Short term benzo users

[[In...]]

So glad Shirah caught my mistake...I was thinking about valium when I said that, NOT ativan!! 

The quote actually says you can jump from 0.5 mg of Valium, not 1mg ....but she really emphasizes it is totally up to you, your personality and symptoms...it should all be led by you, not a doctor or anyone else...

 

It may be worth reading the whole Chapter 2, B Ball gal (it's pretty short, and packed with great info)...here's the link: http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/bzcha02.htm

 

Here's one quote, but not the one  I was thinking of, from Chapter 2, and she is speaking of valium here:

 

Getting off the last tablet: Stopping the last few milligrams is often viewed as particularly difficult. This is mainly due to fear of how you will cope without any drug at all. In fact, the final parting is surprisingly easy. People are usually delighted by the new sense of freedom gained. In any case the 1mg or 0.5mg diazepam per day which you are taking at the end of your schedule is having little effect apart from keeping the dependence going. Do not be tempted to spin out the withdrawal to a ridiculously slow rate towards the end (such as 0.25mg each month). Take the plunge when you reach 0.5mg daily; full recovery cannot begin until you have got off your tablets completely. Some people after completing withdrawal like to carry around a few tablets with them for security "just in case", but find that they rarely if ever use them.

 

My doctors too thought I was on a low dose of valium, so that's why I just followed my body's symptoms in getting off it as darn fast as I could...like Ashton says,  " a way will be found..."  I don't think anyone can really adequately advise you about the specifics of your dosage...you taper and hold at the rate that makes sense to you...good luck!

[[Sh...]]

In my opinion, after short-term use, if you feel ready to jump at 0.125, go for it. Or you could do one more cut to 0.1 before jumping (equivalent to 1-mg Valium, which is safe to jump from per Ashton).

[[Tr...]]

It's so funny how the doctors keep stressing that I'm on a "very low dose", and yet I know that if I tried to quit tomorrow I'd be in a world of hurt

 

I felt the same way with my Dr. He said .5 mg of Klonopin was the equivalent of a glass of wine, but when I stopped taking it I had bad insomnia and intense adrenalin surges, unlike anything I've ever had from a glass of wine!

[[Bb...]]

Lol! The glass of wine analogy is interesting and one glass certainly never caused me these symptoms! Thanks for everyone's thoughts -- helpful as I decide. I think I'm going to go with a slightly larger cut and see how it goes. Next cut tomorrow!

[[In...]]

Yeah,

benzos have been an utter, shocking game-changer for me....because you DO fully recover from a glass of wine or a toke of pot ( hey, that was in my 20s in college....) within a few hours....you don't have effects lasting for blast-a-fring-ding-doodle MONTHS.....

 

ANY drug I have taken in my life, even if the effects were horrible, I could as least say, "I'll go back to normal once this metabolizes out of my system..."

 

Benzos seem to be the most execrable exception to this rule! 

[[me...]]

How is everyone sleeping?  I am 9 weeks since my last xanax, still waking up about 3 to 4 times a night, sometimes awake from 3 to 5 am.  Ugh...

[[In...]]

Hi MeggieMay...

I post a lot on the insomniatic board because yes, I count myself lucky if I only wake up 3-4 times a night instead of 9-10 times....I only ever sleep in 45 minute to occasional 3-hour stretches....since this ordeal began, even ON valium....I can piece together 4-6 hours of sleep a night by staying in bed 6-9 hours a night.... better at least than the nights of no sleep....

 

Hope it improves for you....

Independence

[[me...]]

Independece,

 

Did you have sleep issues prior to valium?

[[Si...]]

Somehow I slept two nights in a row. It took forever to fall asleep though. Got up early hoping to make myself tired enough for tonight.

[[In...]]

Hi MeggieMae...

Yes, I had sleep problems before, but nothing like this....my sleep became disturbed with the birth of my child 11 years ago, and had pretty much righted itself...I could easily sleep 8-10 hours a night straight through, with the occasional off night (once or twice a year!), though remained very easily awoken by the slightest sound...

 

Yay, Siggy...so glad you made it 2 nights in a row...let the trend continue!

...I count myself lucky that I slept a 3.5 hour stretch last night before fitfullness the rest of the night......I did get out and bike yesterday, will bike and swim today...

 

Independence

[[Bb...]]

All, coming back for some more great advice. I'm planning ahead a little here, but if I'm able to keep up with .175 or .2 cuts down to the end, it will be here relatively soon, and just trying to get a sense of how bad it may be the first couple of weeks after you jump? I'm planning to jump from either .05 or .1 Ativan.

 

For example, are your symptoms generally the same as during withdrawal? Can you work (so far I've worked through tapering, although hard sometimes and I have flexibility to work from home if needed). Should I avoid social engagements, etc?

