Date: Sun Aug 29, 1999 4:03 pm

Subject: Sound Pillow

Howdy group,

One of the symptoms many of us have is tinnitus, ringing in the ears. Mine

started the very first time I went into withdrawal and has remained with me to

this day. From what I understand it eventually goes away as most of my other

symptoms have. That coupled with insomnia are the only symptoms I have that

continue to be a problem for me. One of the members of my RLS support group

made a deal with the manufacturer for a group of us to field test a product

called the Sound Pillow to see if helped us. It really didn't help much but I

got a free Sound Pillow out of it. What I discovered though, was that is

worked for tinnitus. The product is a pillow with stereo speakers that connect

to a music source.... the theory is that the music coming from the pillow masks

the ringing and allows you to sleep better. It must be an effective product

for many because it's endorsed by the American Tinnitus Association - members

get a discount from the manufacturer. I was really pleased with this thing and

became a believer - I take one with me when I travel along with a portable

cd/stereo. It really works as claimed. The ringing "stops" as soon as my head

hits the pillow.

It was at this time that I was miserable with withdrawal symptoms and also

found that it helped me relax and even to sleep. There is something uniquely

different about hearing music come from inside the pillow at a comfortable

volume. I tried to duplicate this effect with a stereo system in my bedroom

but it wasn't the same and it didn't provide the same effect. One of the

things I looked forward to while I was symptomatic was going to bed at the end

of the day. The music was so soothing it allowed me to enjoy pleasant thoughts

that erased my awareness of discomfort and carried me into sleep. It was much

easier to practice NLP exercises to relax me and put me in a healthy frame of

mind. It turned out to be a great weapon in my arsenal of things to fight the

withdrawal symptoms. I highly recommend this product for anyone going through

benzo withdrawal. I've had this thing for six months now and I'm convinced you

will find this to be more than just another gimmick..... it really works. And

it's not a drug.

The model I received was free and since I was asked to evaluate it, I also took

it apart. It's just a pillow with two stereo speakers and a cord with a plug.

I sent mine to my aunt who has tinnitus and she loves it. I made one with four

stereo speakers using my favorite pillow. The speaker came off of headphones

and are better than the factory models. The Sound Pillow costs about $50 -

this is their web address: www.soundpillow.com

Three weeks benzo free today - am no longer having back ache when I get up in

the morning and have stopped craving sweets. I've noticed that "feeling well"

is relative also. I actually feel better today than I did before I even took

benzos. I used to feel tired a lot and had some problems with my leg muscles

probably from being out of shape - now after all the aerobic exercise I've been

doing and concentrating on nutrition (I'm still eating your soups, Geraldine)

I'm in better shape than pre-withdrawal. I may be the only one who exercised

his way out of withdrawal but it worked for me. Regardless of what we do to

help ourselves, I think the passing of time is what will carry us into

recovery. Those of you who are suffering today - please know that it does end

and you will once again be 'normal'. If you sit back and do nothing you will

still recover if you stay off your benzo. But if you become proactive about it

and help your body be the body it knows how to be, you'll recover much quicker.

IMHO. I'm still not the same with regard to mental acuity. I still cannot

quickly remember formulas and tables as I once could - now I need reference

tools and am much slower and have to check my results twice. I've lost

confidence in some of my abilities. I work in an area of technology that what

I learned last year is now obsolete and must keep learning to stay current.

Learning no longer comes easy to me and I have to spend much time studying.

Besides causing damage to our bodies,

psyche and relationships, this is another area where benzos wreak havoc. This

has cost me income.....I used to 'moonlight'. I no longer feel confident to

sign off for electrical contractors as a registered professional electrical

engineer. Reviewing and approving their plans require making changes to meet

codes and to certify their work as 'safe' and correct. I no longer have the

patience for the intense scrutiny required - a mistake on my part could result

in litigation, fines and loss of my license. For now I think I'll just stick

to home-made sound pillows, lol.

Robert