Daily Micro-Tapering Support Group

[[...]]

CD..thank you for getting back to me..and i have only had a few episodes since i started my taper but nothing like this..i hope it eases up before i get to the place to get my hair done ..dont know if i will be able to let them color and wash it all out and sit still with all this going on in my ears...

 

and thank you for telling me to hang tough..i sure seem like i have turned into a scared wimp lately..and just need to suck it up i guess 

 

deep

 

 

Hi, I can't see how long you've taken a benzo, but I know that for myself, ANY change I make with my benzo causes a big upset to my nervous system making my withdrawal symptoms really act up. Fortunately they do calm down after a couple of days. It seems my nervous system is extremely sensitive. I've taken Xanax for 14 years and the prescribed dose was 1mg three times a day. However, I rarely took it three times a day, I took it twice a day, about 1 o'clock in the afternoon when the stress of my job as an RN peaked because of the end of shift time crunch, then at night time to sleep. I had multiple nasty hot flashes during the day and ones that woke me up at night. The whole time I figured it was menopause kicking in and job stress, but in reality it was withdrawal symptoms every day and night- for 14 years! Even as a nurse I had no idea that benzo's would do that to you. I trusted my doctor and the med worked so well for anxiety that I never bothered to learn about it. After learning about it here I wished like hell I never took it. The result is my system is super kindled, hence the ultra sensitivity to any change, whether a small increase or decrease. A couple weeks ago I was really busy, I fixed my afternoon dose but forgot to take it. OMG, I paid for that, three days of hell, cold sweats, hot sweats, tinnitus, heartburn, stomach upset.

 

I think it is entirely possible for you to have symptoms from a change in your dosing, even dividing it from 3 times to 4 times a day. It seems our brain gets really set in taking the med in a routine manner. But I do think things may smooth out for you after a few days- hang in there.  Rose

 

Got another one for ya, Rose: The night time hot flashes...is that due to your adrenals blasting out cortisol at night? I started having the "wake up" problem before I even started the taper or knew what the taper was (mega K dose for over 2 decades plus a snot load of other psychotropics along the way). I talked to multiple people and they told me to do a saliva test for adrenal stress. I ordered a saliva test kit and, sure enough, my cortisol reading at 4am was through the roof. It was out of the upper end of the range. That's high! I was waking up like clock work at 3:30am with a blast of a panic, feeling super hot, really nervous, etc. I still do. It's so bad now that I haven't had a remotely decent nights sleep in almost 8 months. I honestly do well if I can doze for an hour or two. After that, the blast hits and then I'm up the rest of the night. No wonder I can't cut!!!  Anyway, just thought I'd ask you about YOUR night hot flashes, etc.

 

Hugs!

 

Jeff

 

Hi again, I don't know much about cortisol or adrenalin surges. I would like it if someone could explain the physiology of them and how to counter them. I am pretty sure that happens to me too, especially with the hot flashes. I notice they not only hit at random times but also right before I drop off to sleep and right when I'm waking up, and they wake me up in the middle of the night. I can always feel them coming on before I feel hot, it's like a shot of anxiety hits right before the temp goes up, and I feel crappy. I know when I am stable they happen much less, but within 3 days of dropping my dose they start. I hate it. I wish I could just get off this crap now. Anyway, hopefully someone can explain the "surges". Take care, Rose

 

Just thought of this question for you too....you say that you get hit right before you fall asleep, also in the middle of the night, and when you wake up. So, what do you do to get to sleep/stay asleep??

 

Sorry for the extra question. It IS a micro taper-type of question, so I should be good to go 

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

    That is a hard question because it always varies, some nights are no problem, other nights insomnia hits, it always varies between extremes. I can never tell what the night is going to be like, just like each day, unpredictable. I do take "Body Calm Supreme with Melatonin" It really helps. And I read at bedtime, helps my mind to relax and stay off the problem. Rose

[[ca...]]

Seems i have the Cotisol bit going also 4 am every morning like clock work so whats the cure or how do you stop or at least tame this down as it`s one rough way to start your day ! ~ CD

[[Mo...]]

This info might help anyone who is troubled by waking up at 3-4 am and suffering from cortisol surges

I've been drinking it off and on through my taper and it helped me.

 

 

Why Stress Causes You to Wake Up at 3am

Stress causes the adrenal glands to fire off adrenaline. This gives you a burst of energy to deal with stressful situations. Adrenaline also raises the heart rate, increases respiration, dilates the pupils, slows down digestion and causes muscles to contract. It’s like caffeine on steroids!

 

So if you are stressed or upset it can be impossible to fall asleep, but why does it always wake you up at 3am?

 

3am is when your liver regenerates. To do so, it needs glycogen. The problem is that adrenaline causes your cells to use up glycogen. So if you are often stressed, your body may not have enough glycogen for the liver to regenerate at 3am. If your liver cannot get the glycogen it needs, your adrenal glands will compensate by releasing adrenalin, which is why you are wide awake and ready for action, not exactly a state you want to be in at 3am.

