Date: Sun May 20, 2001 8:08 pm

Subject: Re: [benzo] Excruciating headaches and eye pain

In a message dated 5/20/01 7:50:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, << I have had a horrible migraine like headache today and tylenol wont touch it, also, it hurts to look at anything, still cant focus or have conversation for long, is this withdrawal, I hope it gets better soon, I am worried for my eyes, they are blood shot too.

Help, XXXXXXX>> _____

Dear XXXXXX:

Hang in there, love...these horrible symptoms sound like withdrawal and try to take comfort in the fact that it hurts like crazy to heal from benzo addiction. I recently had some of these symptoms and I know how devastating they can be. Any symptoms involving the head are troublesome as they are striking at our center of control. I had the eye symptoms as well; not being able to properly focus along with the feeling that my eyes were pulsating or dancing in my head.

I found that lots of rest (total rest) helped my symptoms enormously. I let the house and everything just "go" around me...I didn't have the energy; any movement would bring on the head symptoms. I used a tincture of White Willow Bark (no alcohol) for the headaches and also used a moist heat heating pad. I purchased this heating pad from a medical supply store...it is different than a regular electric heating pad. Try to avoid stress as this is our number one enemy in withdrawal. Keep the lights down low and avoid direct sunlight. You WILL pull through this. If I can, absolutely anyone can as I am the biggest whiner this group has ever seen!

Love, Yvonne