12-18 month support

[[No...]]

Green ... I am not down in the dumps over this ... I was just reflecting for myself that I need to be aware that I do internalize stuff, who doesn't ... just sort of a reminder for myself ...

 

I am strong and steadfast ... and there is nothing out there for me to "take" ... I am getting more and more healthy each and every day ... as I believe we all are ...

 

It has been a long few days ... and just last week I had three good days ... and I will have some more ... we all will ...

[[Gr...]]

Nova,

 

Item 3?  stop hanging out on the Internet?  I forgot to say, my twinkie CSW therapist commented that the problem with "these sites" is that so many of the people have underlying mental problems.  I stared at her. I'm sure she meant me, too! 

 

I didn't get too pissed off because that really is the general consensus in the mental health and medical world.  they don't believe it.

[[No...]]

Coop ... what can I say ... cookies and chianti ... I am salivating ... 

[[Co...]]

Green, I just saw your post from the Benzo specialist. God bless your heart....just what we needed. I am clinging to his conviction that this takes 2 years. 6-8 more months for us. So much healing can happen in 6-8 months. ...thanks Green...feel better.....coop

[[mr...]]

This is from Dr. Melemis in Canada who specializes in this field

 

"Post-acute withdrawal usually lasts for 2 years. This is one of the most important things you need to remember. If you are up to the challenge you can get through this. But if you think that post acute withdrawal will only last a few mos., then you will get caught off guard....

 

How to survive Post Acute Withdrawal

 

Be patient. Two years can feel like a long time if you are in a rush to get through it. You cant hurry recovery. But you can get through it one day at a time.

If you try to rush your recovery, or resent post-acute withdrawal, or try to bulldoze your way through, you will become exhausted.

 

Post-acute withdrawal symptoms are a sign that your brain IS recovering. They are the result of your brain chemistry gradually going back to normal, Therefor dont resent them, But remember, even one year, you may only be halfway there.

 

Go with the flow. Withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable. But the more you resent them the worse they will seem. you will have lots of good days over the next two years. Enjoy them. You will also have alot of bad days. On those days,dont try to do to much. Take care of yourself,focus on your recovery,and you will get through this.

 

You will go through days or weeks without symptoms and then one day you will wake up and your withdrawal will hit you like a ton of bricks...if you are not prepared for it, if you think post-acute withdrawal only lasts a few mos., or if you think that you will be different and it will not be as bad for you , then you will get caught off guard. But if you know what to expect you can do this.

 

Practice self care. Give yourself lots of little breaks over the next two years. Tell yourself "what I am going through is enough". Be good to yourself. That is what you MUST learn in recovery.

Sometimes you will have little energy or enthusiasm for anything. Understand this and do not overbook your life. Give yourself permission to focus on your recovery.".....

 

Another good reassurance that all of this is normal and that we will all heal....

 

Take care of yourselves everyone.....m

 

Totally bookmarked this for future reference. Thank you.

 

Mrs.

[[Gr...]]

Green, thank you for mentioning your pounding heart. Man oh man this is such crap. I have been free of palps and thumping heart for months..at least 5/6 months...in the past 2/3 days...palps and pvcs ....not continuously but enough to get my health fears going. ...WTH ...I am taking reassurance in knowing that we are all on the couch with acute sx ...in months 16 and 18....I also have spent the afternoon thumbing through the success stories, but I get dizzy reading. I love all the success stories, but the one that is holding me together tonight are HH's posts about her successful trip . At 22 months...She is so much better and only a few months  ahead of us. .....

......Well, all of you couch warmers...take comfort in your chilli and pork roast...I am having Greek yogurt and tart cherries for dinner....full of melatonin and tryptophan.  Who knows. I am ready to throw in the towel and eat a handful of chocolate chip cookies...with a glass of red wine..lol.  those days are over. My friend makes these decadent dark chocolate chip caramel cookies...delicious with Chianti.  First thing I am doing on month 24...healed or not.  Drew, that's my meditation for the night.

