Heidi’s Success

[WebDevElijah]

I hope my story will give hope to others.

 

I was taking 0.5-1 mg of K and 12.5 mg zolp CR (z drug) for over 10 years. I was able to stop during 2 pregnancies without issue. When I got engaged to my now husband, he wanted me to stop taking the pills. I completed a rapid taper and was fine for a month. One day I went for a walk on my lunch break after having a few cups of coffee and blacked out. I thought that I was going to die. I went to the ER and they could find nothing wrong with me. I saw a cardiologist and a neurologist and was diagnosed with POTS (caused by the benzo). I didn’t tie any of this to the benzo but started taking it again due to massive anxiety and I was fine once again. I joined an anxiety group on Facebook and someone there referred me to this group. I took me about 20 months to taper. I crossed over to V and did a daily liquid micro taper. There have been many times that I have second guessed my symptoms. I thought that I had MS, parkinson’s, heart problems, stroke, neuropathy, etc. Even though I am a nurse and I knew deep down that my symptoms were benzo related, I still let my mind go to other places. My symptoms included: DP/DR, parasthesia, feeling of impending doom, insomnia, nausea, headache, bloating, panic attacks, depression, extreme fatigue, exercise intolerance, pins and needles, burning sensations, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, irritability, dizziness, etc. I am now a little over 7 months off and I feel great. I am running 5-10 miles/day, 5 times/week. I lift weights. I work full time and no longer have any issues with driving. I know that I am still not out of the woods and could find myself in a wave at any time, but healing happens. Do the best you can to get through each day. Eventually the worst will pass.