It's always a little odd commenting on a 7-year-old video but "You are Awesome!". One person like you can help ten thousand people. Well done and keep going strong. I'll be getting caught up on your channel in the next few days.
I hope so but dont forget those of us a bit older who are also going through this and have been for a really really long time usage. Thank you so much.
Im so incredibly thankful for the doctor that helped me taper! I entered his office complaining about my eyes and he told me he would send me to a specialist if I insisted and that he doesn’t think I was but that he is absolutely certain that it’s the benzos! Bless him! If only there were more like him. He’s truly a rare gem
Thank you for all your videos! I started my journey about a year ago and I cried when I found this video. I was so thankful to know that I'm not crazy. You have helped me and my family understand what I am going through.
Thank you for posting this. Almost everything you describe here is exactly what I've experienced. This post gives me the words I've been looking for to describe this. Hopefully when they hear it from someone else they wont think I'm crazy anymore. It's been a lonely journey.
sunfolk01 thanks, it's hard to talk about something if you don't have the language to describe it- I totally get it. It is lonely but you're not alone and you're not the crazy one. The medical system is crazy. Doctors seeing the evidence standing right in front of them and denying it exists is crazy.
HI-There are A few good people on RUclips making videos about the dangers of Benzos,and helping others.You seem to be one of them also.Keep making the videos. There are so many people out there that are suffering. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Thank God there's a strong and brave woman like you to speak out about these withdrawls! Your video's are so comforting for people who are out there suffering in silence.
Benzo withdrawal is awful. I wonder how many people there are who aren't well enough to respond for every one person who leaves a comment. My doctor and especially the nurse practitioner did not help at all, did not point me to people who could help me, and I felt like the nurse practitioner really got off on labeling me 'weak, 'fallen', and 'bad'. I am thankful that I had a person in my life support me and tell me to go to a different doctor/nurse practitioner. But, what about the people in their practice that don't have support? I would like to, some how, protect others from them.
Thank you for this. I was on prescription Klonopin, 3 mgs a day, for 14 years. I was sent into insanity when I lost my health insurance and a PCP cut my dose in half. I have spent almost three years tapering. I am just sad since my family labeled me and addict.....
Terrible this thing that you tell mr Erin..Family must support you,whatever you are or you have done...Now, I realize the privilege I enjoy with my family.Be strong bro,you desserve to success! Peace.
Jocelyn, you are such a Braveheart. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being a voice of hope in the darkness. I am 10 months post-taper off of Klonapin (3 mg), and there are still 'windows and waves' to the point where it's very hard to not fall into despair. But there is no way out but through, as we in the benzo world know. Let's all keep fighting the Good Fight.
It must be aweful to be bound by drugs like yourself, every waking thought about a drug. Your whole life focused on drugs. Grow up get on with learning life skills.
You are one of the only people that gives me hope that one day I will get completely off these drugs...one day. Thanks, and keep doing what you're doing.
YOU SO AMAZING & SUCH A STRONG WOMAN I'M VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS & THE WAY YOU WERE TREATED! I WISH I COULD BE AS STRONG AS YOU & FIND SOMEONE THAT WILL ACTUALLY HELP
I am very much impressed by the video's you put online, you have the amazing ability to perfectly describe what's is going in someone's live who is suffering from Benzo redraw. For me you are a great inspiration, I am sure also for all those people out there, trying to find a way out of this hellish situation. You have my deepest respect for your effort In bringing hope and believe that one day these bad days will be history ! Thanks again !
Many need continued validation about this most important topic. What an encouraging video for those going through benzo withdrawals. Have you ever considered making a video specifically addressed to real doctors? I hope you do. Maybe it would help at least one doctor in the world to better understand this. If so, then I think it would be worth the effort. Maybe call it: "Attention: All Doctors !"
Thank you so much for sharing your info. You are 100% right. I know this because I'm going through it too. Most of the things you talked about could be my story, because most of the things if not all of the things you've experienced, I've experienced as well. Thank you again because it means the world to someone like me who's going through the same thing to not feel alone or like I'm crazy! The hard part is getting through it all alone, with nobody to help because no one believes you! I and I'm sure many others need physical help when their going through this, because I can't do a lot of things that I could do....One of my concerns is after taking this medication for 25 yrs in my case.... Is there any permanent damage. It's seems quite possible.... I only wish I had known all of this before I ever touched any of these horrible life altering things....better known as Benzos....How can we ever trust anyone who only makes money if we are sick? Of course they're going to say we are.... At least you're honest about it, and for that I thank you so much!!! You're awesome!!! keep it up....cause you help more than you know. xo ~Becky
professor Ashton did brain scans and did not find any evidence of permanent damage even after many years of use. I personally know someone who has successfully tapered after 25years. if she can heal you can!
A million in one chance you would see this. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE. I did not know what I was being exposed to. This REALLY HELPED! God blessings 🙏 always!
This is right on the money! We have experienced this so many times! It really drives the point of how crucial it is for those who are going through this to have an educated advocate to back them up. I have been to the psychiatrist with my husband and have taken in the Ashton Manual to make sure he is on the same page with us. I really believe that because I am there at some appts, that we are able to get the doctor to comply with our goals. It seems that when I am not there due to my work schedule, my husband is more vulnerable. He is told he is the "most sensitve patient" and that this doctor has gotten people off of the drugs he is on in a matter of weeks. But just like you said, we just need them to fill the scripts so we can taper in our own way. Also unfortunately, its seems that this can also apply to family member and friends. Great video!
+You are not alone Yes! it absolutely makes a difference to have an advocate there beside you . I know having my husband there helped. He also had to defend me to my own family many times. They've come around now, but it was hard at first. How can we really advocate for ourselves when talking to people makes us dizzy and disoriented?
+littlemissperfect I had to write an email explaining what my husband is going through to his family and in it i pretty much said what was and was not appropriate things to say/do. I think it helped a ton but I have to say it has been an uphill battle. I am a pretty chill person but if someone messes with my loved ones they meet a very different person. No one messes with my people!
+littlemissperfect My sister called me a drug addict and turned my family against me. I have not spoken to her since. I have been benzo free for almost a year, and it took over two years to make this happen.
#7. Yep. Told my doctor I was tapering and I was feeling a little down and having trouble trying to sleep. He said okay well I can start you on lexapro and seroquel to help with the depression and sleep. Took the prescriptions home and threw them in the trash that day. Next appointment I told him everything is going okay. All I need is the damn Klonopin.
Good thing. I was going thru withdrawals and my Dr prescribed Zoloft. I ended up in the hospital. I had very vivid, lucid dreams that made me trip all night. DO NOT TAKE ZOLOFT.
I do not tell my doctors my symptoms. After having Lyme Disease, I know all about gaslighting & it's better to suffer in silence. By the way, this week I went to an acupuncturis.. he was more understanding & knowledgeable than any doctor I've met so far. So glad I found him! It's just absolutely crazy though.
Love your videos. .your going to help so many people. .god i wish i seen your videos when i went thur benzo withdrawal in 2011..but thanks you described everything someone goes through. .and yes the doctor's are no help..they don't even have a clue of the fast acting damage benzo cause in a short time..mentally im 90% healed. .but i was left with fibromyalgia. .i believe my CNS its damaged. .
You're amazing. I was prescribed 10mg of alprazolam per day for years, for various forms of anxiety, and your videos are helping me articulate to my loved ones the symptoms I'm experiencing, so thank you. I'm currently down to 1-2mg per day, depending on how I'm feeling, so I'm getting there, slowly but surely. Keep doing what you're doing. It's important.
Helping 6 years after your video. Just found today 11-13-2021 and need this badly. Thank you so much I was put on Xanax 13 years ago when my 19 year old son passed. One dr gave me 1-2 mil of Xanax every 4-6 hours. 240 pills a month and the pharmacist told me this is way to many and tell my dr to lower me down to only 1 every 6 hours. I was on that high dose for 1 1/2 years. Then down to 2 Xanax a day for last few years. New dr changed me to Ativan 1 mil every 12 hours twice a day. Three months of this and by body hurts so bad and fear set it to the point where I am so tight and anxious I can’t leave or don’t want to leave the house. Im going to talk to dr about helping me in the right way because I can’t live like this and function anymore. Again thank you for helping!! ❤️🌹❤️
your videos are really validating! Thank you. my Dr. told me I could taper and be done with in in two weeks. lol...I took 3 months...still way too fast after almost 11 years on 2-3 mlg of ativan and 5 years of ambien (10 -20 mlg). I'm at 14 month since the jump..a little better. still suffering:( Always nice to be inspired. Ty
I came off of a 2 mg 26 year Klonopin usage & I was tapered off this over a 5 month time period. It has now been approximately 1 & 1/2 year totally off the Klonopin. I still am on Lexapro and Gabapentin. I also was on Fentenyl and Oxycodone - 10 year duration - I tapered off this BEFORE the Klonopin taper - it took me 12 months to get off this (a walk in the park compared to this. I have been paralyzed & in a wheelchair now for 46 years out of my 65 year existence. I presently am going thru absolute HELL on EARTH. I have been subbed with Jocelyn and THE BENZO BRAINS channel. I am very thankful. The Medical extablishment and my primary care physician have proceeded to "throw me under the bus." I am EXTREMELY thankful to our Benzo Worriors Community FOR whom I am grateful and indebted to. I am a strong survivor but statistics bears out that 2 out of 5 of US don't make it. I presently am reaching out to anyone who has made it through to the other side - after a similar situation such as mine & could offer any help in the form of advice or their experience. I do not want to lose any hope as I have made it this far. Please Help. Sincerely, JAMES.
You are a god send and truly the best to speak on this topic and I really am so grateful for this video you made and you truly shed some perfect lighting on this topic and there have been so many moments in which I've been so confused to what I was feeling and they ran tests on me and always found nothing on whatever I was feeling in whatever body part and I just felt so extremely sensitive for everything and nothing was ever found and people would truly not understand or believe me and I think the worst part is when people don't believe you and label you nuts and all Doctors deny it and they don't know what the medication does and they give it to you and you think it's like a stronger tylenol and they don't tell you any of the dangers and it's almost as if they're getting kick backs by the drug companies to prescribe the medication and it's really the worst and we should all start a class action lawsuit against these people the created these drugs and they are truly the nightmare you describe but knowing it does end and that you made it and it really calms us all down but we know we have a fight now that we can win if we have the right support and the right people and especially our loved ones and just to get through this really bad withdrawal that you can't do it fast but even slow it causes so much hurt...
