Goodbye Mr Valium

[[Th...]]

Congrats Rock and all the best to J and yourself.

 

Hi Navita65,

 

Thanks so much.! It looks like you are in the same boat as me, helping your wife withdraw from these medications. I truly appreciate what she is going through and also the huge effort you are making. Look after her with all your might, but remember to look after yourself. This is vital if you are to be the best you can be for her.!

 

The Rock.

[[Na...]]

Yes very similar........very trying at times, as your aware. I hope to be able to write a similar success story as yours one day. Still have a long road to go down, as were taking things pretty slow.

[[Th...]]

Yes very similar........very trying at times, as your aware. I hope to be able to write a similar success story as yours one day. Still have a long road to go down, as were taking things pretty slow.

 

Hi Navitas65,

 

Patience & perseverence will get you there. For what seems an eternity, my household hasn't been the same. I even remember that specific day that I started sensing that something was wrong with J, but didn't know what. I could never had imagined the next 4 years. I'm over the moon that J is no longer taking this poison, but she has so much healing infront of her, physically as well as psychologically.....Tomorrow will come.!

 

The Rock.

 

 

[[Th...]]

Week 3

 

For so many months, J's mind & body has been in a perpetual limbo. The repetitive nature of all the symptoms, like a boot on your throat, exerting enough pressure to keep you down, but not enough to see the end of you. Everything remained in this state, due to the slow reductions in Valium. But come day 17 after stopping it for good, everything changed. The boot pushed down just that little bit harder. The symptoms all collectively let out a cry of, "bring back the drug". J's mind & body, realising that it gone, and it won't be coming back. And so it begins.! The healing process.

 

Many have mentioned that withdrawal symptoms tend to ramp up at about 2 weeks after tapering off. Well, they were pretty spot on. I actually didn't even think about it. As J had been feeling unwell for all her taper, I thought that there wasn't much room to feel worse. It isn't something completely intolerable, but worse all the same.! The main physical symptoms that have rev-ed up are, leg pain, lower body stiffness, weakness, fluid retention, joint pain and inflammation (mainly limbs), skin irritations & extreme dryness. On the psychological side, things gladly have remained the same. Maybe on that front she wasn't too far from the bottom already.!

 

Sounds like all doom & gloom. Well it isn't. When you realise that the only way back to full health is through this, you stop panicking and you take one day at a time. I fully understand that J has had enough. No person welcomes symptoms and feeling unwell, but as her support, I must exhibit this patience, determination & reassurance that everything happening now is leading to her return to health, and that I'm here for her every step of the way. 

 

The Rock.

 

 

[[Th...]]

Week 4

 

"Bring back the drug, Bring back the drug"

 

Everytime J's symptoms rev up, for example this hyperventilation that has appeared from nowhere, I can hear in the background this repetitive chant coming from within her. I have to be honest, since her C/T back about 2 years ago where I had become a nervous wreck, I have learnt to be patient and calm, a symbol of reassurance and courage. I felt sure of my movements and confident in the tapering process. But, in the last week or so, some of the self doubt and frustrations are returning. I had seen improvement in J from about 2 mgs and below, and I was confident that the worst was over. We had tamed the beast.! Well, the beast has bitten back these last weeks.

 

I know that this is a celebration blog, so I have decided to give it a bit of time between posts to allow this time to pass. I guess it's called the acute phase. I would ask anyone who has gone through it to simply share how long this time took to pass. I know that everyone is different, but getting some idea would be really helpful.

 

Thanks.

 

The Rock.

[[Mo...]]

Hi Rock,

Its pretty normal for you to feel doubtful , even surprised ....

who wouldn't ? Its such a bizzare journey ...doesn't make sense at all !

 

In my opinion there is nothing unusual , hyperventilation is part of

the game. I did a brutal cold turkey , pushed through and can give you advise

in regards to all the physical stuff.

 

After my experience and from what I've seen here it seems to go in

6 months cycles for better or for worse..

 

We are all different of course, timing of sxs (symptoms) is quite unpredictable.

Please stay strong and try to push those thoughts of doubts away....

easier said than done I know, but its the only way.

 

If I were you I would start a Blog.....

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?board=88.0

 

Here is how to do the right breathing excercise which is very important

and helpful.

 

tell J to take a deep breath through her nose into her belly .....hold for a count

of three and slowly with a count of six out of her mouth again.

 

There are Gaba-A receptors all over the place, also in our airways...

take care.

 

 

[[Th...]]

Hi Morreweg,

 

Thanks for the support & advice. I also value your input as someone who has walked this path.

 

You reminded me that I had set up my own blog. I have got it going again & will continue to update J's progress & give my own insight there.

 

The Rock

[[sp...]]

Hi The Rock,

First of all, congrats on J's freedom and many many kudos for your relentless support of her. I am asking a favor. I am stuck in my taper and my poor husband is at his wit's end. May he PM you to ask how to best help/support me in this? He is a great guy but he just doesn't know what to do anymore and he keeps looking into detox programs and that scares the heck out of me. We have tweens--do you have kids--and we also do not know how to deal with them and that aspect of the scary parts of w/d.

Thank you and god bless you and your dear wife.

SC

[[Th...]]

Hi The Rock,

First of all, congrats on J's freedom and many many kudos for your relentless support of her. I am asking a favor. I am stuck in my taper and my poor husband is at his wit's end. May he PM you to ask how to best help/support me in this? He is a great guy but he just doesn't know what to do anymore and he keeps looking into detox programs and that scares the heck out of me. We have tweens--do you have kids--and we also do not know how to deal with them and that aspect of the scary parts of w/d.

Thank you and god bless you and your dear wife.

SC

 

Hi SC

 

Absolutely no problem.! Get him to PM me anytime.!

 

The Rock.

[[Th...]]

Hi BBs

 

Just letting you know that I have shifted my updates over to my new Blog -  In Search of...The Rocks Blog (II) in Buddie Blogs.

 

Week 5 awaits there.

 

The Rock.