then tapering that later, when stable. Does anyone know of anything that can help with this 'torturous' not being able to lay or sit still? It is the hardest thing i've ever had to endure and trust me, i've been around the block as far as pain goes.
-Neal
Posted by ed_uk on March 6, 2005, at 15:55:33
In reply to I've never felt this bad before, posted by NealMcCoy on March 6, 2005, at 15:33:24
Hi,
I replied to your email about Benadryl (diphenhydramine). You'll probably need 25mg or 50mg three or four times a day.
Ensure that your tablets don't contain anything else apart from diphenhydramine and the 'inactive' ingredients.
All the best,
Ed.
Posted by Phillipa on March 6, 2005, at 17:44:32
In reply to Re: I've never felt this bad before, posted by ed_uk on March 6, 2005, at 15:55:33
Okay I'm nosey, but why do you want to get off valium all the way. Won't a low dose be okay to take? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Spriggy on March 6, 2005, at 18:53:25
In reply to Re: I've never felt this bad before, posted by Phillipa on March 6, 2005, at 17:44:32
I just got your email but I go ahead and respond to you here since I just read this too.
YES, YES, YES it definitely sounds like akathasia to me. That's how I felt (everything you described in the email) and that was the diagnosis they gave me.
You will DEFINITELY feel insane. It will DRIVE YOU INSANE because you can NOT get comfortable in your own skin/mind.
I told my husband, " If it's hot outside, you can come in and go into air conditioning. If your cold, you use a blanket. BUT WHEN YOu are uncomfortable in your OWN body... where do you go?"
Thus the reason I believe I became suicidal because I was so desperate for relief, I would've gone to anything.
I am SOOOOOo SOOOO sorry you are feeling this. My heart honestly aches for you because it is the most horrible, horrific, awful, desperate feeling a human can feel. Once you feel it, you have such compassion for other's in a similar state.
I might just be honest and suggest that if you don't feel relief from Benadryl (it was minimal for me) that you check yourself into the hospital. It is the only thing that helped me; they can put you on an IV and start trying different things to stop it.
The weird part is that you are feeling this coming off Benzo's, while Benzo's are the THING they put me on FOR this feeling.
They described it to me as a problem in the central nervous system and it basically needed to be "sedated" for a while to stop this cycle.I don't know if you have any codeine available (and I'm not suggesting you do anything illegal) but I do remember when I felt REALLY bad like you do now, I ended up with the flu and they gave me some cough syrup with codeine and it IMMEDIATELY took that feeling away as well.
So for me:
1) codeine
2) Klonopin (low dose)
3) Benadryl (helped a little)
4) PRAYER
5) hospitalizationnone of those are in any certain order but taht's what helped me.
I will pray SOOO hard for you right now. That God will remove this feeling from you and give you some rest, peace, and joy.
I KNOW how miserable it is but PLEASe more than anything, do NOT believe the LIE that this will last forever. IT WILL NOT. They will find something to help you.
I think my biggest fear was that I would never feel normal again and that would make it worse.
YOU WILL GET BETTER..
I am praying right now!
Posted by Maxime on March 6, 2005, at 23:23:51
In reply to Re: I've never felt this bad before, posted by Phillipa on March 6, 2005, at 17:44:32
Which benzo are you trying to get off of? Are you using Valium as a replacement or is it the Valium itself.
This link will bring you to a withdrawal schedule.
http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzsched.htmRats! I am going to post this on the Withdrawal board! Sorry Dr. Bob!
Maxime
Posted by Maxime on March 6, 2005, at 23:30:14
In reply to Re: I've never felt this bad before, posted by Maxime on March 6, 2005, at 23:23:51
I redirected this to the withdrawal board to Neal's Attention in the subject line.
Maxime
Posted by olysi79 on March 7, 2005, at 2:24:16
In reply to Re: I've never felt this bad before, posted by Spriggy on March 6, 2005, at 18:53:25
Hi Spriggy, I'm not sure if this is akathisia because Akakthisia is a condition created by dopamine receptor blockage. Often SSRIs and antipsychotics can cause it. However, the symptoms of akathisia are very very similar to those of extreme high anxiety and mixed/dysphoric mania. You'll hear a person with agitated depression describe the exact same thing. But your suggestions will most likely still work.
> I just got your email but I go ahead and respond to you here since I just read this too.
>
> YES, YES, YES it definitely sounds like akathasia to me. That's how I felt (everything you described in the email) and that was the diagnosis they gave me.
>
> You will DEFINITELY feel insane. It will DRIVE YOU INSANE because you can NOT get comfortable in your own skin/mind.
>
> I told my husband, " If it's hot outside, you can come in and go into air conditioning. If your cold, you use a blanket. BUT WHEN YOu are uncomfortable in your OWN body... where do you go?"
>
> Thus the reason I believe I became suicidal because I was so desperate for relief, I would've gone to anything.
>
> I am SOOOOOo SOOOO sorry you are feeling this. My heart honestly aches for you because it is the most horrible, horrific, awful, desperate feeling a human can feel. Once you feel it, you have such compassion for other's in a similar state.
>
> I might just be honest and suggest that if you don't feel relief from Benadryl (it was minimal for me) that you check yourself into the hospital. It is the only thing that helped me; they can put you on an IV and start trying different things to stop it.
>
> The weird part is that you are feeling this coming off Benzo's, while Benzo's are the THING they put me on FOR this feeling.
>
> They described it to me as a problem in the central nervous system and it basically needed to be "sedated" for a while to stop this cycle.
>
> I don't know if you have any codeine available (and I'm not suggesting you do anything illegal) but I do remember when I felt REALLY bad like you do now, I ended up with the flu and they gave me some cough syrup with codeine and it IMMEDIATELY took that feeling away as well.
>
> So for me:
>
> 1) codeine
> 2) Klonopin (low dose)
> 3) Benadryl (helped a little)
> 4) PRAYER
> 5) hospitalization
>
> none of those are in any certain order but taht's what helped me.
>
> I will pray SOOO hard for you right now. That God will remove this feeling from you and give you some rest, peace, and joy.
>
> I KNOW how miserable it is but PLEASe more than anything, do NOT believe the LIE that this will last forever. IT WILL NOT. They will find something to help you.
>
> I think my biggest fear was that I would never feel normal again and that would make it worse.
>
> YOU WILL GET BETTER..
>
> I am praying right now!
Posted by SLS on March 7, 2005, at 8:09:57
In reply to I've never felt this bad before, posted by NealMcCoy on March 6, 2005, at 15:33:24
Do you happen to have any Neurontin floating around? I have never seen it used before, but I am interested to see if it is at all helpful.
I wouldn't go out of my way to get some prescribed for a whacky idea like mine.
- Scott
Posted by Spriggy on March 7, 2005, at 12:50:55
In reply to Re: I've never felt this bad before » Spriggy, posted by olysi79 on March 7, 2005, at 2:24:16
Oylsi might be right.
It may very well be agitated depression. I recall the pdoc in the hospital saying sometimes it was hard to differentiate between the two of those.
Now that I think of it, maybe I have a touch of that myself. I feel agitated and depressed.
Man alive, I have to stop reading here. I am giving myself every illness listed. ROFL
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 7, 2005, at 18:58:02
In reply to Redirected to withdrawal board, posted by Maxime on March 6, 2005, at 23:30:14
> I redirected this to the withdrawal board
Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050228/msgs/467622.html
Thanks,
Bob
This is the end of the thread.
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