Thank you so much for making these videos! I’ve been playing with fire by taking Xanax for sleep!! Thank you for being brave and being a voice for such a hard subject!
Truly Thank you for making this and I'm also a Psychologist and so I think my way through it but it does get bad if you don't know and even the person you love the most doesn't seem to believe it.
I'm sorry you had this experience. Sounds like the Dr pretty much did not validate your reaction. My parents neighboors are both pharmicist. One use to teach at university of Washington, and they validated our reaction and mine when I spoke with them. They told me not to go to detox for many of the reasons you mentioned.
+zac shreve That's great to hear. Unfortunately I have a friend who is a pharmacist and he told me to get off Ativan right away because I was pregnant. My experience isn't that uncommon and that's the saddest part.
Exactly what I was feeling when forced to go cold turkey because I couldn’t reach my doctor in August 2019. The symptoms started about a week after my last Clonazepam. Migraines & neck pain, fear, glued to my bed for two weeks, I thought I was going to die. I’m on a tapering off schedule now but still have a lot of healing to come. Some days are better than others, like a roller coaster.
I was labeled as crazy in hospital, though I myself knew (even back then, not having all this info from internet) that all my problems at the time were benzo-withdrawal-related. Intuition worked so much better than those damned SPECIALISTS.
How long have you been in recovery? Most of what you describe are all symptoms that most of us, who took these meds, took them for in the first place, Panic Attacks!! I give you a lot of credit, you have hit the nail on the head, as far as what we all have gone through.The intense fear of insanity or worse, very serious diagnosis of many different mental illnesses. It is very hard to to put your finger on some of it, or explain it. Thanks for your input I hope your recovery is over soon!!
The amount of people who gas lighted me was horrendous. It makes me angry yet I cant do anything about it. That's a good term to use. I was told stuff like this countless times...I basically felt like I was making it all up. I,m still not there yet by a good bit, thanks..
Benzo Brains I got old doctor & he was like you can't have 2 benzos in your body.. I was like dude check this ashton method out lol he was surprised. Klonopin & Valium taper
Rozay Rogerz How are you doing I want to get off I started to taper I was only on .5 to .65 of Ativan for 6 weeks. Tried to taper to .25 and I feel horrible most symptoms. Hot head dry eyes wobble legs can’t sleep at all stomach issues hot flashes de realization. Intrusive thoughts how can I taper would it be best to go back to .5 or .6 to stabilize ? Taper slow and ask for Valium
Got chance to watch most your videos. Again I didn't know about withdraw syndrome which is well documented from what I see. However, when I started getting really sick I called the Fda and they admitted that a small percentage of people have these response to benzos . You been a great help understanding this whole situation. Also thanks for putting yourself out there. The only people that know what's going on are my wife and family due to the shame I felt from being dependent on some drug.
that small percentage is estimated to be at least 20% . and although I understand feeling ashamed I realized it all depends on the language you use. you're not just dependent on some medication. benzos so drastically alter your chemistry that had you cold turkeyed you could have DIED! Not just been sick but died. I had a neuro toxic reaction to medication. My CNS was damaged by medication I was prescribed. I have brain damage. take your pick because they're all true. if you had ingested rat poison and then your brain and body were all screwed up for years because of the damage it caused would anybody really question that? you ingested a toxic chemical that damaged your nervous system. How is it really any different? change your own internal dialogue and I think you'll find the people around you will be as compassionate to you as you are to yourself.
I usually can't explain how I am feeling and my sister has severe akathisia and she has no idea what is wrong even though I've tried to explain. They have labeled her schizophrenia and on top of it her husband is mentally and physically abusive. I want to save her so bad and feel helpless. I'm down to 6mg of vailum. Thank you for doing this.
thank you so much for this video. I'm currently tapering and my pdoc keeps trying to shove mood stabilizer down my throat. it makes me so mad and I feel so unsupported by my doctor. I know I'm not crazy, I'm just in the thick of withdrawal. thank you thank you thank you for all your videos!
Lauren A King how long have you been at your taper? Does your pdoc seem frustrated that you won't take mood stabilizer, and what do you tell her as to why you refuse to take them? I'm considering finding a new doc because everytime I have an appointment with her I have a major panic attack and she's rude and always trying to get me to take different meds.
Stephanie Thomas Hello, I'm still on. However, over the past 3 years I had to make a HUGE adjustment. My p doc also my Therapist died after 20 years with both of them...yes unfortunate for all involved. They passed back to back within 2 weeks of another of cancer. I apologize for the long story but it will let you know the STRUGGLE HAS BEEN REAL..💯 After they passed I was left back to day one with this clinic. I was on yes a whopping 2 ml Xanax 4 x daily. To literally nothing. I was in a position where as I said my doctor's were gone. fast forward to today I have managed to get myself to work on 2/ 1 ml 2x a day. it's been ruff. these videos are helping more everyday for me. I really have been a mess physically. my gut my body. If you are tapering Good for you keep up the great work. the mood stabilizer idea for me is an absolute no way. I was having the same anxiety issues just dread going in to Doc office for the last 3 times I have gone in. I resisted..an closed my mouth. finally, Today in fact, listening to these great people here going threw med issues especially Xanax. I set my mine up to go in like a boss and drop the feeling of being Gas lit...as Josoline explained. it worked I went in and she all if a sudden just dropped the entire subject if it. sounds crazy but I can't make this up. 💁 Best luck to you...Just resist the feeling of them disarming you. you are in control even when you don't know. You can turn it around. Blessings Thanks for asking. I am trying to get there an I will, it's just I have had a war going on and it's about to be over. And Knowledge is power😉
Thank you for this valuable information! I was given a 1 WEEK TAPER after 4 years of daily prescribed benzos. That included 1 year of Xanax and 3 years of Klonopin. At the time of cessation, I was on 1 1/2 mg daily. It has been PURE HELL. I am now 6 weeks in. Just when I think it's getting better, another tidal wave of withdrawal hell arrives. Thank you for your encouragement!!!
is there any way you can find another doctor who will reinstate you and do a more reasonable taper? 1.5 mg klonipin is equivalent to 30 my Valium. that's a lot and I'm concerned you're still at risk for seizure.
+littlemissperfect thanks so much for responding! My doc has insisted that the one week taper was sufficient and the "small amount" I was taking shouldn't be causing my withdrawal symptoms. I have considered trying a different doctor, but have been told that after 6 weeks off of the benzo that it may be best to stick it out. Do you think it would be sensible to go back on, possibly with Diazepam, for a re-taper?
+Jess Hyatt sorry I thought you were only off a week, bit it was a week taper you mentioned . yes it may be worth considering reinstating. if you did you'd likely have to start at a higher dose to stabilize. you could taper with Valium or klonipin. people do both successfully. I just know how awful the cold turkey and rapid taper populations suffer. many do end up reinstating. it's a difficult decision to make. if you're not a member of a facebook support group or benzo buddies those are good places to go for advice and to hear about other people's experiences with rapid tapers.
+littlemissperfect I have been concerned about the seizure risk as well. I have a nervous system disorder, POTS, which I am sure isn't helping matters. By the way, I am eagerly awaiting the release of "As Prescribed"!
I was on Klonipin for 8 years, and have been off for 6 years now. I had quit cold turkey, and my life has been complete hell since 2009. I still battle these issues, and am wondering if my life will ever be normal again?
+sweetcheeks20 I'm so sorry to hear that you are suffering from protracted withdrawal for so long. I obviously don't know every detail of your situation but it may be beneficial to look at any other medications and supplements that could be contributing to this. There's also genetic testing that you can do through online companies such as 23 and me, to see if there are other contributing factors such as certain chemicals in foods that you may not be processing. I absolutely believe you can heal! I know others who are in PAWS and they are healing bit by bit. If you've never contacted Baylissa Frederick she does online counseling and has given help to many people who are suffering long term. I think she is wonderful. Her site is: www.recovery-road.org/consultations
sweetcheeks20 good for you I’ve been off for 18 months. It took 7 months and now I’m better. There’s an herb called Kratom it helps tremendously and the sides are way less
Thank you. xoxoxo... I'm a few days away from starting my benzo taper (cross taper to a non-scheduled - probably aterax / busbar (sp). I'm sure I will watch your video again over the next few months.
Jocelyn, you are a blessing! What was your usual dose before you started tapering off? For somebody who has been using Ambien for years for chronical insomnia coming off Ativan seems impossible. Ad the feeling that there will be no spring and summer for me.
Also I spoke with another long time family friend who is licenses psychologist. He said "this is bad shit" quit asap. He also told me is wife almost died detoxing from 1mg of klonopin. After she was only on it one year. Crazy Dr are allowed to do this to peoples lives.
+zac shreve I really hope by ASAP he means a ten percent reduction taper ;) And I really hope your psychologist friend's wife isn't actually detoxing and being polydrugged. As his friend I would print out a copy of the Ashton manual and take it to him and his wife so she can get the help she needs. Detoxes are notoriously ineffective as she can still suffer from this for years, and even more so if she gets off her benzo too quickly before her GABA receptors have a chance to upregulate.
+littlemissperfect Do you have an email address or facebook page where I can message you? I need serious help from someone that understands! Please help me! I'm Carmen Nicole Hall on facebook from South Carolina.
During my taper, I thought I was having a heart attack!!!!!The 2nd time "they" (The E.R Drs) treated me like I was being a pain in the ass!!!I've actually experienced all the stuff you spoke of in this video!!!Then, the main nurse told me I was just trading one drug for another when I informed her I was on Methadone treatment!!!!
Hey there, just about to start tapering vallium after switching from ativan. Just checking you definitely agree that reducing by 2mg per1 or 2 weeks is safe enough? Love everything about you x
Thank you for answering me earlier. I really fear I have permanent brain damage because I don't understand things and my brain just shuts down. I have progressed in my long taper. But the constant permanent brain damage is making me so lost, sad and full of terror. My brain has scanned in the mri so there is no physically wrong. But if you have time to answer did you feel that your brain really didn't understand normal things. I had just once this brain lock away year ago when I had crossover for first time from oxazepam to diazepam and had my brain back and my function and relationships. And then too quick taper and awful withdrawl symptoms and brain lock since then. I'm hopeless, I have good doctor. But you have gone through this and have survived to totally normal. So if you could give me hope that this brain shutting isn't propaply and brain damage than benzo and withdrawl. I have always been active, social and active person and now i fear to take trash out. Thank you for your help. I don't want to lose my partner, we were supposed to get engaged this year. I'm sorry that I ask but I lose hope that this brain not understanding ends. I have never been so sick and fighting for my life. Thank you. You are doing great job.