 

An Easy, “Do It Yourself” Remedy

Adrenal Cocktail Recipe

½ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon cream of tarter

½ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

 

Just mix all the ingredients and drink before bed. order pre-mixed packets here

 

*You may also do this in the morning to deal with stress throughout the day, but always be sure to drink it before bed as well.

 

Why The Adrenal Cocktail Stops You From Always Waking Up at 3am

The Adrenal Cocktail is made up of ingredients that replenish vital organs and stabilize glucose levels to keep you from waking up at 3am.

 

Fresh squeezed orange juice gives the liver glucose it needs to regenerate.

Cream of tartar is high in potassium, an element that is essential for the sodium/potassium balance in cells, vital organs (liver), muscles, nerves, and the digestive system.

Himalayan salt, contains 84 essential minerals and elements found in the human body, helping feed the adrenals and refresh body’s the sodium/potassium pump.

[Guest [Ma...]]

CD..thank you for getting back to me..and i have only had a few episodes since i started my taper but nothing like this..i hope it eases up before i get to the place to get my hair done ..dont know if i will be able to let them color and wash it all out and sit still with all this going on in my ears...

 

and thank you for telling me to hang tough..i sure seem like i have turned into a scared wimp lately..and just need to suck it up i guess 

 

deep

 

 

Hi, I can't see how long you've taken a benzo, but I know that for myself, ANY change I make with my benzo causes a big upset to my nervous system making my withdrawal symptoms really act up. Fortunately they do calm down after a couple of days. It seems my nervous system is extremely sensitive. I've taken Xanax for 14 years and the prescribed dose was 1mg three times a day. However, I rarely took it three times a day, I took it twice a day, about 1 o'clock in the afternoon when the stress of my job as an RN peaked because of the end of shift time crunch, then at night time to sleep. I had multiple nasty hot flashes during the day and ones that woke me up at night. The whole time I figured it was menopause kicking in and job stress, but in reality it was withdrawal symptoms every day and night- for 14 years! Even as a nurse I had no idea that benzo's would do that to you. I trusted my doctor and the med worked so well for anxiety that I never bothered to learn about it. After learning about it here I wished like hell I never took it. The result is my system is super kindled, hence the ultra sensitivity to any change, whether a small increase or decrease. A couple weeks ago I was really busy, I fixed my afternoon dose but forgot to take it. OMG, I paid for that, three days of hell, cold sweats, hot sweats, tinnitus, heartburn, stomach upset.

 

I think it is entirely possible for you to have symptoms from a change in your dosing, even dividing it from 3 times to 4 times a day. It seems our brain gets really set in taking the med in a routine manner. But I do think things may smooth out for you after a few days- hang in there.  Rose

 

Got another one for ya, Rose: The night time hot flashes...is that due to your adrenals blasting out cortisol at night? I started having the "wake up" problem before I even started the taper or knew what the taper was (mega K dose for over 2 decades plus a snot load of other psychotropics along the way). I talked to multiple people and they told me to do a saliva test for adrenal stress. I ordered a saliva test kit and, sure enough, my cortisol reading at 4am was through the roof. It was out of the upper end of the range. That's high! I was waking up like clock work at 3:30am with a blast of a panic, feeling super hot, really nervous, etc. I still do. It's so bad now that I haven't had a remotely decent nights sleep in almost 8 months. I honestly do well if I can doze for an hour or two. After that, the blast hits and then I'm up the rest of the night. No wonder I can't cut!!!  Anyway, just thought I'd ask you about YOUR night hot flashes, etc.

 

Hugs!

 

Jeff

 

Hi again, I don't know much about cortisol or adrenalin surges. I would like it if someone could explain the physiology of them and how to counter them. I am pretty sure that happens to me too, especially with the hot flashes. I notice they not only hit at random times but also right before I drop off to sleep and right when I'm waking up, and they wake me up in the middle of the night. I can always feel them coming on before I feel hot, it's like a shot of anxiety hits right before the temp goes up, and I feel crappy. I know when I am stable they happen much less, but within 3 days of dropping my dose they start. I hate it. I wish I could just get off this crap now. Anyway, hopefully someone can explain the "surges". Take care, Rose

 

Just thought of this question for you too....you say that you get hit right before you fall asleep, also in the middle of the night, and when you wake up. So, what do you do to get to sleep/stay asleep??

 

Sorry for the extra question. It IS a micro taper-type of question, so I should be good to go 

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

    That is a hard question because it always varies, some nights are no problem, other nights insomnia hits, it always varies between extremes. I can never tell what the night is going to be like, just like each day, unpredictable. I do take "Body Calm Supreme with Melatonin" It really helps. And I read at bedtime, helps my mind to relax and stay off the problem. Rose

 

Hi Jeff, Rose, Deep,

Excellent topic. I, too, get blasted with the cortisol/adrenaline surges at approximately the same time as discussed above. My cortisol levels are horrendous and I yet to find much to counter it.

