One month benzo free, one week at new job; I feel like a new man!

[[Tr...]]

UPDATE: I'm now at 2 years off Klonopin and 15 months off Zoloft. I've really turned a corner in the past few months. I now know that I don't need an anti-depressant in my life, which is a big revelation.

 

Ever since jumping off Zoloft I've suffered from mild depression and occasional anxiety. In the back of my mind I was always wondering if I'd be better off with a medication. But with a combination of regular exercise, CBT and magnesium supplements, I've brought my mind to a much more stable state. I think I needed this full year for my brain to become used to not having Zoloft. It really does take time to get used to being off of these medications.

[[...]]

Your story is an inspiration, well done man.  I'm currently tapering off kolopin its nice to hear something positive 

[[Tr...]]

Your story is an inspiration, well done man.  I'm currently tapering off kolopin its nice to hear something positive 

Thanks eboy. I hope you're doing well staying off of alcohol too. That can be tough also, but leads to such a better life. It's difficult but rest assured you're doing things right.

[[...]]

Great to hear that you are still doing so well travisP - you might be interested to know that there are anecodotal reports of good diet being important for relieving low mood, of course there is now lots of research that shows that exercise is good for mental health, so it makes sense that food would be important also XOXO on the other hand the research findings for the efficacy of anti-depressants is actually quite poor..

 

1966 (from down under)

 

UPDATE: I'm now at 2 years off Klonopin and 15 months off Zoloft. I've really turned a corner in the past few months. I now know that I don't need an anti-depressant in my life, which is a big revelation.

 

Ever since jumping off Zoloft I've suffered from mild depression and occasional anxiety. In the back of my mind I was always wondering if I'd be better off with a medication. But with a combination of regular exercise, CBT and magnesium supplements, I've brought my mind to a much more stable state. I think I needed this full year for my brain to become used to not having Zoloft. It really does take time to get used to being off of these medications.

[[Tr...]]

Great to hear that you are still doing so well travisP - you might be interested to know that there are anecodotal reports of good diet being important for relieving low mood, of course there is now lots of research that shows that exercise is good for mental health, so it makes sense that food would be important also XOXO on the other hand the research findings for the efficacy of anti-depressants is actually quite poor..

 

1966 (from down under)

 

 

The ironic thing is that benzos and ADs can actually make it more difficult to exercise, which is just what you need to recover. I was getting regular exercise before I started Zoloft but once I was on it I just had too much fatigue to be able to sustain a regular workout plan. I'd either be too tired to exercise, or when I started I wouldn't last more than about 10 minutes. I'd be lucky to get in maybe one workout a week; most of the time it would be none.

 

Also, I gained 30 pounds while on Zoloft. It's MUCH easier to jog now that the 30 lb weight has been removed!

[[te...]]

Great to hear that you are still doing so well travisP - you might be interested to know that there are anecodotal reports of good diet being important for relieving low mood, of course there is now lots of research that shows that exercise is good for mental health, so it makes sense that food would be important also XOXO on the other hand the research findings for the efficacy of anti-depressants is actually quite poor..

 

1966 (from down under)

 

 

The ironic thing is that benzos and ADs can actually make it more difficult to exercise, which is just what you need to recover. I was getting regular exercise before I started Zoloft but once I was on it I just had too much fatigue to be able to sustain a regular workout plan. I'd either be too tired to exercise, or when I started I wouldn't last more than about 10 minutes. I'd be lucky to get in maybe one workout a week; most of the time it would be none.

 

Also, I gained 30 pounds while on Zoloft. It's MUCH easier to jog now that the 30 lb weight has been removed!

 

Wow I'm so glad you can exercise now! How long did it take you to lose the 30 lbs? I am trying to lose about 5 lbs but it doesn't want to leave me 

 

[[Tr...]]

Wow I'm so glad you can exercise now! How long did it take you to lose the 30 lbs? I am trying to lose about 5 lbs but it doesn't want to leave me 

 

It took about 3 months to go from 218lb to 185lb. I've kept the weight off for over a year. It really was added weight from taking Zoloft. It made me crave carbs!

[[Co...]]

UPDATE: I'm now at 2 years off Klonopin and 15 months off Zoloft. I've really turned a corner in the past few months. I now know that I don't need an anti-depressant in my life, which is a big revelation.

 

Ever since jumping off Zoloft I've suffered from mild depression and occasional anxiety. In the back of my mind I was always wondering if I'd be better off with a medication. But with a combination of regular exercise, CBT and magnesium supplements, I've brought my mind to a much more stable state. I think I needed this full year for my brain to become used to not having Zoloft. It really does take time to get used to being off of these medications.

 

Thanks for this update, Travis; it's encouraging to me. I'm now 18 months off Paxil (after 20 years on numerous SSRIs), and five months off clonazepam. I often wonder if depression will improve over time, or if I should just go back on an antidepressant.  I'm very glad to hear that your healing continues to get better.

[[Tr...]]

Congratulations Travis . Well done ! I'm happy for you . As 11 months out I'm getting better slowly but still struggling quite a bit . My hardest symtom is intrusive thoughts and ruminations . When did this lift for you or did you have to work at it to get better ? I walk about 1 hr five days a week . Tried meditation at night but it's hard to be persistent . I am eating pretty healthy and I lost 6 lbs . Used to be 125 now 119 so in happy . Wanting to lose a few more . I was on Paxil and Xanax for 10 years wondering if Paxil made me gain weight I used to be 105 -110 lbs .

 

Tracy

[[Tr...]]

