Thousands of people could not possibly invent the bizarre, yet similarly reported, symptoms caused by the therapeutic use of benzodiazepines and reactions to their withdrawal. The following list of symptoms was compiled from existing symptom lists and also with contributions from the individuals who have suffered and endured benzodiazepine withdrawal syndromes themselves.
Abdomen Cramping & Distention
Achiness
Aching jaw
Aching joints
Aching muscles
Acute hyperexcited state
Aggressive behaviour
Agitation
Agitated sight
Agoraphobia
Air Hunger
Akathisia
Allergic reactions
Allergic reactions to/Intolerance of foods previously tolerated
Allergy & nasal symptoms exacerbated
Anger
Anhedonia
Anorgasmia
Anxiety
Apathy
Appetite – either loss of, or voracious appetite with constant desire to eat
Arms and legs feel detached from body
Ataxia
Band around head
Bladder Incontinence
Bleeding between menstrual cycles
Bleeding from the nose
Blepharospasm
Blood Pressure Issues (High or Low)
Blurred Vision
Body Temperature Fluctuations
Brain Fog
Body odor
Bradycardia
Brain moving within the skull sensation
Breasts (heavy, over-sensitive, swollen, enlarged, painful)
Breathing difficulties
Breathlessness
Bruxism
Buildings appear to be leaning
Burning along the spine
Burning Sensations on Skin
Buzzing, burning, tingling limbs
Changes in perception (faces distorting and inanimate objects moving)
Changes in skin color, tone, texture
Chemical Sensitivities
Chest tightness
Chills
Choking
Claustrophobia
Clumsiness
Cognitive impairment
Confusion
Constipation
Cracked and sore lips
Cramping in stomach
Cramping of the muscles
Craving for sweets and sugary foods
Crying Spells
Cuts and abrasions taking weeks to heal
Dark circles under eyes
Decaying teeth and gums
Dehydration
Delirium
Demented and murderous thoughts
Dental Pain
Depersonalization
Depression
Diarrhea
Difficulty swallowing
Disorientation
Dizziness
Double Vision
Dry Retching
Dry throat, sore tongue, and thrush
Dyspepsia
Dysphagia (difficulty eating or swallowing)
Dysphoria (inability to feel pleasure or happiness)
Dyspnea (breathing difficulty)
Dystonia
Earache and sinus problems
Edema
Electronic Zaps
Emotional Blunting
Epileptic Fits
Esophageal Spasms
Esophagitis
Excitability
Exhaustion
Extreme cold
Extreme thirst
Eyes – sore, tired, seeing floaters, spots, itchy, red
Eye Dryness
Facial Numbness
Fear (terror)
Feces (abnormal looking)
Feeling of extreme heat or cold
Feeling of impending doom
Feelings of shaking inside and out
Feeling of shame
Feelings of unreality
Feelings of worms under scalp
Female ejaculation or incontinence during orgasm
Fingernail problems – median nail dystrophy (line/ridge down the centre), ridges
Flashbacks
Fluctuations in blood pressure
Flu-like symptoms (“Benzo flu”)
Flushing
Formication
Fuzzy feeling in head
Gait Abnormality
Gastritis
Glassy eyes
Goosebumps – very visible to the eye
Grinding teeth
Hair Changes (loss, thinning, dullness)
Hallucinations
Headaches
Heartburn
Heavy arms and legs
Hemorrhoids
Holding onto the walls in the shower
Hypersensitive Senses
Heart Palpitations
Hormonal Imbalances
Hot Flashes
Hurts to wear clothes, a car seatbelt
Hypersensitive (unable to watch the news, see films, read the newspaper) Hyperactivity
Hyperacusis (profound hearing sensitivity, hurts to talk on the phone, music, etc.)