The MT has helped, but get slammed after too many consecutive days of tapering. 

Like you Rose, hyper sensitive CNS.

Things I've tried with some, intermittent success.

- slow taper

- phosphatydleserine 300-900 mg.

- vitamin C - 1,000 plus mg

- adrenal cocktail (on, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, Himalayan salt). This was only so so. Upset my stomach.

 

Still looking for help in this area.

 

Hang in there Buddies.

Marija 🌻

[Guest [Ma...]]

Moo,

Thanks for posting the adrenal cocktail. I didn't scroll down far enough and missed it. 😊

[[Ul...]]

CD..thank you for getting back to me..and i have only had a few episodes since i started my taper but nothing like this..i hope it eases up before i get to the place to get my hair done ..dont know if i will be able to let them color and wash it all out and sit still with all this going on in my ears...

 

and thank you for telling me to hang tough..i sure seem like i have turned into a scared wimp lately..and just need to suck it up i guess 

 

deep

 

 

Hi, I can't see how long you've taken a benzo, but I know that for myself, ANY change I make with my benzo causes a big upset to my nervous system making my withdrawal symptoms really act up. Fortunately they do calm down after a couple of days. It seems my nervous system is extremely sensitive. I've taken Xanax for 14 years and the prescribed dose was 1mg three times a day. However, I rarely took it three times a day, I took it twice a day, about 1 o'clock in the afternoon when the stress of my job as an RN peaked because of the end of shift time crunch, then at night time to sleep. I had multiple nasty hot flashes during the day and ones that woke me up at night. The whole time I figured it was menopause kicking in and job stress, but in reality it was withdrawal symptoms every day and night- for 14 years! Even as a nurse I had no idea that benzo's would do that to you. I trusted my doctor and the med worked so well for anxiety that I never bothered to learn about it. After learning about it here I wished like hell I never took it. The result is my system is super kindled, hence the ultra sensitivity to any change, whether a small increase or decrease. A couple weeks ago I was really busy, I fixed my afternoon dose but forgot to take it. OMG, I paid for that, three days of hell, cold sweats, hot sweats, tinnitus, heartburn, stomach upset.

 

I think it is entirely possible for you to have symptoms from a change in your dosing, even dividing it from 3 times to 4 times a day. It seems our brain gets really set in taking the med in a routine manner. But I do think things may smooth out for you after a few days- hang in there.  Rose

 

Got another one for ya, Rose: The night time hot flashes...is that due to your adrenals blasting out cortisol at night? I started having the "wake up" problem before I even started the taper or knew what the taper was (mega K dose for over 2 decades plus a snot load of other psychotropics along the way). I talked to multiple people and they told me to do a saliva test for adrenal stress. I ordered a saliva test kit and, sure enough, my cortisol reading at 4am was through the roof. It was out of the upper end of the range. That's high! I was waking up like clock work at 3:30am with a blast of a panic, feeling super hot, really nervous, etc. I still do. It's so bad now that I haven't had a remotely decent nights sleep in almost 8 months. I honestly do well if I can doze for an hour or two. After that, the blast hits and then I'm up the rest of the night. No wonder I can't cut!!!  Anyway, just thought I'd ask you about YOUR night hot flashes, etc.

 

Hugs!

 

Jeff

 

Hi again, I don't know much about cortisol or adrenalin surges. I would like it if someone could explain the physiology of them and how to counter them. I am pretty sure that happens to me too, especially with the hot flashes. I notice they not only hit at random times but also right before I drop off to sleep and right when I'm waking up, and they wake me up in the middle of the night. I can always feel them coming on before I feel hot, it's like a shot of anxiety hits right before the temp goes up, and I feel crappy. I know when I am stable they happen much less, but within 3 days of dropping my dose they start. I hate it. I wish I could just get off this crap now. Anyway, hopefully someone can explain the "surges". Take care, Rose

 

Just thought of this question for you too....you say that you get hit right before you fall asleep, also in the middle of the night, and when you wake up. So, what do you do to get to sleep/stay asleep??

 

Sorry for the extra question. It IS a micro taper-type of question, so I should be good to go 

 

Jeff

 

Hi Jeff,

    That is a hard question because it always varies, some nights are no problem, other nights insomnia hits, it always varies between extremes. I can never tell what the night is going to be like, just like each day, unpredictable. I do take "Body Calm Supreme with Melatonin" It really helps. And I read at bedtime, helps my mind to relax and stay off the problem. Rose

 

Hi Jeff, Rose, Deep,

Excellent topic. I, too, get blasted with the cortisol/adrenaline surges at approximately the same time as discussed above. My cortisol levels are horrendous and I yet to find much to counter it.

The MT has helped, but get slammed after too many consecutive days of tapering. 

Like you Rose, hyper sensitive CNS.

Things I've tried with some, intermittent success.

- slow taper

- phosphatydleserine 300-900 mg.

