As some of you know I was prescribed sedatives and sleeping tablets almost 3 years ago by my lovley GP, without any information and I am now going through the horrendous withdrawal process, that I know a few of you have also done. This also has been done in a way that flouts all the national safe guidelines, but that's another story. Anyway some of you may be interested to know, that after extensive research, I have found out some amazing and disturbing things about Benzos, Anti-depressants and sleeping pills. Sleeping pills have an astonishing amount of Aluminium in them and while taking them or withdrawing, the symptoms are incredibly similar to Mercury poisoning. Because of the Aluminium content there is an awful metallic taste and smell, excess salivation, and much, much more. Also, I only discovered yesterday that all of these medications eventually wipe out your immune system, effect all muscle control, the brain is effected in many different ways and they can also wipe out your thyroid. So obviously I am eternally grateful to the damn GP who initially prescribed them, knowing my already weakened condition. Apparently the chemicals in these tiny little tablets are so strong, your body and brain forget how to function properly without them. Alarmingly it can take months or even years to rid yourself of the chemicals and for things in the body to correct themselves. So I am also now in the position of not really knowing exactly what's causing what! If I could turn back time and had been given information about these drugs, I would have refused to take them. The worrying thing, but not at all suprising, is that all GPs have been given specific information about all aspects of these drugs by experts and some are still dishing them out like smarties. Seems if they don't get us one way it will be another. 'Your life in their hands'. Lack of knowledge and trust in these people has become a dangerous road to tread. Never again! Love to you all Tracy xxxxxd <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Your story is distressingly familiar. Be happy that you figured it out. Now that you understand what these bloody drugs do…you can avoid them all. You have found out about sedatives and sleeping tablets….cool…..but the same is true for almost all OTC and RX drugs. For example….anti-histamine drugs…you know what they do? They suppress the symptoms….they do absolutely nothing for the cause of the allergy you take them for. They actually mask the symptoms so you don’t know something is wrong with you. So whatever the problem, it continues inside you…just the symptoms are held in check….but the problem remains untouched doing damage. Symptoms are there to tell you something is wrong, taking drugs to stop the symptoms is pointless in the long run.

IMHO regular doctors should be avoided too. There knowledge is so biased towards a drug solution…whatever they say is likely to put you off the real reason for a problem. You then get sidetracked into thinking taking drug X will solve you problem when you could be learning and educating yourself and finding a real drug free solution.

Congratulations on what you have learned and I hope you recover quickly.

Thanks Sunshine, I never knew that about Anti-histamines. I have been taking them every year religiously for extreme hayfever. Years ago I use to get regular Anti-histamine injections for this, but they had to be stopped because they were dangerous for some individuals. So what is an alternative? Love Tracyx <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dancefiction.gif" alt="" /> P.S. Since withdrawing from the Benzos, one of the worst things I've found is no matter how exhausted or crappy I'm feeling, I just can't sit still for a minute. I'm constantly looking for something to do. Of course everyone else thinks it's great! The house is spotless, cooking, cleaning, shop literally till you drop, gardening you name it, I'm never still. Is this a symptom maybe? My brain has forgotten how to relax by itself. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/taz.gif" alt="" />

Oh! I need to look that up. I have seldom taken anti-histamines, but I vividly remember reading all about them and being amazed at the damage they do. My mum religiously takes them for her hayfever. I will have too look it up at home. If I forget, remind me. unfort it is not a quick one liner miracle cure….i will recommend a book for you……

LOL…have no idea if it’s a symptom, maybe you are just Wonderwoman!

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bellydance.gif" alt="" />

I wish Sunshine. Like the outfit, might consider one of those. I must admit I was a bit worried about putting this post on this morning as it seems off topic. However I have been amazed at the amount of private posts I've received from others who have been through or are still going through withdrawal from such medication. It is appalling, seems so many of us have been sent down the same path, I think your spot on Sunshine, if docs can't cure it, well cover it up with something else. I feel immensely sad that people who are already ill are then misguided by being given something that only causes more horrendous suffering. So just a last word, thankyou to all those who've opened up to me today and bless you for your information and support. A speedy recovery from this drug nightmare for us all. All my love Tracy xx <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yourmedicine.gif" alt="" />

Could you be adrenally fatigued?

http://www.drrind.com/scorecardmatrix.asp

I am and that sounds a lot like me -- except the cleaning thing LOL. I am nervous and jittery, and physically have a hard time sitting still. I am often moving my legs and such even when I'm sitting. I've attributed it to hypoglycemia, and high histamine levels in myself. The higher my histamine levels get, the worse it feels, up to the point of itching all over. I'm just now doing the tests for adrenal fatigue, thyroid function, etc. All connected to mercury poisoning. Adrenals get hammered with Hg tox. The only issue I'm running into with helping that out is that it seems that some of the treatments for those may mobilize some mercury, and I don't wanna do that till I'm done breastfeeding DD.

Shonda

I know what you mean Shona and it is a possibility, the problem is until the withdrawal gets considerably better, which unfortunately could be some time yet, I won't really know what's going on. I'm just reluctant to do anything else at the moment, but when I feel this has stabalized, I'll start re-thinking things. Cheers Tracy x P.S I was like that over twenty years ago after the birth of my first child and I'm sure it was a hormone inbalanci. I used Progesterone on the advice of my Health visitor, who had also suffered similarly and it really helped.