 

Throughout my taper my worst symptoms during have been heart palps, some chest tightness, and headaches. Heart palps used to make me a nervous wreck, but now I just do breathing exercises through them and massage my stomach and that usually helps. I feel a little nervousness the first day or two (only for about an hour in the morning) after a cut, but not anything like the anxiety I experienced at the beginning of my taper -- I fully believe the drug made it worse, and now that it's working out of my system and my health is better everything is evening out.

 

I know there is no way to know for sure, but just curious about others experiences. I have friends wanting to schedule things in July right now, and I'm just trying to figure out if I should push things back a bit.

[[Tr...]]

Bballgal,

 

I'm about 3 weeks off Klonopin and can say that it does feel different than tapering, but not too bad. I tapered down to a very tiny bit but I can tell now that it kept me pretty calm. I'm not planning to take it again but I will say that I do now have mild anxiety that I didn't have during the taper. Hope this helps.

[[Si...]]

I'm still sleeping terribly.

[[Bb...]]

Thank you both! My biggest worry is heart palpitations. Now, when they kick in, I know that I'll have another dose soon and can get them to stop with breathing exercises in the meantime. Maybe it will be the same way when I jump, but it's scary. Going to make another cut tomorrow. Excited to be getting closer to the end, but still scared.

[[mi...]]

Hello, I just found this support group and glad to see others who have used benzo short term like me. 

 

I have taken Xanax daily for 9 weeks. I started having a variety of symptoms after a month of benzo use and that's when I found this forum. A few weeks later I decided to do a rapid taper. I actually felt better during my taper although I was hesitant to jump since I was scared the symptoms will come back full force once I finally stop taking Xanax. The weird thing was I felt even better after I jumped. I had two blissful weeks free of any symptoms. I thought I was very lucky and was healed. Two days ago I realized I was wrong; I wasn't completely healed. I started experiencing some of my old symptoms again: dizzy spells and nausea, chest tightness, pounding heartbeat, and achy muscles and joints.  :'( A lot of people talk about windows and waves but I don't really understand that. Will things get worse before I feel relief again? Will this be like an on-off thing?

 

Best regards to everyone, and good luck to those who are tapering! Stay strong! 

[[Tr...]]

A lot of people talk about windows and waves but I don't really understand that. Will things get worse before I feel relief again? Will this be like an on-off thing?

 

From what I've read the first month after the jump is when the symptoms would be their worst. Since you did such a rapid taper it's probably catching up with you. It sounds like you're hitting a wave and hopefully it will gradually go away and be less and less in time.

[[me...]]

mischiefmanaged,

 

I was on Xanax for 3 months.  I c/t, no tapering because pharmacist said I could just stop.  The first 5 weeks off were hell. 

It has been 10 weeks since my last Xanax and I am probably 75 % healed.  Hang in there, it takes time.

[[In...]]

Hi MischiefManaged,

I just finished my 15th week from my last dose of valium yesterday, I would agree with Meggie Mae that I am at least 75% healed, and I have many, many good days compared to people on this board....

 

It took me a long time to figure out the window wave thing, since when I felt good, I was declaring myself "finished"--that was before I ever found Benzo Buddies....I've only been on BB a few weeks, but it has really helped me sort out my symptoms and not freak as bad when they are bad....the tinnitus (right now driving me nuts) and sleep and constipation and weird nerve pain in teeth, legs, legs throbbing, and some intermittent euphoria and depression, frequent urination, and wild hunger swings have been my main lingering symptoms.  But the intensity is far better than before...

 

And, I have made it the longest ever--one solid week this week--with basically getting enough sleep and sleeping at least one 3-4 hour chunk per night with several other 1 to 2 hour chunks ---this feels like a HUGE corner turning...and if it just turns out to be a window that shuts I'm going to be really mad...

 

The other symptom I seem to have shed this week, along with insomnia, is the adrenal rushes and night sweats/hot flashes....I've not been absolutely burning up and freezing in waves, nor needing to swab myself with towels in the night, nor having my feet just be icicles....my whole thermoregulation seems to be back on track....

 

Again, I don't know yet if these symptoms vanishing are just a long window, but right now, I will take it....sure beats acute, and sure makes it worth it to go down this road to recovery.....

 

Gives me full confidence that I can assure you it will get better, give it time, and try to jot symptoms on a calendar ( all I could summon was a big fat "X" on my bad ear days, and on the rare days I ever slept more than a 2 hour stretch, I wrote the hours I slept on the calender.... which was only all of about 5 days since this ordeal started).....

 

Try to read the assuring sections of BB, and keep posting....we're here for you!

 

Independence

[[mi...]]

TravisP, I hope it will gradually get better too. I can't wait to move past my one month mark and feel better again. Thank you! 