...Sleep well all.  coop

 

 

Yes, she is so much better.  And do you remember what a tough time she had not that long ago?  She was freaking out every other day.  I think she said her wave lasted six weeks.

 

Sleep well.  dont' worry about the heart.  I wasn't going to mention it because I knew it might trigger your health issues.  Truth be told, it scared the hell out of me!  Sleep well.

[[No...]]

Well ... in 5 more minutes, it's official ... 17 months in the books ... and beneath everything ... I know I have given myself a very precious gift ... a gift that I will get to live fully and enthusiastically very soon ...

[[Co...]]

Nova...they are so good together...perfect with your slow roasted pork and roasted potatoes. 

....Green.. I know, I told my first physician that I was on a forum for w/d and how much I was learning from it and how much support I was finding.  Boy did I get ' the look' .  she actually said, " not a good idea"..  This forum is the only reason I got through any of this. I know if I had not had this forum I would have been to the doctor's office every week, diagnosed with a ton of illnesses and advised to stay on the benzos. ... ..so appreciate all of you.  coop

[[No...]]

Hi Mrs ... how was your weekend? ... hope you had a good one ...

[[dr...]]

Congrats on 17 months nova!!!! :thumbsup:

 

I want to end my evening here on a positive. Night all

[[No...]]

Good night Drew ... Be Well ...

[[Gr...]]

Green...your reply to nova is where I'm at. Full of doubt at times but know there  is no turning back.  No drug will ever fix me so what if this is the real me or I'm stuck.  Then I get a day w no anxiety/fear and I have a glimmer of hope.

 

Drew, anxiety and fear are major wave symptoms for me.  This is not you, no way.  I did a cold turkey, you cannot fathom the amount of anxiety and fear I had, and I don't have much at all now, only in waves.  On my good days, I'm calmer than I've ever been in my whole life.  And so will you be.

 

 

[[Co...]]

Green.. I actually am relieved when I know that others are experiencing specific sx. Not that I want anyone to have sx, but it always brings me back to center...it's always w/d.  .and always way more sensible than what I imagine. ..Are you still anxious about them....or have they passed. ...? .....

......It is exactly what you said, " We are getting worse and better at the same time it just doesn't feel like it"......

 

[[Gr...]]

Green ... I am not down in the dumps over this ... I was just reflecting for myself that I need to be aware that I do internalize stuff, who doesn't ... just sort of a reminder for myself ...

 

I am strong and steadfast ... and there is nothing out there for me to "take" ... I am getting more and more healthy each and every day ... as I believe we all are ...

 

It has been a long few days ... and just last week I had three good days ... and I will have some more ... we all will ...

 

 

Oh, I'm glad you're standing strong.  I responded to that post for myself, I guess, that's exactly the kind of self doubt I was having this week.  I lost my focus in this wave. 

 

Yes, this was a very good day on the thread today, we really did cover a lot.

[[Co...]]

Nova....CONGRATULATIONS.  18 months...hug

.....yes, you are going to have your enthusiastic lovely life back. ....thank you so much for being here with us. Your presence is truly uplifting.....we love you....coop

[[Gr...]]

Nova...they are so good together...perfect with your slow roasted pork and roasted potatoes. 

....Green.. I know, I told my first physician that I was on a forum for w/d and how much I was learning from it and how much support I was finding.  Boy did I get ' the look' .  she actually said, " not a good idea"..  This forum is the only reason I got through any of this. I know if I had not had this forum I would have been to the doctor's office every week, diagnosed with a ton of illnesses and advised to stay on the benzos. ... ..so appreciate all of you.  coop

 

Isn't that frightening?  Not a good idea?  I think of Colin and the moderators and all of the people who must have been helped here, tens of thousands of us, lives saved. Not a good idea.

[[Co...]]

Good night Drew...peaceful sleep...

[[Gr...]]

