DIAZEPAM WITHDRAWAL DOES IT CAUSE GASTRIC PROBLEMS?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi there,
I have been on a slow withdrawal programme from 20mg per day for 22 years. Now have reduced to 14mg a day, under supervision of course from an addiction specialist.
I find myself suffering from constant gastro-intestinal problems, a lot of heartburn and stomach cramps.
Anyone else suffer from the same during withdrawal
and how did you deal with it?
Any advice welcome thanks
0 likes, 13 replies
raymond08985 anne28866
Posted
Hi Anne.
I was a regular user of Diazepam for over 20years and I suffer with heartburn sometimes that bad that even a few Rennie didn't work.
I had to go to the doctor and I first prescribed Losac 40mg and Just 1 a day and my heartburn is a lot lot better. I can totally relate purely to what you're going through , I hope you can get it sorted. Good luck
anne28866 raymond08985
Posted
Thanks for your reply, makes me wonder if these drugs caused my stomach problems in the first place???
Guess when you are in a constant state of withdrawal these things are going to surface.
I take one 150mg ranitidine a day and have done for nearly 22 years but this is the worst flare-up I have had in a long time.
Have your stomach problems improved since you have got off the benzos?
Regards......
john72329 anne28866
Posted
hi anne im wondering what your radical programme is I've been on Valium for 20 years 40 mg a day n i have been getting reduced at a 1 mg a month im now on 26 mg s day but get severe heartburn especially at night i find omeparazole is a great pill you can get prescribed
john72329
Posted
anne28866 john72329
Posted
Hi John,
I have been reducing at 2mg per day each month up until now. But when I got to 14mg I started to get terrific heartburn and lower stomach cramps.
Now starting a reduction of 1mg per day per month and struggling with the stomach upsets. I tried omparazole but they made me so sleepy I couldn't function at all.
Thanks for the advice, at least I know I'm not the only one getting these withdrawal effects, Wishing you the best of luck. Well done for doing so well so far.
coby08389 anne28866
Posted
I don't know if my reply came through or not so if you see it twice please forgive me. Valium and other benzodiazepines work by surrounding GABA (a neurotransmitter) in the brain and the rest of the body. There is a lot of GABA in the gut which is probably why you are experiencing your symptoms. There is a phenomena called Benzo Belly - which makes people look like they are pregnant. Make sure that you eat food that it is in its natural state with no chemical additives and drink loads of water. Any supplememtns that you may be taking should also be a natural food in origin - synthetic supplements are usually rejected by peole recovering from benzos.
anne28866 coby08389
Posted
Hi coby,
Eureka!!! thank you for your reply. At last someone who knows what they are talking about. What you describe sounds exactly like what I am going through, bloated stomach, heartburn, I have it all.
addiction specialists seem to be more concerned about mental aspects of withdrawal, never mentioning the physical effects.
Where can I get more information on this.?
In trying to come off these vile drugs I feel that I will have to put up with endless discomfort even though my withdrawal is very slow. It makes me feel like it's not worth the hassle, very negative I know but how does anyone get past this?
carol44760 anne28866
Posted
Hi Anne , yes you can have gastric problems coming of diazepam I've had severe abdominal cramps since tapering off since March this year .i was put on 20mg of diazepam in February this year to come off a lot of other very addictive drugs which I was taking for fibromyalgia which were not helping I've tapered down to 1 mg of diazepam I've lost 1 stone and a half because I can't eat properly anymore because of these evil drugs horrible withdrawel symptoms you have to watch what you eat ,try not to eat spicy foods it's all trial and error it's like severe ibs good luck
anne28866 carol44760
Posted
Hi Carol,
Thanks for the reply, had no idea that coming off benzos would cause this type of stomach trouble.
Before tapering I used to have a flare-up of "diverticulitis" every couple of years, now I seem to have one every month.
spicy foods are off the menu, even my breakfast cereal up sets me!
You are doing very well to come off all those drugs, good for you! What are the positives to coming off benzos? seems hard for me to see right now...…….
coby08389 anne28866
Posted
Try to eat foods without any chemical additives, avoid gluten - that sets people off, spices, dairy and eat loads of fresh fruit and vegetable. Also avoid black tea and coffee. Drink heaps of water. i know that sounds like a huge list of don't and it is I guess but it is worth it. Look for ways to heal your gut because there is a huge gut/brain connection. Alcohol uses the same brain receptors as benzos do and it is dangerous to drink it - obviously you need to avoid that as well.
anne28866 coby08389
Posted
Had a brief visit to your web page, a lot of very useful information on there, thanks.
I went to my doctor yesterday and told her how I was suffering and she was quite helpful and suggested I take one more Ranatidine per day, as I am on a tiny dose at the moment. This seems to have sorted the heartburn problem.
She is sending me for blood tests just to be on the safe side and gave me a thorough examination.
She did tell me not to stop my reduction, which I must admit I felt like doing but advised me to take any help and advice to alleviate the withdrawal affects i.e. being careful with diet etc.
I am glad I went to her now as I have at least some relief.
I am going on a short break away soon and I guess I will have to make the best of it. I do have a lot of support from friends and family and my partner who is my rock in all this as he is a recovering alcoholic who has been dry for 16 years.
Keep up the good work,
Many thanks
carol44760 anne28866
Posted
Hi Anne thanks for the reply you must stick to it you are doing well to me it's been a very lonely experience nobody knows how you feel inside dr don't want to know they dish out all these powerful drugs don't really tell you about the awful side effects that effect your mind to suicidal thoughts but you must be strong I wish you all the best
anne28866 carol44760
Posted
Hi Carol.
Yes it is indeed a lonely experience going through these vile withdrawal symptoms.
When I think about how energetic and optimistic I was before I took my first diazepam, it is scary.
Will I go back to that eventually. I do have a lot of support from friends and family but as you say it's a personal experience.
Now taking more of my anti-heartburn tablets and just one extra seems to have helped. I think I will have to plan my own withdrawal regime according to what's happening in my life .
No doctors really have no idea, wonder where the ultimate blame lies, the health service or the drug companies. They realise now how addictive these drugs are, too late for those who find their lives adversely affected or even ruined by these vile "medications"
Thanks for your support