Re: Yikes - I use Ashwaghanda to WAKE UP

Hey jboy! (again, I started this response days ago - but wanted to go ahead and get it finished/posted, because there's some VERY good info here - my apologies again for the delay).

The #1 most prevalent symptom/issue with benzo tolerance & withdrawal is the inability to sleep (not to mention  dozens of other adrenal-type/mimicking issues).  In the future (if you will, pretty-please), when you post, please try to remember to post your 'benzo status' (current dosage & schedule, how long since the last dosage; anything you'd done that might affect blood level, etc).  That'll help me (and everyone else) to give you the best answers possible.

In American medical schoools, they used to teach all doctors a fundamental rule that goes like this:  "If you hear the thundering of hooves on the road behind you, don't  turn around and start looking for zebras".  Many doctors have a tendency to looking for, diagnosing & treating 'bizarre disease'...and we layman have the (almost desperate) need to start jumping all over the symptoms and covering them up with "remedies" instead of addressing the root cause.   None of us need to be tracking zebras when the sound of the hooves is the horses in clear view; your "thundering hooves" are benzodiazepine usage, iatrogenic addiction & withdrawal.  

In the case of benzos, all of the 'calming mechanisms" and systems throughout the body are brutalized & compromised...so of COURSE you have "symptoms" of adrenal fatigue/exhaustion.  But that doesn't mean there's anything at all instrinsically wrong/broken with your adrenals...it just means they are being stressed because the GABA calming network is severely compromised.  You can/should support the adrenals, but never try to force them into an action that is unnatural .   Think of it like this:

...if you play with a puppy to the point of exhaustion, he will be panting and his heart rate will be increased.  Do you start giving him oxygen, cayenne & hawthorn (or supplements or drugs) to stop this very natural reaction?  Of course not.  After that type of stimulation, many times puppies will fall asleep, and they will continue intens shallow-panting and their lil' chests will be rapidly heaving up & down (and it looks like they're going to die).  But  (again) we don't wake them up and start plowing them with 'stuff'...we realize they're dreaming of what they just did (or reacting in a way that's totally natural).  Knowledge & some support is all that's needed :)

Virtually EVERY system & aspect of the human body is calmed & somewhat regulated by the GABA system/regulation.  Yours is very compromised from both the use & withdrawal of benzos...and IS going to remain at some level of compromise for months/years after your last dose of Valium (more to come on this in my reply to your latest posts).

I think I remember drinking chamomile tea with raw honey before bed, perhaps I'll give it a try again. here I am at 1am unable to sleep again. I've had 3 hours sleep in almost 48 hours now..  There are many reports of folks in benzo tolerance/withdrawal just like that (and much worse).  Chamomile is typically very soothing & relaxing.

are adrenal cell extracts allowed in natural
healing to rebuild the adrenal glands? I read it in my adrenal fatigue book that they help the bodies natural production of cortisol instead of replacing it. although I can't seem to find a brand or company that sells them, I saw glandulars but I think those try to mimic cortisol.  "Glandulars" don't exactly 'help the production of cortisol'...they usually provide cortisol (or other adrenal hormones) or something that mimics them.  They are very risky (and typically have very substantial "withdrawal syndromes).  This is because when we give our body something it should be making, our body typically slows or stops the production...after awhile, that leaves the adrenals (or other organ) in worse shape than it was when the glandulars were started.

I realize my inability to get to sleep until 8am this morning was because of the ashwagandha, I slept for 3 hours until 11am. Then I took more ashwagandha thinking it would help me relax. NOPE! felt like I had done meth, i'm so tired yet I cannot even close my eyes. It's very possible for you to have a paradoxical reaction to Ashwagandha...not typical at all - but certainly possible.  Some people can even become wired from taking benzos.  Due to your highly reactive state, virtually everything is going to be a 'try it and see' situation.

I can feel that stress in my stomach, like knots of nervousness/uneasiness. the tears welling up in my head, the adrenal crash, the cravings for sugar, that extreme fog. I figured out why I couldn't handle JUST juicing...my adrenals needed more to run on and it would burn through that too quick, leaving me with those insatiable cravings I was trying to understand.  Self-diagnosis (for all of us!) is an extremely slippery slope - and you need to be extremely careful because of your admitted issue with the 'hypocondriac thing', along with the extreme benzo issues.  Of course, being careful doesn't mean that you're not 'having problems' somewhere.

Factoid: cholesterol is required in the production/conversion of adrenal hormones.  Our livers can & do create all the cholesterol we need IF they are working properly.  Of course, there's nothing natural or healthy about plowing our bodies with animal fat/cholesterol (we all know it's VERY damaging and liver/body compromising in the long run).  But since most people's liver's are at some level of compromise, eating animal cholesteroal typically provides those with adrenal/hormone issues some level of relief.  So many of the "experts" instruct high animal cholesterol/meat/fat diets.  I recommend taking care of, decongesting & healing your liver.

Of course, that doesn't mean you can't 'test the waters' and have a few/some high cholesterol/fat meals to see if it seems to help (while you're continuing working on your liver).  It's not like that's going to do substantial harm (like it could if you were doing it 3 meals a day for months on end). 

I won't be able to order more adrenal support tincture until wednesday, so I have until fri-sat until i have any support. I went through that last bottle and didn't feel anything like the ashwagandha, i felt better.  'Glad to hear the Adrenal Formula 'did you good' - that's almost a 'sure thing' with the Dr. Christopher formulas

what've you guys tried? i've heard valerian, but also heard it can be detrimental, or licorice root.  Valerian is an extremely effective 'calmer' and sleep inducer; however, in a very small percentage of people, it can act as a stimulant.  I've been through 2 bouts of heavy adrenal stress, and Ashwagandha was my Godsend (but apparently it's not for you).  I also took the Adrenal formula - and the Glandular tormula (the Glandular formula is Mullein & Lobelia), and I found the Glandular tincture to be noticeably calming and soothing.  Mullein leafs are huge & strong (but ultra soft).  Native peoples used to put them in their mocassins to soothe their aching feet.  Mullein is one plant/leaf that totally fits the 'doctrine of signatures' (that's when a plant looks, feels or smells like exactly what it does...like blood-red beet juice is awesome for the blood; Solomon's Seal root looks just like knee-joint, and it heals joints/ligaments, etc).  Of course, Lobelia is also very calming & relaxing.   (I enclosed a sample size of the Glandular tincture in your order).

Blessings,

Uny