- vitamin C - 1,000 plus mg

- adrenal cocktail (on, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, Himalayan salt). This was only so so. Upset my stomach.

 

Still looking for help in this area.

 

Hang in there Buddies.

Marija 🌻

 

Yep, tried them all, Marija. Frustrating, huh??!!  Onwards we go...

 

Jeff

[[be...]]

Hey Moo:

 

I told you that I would be back! Question. My planned taper off 70 mg of Valium (using liquid V and pills) seems too fast for me. I was planning a micro taper 5% every 14 days. I noticed that it took builder 2 years to taper off 9 mg.  And Okatz had a very difficult taper from 15 mg, which took 33 months. These are waay slow tapers to me. Mine seems very rushed. Since you know I am stupid when it comes to math, and builder gave me the amount to cut every 14 days down to 57 mg, I guess I want to slow my taper rate down. What is your opinion? Remember, I will not have my kpin to back me up. Seems everybody here is cutting much slower than I planned to do, and I want to err on the side of caution. And of course, you know, I won't be able to figure out the math on each progressive drop unless there is a math equation that someone would be willing to give me. Thank you,

 

Bets

[[Mo...]]

Hey Moo:

 

I told you that I would be back! Question. My planned taper off 70 mg of Valium (using liquid V and pills) seems too fast for me. I was planning a micro taper 5% every 14 days. I noticed that it took builder 2 years to taper off 9 mg.  And Okatz had a very difficult taper from 15 mg, which took 33 months. These are waay slow tapers to me. Mine seems very rushed. Since you know I am stupid when it comes to math, and builder gave me the amount to cut every 14 days down to 57 mg, I guess I want to slow my taper rate down. What is your opinion? Remember, I will not have my kpin to back me up. Seems everybody here is cutting much slower than I planned to do, and I want to err on the side of caution. And of course, you know, I won't be able to figure out the math on each progressive drop unless there is a math equation that someone would be willing to give me. Thank you,

 

Bets

 

Hi Bets,

 

Well.....my opinion would be that you're on a high enough dose to not go as slow as people on a dose of 15 mgr....

It's good to be careful...for sure. Maybe just start off conservatively and then see how you feel.

 

Take a look at Moya's signature maybe? She is one of the people who I know of who was on a dose higher or equal to 30 mgr....

I think she cut 1 mgr every week?

Till she got lower.

 

I'm not in your body. But I think on 70 mgr I'd try a few smaller cuts and then , if that goes well, turn it up and see. I know you don't want to make mistakes . So I understand.

 

It seems like 5% is a lot. Which would be..... 3.5 mgr?

I'd never ever try that is I was on 15 mgr.

But you're not on 15 mgr yet .

And 5% is 5%....is on the careful side for your dose I guess, even though it sounds like too much, don't forget it's a high dose, too.

 

I hope other people chime in on this....

 

I think it'll be smart to start slow, wait it out and then increase of it goes well.

 

Nobody wants to be on this longer than they have to but I also know you said you don't care how long it takes if it keeps you xs free.

 

So....mom not sure if I'm helpful ...but it's what I would do..

 

 

[[be...]]

Hi Moo:

 

Thanks for your reply. You said to start out conservatively. What # would you suggest? 4%, 3% every 14 days, or 5% every three weeks? Builder told me cut by 4% but he felt find so he could have gone up to 5%. I haven't figured out the math on this but I don't think cutting by 4% would take 2 years from 9 mg. Can you tell me what you mean by conservative at first (I can later adjust if needed) and provide me with the equation on how much to drop each time, and then start dropping progressively? There must be an equation to do this. W/O that equation, I am SOL. I do want to err on the side of caution. I also seem to be micro cutting faster than many on KK. That scares me too! TY TY TY

:smitten: <3, Bets

[[Di...]]

Hi BG

 

I just replied to your post on the valium thread, so I won't repeat that here, but I'll just say that I don't think it's always good to just stick rigidly to a % taper. I think the best way to taper is to cut as small as you can, and just do it more often if you can.

 

Perhaps you could just try cutting 0.5mg and see how you feel. If you feel fine after a week or so, then cut again. If you don't then hold a little longer and see how you go. At 70mg you should probably find that you can cut quite a bit fairly quickly. It tends to be when you get on to the lower doses that you need to slow down a lot.

[[sh...]]

SG - and Sharkey -

When I was last at this dose yes I did feel good. Until the ambitious cuts started catching up with me and by tapering, I tapered out my evening dose. Like I said the up dose didn't really help at all. But I do feel I am slowly stabilizing. Do you think since the up dose didn't really work (or regardless of it), even if I am not 100% stabilized, it's safe to begin cutting again very slowly? I feel the up dose is making me feel out of it and more lethargic almost - although I did add back quite a bit to my daily dose - maybe more than I needed to. Usually, in the past it's taken 9-11 days to stabilize to the point I feel better and ready to cut again. I'm on day 6 of my hold now. Do you think I should wait a bit longer before cutting and at what rate do you think I shoul cut at now? (I was cutting .005g of my .5 K pills per day before getting into this mess).

