Hi I am new to this board and so glad I found it. I have a very pressing problem. Have been on massive amounts of benzos---ativan, valium --many others I cant remember (part of problem) and quit cold turkey about 3-4 days ago. Just read about gradual withdrawal (another drug librium i was on). I am suffering extreme symptoms--severe memory loss, confusion, extreme visual defects, extreme muscle spasms, extreme heightened sense of smell, hearing. Ive been very hyper in speech and activity but now am getting very fatigued but cant sleep. Question--should I restart at least ativan and do a slower taper off? Is ambien or flexeril damaging?
So very grateful for any help or suggestions.
shadyk

I know some people have problems controlling their use of muscle relaxers like soma and flexeril, but in the case of tapering off of benzos I think it would be ok to use them in limited amounts. Your body systems have been depressed from using the benzos so whatever you feel now will seem hyper :bouncing: but eventually you will settle into your "natural state". It will just be a foreign place for you at first! You could try taking a small dose of flexeril for the muscle spasms but if you feel yourself slipping, then throw them out! Since flexeril is a central nervous system depressant, it might lead you back to the other "downers" so be careful.

Good luck! :angel:

again many thanks for the answers re my ct withdrawal. I just obtained my medical records for the past 4 months. Four emergency room visits with massive amounts of benzos given (called concious sedation) for replacement of dislocation of very old hip replacement. Three operating room visits--couldnt re place hip unless I was totally out.
Some OR visits lasted 5 hours and had large amts of sedation--versed etc and large doses of benzos given "to keep me quiet and relaxed ". One hospitalization for septecemia (blood poisening) with temp of 105. Massive antibiotics and benzos again!
A fractured shoulder and hip replacement (accident). I came home from all these with a pharmacy--librium, valium, vicodin, ativan, benedryl,flexeril, ambien, (probably others I cant remember) and a case of diabetes to boot. These meds were given to me around the clock. Also had a history of heavy drinking since my husband died a few years ago. Sooo they gave me Antabuse to boot.Stopping all of these drugs gave me almost every symptom described in the book--and very severely. I truely thought I was going to loose my mind. I even got lost at walmart. Went from freezing cold to dripping with sweat 3-4 times a day. Really severe visual distortions and extreme hearing and smell (of weird odors). Confusion and disorientation. Couldnt add small sums, figure out how to send an email, would stare at something and wonder what I was supposed to do with it. Cried easily and blew up at just about everyone. Totally unlike me. Seemed like all my systems were in high gear. After reading the posts and book about slow withdrawl I started taking 1-5mg ambien, and l flexeril both at night and 1/2 flexeril in am. Also started taking some herbs and amino acids that are supposed to aid brain function and neurotransmitter repair. Actually feel a little bit better today.
Im so looking foreward to feeling normal again. Maybe it will be a long time but at least I hope to get a tiny bit better each day. I take pleasure in small things--like remembering what I did 5 minitues ago, able to remember some of the words to songs I knew, having to think a long time about where I was and where I was going (in car) but being able to bring some of the memories up. Its one thing to loose your mind but its another thing to know you are loosing it.
Looking foreward to another day and hopefully things will get better slowly. This is a really debilitating illness.
Again many thanks to the good people who posted a reply. It really helps. Seems every one I try to talk to either thinks Im exaggerating, just paranoid or just making it up. They really dont know the half of what I really am experiencing.
Ive whined enough. Thanks for letting me go on. It feels good to be able to say these things and know there are others who "been there--done that"
Im always open to suggestions. Restarting the flexeril and ambien (apparently less damaging than other things) had helped relieve some of the symptoms. Will plan to do a slower taper on these and avoid all others.
Thanks for listening and God bless.
shadyk