@@BenzoBrains Thank you for answering and letting me know that this is propaply from benzo. My brain just doesn't work. And my life is awful and lonely because of that. I have been suffering 1,5 years like this (except year ago those few weeks) and I'm hopeless and scared of this tapering, 45 mg of diazepam to get rid of and I have lost my soul, my heart, my partner (he is waiting but we don't have normal things and am alone) and I feel myself brain damaged every minute. And third time to try to get off and even taking trash out is terrible. I'm in a different reality from other people. In hell and no power left. My life would be great if I wouldn't be hooked up with this drug. And I fear it will kill me, have been through so many witdrawl symptoms and even at this point in huge amount I'm scared and my every day life is just suffering and not worth living. I have survived from a lot earlier years and had a good life with my dog and partner. Now brain lock doesn't leave me a minute. I'm terrified. And used to be so active and loved to cook and clean my home and listening to music and exercise a lot. Thank you if you think this all is from benzo. You are kind to response.
Thank you for this video I myself have been going through this for almost a year now. It will be a year on October 17. Hope you're doing much better now.
Thank you for that term! I was forced to stop my benzodiazepines after 20+ years. I was fine never exceeded the amount! They took me into a Medicaid contracted clinic put in with street drug addicts. They put me on antipsychotic after 3 week withdrawal. Then the case manager came to my home...finally took me into a group home. I am in with severely mentally ill people. I lost my home while they kept collecting Medicaid money all my money. I am on 3 mg ativan and they been doling it out for me. Am out a home have no where to go...I feel gaslighted. Exploited. If I had diabetes they wouldn't shame me for insuline.
Your doctor sounds like mine. I’ve been told I’m imagining things, overthinking everything. My doctor says it’s all in my mind. It has to be something else, some overlying issues. So she ordered blood work. Now I’m waiting for the results. She ordered something for dizziness I refuse to take it because it will make me sicker! My goal is to change my doctor after my taper is over.Thank you for your videos. Hugs I hope you are feeling better!
Hello Joslin, I appreciate what you are accomplishing, it's a great triumph. I personally don't know what to do in my situation, I graduated trade school in 2001 and I was exhausted from driv the ing 250 miles a day, working, and going to church. When finished I fell flat on my face and so much like many others-went to the psychiatrist. He prescribed me Klonopin and I've been on it for 15 years, it's ruined my life, I don't know who I am and as a result nobody else does either, I've wanted to get married but how can I meet a woman if I don't know who I am, I live from pill to pill throughout the day (3mgs), and it doesn't work anymore. I can't talk right, I twitch, can't remember stuff, and am stuck alone in my own world. I've tried tapering with a razor blade and scale, I've tried other meds designed for alcoholics (campril) to supress benzodiazepine cravings, and I've been to rehab but 30 or even 90 days is just a spin dry. I want what you have but I don't know how to get it, do you have any ideas? I feel like time is running out, but I still have to work, go to more school, and just function but I know it will grind to a halt if I don't figure this out. I've tried and failed so many times.
+Micah Cooper i believe the reason why you have not successfully gotten off K before is because you are approaching it as an addiction. I don't believe you are an addict. 1. you became dependent on the drug while taking it as prescribed. dependence- not addicted, not abusing the drug 2. You became tolerant to the drug and experienced an increase of symptoms or new symptoms which made you think you needed more K or other medications 3. You tried to get off several times on your own. Each time you got off and on this caused kindling which made you less sensitive to the K, increasing your need for more K to stabilize out. I believe your best chance is to read the Ashton Manual and join a good benzo withdrawal support group on facebook or www.benzobuddies.org . Next do a proper slow, micro taper, preferably water liquid titration. I have a video on tapering ruclips.net/video/02VQSCqa6zE/видео.html Make sure to have a good support system in place, make preparations, hunker down and ride out the storm. YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN HEAL from this. Your life is ready to begin after your heal. I wish you a speedy recovery
@@BenzoBrains Thank you so much! I had given up until 2019 and I have been liquid titrating and removing 1/00 of a mg of Klonopin daily. I am now down from 3mgs daily to 2mgs daily. Sometimes I need to stop the taper when things get too intense, but there is no fast way for me. Thank you for championing the effort to educate people like myself, you really have given hope and saved lives!
your very pretty....im withdrawing from Xanax and it was so bad that I had to go to the ER ....the next thing you know, im being injected with Ativan...they then realeased me and told me to go see my doctor
Thank you. I'm sorry you ended up in the ER. I hope you can get back on the same dose and do a slow steady taper instead. Xanax has the shortest half life of any Benzo (3-4) hours and the interdose symptoms can become unbearable. Getting off too quickly can cause seizures, I know many who have damage from seizures during Benzo withdrawals. Going too fast can also lead to protracted withdrawal symptoms that can last for years . it's just not worth it. if you can secure a prescription and take it slow please do so. Ativan is only half as potent as Xanax so you would need twice as much to really stabilize. Take care of yourself this Christmas and I wish you a more hopeful new Year.
haha I was on zopiclone for only 7 days and I was throwing up everything I drinking and eating wasn't nice, I hear Xanax is the most addictive drug to be on. how long were you on itfor about?
Everything said: 100% accurate. It makes me livid to know that after 9 years things have not changed within the medical community. I believe there needs to be standards and guidelines set up and mandated to physicians who are dealing with someone in the hell of benzo withdrawal. I believe there needs to be lawsuits and licenses pulled. Thing is- people going through this hell- are absolutely in no state to execute such dramatic change. I hope and pray that the communities on social media- which I’ve found to be the best resort for support, can somehow pull together and get something done. It’s an absolute travesty to treat patients in the throes of benzo withdrawal the callous manner most doctors still do. It’s been way too long. These gaslighting bully doctors need malpractice suits slapped on all their desks.
We have managed to pull together over the years and establish 2 non profits that are doing some very good work. There is hope. Benzoreform.org and benzoinfo.com
Prozac put me in the hospital when I was withdrawing as Prozac is the most stimulating antidepressant there is and my nervous system went crazy... It was not fun.... Your story is very much mine.
Hi Jocelyn, I wonder if you would explain what Kindling is? I've been on benzo's since 1994 and I'm still currently on 6mg's of Xanax. I suffer from interdose withdrawal symptoms daily. Thank you for all you've done. You are a Warrior and a Rock Star! God bless you.
are you the same lady who talks about narcissism? You look like her twin, just your face is fuller. and thanks so much for these videos about benzo withdrawal. you are helping many people. bless you
@@BenzoBrains her channels name is "From Surviving To Thriving!!" she looks like she could be your big sister, your voice is very similar as well. Anyway have a great evening sister, god bless xx
I have never heard anyone else use that term: overwhelming sense of doom”. Maybe I’m not crazy. (Written as I sit here shaking and trying to catch my breath.).
Not sure i fully understand your question. It's certainly up to you to determine what your taper should look like and if you can trust your Dr enough to include her/him in the process. If you need help the FDA'S new guidelines for Benzodiazepine tapering should be helpful. I have a link under my most recent video
It is an absolutely nightmare to go through and it is hard for people, even doctors, to understand. Nice that you have the strength and empathy to share your experience. Sorry if the english is a little hard to understand. bless you.....
I have been searching for a decent psychiatrist who has HEARD of the Ashton Method/Ashton Protocol and I mentioned it to one and she dismissed me, rather nastily. I was very disappointed.
Hi, I would like to share my experience of meeting with my psychiatrist yesterday. I wrote her a letter and had her read it and respond. Would it be possible to e-mail you directly? It is long!
MEMANTINE will help because it will help regulate glutamatergic activity; it's a potent NMDA antagonist. Your glutamatergic system is primarily what is causing the withdrawal symptoms because the GABAergic drugs have downregulated your GABA and so your GABA-glutamate balance is tipped way in favor of glutamate. The overexcitation and excitoxicity is what you need to control - if you can do that then you can sail through the rest of the withdrawal process. In the US, memantine can be sold without a prescription. Withdrawal from GABAergics can cause nerve damage because of the glutamatergic storm - a perfect example of this is the infamous tinnitus people can have for 6+ months after the last dose, and even more that a year later. Withdrawal episodes can have a cumulative affect, making each withdrawal worse than the last. This is called kindling. *The mechanism for this is pretty much the same as why chronic pain actually makes you more sensitive to pain* (contrary to popular myth - chronic pain sufferers do not develop a tolerance to pain, it's not physically possible, and if it were true, it would actually be a potentially species-ending evolutionary disadvantage). Also think of the phrase "nerves that fire together, wire together" if that will help you to understand why this is true about pain, overexcitation and withdrawal. Other things benzo people should do to taper off: pay attention to your gut, find a GOOD probiotic and use it properly, and get fiber because cellulose provides substrate for gut flora. Most of your serotonin and GABA is in your gut, not your brain; our gut flora secrete GABA, serotonin, dopamine, etc and our GI tract is covered with receptors for all of these. THIS IS WHY GABA SUPPLEMENTS WORK. If you read around on the internet you'll find papers about how GABA supplements seem to work even though we know for a fact that the GABA molecule is large enough to have a lot of trouble passing through a healthy blood-brain barrier (but it's not impossible). People get confused and wonder if it's just a placebo effect; but what's really going on is that the GABA supplement is doing its magic in your GUT, not your brain. That's why it works; it doesn't need to make it all the way past the BBB and into the brain. Regular epsom salt baths - for real. Get that magnesium in you. The baths are sometimes better than pill supplements because of the extra calming effect of the bath itself, but this will also help people with the body and muscle aches of withdrawal in two different ways. Also potassium. Theanine. Hell yes, take this. Read about it first. Taurine. This is another nutrient found in all kinds of protein foods, but it's easier to get it as a supplement so you can get higher more consistent doses. *Taurine has interesting properties that makes it neuroprotective against excess glutamate activity, and is calming.* Contrary to popular myth, taurine is not a stimulant, it's the opposite of a stimulant, and is added to energy drinks for the sole purpose of mitigating some of the adverse effects of the stimulants in the drink. Taurine is GABAergic and can be useful for people who are tapering off benzos and have uncooperative doctors that want to take them off cold-turkey or too soon (benzos need months and months of tapering off). Don't let that fool you though, taurine is not nearly as potent as the weakest of the benzos so don't listen to people who say it's like switching one benzo for another. They're not even remotely comparable substances. AVOID: Phenibut. This drug really works, and is a very simple drug: it's a GABA molecule attached to a phenyl group - that's it. The phenyl group allows the drug to pass the BBB quite effectively and deliver GABA straight to your brain. In the US phenibut is available without a prescription, so there are a lot of people who have taken it and reported GABAergic withdrawals if taken for a week or more. It's not a "strong" as a benzo but for many benzo users this will be more like switching one benzo for another benzo-like drug that is also difficult to wean from. Be careful: Kava kava tea. Kava is one of the most potently GABAergic teas in existence. Some people can use it for tapering, but some people will just use it as a crutch. Yes to teas: chamomile, lemon balm, lavender BEFORE you start jumping to conclusions: glutamate is not really your enemy, MSG does not do all of the terrible things people rave about, avoiding glutamate during this time is not an option. First, it's not an option because it's a major amino acid, you will eat grams of it when you have a big protein meal, secondly you need glutamate/glutamine to make GABA, and third, glutamate is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for your intellect and memory. This is why long term benzo users suffer memory problems, learning problems, spatial and logic problems, and cognitive decline - the GABA activity is overly suppressing glutamatergic system and literally making you a little bit more stupid. But it's not permanent (can be semi-permanent in heavy users, but they can still fully recover after several years). *MEDICAL DOCTORS ARE NOT PHARMACISTS.* Remember this first and foremost. Sometimes, MD specialists know more details about certain drugs they prescribe than the average doctor, but they are still no match for someone who works exclusively with drugs. This is not about MDs being stupid or flawed as much as it is about how many more years MDs would have to be in school in order to acquire knowledge of medications on par with pharmacists. It's just hopelessly unrealistic and unfair to expect a single person to do all of this, so MDs only learn a sort of crib-notes about drugs. Docs also tend to hate patients that bring the internet to them (not all, but enough) - but you need to find a new doctor. There are good ones out there.