Thanks

 

Hi HM,

 

It is sometimes hard to know how long to hold and when to begin cutting again.  A thing I usually tell people is if you feel you are still getting something out of holding keep riding it and take any gains you can.

 

As for how much to cut, it seems your old .005g cut is used up, which is no surprise.  And since you are recovering from over-tapering I think you should begin cautiously and establish a smaller cut that works, then build on that.  I would not choose .004g yet I'd think .001g would be overly careful as you were recently able to handle .005g (.015mg), so that leaves .002 or .003g.  I'd probably go with .002g and give it a try for a few weeks, then if all is well bump to .003g.  This might seem slow for you, but I can assure you compared to other people here on BB even .002g (.006mg) is quite fast at your dose.

 

Good advice!!  I tapered down to 0 at a rate of .0025mg a day.  It worked well for me but I did have some holds in there.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

 

[[sh...]]

This info might help anyone who is troubled by waking up at 3-4 am and suffering from cortisol surges

I've been drinking it off and on through my taper and it helped me.

 

 

Why Stress Causes You to Wake Up at 3am

Stress causes the adrenal glands to fire off adrenaline. This gives you a burst of energy to deal with stressful situations. Adrenaline also raises the heart rate, increases respiration, dilates the pupils, slows down digestion and causes muscles to contract. It’s like caffeine on steroids!

 

So if you are stressed or upset it can be impossible to fall asleep, but why does it always wake you up at 3am?

 

3am is when your liver regenerates. To do so, it needs glycogen. The problem is that adrenaline causes your cells to use up glycogen. So if you are often stressed, your body may not have enough glycogen for the liver to regenerate at 3am. If your liver cannot get the glycogen it needs, your adrenal glands will compensate by releasing adrenalin, which is why you are wide awake and ready for action, not exactly a state you want to be in at 3am.

 

An Easy, “Do It Yourself” Remedy

Adrenal Cocktail Recipe

½ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon cream of tarter

½ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

 

Just mix all the ingredients and drink before bed. order pre-mixed packets here

 

*You may also do this in the morning to deal with stress throughout the day, but always be sure to drink it before bed as well.

 

Why The Adrenal Cocktail Stops You From Always Waking Up at 3am

The Adrenal Cocktail is made up of ingredients that replenish vital organs and stabilize glucose levels to keep you from waking up at 3am.

 

Fresh squeezed orange juice gives the liver glucose it needs to regenerate.

Cream of tartar is high in potassium, an element that is essential for the sodium/potassium balance in cells, vital organs (liver), muscles, nerves, and the digestive system.

Himalayan salt, contains 84 essential minerals and elements found in the human body, helping feed the adrenals and refresh body’s the sodium/potassium pump.

 

Glad you posted the cocktail.  I suffered from the adrenal surges and the cocktail worked for me.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

[[...]]

Hmmmm......can anyone tell me the best way ( or a good way ) to microtaper klonipin ?  I have ended up on clonipin  after diazepam didn't work for me, then switching back to Xanax was an ID wd disaster.  Here we go again.  I'd like to do it right this time, in a somewhat tolerable manner. Sharkey you know how good I am with math - not!

Thanks evyone!

[Guest [mo...]]

This info might help anyone who is troubled by waking up at 3-4 am and suffering from cortisol surges

I've been drinking it off and on through my taper and it helped me.

 

 

Why Stress Causes You to Wake Up at 3am

Stress causes the adrenal glands to fire off adrenaline. This gives you a burst of energy to deal with stressful situations. Adrenaline also raises the heart rate, increases respiration, dilates the pupils, slows down digestion and causes muscles to contract. It’s like caffeine on steroids!

 

So if you are stressed or upset it can be impossible to fall asleep, but why does it always wake you up at 3am?

 

3am is when your liver regenerates. To do so, it needs glycogen. The problem is that adrenaline causes your cells to use up glycogen. So if you are often stressed, your body may not have enough glycogen for the liver to regenerate at 3am. If your liver cannot get the glycogen it needs, your adrenal glands will compensate by releasing adrenalin, which is why you are wide awake and ready for action, not exactly a state you want to be in at 3am.

 

An Easy, “Do It Yourself” Remedy

Adrenal Cocktail Recipe

½ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon cream of tarter

½ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

 

Just mix all the ingredients and drink before bed. order pre-mixed packets here

 

*You may also do this in the morning to deal with stress throughout the day, but always be sure to drink it before bed as well.

 

Why The Adrenal Cocktail Stops You From Always Waking Up at 3am

The Adrenal Cocktail is made up of ingredients that replenish vital organs and stabilize glucose levels to keep you from waking up at 3am.

 

Fresh squeezed orange juice gives the liver glucose it needs to regenerate.

Cream of tartar is high in potassium, an element that is essential for the sodium/potassium balance in cells, vital organs (liver), muscles, nerves, and the digestive system.

