Red78

So I am just wanting to know if there is anyone out there that has suffered PAWS when coming off and when totally off benzos and how long it lasted and also what symptoms you had. I think what a friend is suffering from may be PAWS just trying to get a gauge as medical community appears to be stumped and he is suffering quite bad and is quite recluse and is physically and mentally suffering..
Any advice or experience is welcome..
Thank you

Dee74

I have no experience with benzos myself but I know protracted withdrawal can be quite a problem for some.

I'm surprised the medical community there is stumped.

https://www.benzo.org.uk/pws04.htm

I hope you're doing well, Red.

D

Red78

That is a fantastic read, well what I skimmed quickly anyway.. My friend was on very low dose benzos for not a major amount of time.. Its the allergy side of it that the Dr's can't understand and there is also no one around here that understands that benzos are addictive.. Crazy right but true..

Forward12

There are many people that say benzo withdrawal/paws can last for months, if not years. Usually the only time a doc will prescribe them is for pretty severe anxiety issues, so it's had to say if the meds reacted badly, or the initial anxiety disorder is just back in full swing.
This would be something to take up with their psych/doc to see what's going on.

Justin61571

I came off a pretty nasty year long benzo habit. I was also drinking heavily at the time. Let me tell you that if you can make it thru benzo withdrawal you can make it thru anything. I had a solid three months of complete hell. I chose to quit drinking five months ago and I've had very significant paws with it as well. I actually think my paws is worse because I abused benzos.

Alcohol and benzos are cross tolerant. Lot of the receptors that benzos hit alcohol hits. Kind of gives a kindling effect. I read somewhere that trying to drink during benzo withdrawal is like rubbing sandpaper on an open wound. I found this to be pretty true.

Primativo

Benzo's are essentially dry alcohol. If you are an alcoholic Dr's are loathe to prescribe you any at all for obvious reasons.