[uchiha]

I have been off Lorazepam for about 2 1/2 weeks and my head is feeling a lot better except for the head tension I experience on a daily basis. Last night my facial muscles felt so tight/tense and the tension was in my head. After forcing myself to relax I eventually fell back asleep.

I only took Lorazepam for about 2 months, which includes the gradual reduction in dosage. Could I still be having some withdrawal? If so, how long does it take to feel normal again? Or, is this plain old anxiety symptoms? Even when I feel I am not having any anxiety at all, the tension in my head is still present.

I am still new to all this and I still don't know which is what. Thus, frustration which eventually leads to anxiety.

Originally Posted by uchiha

I have been off Lorazepam for about 2 1/2 weeks and my head is feeling a lot better except for the head tension I experience on a daily basis. Last night my facial muscles felt so tight/tense and the tension was in my head. After forcing myself to relax I eventually fell back asleep.

I only took Lorazepam for about 2 months, which includes the gradual reduction in dosage. Could I still be having some withdrawal? If so, how long does it take to feel normal again? Or, is this plain old anxiety symptoms? Even when I feel I am not having any anxiety at all, the tension in my head is still present.

I am still new to all this and I still don't know which is what. Thus, frustration which eventually leads to anxiety.

it's virtually impossible to estimate what effects the pills had on you I'm sorry...because the mind is so finely tuned to each individual.

...you have not described what you were like previously apart from the anxiety and anything extra like the head tension could be attributed to the meds.

...I will say however, that benzos are sneaky powerful drugs that alter brain chemistry and I wonder if the 'experts' really know and maybe they do and they do insist that short term treatment is reliable only which I can agree with.

I took diazepam for 18 months and stopped suddenly which is not recommended but I did it anyway and it took three months to stabilise and those three months were very peculiar indeed...complete with all sorts of sensations and discomfort and therefore I suspect that what you are going through is perhaps a mild withdrawal and it will reduce as your brain chemicals establish their original patterns.

[uchiha]

Originally Posted by dubblemonkey

it's virtually impossible to estimate what effects the pills had on you I'm sorry...because the mind is so finely tuned to each individual.

...you have not described what you were like previously apart from the anxiety and anything extra like the head tension could be attributed to the meds.

...I will say however, that benzos are sneaky powerful drugs that alter brain chemistry and I wonder if the 'experts' really know and maybe they do and they do insist that short term treatment is reliable only which I can agree with.

I took diazepam for 18 months and stopped suddenly which is not recommended but I did it anyway and it took three months to stabilise and those three months were very peculiar indeed...complete with all sorts of sensations and discomfort and therefore I suspect that what you are going through is perhaps a mild withdrawal and it will reduce as your brain chemicals establish their original patterns.

Previously, I did not experience any kind of tension in my head. I had no prior mental or physical disorder, except that I am a stutterer, which some would say it is a form of mental disorder and there are others who would say it is purely physical. Of course, there is always anxiety about stuttering in social situations. However, I never had an anxiety/panic attack over it; feeling like my world is collapsing. I usually feel embarrassed over it, especially when I am trying to impress someone.

At one time, about 10 years ago I took xanax or Lorazepam (can't remember) to control my stuttering so I can do my senior project presentation. I stopped it after awhile, since it didn't work and my lips were always tingling. And I swear I could feel my neurons firing My body did feel kind of weird afterwards. I don't know for how long though. But other than that....eh nothing.

I think I just need to be a little bit more patient. I guess it will take a few months or so to feel normal again ( whatever that means ). To be honest, I am just a little bit scared. Before I didn't know what was going on with me, I never had so much test done on me (echo on chest and kneck, stress test, spirometry test, x-ray, blood work) . Shoot! This was my first time ever being admitted to a hospital! I was scared out of my wits! Ahhh, I just need to relax a bit and let this thing take its course.

Thanks for replying