Himalayan salt, contains 84 essential minerals and elements found in the human body, helping feed the adrenals and refresh body’s the sodium/potassium pump.

 

Glad you posted the cocktail.  I suffered from the adrenal surges and the cocktail worked for me.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

 

I cant wait to get the ingredients and try this, thank you

[[an...]]

Hi, Anne. Hope school is going well for you!

 

Hi Gardner!!

 

Yes, it is going well. We are very busy, and I can't believe we will be half way through the semester in a couple of weeks.  Thank you for asking.

 

I hope that all is well with you.  From the posts I have read, it seems that you are feeling better than you did earlier in the summer.  I am so glad to hear this. I do not post much, but I do try to read most of the posts on this board and the Ativan board. 

 

Take care Gardner.  Have a great day!!

Anne 

 

Wow, the semester is flying by! Glad to hear things are going well for you.

 

Yes, I'm dong better partially crossed over to Librium and slowing way down with my MT.

 

You have been an inspiration to me. I used to teach and I know how much energy that takes. So I decided to follow your approach of going as slowly as needed to function as well as I need to function in my situation. (I'm head of household, have an autoimmune disease, and have an adult child on the spectrum living with me who needs a steady mom.) I'm not normally very patient, but I'm learning to be. Slow and steady wins the race! 

 

Gard

 

P.S. I also don't post as much as I used to (hit pause on my blog) because I'm trying to get some other stuff in my life un-messed, including getting myself re-connected to community and becoming stable enough to work or volunteer again somehow, even if it means back to school for me. I have an advising appointment at a local college on Friday! At my age! 

 

Gardner,

I think we need to so what is best for us. I wish that I could go faster, but I want to feel as well as I can at work and also here at home. At this rate it will take me until July or August to finish my taper--maybe longer, but that is okay.  I am so happy that you are doing better. Going back to school is a great idea. Age does not matter. I have students that are older than me (55). The more mature students do very well with their studies.  What do you think you would like to study? I remember you telling us you were a teacher. Was this high school?  What did you teach?

 

It sounds like you are on the right track and so am I.  We will both get through this and off these drugs soon. I look forward to the day when I can say I am done. Can't wait.

 

Enjoy the rest of the day. 

Anne

 

Anne, I taught 5th grade before my kids were born and then subbed at all levels 4K through high school (not fun). That was until 2009 when this neurological stuff hit me and I was no longer able to work. So I've been out of my field for a long time. I'm thinking about getting an associates degree in gerontology if I can make it work with my undergrad degree and turn into a real job. One person at the college (not in career services) told me I would need at least an undergrad in social work to do any kind of human services work with seniors. The person I'm meeting with on Friday is in career placement, so I think she will have a good idea of where this degree would lead. At my age (50+), it doesn't make sense to invest the time, energy, and money into a masters degree in anything. I would never recoup the investment. And I couldn't start something that hard until I got all my health issues under control. That's going to take a couple of years. So, my plan is to snail-pace MT and dip my big toe back into college and see what happens. The advisor is my age and has been through some very serious health problems herself in the past year (had to take a leave), so I think she will be a good advisor for me. These 2-year colleges are pretty cheap, so even if it doesn't turn into anything at all, at least it will get me out of the house and meeting other professional women, which will do me a world of good!

 

(Notice how I slipped in a reference to MT so this wasn't completely off-topic. )

 

Hi Gardner,

 

This sounds like a great plan. If you take classes at a 2 year college, and later down the line you decide to get an undergraduate degree, the classes will transfer to a 4 year college. I went back to college in my 30's. I took as many classes as I could at community college (much cheaper) and they all transferred. I finished my undergraduate degree at a 4 year university in about 1.5 years.  That was back when almost all of the classes transferred. The Ph.D. was another story--it took me 5 years to complete that. I think that taking one or two classes will be a good distraction from the MT. The time will go so quickly--you will be off this stuff before you know it. It sounds like you hooked up with a good advisor. I am excited for you.  I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience. I would love to do it all over again if I could.

[[ga...]]

 

Hi Gardner,

 

This sounds like a great plan. If you take classes at a 2 year college, and later down the line you decide to get an undergraduate degree, the classes will transfer to a 4 year college. I went back to college in my 30's. I took as many classes as I could at community college (much cheaper) and they all transferred. I finished my undergraduate degree at a 4 year university in about 1.5 years.  That was back when almost all of the classes transferred. The Ph.D. was another story--it took me 5 years to complete that. I think that taking one or two classes will be a good distraction from the MT. The time will go so quickly--you will be off this stuff before you know it. It sounds like you hooked up with a good advisor. I am excited for you.  I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience. I would love to do it all over again if I could.

 

Thanks for the encouraging words, Anne. Now all I have to do is decide on a direction.

 

Hope you are having a window-ful day!!

 

Gard

[[...]]

