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BENZODIAZEPINE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
from Tranx, Australia
There are many symptoms that can be experienced during benzodiazepine withdrawal. Some common withdrawal symptoms are increased anxiety, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, depression and increased sensitivity of the eyes, ears, skin and taste.
The following is a complete list of possible withdrawal symptoms:
Common withdrawal symptoms:
- Abdominal pains and cramp
- Agoraphobia
- Anxiety
- Breathing difficulties
- Blurred vision
- Changes in perception (faces distorting and inanimate objects moving)
- Depression
- Distended abdomen
- Dizziness
- Extreme lethargy
- Fears
- Feelings of unreality
- Flu-like symptoms
- Heavy limbs
- Heart palpitations
- Hypersensitivity to light
- Indigestion
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Lack of concentration
- Lack of co-ordination
- Loss of balance
- Loss of memory
- Muscular aches and pains
- Nausea
- Nightmares
- Panic attacks
- Rapid mood changes
- Restlessness
- Severe headaches
- Shaking
- Seeing spots before the eyes
- Sore eyes
- Sweating
- Tightness in the chest
- Tightness in the head
Less common withdrawal symptoms:
- Aching jaw
- Craving for sweet food
- Constipation
- Depersonalisation (a feeling of not knowing who you are)
- Diarrhoea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Feeling of the ground moving
- Hallucinations (auditory and visual)
- Hyperactivity
- Hypersensitivity to sound
- Incontinence, or frequency and urgency
- Increased saliva
- Loss or changes in appetite
- Loss of taste or metallic taste
- Menstrual problems (painful periods, irregular periods, cessation of periods)
- Morbid thoughts
- Numbness in any part of the body
- Outbursts of rage or aggression
- Paranoia
- Painful scalp
- Persistent, unpleasant memories
- Pins and needles
- Rapid changes in body temperature
- Sexual problems (changes in libido)
- Skin problems (dryness, itchiness, rashes, slow healing)
- Sore mouth and tongue
- Speech difficulties
- Suicidal thoughts
- Tinnitus (buzzing or ringing in the ears)
- Unusually sensitive (unable to watch the news on television or read the newspaper)
- Vaginal discharge
- Vomiting
- Weight loss or gain
Rare withdrawal symptoms:
- Blackouts -an episode where the person has no recall of their activity. (This is rare with low dose use, but less rare when large amounts have been taken)
- Bleeding from the nose
- Bleeding between menstrual cycles
- Burning along the spine
- Burning sensation around the mouth
- Discharge from the breasts
- Falling hair
- Haemorrhoids
- Hypersensitivity to touch
- Rectal bleeding
- Sinus pain
- Seizures (fits) Almost unknown if people reduce gradually. More common for people using high doses who stop suddenly.
- Sensitive or painful teeth
- Swollen breasts
See also the Main Symptoms Index.