I appreciate your obvious knowledge about this subject but I have to caution against advising people to take any medication and claiming that it will make it easier across the board. If it worked for you I'm thrilled. but there has been so little research as to what is actually going on in our bodies that it's impossible to definitely make a statement such as this.
I don't know that I did that. But I do know that certain kinds of people don't really want to get better. You can tell by how they dismiss suggestions before they even know what they are dismissing.
+Heather Leisure don't do that I allowed your comment but I'm skeptical of someone who tells people they can "sail" through this by taking a prescription or anything else. if I misinterpreted what you are saying then correct me. but don't do what the doctor I talk about in this video did. I am a year post taper and doing just fine.
What did you do about your horrible GI problems? Those are the worst for me....I also feel like I have to lie my psychiatrist because any time I tell him the truth, he just makes me feel crazy and gets angry at me. Then I get afraid he is going to cut me off and I will have to go to the streets to by benzos to survive or something.
hi eating regularly helps. it helps to eat clean simple foods as much as possible, a protein a simple carb and a veggie. magnesium helps with any constipation.
The feeling of doom I just so resonated with!! When I ran out of Klonopin for 5 days the doom was always there, like at an overpass the thought of a vehicle falling down on me won't go away, I have to get away from that area ASAP, same feeling in lots of situations, sometimes just leaving my house
Girly Girl hi sorry I didn't see this before. I would take my intrusive thoughts and put them into a poem or song or something productive. I also practiced mindfulness and meditation using RUclips videos. I liked videos that had lots of talking to kind of drown out my own thoughts.
+sweetcheeks20 There's no way to know for sure but I do know that Luke Montague, the Earl of Sandwich was ill for seven years after a cold turkey off antidepressants and benzos. He is now a voice speaking out against these drugs and has written a book. He also founded CEPUK - council for evidence based psychiatry. I look at this as being a POW. Our minds and bodies have been imprisoned by these drugs but there will be a liberation. Some wars take many years and we may never be the same after, but one day we will be free
Thank you for your work in getting the word out there about these dangerous drugs. I saw you in the trailer for "AsPrescribed" which is no longer available on Vimeo, and hopefully your RUclips video of it will stay up. Is there any way for me to contact you privately, such as Facebook or email? Did you do a daily water titration micro taper off the Valium once you were transitioned over to it? Are you completely benzo free now? The word that you used in the video ("torture") pretty much describes it.
thank you. yes I did a liquid titration which I go over in my video ruclips.net/video/02VQSCqa6zE/видео.html you're welcome to contact me on here through Google Plus or twitter @BenzoBrains if you haven't joined a support group yet make sure to look into them
+littlemissperfect, Thank you so much for your reply. I will check you out on Twitter, as I'm unfamiliar w/ how to message on Google Plus. You are to be commended for getting off this stuff and being able to take care of your children at the same time. Thanks, too, for bringing awareness about this, which every single doctor I've talked to about it cannot believe how long it is taking me to wean. I'll divulge more info to you on Twitter here in a little bit if it is possible to message you on there. The trailer for the documentary is back up on the "As Prescribed" website. They took the Vimeo one down due to the word "Addiction" from the mom in the very beginning. It has since been edited out.
i came off Xanax cold turkey. it put me into a mental break down. for months..glad u are tapering people that do it recreational can come off it. the problem lies when u take it every day.
Great video I also agreed some people get downregulated right away Even intravenous ativan 1 dose there's horrible side effects it's even recorded In Ashton manual Paradoxical effect
I went to psychotherapy for about 120 sessions. It actually worked very well. Sadly my therapist had to move. I was told my treatment was far from over and I had nothing to worry about. My next therapist told me the exact opposite. She told me I didn't have the brain skills to receive any therapy. She rejected me 100% and afterwards I had a very bad reaction. But they refuse to talk about it. Because they can't admit they caused another patient harm. Afterwards I was so devastated that I still get very angry when I think about it. She ruined my only hope in 5 minutes. This was because I was on valium. Most people tells me I'm both smart and clever. Like most people. I suffer from p.t.s.d and was told to take meds as usual. Tapering was something that we would deal with later. I never felt so "downgraded" in my entire life and I think norwegian psychiatric is a DAMN JOKE. Sometimes I just want to give up. But they are going to have to watch.
@@BenzoBrains Well, the first therapist said that there was nothing that indicated that I was "high" on pills. We were going to deal with that later. After taking them for 15 years, I don't know if it's possible for me to get wasted on benzodiazepine. I'm sorry if I sound angry, but they really messed me up. 😞
I actually got an appointment at a psychologist specialist in 2 days, after waiting for 10 months. Anyway, can you or someone tell me briefly what's wrong with my gaba receptors? (15 years on valium) I am nervous as hell 😣
@@freddyheadbite3084 there might be some good material for you to show your psychologist at benzoreform.org Basically GABA become down regulated and or mutated by exposure to benzodiazepines. This means they can no longer absorb GABA which is yout body's calming neurotransmitter. As this happens you also build up more and more glutamate which is the excitatory neurotransmitter. So you are exponentially imbalanced with too much flight or fight response and no way for your body to calm itself down.
Im glad i found your videos everything you explain is exactly what i have been going through. I was on short term of lorazepam 19 days to be exact. Im still going through weird symptoms.
I'm glad the videos are helping. if you haven't joined a support group please consider doing so. they're great for just daily even hourly reminders that you are not alone and will heal
I told my psychiatrist that I felt extreme arm pain from cutting my klonopin by .125mg overnight and he told me that was impossible and it was just anxiety that was causing that pain>he told me I mentally set myself up to feel that pain because I was expecting it. I told him that is not true and asked him if he has ever seen the experiences of benzobuddies.org members, and he got so angry with me that he kicked me out of his office.
It's always a little odd commenting on a 7-year-old video but "You are Awesome!". One person like you can help ten thousand people. Well done and keep going strong. I'll be getting caught up on your channel in the next few days.
WOW! Thank you. You should know you are still helping people with your videos 3 years later.
You are a badass...Hell yes to this video. Hell yes to your strength. We need a voice like yours to be loud and clear in our community. Thank you.
Ally Nugent Thanks Ally together we can be the generation that makes a change.
I hope so but dont forget those of us a bit older who are also going through this and have been for a really really long time usage. Thank you so much.
@@BenzoBrains will you PLEASE reach out to me at facebook.com/HealingBeginsInTheHeart
*I have some questions!
@@BenzoBrainshow are you doing today?
OMG, I cried watching this. Thank you for being a voice!
Im so incredibly thankful for the doctor that helped me taper! I entered his office complaining about my eyes and he told me he would send me to a specialist if I insisted and that he doesn’t think I was but that he is absolutely certain that it’s the benzos! Bless him! If only there were more like him. He’s truly a rare gem
Great video! Full of hope ! we are not crazy, we will heal .
You are truly a hero! To me, to so many! Please keep making videos! They give hope!
Thank you for all your videos! I started my journey about a year ago and I cried when I found this video. I was so thankful to know that I'm not crazy. You have helped me and my family understand what I am going through.
Thank you for posting this. Almost everything you describe here is exactly what I've experienced. This post gives me the words I've been looking for to describe this. Hopefully when they hear it from someone else they wont think I'm crazy anymore. It's been a lonely journey.
sunfolk01 thanks, it's hard to talk about something if you don't have the language to describe it- I totally get it. It is lonely but you're not alone and you're not the crazy one. The medical system is crazy. Doctors seeing the evidence standing right in front of them and denying it exists is crazy.
HI-There are A few good people on RUclips making videos about the dangers of Benzos,and helping others.You seem to be one of them also.Keep making the videos.
There are so many people out there that are suffering.
Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Thank God there's a strong and brave woman like you to speak out about these withdrawls! Your video's are so comforting for people who are out there suffering in silence.
Benzo withdrawal is awful. I wonder how many people there are who aren't well enough to respond for every one person who leaves a comment. My doctor and especially the nurse practitioner did not help at all, did not point me to people who could help me, and I felt like the nurse practitioner really got off on labeling me 'weak, 'fallen', and 'bad'. I am thankful that I had a person in my life support me and tell me to go to a different doctor/nurse practitioner. But, what about the people in their practice that don't have support? I would like to, some how, protect others from them.
You can always file a report with the local state medical board If you're in the US
Thank you for this. I was on prescription Klonopin, 3 mgs a day, for 14 years. I was sent into insanity when I lost my health insurance and a PCP cut my dose in half. I have spent almost three years tapering. I am just sad since my family labeled me and addict.....