:'( Such heartbreak to have another mass shooting here in Oregon. All the people affected by this, so sad. It's depressing too. Update on my progress- it is happening slowly but surely, am in the process of cutting again now. I make a 1% cut then have to hold a couple of days till I stabilize. I would really like to be able to cut 1% everyday, but my system just can't handle it. Hope everybody else is doing well, and I so look forward to when I reach .25mg Xanax a day, then I will feel like I am on the home stretch! Well I must get back to canning my garden carrots, both plain and brown sugar/orange juice glazed- yum! So good in the winter.                                                                                                        Take Care, Rose

[Guest [Ma...]]

:'( Such heartbreak to have another mass shooting here in Oregon. All the people affected by this, so sad. It's depressing too. Update on my progress- it is happening slowly but surely, am in the process of cutting again now. I make a 1% cut then have to hold a couple of days till I stabilize. I would really like to be able to cut 1% everyday, but my system just can't handle it. Hope everybody else is doing well, and I so look forward to when I reach .25mg Xanax a day, then I will feel like I am on the home stretch! Well I must get back to canning my garden carrots, both plain and brown sugar/orange juice glazed- yum! So good in the winter.                                                                                                        Take Care, Rose

Yes. Truly horrific.

 

You are getting there Rose!!!  Slow and steady and get it right the first time. I'm right behind you....well, trying to get to my milestone - .5 mg.  You're paving the way for me.

Your carrots some yummy!!

 

Marija🌻

 

[Guest [Ma...]]

 

Hi Gardner,

 

This sounds like a great plan. If you take classes at a 2 year college, and later down the line you decide to get an undergraduate degree, the classes will transfer to a 4 year college. I went back to college in my 30's. I took as many classes as I could at community college (much cheaper) and they all transferred. I finished my undergraduate degree at a 4 year university in about 1.5 years.  That was back when almost all of the classes transferred. The Ph.D. was another story--it took me 5 years to complete that. I think that taking one or two classes will be a good distraction from the MT. The time will go so quickly--you will be off this stuff before you know it. It sounds like you hooked up with a good advisor. I am excited for you.  I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience. I would love to do it all over again if I could.

 

Thanks for the encouraging words, Anne. Now all I have to do is decide on a direction.

 

Hope you are having a window-ful day!!

 

Gard

 

Gardener, I admire your strength and courage!

Best of luck to you.

 

Marija 🌻

[[Ul...]]

This info might help anyone who is troubled by waking up at 3-4 am and suffering from cortisol surges

I've been drinking it off and on through my taper and it helped me.

 

 

Why Stress Causes You to Wake Up at 3am

Stress causes the adrenal glands to fire off adrenaline. This gives you a burst of energy to deal with stressful situations. Adrenaline also raises the heart rate, increases respiration, dilates the pupils, slows down digestion and causes muscles to contract. It’s like caffeine on steroids!

 

So if you are stressed or upset it can be impossible to fall asleep, but why does it always wake you up at 3am?

 

3am is when your liver regenerates. To do so, it needs glycogen. The problem is that adrenaline causes your cells to use up glycogen. So if you are often stressed, your body may not have enough glycogen for the liver to regenerate at 3am. If your liver cannot get the glycogen it needs, your adrenal glands will compensate by releasing adrenalin, which is why you are wide awake and ready for action, not exactly a state you want to be in at 3am.

 

An Easy, “Do It Yourself” Remedy

Adrenal Cocktail Recipe

½ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon cream of tarter

½ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

 

Just mix all the ingredients and drink before bed. order pre-mixed packets here

 

*You may also do this in the morning to deal with stress throughout the day, but always be sure to drink it before bed as well.

 

Why The Adrenal Cocktail Stops You From Always Waking Up at 3am

The Adrenal Cocktail is made up of ingredients that replenish vital organs and stabilize glucose levels to keep you from waking up at 3am.

 

Fresh squeezed orange juice gives the liver glucose it needs to regenerate.

Cream of tartar is high in potassium, an element that is essential for the sodium/potassium balance in cells, vital organs (liver), muscles, nerves, and the digestive system.

Himalayan salt, contains 84 essential minerals and elements found in the human body, helping feed the adrenals and refresh body’s the sodium/potassium pump.

 

Glad you posted the cocktail.  I suffered from the adrenal surges and the cocktail worked for me.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

 

Leonard Fournette 

[[Ul...]]

:'( Such heartbreak to have another mass shooting here in Oregon. All the people affected by this, so sad. It's depressing too. Update on my progress- it is happening slowly but surely, am in the process of cutting again now. I make a 1% cut then have to hold a couple of days till I stabilize. I would really like to be able to cut 1% everyday, but my system just can't handle it. Hope everybody else is doing well, and I so look forward to when I reach .25mg Xanax a day, then I will feel like I am on the home stretch! Well I must get back to canning my garden carrots, both plain and brown sugar/orange juice glazed- yum! So good in the winter.                                                                                                        Take Care, Rose

 

Way to rock on, Rose!! .25mg sounds awesome. You're almost there. I'd give up air if I could even get below 2mg of K. I'll be reincarnated as a horse by the time I get to .25mg. And yes, the Oregon shootings are depressing. We live in a crazy and fallen world, huh? Hang on to your hope and faith, and bless your beautiful heart.

