Date: Thu Mar 15, 2001 6:43 pm

Subject: Re: [benzo] Tightness under ribs. Advice Anyone ?

Hi,

Even before I was completely off of my ativan (over 9 months off) I had this

terrible tenseness in the stomach and under the rib cage. It would get so

severe I could not breath. The first couple months off it was one of my worse

symptoms. My stomach would go into a spasm than become hard as a rock. My

family could not believe it when it happened. At times I could not walk

straight up and had to bend forward.

I was told that the GABA we have in our brains is also in the stomach. This

to me felt like muscle spasms that contracted and needed the drug to relax

them. Before I was completely off the first hour would be better till the

pill wore off again. My IBS acted up also. This comes and goes and if I am

under a lot of stress but is not as severe and so much better as everything

else has improved. It really improved around the 5th month and almost gone

after the seventh month. I would have to sleep with pillows between my pelvis

and legs it would get so tight.

Take care and with time this will go away. If you get a lot a pain, I would

check it out with your doctor.

Love Penny

15 years valium

12 years ativan

March 18th will be 10 months free of benzos