Terrible this thing that you tell mr Erin..Family must support you,whatever you are or you have done...Now, I realize the privilege I enjoy with my family.Be strong bro,you desserve to success! Peace.
I understand, I loss it all family friends job my health ugh. I'm alone on the streets it's so scary.
Jocelyn, you are such a Braveheart. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being a voice of hope in the darkness. I am 10 months post-taper off of Klonapin (3 mg), and there are still 'windows and waves' to the point where it's very hard to not fall into despair. But there is no way out but through, as we in the benzo world know. Let's all keep fighting the Good Fight.
How are you now I need support.
Thank you so much for this. For giving a voice to this hell.
It must be aweful to be bound by drugs like yourself, every waking thought about a drug. Your whole life focused on drugs. Grow up get on with learning life skills.
You are one of the only people that gives me hope that one day I will get completely off these drugs...one day. Thanks, and keep doing what you're doing.
YOU SO AMAZING & SUCH A STRONG WOMAN I'M VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS & THE WAY YOU WERE TREATED! I WISH I COULD BE AS STRONG AS YOU & FIND SOMEONE THAT WILL ACTUALLY HELP
I am very much impressed by the video's you put online, you have the amazing ability to perfectly describe what's is going in someone's live who is suffering from Benzo redraw. For me you are a great inspiration, I am sure also for all those people out there, trying to find a way out of this hellish situation. You have my deepest respect for your effort In bringing hope and believe that one day these bad days will be history ! Thanks again !
Many need continued validation about this most important topic. What an encouraging video for those going through benzo withdrawals. Have you ever considered making a video specifically addressed to real doctors? I hope you do. Maybe it would help at least one doctor in the world to better understand this. If so, then I think it would be worth the effort. Maybe call it: "Attention: All Doctors !"
JCS Dr. Heather Ashton
JCS educate yourself about doctor induced addictions. and I was started on benzos at 12 years old.
doctors are nothing but legal drug pushers with a degree. this will never happen. they make to much money from these drugs
You're AMAZING!! I love your videos! They help me when I'm feeling not so great. I'm currently being "benzo bullied" by 2 friends! This video helps!!
Jennifer I'm so glad this helps. I have to watch my own video sometimes too! I hope you have some other support throughout your recovery. Keep healing
This couldn't have come at a better time ...you rock!
Thank you so much for sharing your info. You are 100% right. I know this because I'm going through it too. Most of the things you talked about could be my story, because most of the things if not all of the things you've experienced, I've experienced as well. Thank you again because it means the world to someone like me who's going through the same thing to not feel alone or like I'm crazy! The hard part is getting through it all alone, with nobody to help because no one believes you! I and I'm sure many others need physical help when their going through this, because I can't do a lot of things that I could do....One of my concerns is after taking this medication for 25 yrs in my case.... Is there any permanent damage. It's seems quite possible.... I only wish I had known all of this before I ever touched any of these horrible life altering things....better known as Benzos....How can we ever trust anyone who only makes money if we are sick? Of course they're going to say we are.... At least you're honest about it, and for that I thank you so much!!! You're awesome!!! keep it up....cause you help more than you know. xo ~Becky
professor Ashton did brain scans and did not find any evidence of permanent damage even after many years of use. I personally know someone who has successfully tapered after 25years. if she can heal you can!
@@BenzoBrains Well, hopefully you were right here.
A million in one chance you would see this. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE. I did not know what I was being exposed to. This REALLY HELPED! God blessings 🙏 always!
This is right on the money! We have experienced this so many times! It really drives the point of how crucial it is for those who are going through this to have an educated advocate to back them up. I have been to the psychiatrist with my husband and have taken in the Ashton Manual to make sure he is on the same page with us. I really believe that because I am there at some appts, that we are able to get the doctor to comply with our goals. It seems that when I am not there due to my work schedule, my husband is more vulnerable. He is told he is the "most sensitve patient" and that this doctor has gotten people off of the drugs he is on in a matter of weeks. But just like you said, we just need them to fill the scripts so we can taper in our own way.
Also unfortunately, its seems that this can also apply to family member and friends.
Great video!
+You are not alone Yes! it absolutely makes a difference to have an advocate there beside you . I know having my husband there helped. He also had to defend me to my own family many times. They've come around now, but it was hard at first. How can we really advocate for ourselves when talking to people makes us dizzy and disoriented?
+littlemissperfect I had to write an email explaining what my husband is going through to his family and in it i pretty much said what was and was not appropriate things to say/do. I think it helped a ton but I have to say it has been an uphill battle. I am a pretty chill person but if someone messes with my loved ones they meet a very different person. No one messes with my people!
+littlemissperfect My sister called me a drug addict and turned my family against me. I have not spoken to her since. I have been benzo free for almost a year, and it took over two years to make this happen.
#7. Yep. Told my doctor I was tapering and I was feeling a little down and having trouble trying to sleep. He said okay well I can start you on lexapro and seroquel to help with the depression and sleep. Took the prescriptions home and threw them in the trash that day. Next appointment I told him everything is going okay. All I need is the damn Klonopin.
Good thing. I was going thru withdrawals and my Dr prescribed Zoloft. I ended up in the hospital. I had very vivid, lucid dreams that made me trip all night. DO NOT TAKE ZOLOFT.
I do not tell my doctors my symptoms. After having Lyme Disease, I know all about gaslighting & it's better to suffer in silence.
By the way, this week I went to an acupuncturis.. he was more understanding & knowledgeable than any doctor I've met so far. So glad I found him! It's just absolutely crazy though.
Smart women! I'm joyed to come across your videos! You are so right! Thank you for being out spoken! ✊
Thank you Jocelyn for your strength and for your courage.
Love your videos. .your going to help so many people. .god i wish i seen your videos when i went thur benzo withdrawal in 2011..but thanks you described everything someone goes through. .and yes the doctor's are no help..they don't even have a clue of the fast acting damage benzo cause in a short time..mentally im 90% healed. .but i was left with fibromyalgia. .i believe my CNS its damaged. .
Thanks again for doing what you have done. It pretty much saved my life to have come across your channel
That was a great presentation. Thanks again. Sorry to hear about your miscarriage. Your helping so many people. Take care Benzo Brains.
You're amazing. I was prescribed 10mg of alprazolam per day for years, for various forms of anxiety, and your videos are helping me articulate to my loved ones the symptoms I'm experiencing, so thank you. I'm currently down to 1-2mg per day, depending on how I'm feeling, so I'm getting there, slowly but surely. Keep doing what you're doing. It's important.
Helping 6 years after your video. Just found today 11-13-2021 and need this badly. Thank you so much
I was put on Xanax 13 years ago when my 19 year old son passed. One dr gave me 1-2 mil of Xanax every 4-6 hours. 240 pills a month and the pharmacist told me this is way to many and tell my dr to lower me down to only 1 every 6 hours. I was on that high dose for 1 1/2 years. Then down to 2 Xanax a day for last few years. New dr changed me to Ativan 1 mil every 12 hours twice a day. Three months of this and by body hurts so bad and fear set it to the point where I am so tight and anxious I can’t leave or don’t want to leave the house.
Im going to talk to dr about helping me in the right way because I can’t live like this and function anymore.
Again thank you for helping!! ❤️🌹❤️
Best of luck!
your videos are really validating! Thank you. my Dr. told me I could taper and be done with in in two weeks. lol...I took 3 months...still way too fast after almost 11 years on 2-3 mlg of ativan and 5 years of ambien (10 -20 mlg). I'm at 14 month since the jump..a little better. still suffering:(
Always nice to be inspired. Ty
twilightsprite1 did you heal
I came off of a 2 mg 26 year Klonopin usage & I was tapered off this over a 5 month time period. It has now been approximately 1 & 1/2 year totally off the Klonopin. I still am on Lexapro and Gabapentin. I also was on Fentenyl and Oxycodone - 10 year duration - I tapered off this BEFORE the Klonopin taper - it took me 12 months to get off this (a walk in the park compared to this. I have been paralyzed & in a wheelchair now for 46 years out of my 65 year existence. I presently am going thru absolute HELL on EARTH. I have been subbed with Jocelyn and THE BENZO BRAINS channel. I am very thankful. The Medical extablishment and my primary care physician have proceeded to "throw me under the bus." I am EXTREMELY thankful to our Benzo Worriors Community FOR whom I am grateful and indebted to. I am a strong survivor but statistics bears out that 2 out of 5 of US don't make it. I presently am reaching out to anyone who has made it through to the other side - after a similar situation such as mine & could offer any help in the form of advice or their experience. I do not want to lose any hope as I have made it this far. Please Help. Sincerely, JAMES.
You are a god send and truly the best to speak on this topic and I really am so grateful for this video you made and you truly shed some perfect lighting on this topic and there have been so many moments in which I've been so confused to what I was feeling and they ran tests on me and always found nothing on whatever I was feeling in whatever body part and I just felt so extremely sensitive for everything and nothing was ever found and people would truly not understand or believe me and I think the worst part is when people don't believe you and label you nuts and all Doctors deny it and they don't know what the medication does and they give it to you and you think it's like a stronger tylenol and they don't tell you any of the dangers and it's almost as if they're getting kick backs by the drug companies to prescribe the medication and it's really the worst and we should all start a class action lawsuit against these people the created these drugs and they are truly the nightmare you describe but knowing it does end and that you made it and it really calms us all down but we know we have a fight now that we can win if we have the right support and the right people and especially our loved ones and just to get through this really bad withdrawal that you can't do it fast but even slow it causes so much hurt...
Thank you so much for making these videos! I’ve been playing with fire by taking Xanax for sleep!! Thank you for being brave and being a voice for such a hard subject!
Truly Thank you for making this and I'm also a Psychologist and so I think my way through it but it does get bad if you don't know and even the person you love the most doesn't seem to believe it.
I'm sorry you had this experience. Sounds like the Dr pretty much did not validate your reaction. My parents neighboors are both pharmicist. One use to teach at university of Washington, and they validated our reaction and mine when I spoke with them. They told me not to go to detox for many of the reasons you mentioned.
+zac shreve That's great to hear. Unfortunately I have a friend who is a pharmacist and he told me to get off Ativan right away because I was pregnant. My experience isn't that uncommon and that's the saddest part.
Exactly what I was feeling when forced to go cold turkey because I couldn’t reach my doctor in August 2019. The symptoms started about a week after my last Clonazepam. Migraines & neck pain, fear, glued to my bed for two weeks, I thought I was going to die. I’m on a tapering off schedule now but still have a lot of healing to come. Some days are better than others, like a roller coaster.