 

Hugs,

 

Jeff

[[Mo...]]

This info might help anyone who is troubled by waking up at 3-4 am and suffering from cortisol surges

I've been drinking it off and on through my taper and it helped me.

 

 

Why Stress Causes You to Wake Up at 3am

Stress causes the adrenal glands to fire off adrenaline. This gives you a burst of energy to deal with stressful situations. Adrenaline also raises the heart rate, increases respiration, dilates the pupils, slows down digestion and causes muscles to contract. It’s like caffeine on steroids!

 

So if you are stressed or upset it can be impossible to fall asleep, but why does it always wake you up at 3am?

 

3am is when your liver regenerates. To do so, it needs glycogen. The problem is that adrenaline causes your cells to use up glycogen. So if you are often stressed, your body may not have enough glycogen for the liver to regenerate at 3am. If your liver cannot get the glycogen it needs, your adrenal glands will compensate by releasing adrenalin, which is why you are wide awake and ready for action, not exactly a state you want to be in at 3am.

 

An Easy, “Do It Yourself” Remedy

Adrenal Cocktail Recipe

½ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon cream of tarter

½ teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

 

Just mix all the ingredients and drink before bed. order pre-mixed packets here

 

*You may also do this in the morning to deal with stress throughout the day, but always be sure to drink it before bed as well.

 

Why The Adrenal Cocktail Stops You From Always Waking Up at 3am

The Adrenal Cocktail is made up of ingredients that replenish vital organs and stabilize glucose levels to keep you from waking up at 3am.

 

Fresh squeezed orange juice gives the liver glucose it needs to regenerate.

Cream of tartar is high in potassium, an element that is essential for the sodium/potassium balance in cells, vital organs (liver), muscles, nerves, and the digestive system.

Himalayan salt, contains 84 essential minerals and elements found in the human body, helping feed the adrenals and refresh body’s the sodium/potassium pump.

 

Glad you posted the cocktail.  I suffered from the adrenal surges and the cocktail worked for me.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

 

Leonard Fournette 

 

Who's that?

Is that the guy who wrote this?

The link to this has been circulating here for a while , I copied this text and saved it on my iPad.

 

If so, that's good to know because I'd be interested if there are more of this kind of natural remedies from his hand.

[[ga...]]

 

Hi Gardner,

 

This sounds like a great plan. If you take classes at a 2 year college, and later down the line you decide to get an undergraduate degree, the classes will transfer to a 4 year college. I went back to college in my 30's. I took as many classes as I could at community college (much cheaper) and they all transferred. I finished my undergraduate degree at a 4 year university in about 1.5 years.  That was back when almost all of the classes transferred. The Ph.D. was another story--it took me 5 years to complete that. I think that taking one or two classes will be a good distraction from the MT. The time will go so quickly--you will be off this stuff before you know it. It sounds like you hooked up with a good advisor. I am excited for you.  I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience. I would love to do it all over again if I could.

 

Thanks for the encouraging words, Anne. Now all I have to do is decide on a direction.

 

Hope you are having a window-ful day!!

 

Gard

 

Gardener, I admire your strength and courage!

Best of luck to you.

 

Marija 🌻

 

Hi Marija! Good to see you! Thank you for your kind words. I don't feel strong and courageous. I feel a shadow of who I used to be. But I'm going to get that person back. We are all going to get ourselves back, plus more!   

[[ga...]]

How are you doing, Moo? I mean besides showing off with those bent syringes!   

[Guest [Ma...]]

 

Hi Gardner,

 

This sounds like a great plan. If you take classes at a 2 year college, and later down the line you decide to get an undergraduate degree, the classes will transfer to a 4 year college. I went back to college in my 30's. I took as many classes as I could at community college (much cheaper) and they all transferred. I finished my undergraduate degree at a 4 year university in about 1.5 years.  That was back when almost all of the classes transferred. The Ph.D. was another story--it took me 5 years to complete that. I think that taking one or two classes will be a good distraction from the MT. The time will go so quickly--you will be off this stuff before you know it. It sounds like you hooked up with a good advisor. I am excited for you.  I thoroughly enjoyed my college experience. I would love to do it all over again if I could.

 

Thanks for the encouraging words, Anne. Now all I have to do is decide on a direction.

 

Hope you are having a window-ful day!!

 

Gard

 

Gardener, I admire your strength and courage!

Best of luck to you.

 

Marija 🌻

 

Hi Marija! Good to see you! Thank you for your kind words. I don't feel strong and courageous. I feel a shadow of who I used to be. But I'm going to get that person back. We are all going to get ourselves back, plus more!   

 

Oh, I know that feeling too Gardner. But, I love your tenacity and spirit under fire.  You will not be defeated😊. Love that!!

 

Marija🌻