Hypersomia (sensitive sense of smell)
Hyperreflexia (‘jumpiness’) Hypersensitivity to being touched
Hypersensitivity to light, sound, and other stimuli
Hypersensitivity to stress
Hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
Hyperventilation (over breathing)
Hypnologic (hallucinations, sleepwalking)
Hysterical and inappropriate laughter
IBS – irritable bowel syndrome
Impacted bowels
Impairment of motor coordination Impotence
Inability to comprehend the simplest things
Inability to concentrate
Inability to cope with a lot of information Inability to draw a satisfying breath
Inability to make a decision
Inability to read or write
Incontinence, frequent or urgent need to urinate, unable to hold or pass urine Increased saliva
Indigestion
Insomnia
Intense fuzzy feeling in the head
Intense jaw pain
Intrusive Thoughts
Iris in eyes changes color
Irrational rage
Irrationality (in general) Irritability
Jaundice
Jaw, tooth, neck and shoulder aches and pains
Jaw tension, clenching, teeth grinding
“Jelly Legs” – weakness in the legs
Jerks in arms, legs fingers
Joint aches and pains Joylessness Jumpiness
Lack of concentration Lack of coordination
Left/Right-sided symptoms
Legs arms and head very heavy Leukonychia (whitening of nails)
Libidinal changes – variances in sex drive
Loss of balance
Loss of concentration
Loss of confidence
Loss of control of movement
Loss of interest in people and/or things Loss of memory (short and/or long-term)
Loss of self respect
Loss of taste or metallic taste (or other strange tastes)
Loss or changes in appetite
Lung pain
Memory Probelms
Menstrual Problems
Metallic Taste
Mood swings
Muscle aches
Muscle spasms
Muscle weakness
Nausea
Nervousness
Nightmares
Night sweats
Numbness/Tingling
Obsessions and obsessive behavior
Orgasm changes
Outbursts of aggression and rage
Pain
Painful scalp
Panic Attacks
Paraesthesia
Paranoia
Paraesthesia
Perception Distortion
Passing gas continually
Phobias
Post Traumatic Stress symptoms
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
Premature menopause
Psychotic symptoms
Racing Thoughts
Rapid blinking of the eyes
Rapid weight loss
Rashes on skin
Reading/Comprehension Problems
Repetative Thoughts
Restless Legs
Scalp Pain
Shivering
Sinusitis
Speech difficulties
Swallowing difficulties
Tachycardia
Teeth Pain
Thyroid disturbances
Ticking
Tinnitus
Toxic naps
Tremor
Twitching
Urinary Problems
Vertigo
Visual disturbances – waves, sparks, flashes of light, seeing spots, floaters, blurry
Vomiting
Weakness
Weight Gain or Loss
Zaps
I did cold turkey 3 months ago and o feel like I’m dying from the inside! Insomnia, anxiety, torment, depression, chest pain and pressure, stomach ache, headache, irritation. I went to the hospital 3 times already and they put back to klonopin!!!
I’ve been on a low dose alprazolam of 0.5mg as needed for stress and anxiety for over 6yrs.. the last 3 to 4 yrs I rarely took any. However, last 2 or almost 3 months I started taking the prescribed dose to ease extreme stress several times a week.. now my anxiety is back and with avengence! Last 2 weeks have been hell, 0.5mg doesn’t last me the day anymore.. it’s either 0.75mg or 1mg, which I do NOT want to take nor go over.. I’ve been to the er 3xs in a month for panic attacks and they gave me ativan to calm down and it helped until the very next day. I’ve been struggling because I don’t want to be on this medication anymore.. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME TAPER OFF!! Even if this is considered a “low dose”, I don’t want it to increase… I just want off 😞
You need to add rectum pain , buttocks and coccyx pain sever , frozen shoulders, I’m in so much pain I can only stand or sit on the toilet for semi relief 😭
Did you go cold turkey? What dose were you on a d if tapering how are you doing it.
I was on anywhere from 8mg of clonipin to 1.5 a day, at times abusing them by ingesting up to 20 a day for over twenty five years, all doctor prescribed. I detoxed at a medical center for about a week 3 months ago. I am still having debilitating symptoms, preventing me from working or driving or sometimes even moving from the couch. The symptoms are erratic and come without warning, sometimes I go a week or more without any. Last week during a withdrawal episode I passed out and fell in the bathroom. Spent three days in hospital. I’ve been tapering to 40 mgs of Librium which helps but does not prevent attacks. I am getting depressed and hopeless as these attacks are taking both physical and emotional tolls. Are there better alternatives to Librium treatment and how long can I expect to be this dysfunctional? Thank you, please help!