Green, I just saw your post from the Benzo specialist. God bless your heart....just what we needed. I am clinging to his conviction that this takes 2 years. 6-8 more months for us. So much healing can happen in 6-8 months. ...thanks Green...feel better.....coop

 

Coop, I absolutely needed that today.  I was internalizing Nova's "list," thinking I was broken, mentally deficient, never getting better.  I needed to read about PAWS hitting "like a ton of bricks," after feeling better for awhile.  because that's what happened.  you feel better, too.  God, I hope I can sleep tonight.

[[Gr...]]

Green.. I actually am relieved when I know that others are experiencing specific sx. Not that I want anyone to have sx, but it always brings me back to center...it's always w/d.  .and always way more sensible than what I imagine. ..Are you still anxious about them....or have they passed. ...? .....

......It is exactly what you said, " We are getting worse and better at the same time it just doesn't feel like it"......

 

The heavy revving and pounding heart seems to have passed.  now it's throughout the day a giddyap on and off (spelling?) and a tightening of the chest.  The threat is still there, though, I'm not comfortable that it's gone

 

Yes, I don't like to focus on the symptoms either, but it's been very helpful, because when they happen to me, I'll remember I read about someone having it, and it's reassuring.

 

Also, the last time we both said we felt worse and better at the same time, one foot in healing, one foot in withdrawal -- do you remember that?  - we ended up with a really good, really improved  baseline.  Do I remember that right?

[[je...]]

Hi everyone!

Such great posts today! Yes, yes, yes, & yes to everything that was said today. All the doubt, fear, and "this must be me " thinking while in a wave. Its all w/d that is giving is this crazy thinking. As you all know I've had a big uptick in anxiety for the last 6 weeks. Well, I had a busy weekend and had virtually  little to no anxiety- my thoughts were clearer and I didn't start going down that looping thought process that brings on such strong anxiety. I went to another kids birthday party today at chuck e cheese ( lord help me) and with all the screaming kids and loud sounds I did fine.

HH- I'm so glad to hear how great your doing! Just think you and green might have crossed paths and not even known it

Nova-- happy 17 months!

Drew- glad to hear the CBT is helping!

Coop and green-- hang on, I'm sure your waves are on your way out.

Sky-- yay!! So happy for you!

Mrs-- hope your feeling better 

[[Gr...]]

 

 

NOVA, HAPPY 17TH ANNIVERSARY!!!

[[No...]]

Hi Jenny ... if you can do fine at that kind of birthday party you are indeed doing fine ...

 

Good to hear you are feeling pretty good ...

[[No...]]

I knew there was a "reason" I got jolted awake ... I need to spend some time with my Buddies ... 

[[Gr...]]

Hi everyone!

Such great posts today! Yes, yes, yes, & yes to everything that was said today. All the doubt, fear, and "this must be me " thinking while in a wave. Its all w/d that is giving is this crazy thinking. As you all know I've had a big uptick in anxiety for the last 6 weeks. Well, I had a busy weekend and had virtually  little to no anxiety- my thoughts were clearer and I didn't start going down that looping thought process that brings on such strong anxiety. I went to another kids birthday party today at chuck e cheese ( lord help me) and with all the screaming kids and loud sounds I did fine.

HH- I'm so glad to hear how great your doing! Just think you and green might have crossed paths and not even known it

Nova-- happy 17 months!

Drew- glad to hear the CBT is helping!

Coop and green-- hang on, I'm sure your waves are on your way out.

Sky-- yay!! So happy for you!

Mrs-- hope your feeling better 

 

Jenny, if you can do Chuck e cheese, you can do anything!  so glad you stopped by.  I've posted so much I'm going to drop from exhaustion.  Good to hear you're doing so much better.

[[Co...]]

Green, yes...you remember that right. My 5 day window...the longest string of window days that I have had, followed a bad wave.  Can't believe you did a 26 mile bike ride last year , but I think I remember reading about it. .. I am glad the thumping is better....We have all earned a month of straight windows...

.....we are going to get it all back Green....I wish Dr. M. from Canada would do a TED Talk...I think I will Google him and see if I can find anything else he has written. ..We need all the professional encouragement we can get...given the dismal opinions of some of the professionals we are seeing in our real time lives.  ...coop