I hope. I m. Gonna survive for. My kids I ve lost my job my life my friends and all and my health
You're a star explaining all this, best wishes x
I was labeled as crazy in hospital, though I myself knew (even back then, not having all this info from internet) that all my problems at the time were benzo-withdrawal-related. Intuition worked so much better than those damned SPECIALISTS.
Amen
How long have you been in recovery? Most of what you describe are all symptoms that most of us, who took these meds, took them for in the first place, Panic Attacks!! I give you a lot of credit, you have hit the nail on the head, as far as what we all have gone through.The intense fear of insanity or worse, very serious diagnosis of many different mental illnesses. It is very hard to to put your finger on some of it, or explain it. Thanks for your input I hope your recovery is over soon!!
+Marcia Gill I tapered for about a year and I have now been in full recovery for the past two months. Thanks for the kind words.
Hi .. thank you for all your videos. You are great, smart and awesome.
Wow... Just wow.. You are exactly right.. Dr's are clueless!!!!
Came off of benzo 4 yrs 5 months ago , a total living hell im surprised I’m living still have symptoms yrs later
Omg!!! All you said is what I’m going through here in Switzerland. I just admire you so much, hang on dear « warrior » 💝
The amount of people who gas lighted me was horrendous. It makes me angry yet I cant do anything about it. That's a good term to use. I was told stuff like this countless times...I basically felt like I was making it all up. I,m still not there yet by a good bit, thanks..
This is the only video were you look to drained. I still admire all that you do, pharma needs to be delt with
Just getting started with the videos, great job!
You helped me so much! Im on my way getting my life back.
Rozay Rogerz Wow that's so fantastic to hear! Thanks for letting me know 😀
Benzo Brains I got old doctor & he was like you can't have 2 benzos in your body.. I was like dude check this ashton method out lol he was surprised. Klonopin & Valium taper
Rozay Rogerz How are you doing I want to get off I started to taper I was only on .5 to .65 of Ativan for 6 weeks. Tried to taper to .25 and I feel horrible most symptoms. Hot head dry eyes wobble legs can’t sleep at all stomach issues hot flashes de realization. Intrusive thoughts how can I taper would it be best to go back to .5 or .6 to stabilize ? Taper slow and ask for Valium
Great video- thank you for this❤️
Got chance to watch most your videos. Again I didn't know about withdraw syndrome which is well documented from what I see. However, when I started getting really sick I called the Fda and they admitted that a small percentage of people have these response to benzos . You been a great help understanding this whole situation. Also thanks for putting yourself out there. The only people that know what's going on are my wife and family due to the shame I felt from being dependent on some drug.
that small percentage is estimated to be at least 20% . and although I understand feeling ashamed I realized it all depends on the language you use. you're not just dependent on some medication. benzos so drastically alter your chemistry that had you cold turkeyed you could have DIED! Not just been sick but died. I had a neuro toxic reaction to medication. My CNS was damaged by medication I was prescribed. I have brain damage. take your pick because they're all true. if you had ingested rat poison and then your brain and body were all screwed up for years because of the damage it caused would anybody really question that? you ingested a toxic chemical that damaged your nervous system. How is it really any different? change your own internal dialogue and I think you'll find the people around you will be as compassionate to you as you are to yourself.
I usually can't explain how I am feeling and my sister has severe akathisia and she has no idea what is wrong even though I've tried to explain. They have labeled her schizophrenia and on top of it her husband is mentally and physically abusive. I want to save her so bad and feel helpless. I'm down to 6mg of vailum. Thank you for doing this.
thank you so much for this video. I'm currently tapering and my pdoc keeps trying to shove mood stabilizer down my throat. it makes me so mad and I feel so unsupported by my doctor. I know I'm not crazy, I'm just in the thick of withdrawal. thank you thank you thank you for all your videos!
Stephanie Burris you're welcome. Keep following your intuition, it will get you through this
Stephanie Burris Yes I'm going threw the same thing. I refuse mood stabilizer...Good Luck ✨
Lauren A King how long have you been at your taper? Does your pdoc seem frustrated that you won't take mood stabilizer, and what do you tell her as to why you refuse to take them? I'm considering finding a new doc because everytime I have an appointment with her I have a major panic attack and she's rude and always trying to get me to take different meds.
Stephanie Thomas Hello, I'm still on.
However, over the past 3 years I had to make a HUGE adjustment. My p doc also my Therapist died after 20 years with both of them...yes unfortunate for all involved. They passed back to back within 2 weeks of another of cancer.
I apologize for the long story but it will let you know the STRUGGLE HAS BEEN REAL..💯
After they passed I was left back to day one with this clinic.
I was on yes a whopping 2 ml Xanax 4 x daily. To literally nothing. I was in a position where as I said my doctor's were gone.
fast forward to today I have managed to get myself to work on 2/ 1 ml 2x a day. it's been ruff.
these videos are helping more everyday for me. I really have been a mess physically. my gut my body.
If you are tapering Good for you keep up the great work.
the mood stabilizer idea for me is an absolute no way.
I was having the same anxiety issues just dread going in to Doc office for the last 3 times I have gone in. I resisted..an closed my mouth.
finally, Today in fact, listening to these great people here going threw med issues especially Xanax.
I set my mine up to go in like a boss and drop the feeling of being Gas lit...as Josoline explained.
it worked I went in and she all if a sudden just dropped the entire subject if it.
sounds crazy but I can't make this up. 💁
Best luck to you...Just resist the feeling of them disarming you. you are in control even when you don't know. You can turn it around.
Blessings Thanks for asking.
I am trying to get there an I will, it's just I have had a war going on and it's about to be over.
And Knowledge is power😉
Thank you for this valuable information! I was given a 1 WEEK TAPER after 4 years of daily prescribed benzos. That included 1 year of Xanax and 3 years of Klonopin. At the time of cessation, I was on 1 1/2 mg daily. It has been PURE HELL. I am now 6 weeks in. Just when I think it's getting better, another tidal wave of withdrawal hell arrives. Thank you for your encouragement!!!
is there any way you can find another doctor who will reinstate you and do a more reasonable taper? 1.5 mg klonipin is equivalent to 30 my Valium. that's a lot and I'm concerned you're still at risk for seizure.
+littlemissperfect thanks so much for responding! My doc has insisted that the one week taper was sufficient and the "small amount" I was taking shouldn't be causing my withdrawal symptoms. I have considered trying a different doctor, but have been told that after 6 weeks off of the benzo that it may be best to stick it out. Do you think it would be sensible to go back on, possibly with Diazepam, for a re-taper?
+Jess Hyatt sorry I thought you were only off a week, bit it was a week taper you mentioned . yes it may be worth considering reinstating. if you did you'd likely have to start at a higher dose to stabilize. you could taper with Valium or klonipin. people do both successfully. I just know how awful the cold turkey and rapid taper populations suffer. many do end up reinstating. it's a difficult decision to make. if you're not a member of a facebook support group or benzo buddies those are good places to go for advice and to hear about other people's experiences with rapid tapers.
+littlemissperfect I have been concerned about the seizure risk as well. I have a nervous system disorder, POTS, which I am sure isn't helping matters. By the way, I am eagerly awaiting the release of "As Prescribed"!
+Jess Hyatt as am I! POTS is common here, usually as an effect of the benzo. if this is the case I hope it improves as you heal.
I was on Klonipin for 8 years, and have been off for 6 years now. I had quit cold turkey, and my life has been complete hell since 2009. I still battle these issues, and am wondering if my life will ever be normal again?
+sweetcheeks20 I'm so sorry to hear that you are suffering from protracted withdrawal for so long. I obviously don't know every detail of your situation but it may be beneficial to look at any other medications and supplements that could be contributing to this. There's also genetic testing that you can do through online companies such as 23 and me, to see if there are other contributing factors such as certain chemicals in foods that you may not be processing. I absolutely believe you can heal! I know others who are in PAWS and they are healing bit by bit. If you've never contacted Baylissa Frederick she does online counseling and has given help to many people who are suffering long term. I think she is wonderful. Her site is: www.recovery-road.org/consultations
sweetcheeks20 good for you I’ve been off for 18 months. It took 7 months and now I’m better. There’s an herb called Kratom it helps tremendously and the sides are way less
how are you now?
Thank you. xoxoxo... I'm a few days away from starting my benzo taper (cross taper to a non-scheduled - probably aterax / busbar (sp). I'm sure I will watch your video again over the next few months.
Thank you for your amazing videos! I couldn't agree more!
Jocelyn, you are a blessing! What was your usual dose before you started tapering off? For somebody who has been using Ambien for years for chronical insomnia coming off Ativan seems impossible. Ad the feeling that there will be no spring and summer for me.
I was on 2 mg Ativan
Also I spoke with another long time family friend who is licenses psychologist. He said "this is bad shit" quit asap. He also told me is wife almost died detoxing from 1mg of klonopin. After she was only on it one year. Crazy Dr are allowed to do this to peoples lives.
+zac shreve I really hope by ASAP he means a ten percent reduction taper ;) And I really hope your psychologist friend's wife isn't actually detoxing and being polydrugged. As his friend I would print out a copy of the Ashton manual and take it to him and his wife so she can get the help she needs. Detoxes are notoriously ineffective as she can still suffer from this for years, and even more so if she gets off her benzo too quickly before her GABA receptors have a chance to upregulate.
Excellent video.
Thank you so much for these videos. I'm dealing with a lot before I can start tapering off, but this gives me hope. :)
+glbaloba I'm so glad to be able to give you that! I wish you all the hope in the world throughout your taper and recovery.
+littlemissperfect Do you have an email address or facebook page where I can message you? I need serious help from someone that understands! Please help me! I'm Carmen Nicole Hall on facebook from South Carolina.
also Nikki Branch?
Better than last year overall. I'm functioning almost normal on good days. Not having nearly as many bad waves, but the waves still stink!
littlemissperfect Yes, that's me!
During my taper, I thought I was having a heart attack!!!!!The 2nd time "they" (The E.R Drs) treated me like I was being a pain in the ass!!!I've actually experienced all the stuff you spoke of in this video!!!Then, the main nurse told me I was just trading one drug for another when I informed her I was on Methadone treatment!!!!
Hey there, just about to start tapering vallium after switching from ativan. Just checking you definitely agree that reducing by 2mg per1 or 2 weeks is safe enough? Love everything about you x
How much you taper by depends on your starting dose and how well you feel at that rate. 2mg per week or 2 would have been very fast for me
That's WAY too fast , and like she said It depends on the dose of ativan you were originally on and for how long.
