I have been a patient of Matia's for over 16 years and an IC sufferer for 25. I wanted to write this as a warning to everyone who is taking Valium or benzos for their IC. I did too. That is what a urologist prescribed for me in my twenties and I dutifully and ignorantly took very low doses on /off for years. I was in remission for 7-8 years and during this time didn't use Valium. It was only after my kids were born, and insomnia set in and a relapse from IC ( due to cipro) that Valium entered my life once again. 

 

I never took Matia's words about the poison that benzos are- never.. I thought,  me? I am not an addict. I barely use these pills. I am here to tell you I would take IC pain ( and I had a severe case and still do once again) any day over benzo withdrawal. That's how evil and horrific these stinking pills are. 

 

Please... If you are taking these pills think twice. Do anything and everything but take these pills. They literally wrecked my nervous system and immune shstem. I am close to losing my business, my family, my health --everything due to these pills.. And guess what? I only took them 3 days per week for four months this last bout. That's all it took to go into severe shock where my magnesium levels were almost at zero when I unknowingly went into cold turkey.

 

 Now I am on a 500 day taper and every day is brutal hell. If you don't believe me ( and I never would have believed me) take a look at benzo buddies and read some of those stories.. If you are dabbling with Valium, that could be you. And all of those little weird health issues you might be having in addition to IC- tinnitus, headaches, twitches, tremors, vaginal burning/ pain, candida, increase infections etc etc not to mention the absolute blind terror, health anxiety, tingling, bugs crawling sensations, restlessness, burning all over, numbness, easy to startle, could be from your benzo usage or sleep aid usage. Doctors will tell you it's Lyme or this or that.. But guess what? I think it's benzos. Period. 

 

Beware... Please.

 

 If I could stop one more person from enduring this hell I am in now, I will. I had to write and share my experience, strength and hope with you... Please listen to Matia's warnings. She knows her stuff and unfortunately I didn't listen because I thought this could never ever in a million years happen to me. And it did.

 

- anonymous