After 30 years of taking Klonopin as prescribed I have failed to be able to discontinue at least 4 times including being sent to a detox facility in Florida. STAY AWAY FROM ANY OF THESE. It may sound hard to believe but I suffer from many of these symptoms even though I still take the same dose of Klonopin as initially prescribed. Any suggestions??!!
Taper SLOWLY. EXTREMELY slow. Read “The Ashton Manual” by Prof Heather Ashton.
Work with an addiction specialist to taper very very very very slowly. Fast tapers do not
work, and often make patients WORSE. Benzos are the MOST addictive drugs in the world.
The Aston Manual is a fantastic resource and a good way to start your taper, but it gets way too aggressive near the end. Somewhere around 5 or 6 mg of Valium per day, you need to go to a daily microtaper. Look at benzobuddies.org to learn how to do this.
What do I do when my doctor refuses to believe this is necessary? It was nearly impossible to even find a doctor who would follow the Ashton taper with me…
Why is it so hard for Dr. To understand their are ways to do things ..just like doctor anonymous said 30 years plus he’s on it from the Block I just read you should be standing up and fighting for people
Blake thank you so much for your comment my name is james mladenovski my telephone number is 630-740-2476 please feel free to call me and that goes for anyone else that reads this I’m just trying to stay connected and save my life I am on adivan benzos thank you for your wonderful comments and your warnings God bless you
Thank you for your information Blake my name is James Mladenovski my telephone number is 630- 740-2476 if anyone that reads this is interested please don’t hesitate to call me I am desperate to connect with people and talk to them and get encouragement and information from each other as well as you know that I am not alone people that are in the same boat as I am trying to save my life from these benzos I’m on ativan and I know it is toxic but what could I say I’m on them and I need to find a way out of them thank you God
University student..huge pressure..reckless use of stimulants. Found benzos. Had to take year out. Over past 3 months has taken fluctuating huge benzo doses. Sudden family bereavement. Stopped himself by taking 30mg daily from 300mg for a few days..now tapering with gp.
Currently prescribed 25mg but not taking it all as he feels explosive and is losing control with ‘no filter?’
Forcing himself to look for a job to pay accumulated debts refusing to utilise funds given to him by parents. Now another family member is ill.
Is there a good online contact for him?
Taper so slowly you’re almost going backwards, and hold when sx get too much .. it’s a long long process . I don’t think if I’d known it would take me 2 an half years to get off 4 mg of Ativan I would ever have started .. but it is worth it when you’re out the other side … it really is..
Julie thank you for your comment my name is James Mladenovski my telephone number is 630-740-2476 please Julie give me a call and guide and help me taper down from my Ativan the right way or anyone that reads these formats I’m just seeking help thank you god bless you
Im going through almost every one of these. I have a severe histamine intolerance right now as well. I just can’t wait to feel better. This anxiety is almost unbearable anymore. I also have extreme agoraphobia right now too. I ctd off of 10mg xanax and im 6 months without. Every day im dizzy disoriented. Dissociation constant. I did not taper at all.
My name is James I am suffering from Ativan my telephone number is 630 740 2476 please call me so we can support each other share information alsi anyone else that reads my reply please call me I will talk to everyone and anyone and hopefully we can support each other and help each other get off this toxic poison …
About a year is reasonable, as is much longer. It’s impossible to determine because everyone has a different pace depending on their response to tapering. Check out https://www.benzoinfo.com/2017/10/09/benzodiazepine-tapering-strategies-and-solutions/
I have been on alprazolam 0.5mg daily with 0.25mg prn MDD 0.75mg, for many years. I missed a day of my meds and had constant feelings of deja Vu until I dosed. What is a realistic time frame for being able to taper and wean from this. I only take it at night.
My issue is skelectal muscles that contract so hard upon standing that I have been chair bound for 5 years and not only has it not let up ,it has gotten worse each year and an example was at 2 am I needed to use the bathroom and I had to slide off my couch,and pull myself along on my ass to the bathroom ,then hope the sink would not come off the wall,pull myself up to standing and reverse that procedure to get back to my couch/ recliner! I have extreme tinnitus and head pressure that is never ending ! I have a neurologist( have tried 3 ) no help,even Botox did nothing and I wonder if I will get better or die from this ! ( I was on 8 mg of lorazapam for over 9 years and taken off in a 5 week taper after crossing over to Valium)