Thank you for answering me earlier.
I really fear I have permanent brain damage because I don't understand things and my brain just shuts down.
I have progressed in my long taper.
But the constant permanent brain damage is making me so lost, sad and full of terror.
My brain has scanned in the mri so there is no physically wrong. But if you have time to answer did you feel that your brain really didn't understand normal things. I had just once this brain lock away year ago when I had crossover for first time from oxazepam to diazepam and had my brain back and my function and relationships. And then too quick taper and awful withdrawl symptoms and brain lock since then. I'm hopeless, I have good doctor. But you have gone through this and have survived to totally normal. So if you could give me hope that this brain shutting isn't propaply and brain damage than benzo and withdrawl. I have always been active, social and active person and now i fear to take trash out. Thank you for your help.
I don't want to lose my partner, we were supposed to get engaged this year.
I'm sorry that I ask but I lose hope that this brain not understanding ends. I have never been so sick and fighting for my life. Thank you. You are doing great job.
Yes it was difficult for me to follow a thought through to its logical conclusion. I was a walking zombie. It gets better
@@BenzoBrains Thank you for answering and letting me know that this is propaply from benzo.
My brain just doesn't work. And my life is awful and lonely because of that. I have been suffering 1,5 years like this (except year ago those few weeks) and I'm hopeless and scared of this tapering, 45 mg of diazepam to get rid of and I have lost my soul, my heart, my partner (he is waiting but we don't have normal things and am alone) and I feel myself brain damaged every minute. And third time to try to get off and even taking trash out is terrible.
I'm in a different reality from other people. In hell and no power left. My life would be great if I wouldn't be hooked up with this drug. And I fear it will kill me, have been through so many witdrawl symptoms and even at this point in huge amount I'm scared and my every day life is just suffering and not worth living. I have survived from a lot earlier years and had a good life with my dog and partner. Now brain lock doesn't leave me a minute. I'm terrified.
And used to be so active and loved to cook and clean my home and listening to music and exercise a lot.
Thank you if you think this all is from benzo. You are kind to response.
If it wasn't for people like yourself I wouldn't know what was going on, I'd be lost and have given up. Thank you so much. ❤
Thank you for this video I myself have been going through this for almost a year now. It will be a year on October 17. Hope you're doing much better now.
making it rain hi I am living a much better life these days. Have hope
Benzo Brains thank you!!
you are a little angel on this earth! not little actually, very big! Thank you so much
Thank you for that term! I was forced to stop my benzodiazepines after 20+ years. I was fine never exceeded the amount! They took me into a Medicaid contracted clinic put in with street drug addicts. They put me on antipsychotic after 3 week withdrawal. Then the case manager came to my home...finally took me into a group home. I am in with severely mentally ill people. I lost my home while they kept collecting Medicaid money all my money. I am on 3 mg ativan and they been doling it out for me. Am out a home have no where to go...I feel gaslighted. Exploited. If I had diabetes they wouldn't shame me for insuline.
Your doctor sounds like mine. I’ve been told I’m imagining things, overthinking everything. My doctor says it’s all in my mind. It has to be something else, some overlying issues. So she ordered blood work. Now I’m waiting for the results. She ordered something for dizziness I refuse to take it because it will make me sicker! My goal is to change my doctor after my taper is over.Thank you for your videos. Hugs I hope you are feeling better!
How are you now?
@@jonblackers4339 Still tapering. Plus still having dizzy problems.
Hello Joslin, I appreciate what you are accomplishing, it's a great triumph. I personally don't know what to do in my situation, I graduated trade school in 2001 and I was exhausted from driv the ing 250 miles a day, working, and going to church. When finished I fell flat on my face and so much like many others-went to the psychiatrist. He prescribed me Klonopin and I've been on it for 15 years, it's ruined my life, I don't know who I am and as a result nobody else does either, I've wanted to get married but how can I meet a woman if I don't know who I am, I live from pill to pill throughout the day (3mgs), and it doesn't work anymore. I can't talk right, I twitch, can't remember stuff, and am stuck alone in my own world. I've tried tapering with a razor blade and scale, I've tried other meds designed for alcoholics (campril) to supress benzodiazepine cravings, and I've been to rehab but 30 or even 90 days is just a spin dry. I want what you have but I don't know how to get it, do you have any ideas? I feel like time is running out, but I still have to work, go to more school, and just function but I know it will grind to a halt if I don't figure this out. I've tried and failed so many times.
+Micah Cooper i believe the reason why you have not successfully gotten off K before is because you are approaching it as an addiction. I don't believe you are an addict. 1. you became dependent on the drug while taking it as prescribed. dependence- not addicted, not abusing the drug
2. You became tolerant to the drug and experienced an increase of symptoms or new symptoms which made you think you needed more K or other medications
3. You tried to get off several times on your own. Each time you got off and on this caused kindling which made you less sensitive to the K, increasing your need for more K to stabilize out.
I believe your best chance is to read the Ashton Manual and join a good benzo withdrawal support group on facebook or www.benzobuddies.org . Next do a proper slow, micro taper, preferably water liquid titration. I have a video on tapering ruclips.net/video/02VQSCqa6zE/видео.html
Make sure to have a good support system in place, make preparations, hunker down and ride out the storm. YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN HEAL from this. Your life is ready to begin after your heal. I wish you a speedy recovery
@@BenzoBrains Thank you so much! I had given up until 2019 and I have been liquid titrating and removing 1/00 of a mg of Klonopin daily. I am now down from 3mgs daily to 2mgs daily. Sometimes I need to stop the taper when things get too intense, but there is no fast way for me. Thank you for championing the effort to educate people like myself, you really have given hope and saved lives!
your very pretty....im withdrawing from Xanax and it was so bad that I had to go to the ER ....the next thing you know, im being injected with Ativan...they then realeased me and told me to go see my doctor
Thank you. I'm sorry you ended up in the ER. I hope you can get back on the same dose and do a slow steady taper instead. Xanax has the shortest half life of any Benzo (3-4) hours and the interdose symptoms can become unbearable. Getting off too quickly can cause seizures, I know many who have damage from seizures during Benzo withdrawals. Going too fast can also lead to protracted withdrawal symptoms that can last for years . it's just not worth it. if you can secure a prescription and take it slow please do so. Ativan is only half as potent as Xanax so you would need twice as much to really stabilize. Take care of yourself this Christmas and I wish you a more hopeful new Year.
+aa60508 your doctor who gave you the benzos in the first place?
he was closed for a month so I had no choice
haha I was on zopiclone for only 7 days and I was throwing up everything I drinking and eating wasn't nice, I hear Xanax is the most addictive drug to be on. how long were you on itfor about?
Everything said: 100% accurate. It makes me livid to know that after 9 years things have not changed within the medical community. I believe there needs to be standards and guidelines set up and mandated to physicians who are dealing with someone in the hell of benzo withdrawal. I believe there needs to be lawsuits and licenses pulled. Thing is- people going through this hell- are absolutely in no state to execute such dramatic change. I hope and pray that the communities on social media- which I’ve found to be the best resort for support, can somehow pull together and get something done. It’s an absolute travesty to treat patients in the throes of benzo withdrawal the callous manner most doctors still do. It’s been way too long. These gaslighting bully doctors need malpractice suits slapped on all their desks.
We have managed to pull together over the years and establish 2 non profits that are doing some very good work. There is hope. Benzoreform.org and benzoinfo.com
Prozac put me in the hospital when I was withdrawing as Prozac is the most stimulating antidepressant there is and my nervous system went crazy... It was not fun.... Your story is very much mine.
Hi Jocelyn, I wonder if you would explain what Kindling is? I've been on benzo's since 1994 and I'm still currently on 6mg's of Xanax. I suffer from interdose withdrawal symptoms daily. Thank you for all you've done. You are a Warrior and a Rock Star! God bless you.
are you the same lady who talks about narcissism? You look like her twin, just your face is fuller. and thanks so much for these videos about benzo withdrawal. you are helping many people. bless you
Hi I haven't spoken about narcissism. It's probably someone who looks like me ☺
@@BenzoBrains her channels name is "From Surviving To Thriving!!" she looks like she could be your big sister, your voice is very similar as well. Anyway have a great evening sister, god bless xx
I have never heard anyone else use that term: overwhelming sense of doom”. Maybe I’m not crazy. (Written as I sit here shaking and trying to catch my breath.).
She has come such a very very long way. Wow.. God Bless you which she had more time to do more yt
Can we stop taking this medicine without consulting doctor without following process of reducing dosage?
Not sure i fully understand your question. It's certainly up to you to determine what your taper should look like and if you can trust your Dr enough to include her/him in the process. If you need help the FDA'S new guidelines for Benzodiazepine tapering should be helpful. I have a link under my most recent video
Did you go from Alprazolam to Diazepam? Great knowledge and experience btw. You have done a good thing for many people, by making this video.
I was prescribed ativan or lorazepam and then switched to diazepam
It is an absolutely nightmare to go through and it is hard for people, even doctors, to understand. Nice that you have the strength and empathy to share your experience.
Sorry if the english is a little hard to understand. bless you.....
I have been searching for a decent psychiatrist who has HEARD of the Ashton Method/Ashton Protocol and I mentioned it to one and she dismissed me, rather nastily. I was very disappointed.
Have you looked at the recommended Dr list on benzoinfo.com? Maybe you can find someone there
Thank you for being a ray of light through the gloom, and helping me personally, I really appreciate you❤🙏🏼
you're welcome, may you have a complete and speedy recovery
Tese thoughts are killing me
Hi, I would like to share my experience of meeting with my psychiatrist yesterday. I wrote her a letter and had her read it and respond. Would it be possible to e-mail you directly? It is long!
+Angela Pretel Hi i don't know if you saw my message to you on Google+ with my email. Feel free to contact me anytime.
MEMANTINE will help because it will help regulate glutamatergic activity; it's a potent NMDA antagonist. Your glutamatergic system is primarily what is causing the withdrawal symptoms because the GABAergic drugs have downregulated your GABA and so your GABA-glutamate balance is tipped way in favor of glutamate. The overexcitation and excitoxicity is what you need to control - if you can do that then you can sail through the rest of the withdrawal process. In the US, memantine can be sold without a prescription.
