From: the4kerns@a...

Date: Fri Jun 1, 2001 6:10 pm

Subject: Re: [benzo] Those that cold turkeyed and recovered speak up

Hi xxxxxxx,

You know what I think of this and how I feel we will recover too. There are reasons people are forced to go cold turkey. Mine was in hospital and at first I never considered it cold turkey. But like you I was incredibly sick and I was at a point where I feared for my life while on the benzos. I could not get tapering help because of insurance and uninformed doctors and my own fear. For me, I felt I had NO choice. Others have done similar things because of pregnancies, illness, or desperation and ARE healing too. So we did it the hard way and maybe had serious withdrawals at first, but the healing will still come.

Dr. MacFarlane of San Diego Recovery told me there is no evidence of permanent damage and my fears of this was not the case. He should know, he is an expert in benzo withdrawal and he knew I went off fast. I have had some incredibly clear days and expect more to come. I do realise this takes time but the symptoms I do have remaining are not stopping me from doing too much. I also get a little worried when people here say I did it all wrong or I somehow will have a horrible life now, but I think we all worry about whats going to happen down the road after the pills are stopped.

Dr. MacFarlane also told me this was a common withdrawal fear-That your symptoms will persist forever. But this just is not the case. Healing comes at our own paces.

Take Care,

Tom- 10 months off