 

meggiemay, I'm sorry to hear you had 5 weeks of hell after c/t Xanax. It's also sad how a lot of medical professionals are ignorant about benzo withdrawal. I was also told by my doctor that it's safe to stop taking the drug any time. When I told him my decision to taper, he didn't lower my dose but told me to take it only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It didn't make sense to me. I was also warned about interdose withdrawal from the good people here in the forum. Confused, I called my sister who is a pharmacist and she helped me with my taper plan. My doctor still gave me a prescription of Xanax "as needed" but I didn't bother refilling my empty bottle. I will never touch that drug again. Anyways, I'm happy to hear you're 75% healed. Hopefully I will feel better too as more days pass. Thanks! 

 

Independence, I'm sorry to hear you're still experiencing symptoms after your 15th week. Insomnia is never fun. I've only experienced it while I was still on Xanax but I can still remember how I can barely function because of the lack of sleep. I really hope it is a huge corner turning for you. And yes, the thought of shutting windows is maddening. The realization that my short blissful symptom-free time has ended made me feel discouraged. But you're right, I would gladly take any window, long or short, than feeling sick again. Thank you for the reassurance. Hopefully our road to recovery will be smooth-sailing from here. Thanks again! 

 

[[ms...]]

I'm also trying to come off low dose, short term Xanax use. I was on for about 4 months. Been coming off for a month this week.

 

I feel like no more than I was taking, I should already be off & find

I'm becoming disappointed in myself.

 

I have learned a lot about benzos & WD this last month but I'm also drawing lines between a couple other factors that seem to play a major role in my anxiety which I hope will help me finish my taper & be benzo free by this time next month: IBS & severe PMS. I started journaling some in March & here at the beginning of June have found that my anxiety & panic attacks are MONSTROUS during a week & a half of every month... As well as other sx AND my IBS. I started coming off during that period & had a really rough time of it... Add acute WD & I was a hot mess! Now I'm in that place again & am struggling to just hang on, knowing it will be over in a few more days. Once I'm through it, I'm determined to come the rest of the way off the Xanax. Even still, I struggle everyday with wondering if "normal" has a new definition for me. I'm sad & depressed that I may never feel like pre-anxiety pre-panic me. I find myself, at 40, wishing for menopause so that maybe the panic attacks would eventually go away.

[[me...]]

Msdetermined,

 

Have you had your hormones tested?  Maybe you are low on progesterone.  Low progesterone in the luteal phase can cause PMS.

[[sn...]]

I agree w/ meggiemay msdetermined- have you gotten your hormones tested? That and a full thyroid panel to see what is going on. There are many natural ways you can try balancing your hormones if that's the case. What I thought was a hormonal imbalance was really Benzo w/d--my hormones actually tested out fine, but the benzos wreaked all kinds of havoc on my body. I had horrible PMS a month during my taper and three months after stopping.

 

I am five months out and feeling sooooo much better.  I had lots of anxiety as I tapered and then stopped klonopin, but each month out the anxiety would start fading more and more as time passed.  It is difficult getting through it but know it does get better, and maybe finding out the root cause of your anxiety (which could be hormonal imbalances) will aid in your recovery.  Hope you start feeling a little better!

 

Meggiemay- how are you feeling? Sleeping ok?

[[me...]]

Sniogra

So glad to hear you are doing well!  At what month did you start feeling well again?

 

I am at 11 weeks since my c/t.  I am much better, but not 100 % yet.  I still get butterflies in my stomach for no reason at different times but not as often as I used to.  It is just a reminder that I am not totally healed yet.  My sleep is better, but still not good.  I wake up at least 4 times a night and have a lot of dreams.

 

I wanted to mention that xanax wrecked havoc on my hormones.

[[ms...]]

Thanks Sniogra & Meggiemay... My thyroid panel is good (keep that checked as I only have 1/3 of my thyroid & it has 3 small nodules) & the only hormone testing I know I've had was to see if perhaps I was menopausal... & I'm not. Now that I'm coming off the Xanax, I can tell that a lot of my issues are def stemming from my hormones so I think further testing is in order... In a few months since I lost my job last week & won't have insurance for a while.

[[sn...]]

Meggiemay- I would say after month 4 the anxiety and other weird symptoms eased up. The last month I've finally started having more good nights of sleep than bad.  I sleep pretty decent 4-5 days of the week but still have 1 or 2 nights a week where I feel like I sleep lightly and wake up a lot.  Last night was one of them.  I can count on one hand the number of nights I've slept all the way through the night. Those nights were magical. 

 

I did start taking liquid magnesium this past week and I'm experimenting w/ the right dosage.  I'm taking it for muscle twitching (lyme related) but I noticed that it improved my sleep quality and I sleep deeper when I take it before bed.

 

Are sleep and butterflies your only symptoms? So glad to hear you've been making some progress and feeling better!