Withdrawal from GABAergics can cause nerve damage because of the glutamatergic storm - a perfect example of this is the infamous tinnitus people can have for 6+ months after the last dose, and even more that a year later.
Withdrawal episodes can have a cumulative affect, making each withdrawal worse than the last. This is called kindling. *The mechanism for this is pretty much the same as why chronic pain actually makes you more sensitive to pain* (contrary to popular myth - chronic pain sufferers do not develop a tolerance to pain, it's not physically possible, and if it were true, it would actually be a potentially species-ending evolutionary disadvantage). Also think of the phrase "nerves that fire together, wire together" if that will help you to understand why this is true about pain, overexcitation and withdrawal.
Other things benzo people should do to taper off: pay attention to your gut, find a GOOD probiotic and use it properly, and get fiber because cellulose provides substrate for gut flora. Most of your serotonin and GABA is in your gut, not your brain; our gut flora secrete GABA, serotonin, dopamine, etc and our GI tract is covered with receptors for all of these. THIS IS WHY GABA SUPPLEMENTS WORK. If you read around on the internet you'll find papers about how GABA supplements seem to work even though we know for a fact that the GABA molecule is large enough to have a lot of trouble passing through a healthy blood-brain barrier (but it's not impossible). People get confused and wonder if it's just a placebo effect; but what's really going on is that the GABA supplement is doing its magic in your GUT, not your brain. That's why it works; it doesn't need to make it all the way past the BBB and into the brain.
Regular epsom salt baths - for real. Get that magnesium in you. The baths are sometimes better than pill supplements because of the extra calming effect of the bath itself, but this will also help people with the body and muscle aches of withdrawal in two different ways. Also potassium.
Theanine. Hell yes, take this. Read about it first.
Taurine. This is another nutrient found in all kinds of protein foods, but it's easier to get it as a supplement so you can get higher more consistent doses. *Taurine has interesting properties that makes it neuroprotective against excess glutamate activity, and is calming.* Contrary to popular myth, taurine is not a stimulant, it's the opposite of a stimulant, and is added to energy drinks for the sole purpose of mitigating some of the adverse effects of the stimulants in the drink. Taurine is GABAergic and can be useful for people who are tapering off benzos and have uncooperative doctors that want to take them off cold-turkey or too soon (benzos need months and months of tapering off). Don't let that fool you though, taurine is not nearly as potent as the weakest of the benzos so don't listen to people who say it's like switching one benzo for another. They're not even remotely comparable substances.
AVOID: Phenibut. This drug really works, and is a very simple drug: it's a GABA molecule attached to a phenyl group - that's it. The phenyl group allows the drug to pass the BBB quite effectively and deliver GABA straight to your brain. In the US phenibut is available without a prescription, so there are a lot of people who have taken it and reported GABAergic withdrawals if taken for a week or more. It's not a "strong" as a benzo but for many benzo users this will be more like switching one benzo for another benzo-like drug that is also difficult to wean from.
Be careful: Kava kava tea. Kava is one of the most potently GABAergic teas in existence. Some people can use it for tapering, but some people will just use it as a crutch.
Yes to teas: chamomile, lemon balm, lavender
BEFORE you start jumping to conclusions: glutamate is not really your enemy, MSG does not do all of the terrible things people rave about, avoiding glutamate during this time is not an option. First, it's not an option because it's a major amino acid, you will eat grams of it when you have a big protein meal, secondly you need glutamate/glutamine to make GABA, and third, glutamate is the primary neurotransmitter responsible for your intellect and memory. This is why long term benzo users suffer memory problems, learning problems, spatial and logic problems, and cognitive decline - the GABA activity is overly suppressing glutamatergic system and literally making you a little bit more stupid. But it's not permanent (can be semi-permanent in heavy users, but they can still fully recover after several years).
*MEDICAL DOCTORS ARE NOT PHARMACISTS.* Remember this first and foremost. Sometimes, MD specialists know more details about certain drugs they prescribe than the average doctor, but they are still no match for someone who works exclusively with drugs. This is not about MDs being stupid or flawed as much as it is about how many more years MDs would have to be in school in order to acquire knowledge of medications on par with pharmacists. It's just hopelessly unrealistic and unfair to expect a single person to do all of this, so MDs only learn a sort of crib-notes about drugs.
Docs also tend to hate patients that bring the internet to them (not all, but enough) - but you need to find a new doctor. There are good ones out there.
I appreciate your obvious knowledge about this subject but I have to caution against advising people to take any medication and claiming that it will make it easier across the board. If it worked for you I'm thrilled. but there has been so little research as to what is actually going on in our bodies that it's impossible to definitely make a statement such as this.
littlemissperfect Impossible to make what statement?
+Heather Leisure to definitively state that taking any particular drug will work for everyone or make this experience any easier
I don't know that I did that. But I do know that certain kinds of people don't really want to get better. You can tell by how they dismiss suggestions before they even know what they are dismissing.
+Heather Leisure don't do that I allowed your comment but I'm skeptical of someone who tells people they can "sail" through this by taking a prescription or anything else. if I misinterpreted what you are saying then correct me. but don't do what the doctor I talk about in this video did. I am a year post taper and doing just fine.
What did you do about your horrible GI problems? Those are the worst for me....I also feel like I have to lie my psychiatrist because any time I tell him the truth, he just makes me feel crazy and gets angry at me. Then I get afraid he is going to cut me off and I will have to go to the streets to by benzos to survive or something.
hi eating regularly helps. it helps to eat clean simple foods as much as possible, a protein a simple carb and a veggie. magnesium helps with any constipation.
Thank you!
The feeling of doom I just so resonated with!! When I ran out of Klonopin for 5 days the doom was always there, like at an overpass the thought of a vehicle falling down on me won't go away, I have to get away from that area ASAP, same feeling in lots of situations, sometimes just leaving my house
One question: how did you deal with the intrusive and negative thoughts? It just pulls me down, I hate it... Is that better now for you?
Girly Girl hi sorry I didn't see this before. I would take my intrusive thoughts and put them into a poem or song or something productive. I also practiced mindfulness and meditation using RUclips videos. I liked videos that had lots of talking to kind of drown out my own thoughts.
6 years off and i still suffer. when will this end?
+sweetcheeks20 There's no way to know for sure but I do know that Luke Montague, the Earl of Sandwich was ill for seven years after a cold turkey off antidepressants and benzos. He is now a voice speaking out against these drugs and has written a book. He also founded CEPUK - council for evidence based psychiatry. I look at this as being a POW. Our minds and bodies have been imprisoned by these drugs but there will be a liberation. Some wars take many years and we may never be the same after, but one day we will be free
Thank you for your work in getting the word out there about these dangerous drugs. I saw you in the trailer for "AsPrescribed" which is no longer available on Vimeo, and hopefully your RUclips video of it will stay up. Is there any way for me to contact you privately, such as Facebook or email? Did you do a daily water titration micro taper off the Valium once you were transitioned over to it? Are you completely benzo free now? The word that you used in the video ("torture") pretty much describes it.
thank you. yes I did a liquid titration which I go over in my video ruclips.net/video/02VQSCqa6zE/видео.html you're welcome to contact me on here through Google Plus or twitter @BenzoBrains if you haven't joined a support group yet make sure to look into them
+littlemissperfect, Thank you so much for your reply. I will check you out on Twitter, as I'm unfamiliar w/ how to message on Google Plus. You are to be commended for getting off this stuff and being able to take care of your children at the same time. Thanks, too, for bringing awareness about this, which every single doctor I've talked to about it cannot believe how long it is taking me to wean. I'll divulge more info to you on Twitter here in a little bit if it is possible to message you on there. The trailer for the documentary is back up on the "As Prescribed" website. They took the Vimeo one down due to the word "Addiction" from the mom in the very beginning. It has since been edited out.
thank you so much!
i came off Xanax cold turkey. it put me into a mental break down. for months..glad u are tapering
people that do it recreational can come off it. the problem lies when u take it every day.
Great video
I also agreed some people get downregulated right away
Even intravenous ativan 1 dose there's horrible side effects it's even recorded
In Ashton manual
Paradoxical effect
I went to psychotherapy for about 120 sessions. It actually worked very well. Sadly my therapist had to move. I was told my treatment was far from over and I had nothing to worry about. My next therapist told me the exact opposite. She told me I didn't have the brain skills to receive any therapy. She rejected me 100% and afterwards I had a very bad reaction. But they refuse to talk about it. Because they can't admit they caused another patient harm. Afterwards I was so devastated that I still get very angry when I think about it. She ruined my only hope in 5 minutes. This was because I was on valium. Most people tells me I'm both smart and clever. Like most people. I suffer from p.t.s.d and was told to take meds as usual. Tapering was something that we would deal with later. I never felt so "downgraded" in my entire life and I think norwegian psychiatric is a DAMN JOKE. Sometimes I just want to give up. But they are going to have to watch.
Sounds like your therapist was the one who didn't have the skills to help you. I'm sorry
@@BenzoBrains Well, the first therapist said that there was nothing that indicated that I was "high" on pills. We were going to deal with that later. After taking them for 15 years, I don't know if it's possible for me to get wasted on benzodiazepine. I'm sorry if I sound angry, but they really messed me up. 😞
I actually got an appointment at a psychologist specialist in 2 days, after waiting for 10 months. Anyway, can you or someone tell me briefly what's wrong with my gaba receptors? (15 years on valium) I am nervous as hell 😣
@@freddyheadbite3084 there might be some good material for you to show your psychologist at benzoreform.org
Basically GABA become down regulated and or mutated by exposure to benzodiazepines. This means they can no longer absorb GABA which is yout body's calming neurotransmitter. As this happens you also build up more and more glutamate which is the excitatory neurotransmitter. So you are exponentially imbalanced with too much flight or fight response and no way for your body to calm itself down.
@@BenzoBrains Wow! Thanks for the quick response😃 It was helpful👍
Your the best.
Im glad i found your videos everything you explain is exactly what i have been going through. I was on short term of lorazepam 19 days to be exact. Im still going through weird symptoms.
I'm glad the videos are helping. if you haven't joined a support group please consider doing so. they're great for just daily even hourly reminders that you are not alone and will heal
I told my psychiatrist that I felt extreme arm pain from cutting my klonopin by .125mg overnight and he told me that was impossible and it was just anxiety that was causing that pain>he told me I mentally set myself up to feel that pain because I was expecting it. I told him that is not true and asked him if he has ever seen the experiences of benzobuddies.org members, and he got so angry with me that he kicked me out of his office.