Congratulations Travis . Well done ! I'm happy for you . As 11 months out I'm getting better slowly but still struggling quite a bit . My hardest symtom is intrusive thoughts and ruminations . When did this lift for you or did you have to work at it to get better ? I walk about 1 hr five days a week . Tried meditation at night but it's hard to be persistent . I am eating pretty healthy and I lost 6 lbs . Used to be 125 now 119 so in happy . Wanting to lose a few more . I was on Paxil and Xanax for 10 years wondering if Paxil made me gain weight I used to be 105 -110 lbs .

 

Tracy

 

Thanks Tracy. I definitely had to work to find improvement. I still sometimes suffer from thoughts and ruminations but learning mindfulness and meditating has held those thoughts in check. They still come but they're not as overwhelming as they used to be. It's both a matter of time off the drugs and using techniques to catch depressing periods as they start and doing things to keep them from getting overwhelming.

 

There are a couple of books I've read that have really helped. "Managing Your Depression" gives a lot of useful techniques to both notice when things are going badly and action plans for what to do when that happens so depression doesn't take hold.

 

"Hope and Help For Your Nerves" by Claire Weekes is great for anxiety. It's all about accepting anxiety and floating above it. Just noticing and accepting it can be a way to reduce it's power, which is strange but works!

 

Meditation DOES take time to learn and benefits from persistence. It's important to relax into it and make it easy on yourself, rather than forcing it and getting frustrated. Good luck!

[[...]]

Congratulations Travis . Well done ! I'm happy for you . As 11 months out I'm getting better slowly but still struggling quite a bit . My hardest symtom is intrusive thoughts and ruminations . When did this lift for you or did you have to work at it to get better ? I walk about 1 hr five days a week . Tried meditation at night but it's hard to be persistent . I am eating pretty healthy and I lost 6 lbs . Used to be 125 now 119 so in happy . Wanting to lose a few more . I was on Paxil and Xanax for 10 years wondering if Paxil made me gain weight I used to be 105 -110 lbs .

 

Tracy

 

 

 

Thanks Tracy. I definitely had to work to find improvement. I still sometimes suffer from thoughts and ruminations but learning mindfulness and meditating has held those thoughts in check. They still come but they're not as overwhelming as they used to be. It's both a matter of time off the drugs and using techniques to catch depressing periods as they start and doing things to keep them from getting overwhelming.

 

There are a couple of books I've read that have really helped. "Managing Your Depression" gives a lot of useful techniques to both notice when things are going badly and action plans for what to do when that happens so depression doesn't take hold.

 

"Hope and Help For Your Nerves" by Claire Weekes is great for anxiety. It's all about accepting anxiety and floating above it. Just noticing and accepting it can be a way to reduce it's power, which is strange but works!

 

Meditation DOES take time to learn and benefits from persistence. It's important to relax into it and make it easy on yourself, rather than forcing it and getting frustrated. Good luck!

 

Dr Claire Weekes is great!! also a book called "Rewire your anxious Brain" is good

[[be...]]

Wow, have you ever come a long long way. Congrats and much success  :smitten:

[[Tr...]]

Wow, have you ever come a long long way. Congrats and much success  :smitten:

 

Thanks, that means a lot!

[[do...]]

That's great news Travis ! Continued good health.  I noticed you did some sporadic dosing on Klonopin by your signature, how was the symptoms on that taper?  Thank you.

[[Tr...]]

That's great news Travis ! Continued good health.  I noticed you did some sporadic dosing on Klonopin by your signature, how was the symptoms on that taper?  Thank you.

Thanks for the good word, dogs!

 

I was sporatic dosing for 10 years but now I know that I suffered from interdose withdrawal for much of that time. I had no idea that the anxiety I would often suffer was from the medication, not it spite of it.

 

My taper was pretty awful, but part of the reason was because I was starting on Zoloft at the same time. Not a good combination. I suffered from bad insomnia, cortisol rushes, depression, racing thoughts, a couple panic attacks. I didn't have many physical symptoms, luckily. I was seeing a therapist on a weekly basis and that helped a lot. She was very supportive of my taper. I also got a lot of support from my mother.

 

I'm lucky because I didn't go through much of what others have been through. But, wow, if I knew what I know now, I would have dropped that drug a lot sooner.

[[do...]]

I have been on the same amt 1mg. k for many years. 1st week I skipped my sat 1mg. 2nd week, I started splitting into two doses, .5 a.m. and .5 pm. I also skipped the sat night .5 mg dose. I was thinking about skipping the sat pm dose this week, and maybe doing a .25 dose wed or sat. My symptoms don't appear to be Amy different than when I was taking them as prescribed. But I'm only on my 3rd week though. I'm afraid it might hit me any day. I do take other Rx, so I'm just trying to do it within a couple months. I know that is fast, but I've have tolerance symptoms for a couple years, so I kind if assumed, it will be more intense, but will eventually end, instead of the same feelings year after year.

[[Tr...]]

Sorry, I hope you didn't misinterpret my signature. I was sporatic for 10 years but moved to a daily dosage and steady taper to get off the Klonopin. That was actually one of the most important things I did.

 

Be careful with skipping doses. It's always better to do a consistent taper, taking regular daily doses but reducing them on a steady basis.

 

You can find info on taper plans here:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=9522.0

 

...members should initially try cutting their dose by no more than about 10%, and will probably make new cuts (about 10% of their dose at the time of the new cut) every 7-14 days.

[[do...]]

Thanks for that clarification. Yeah, am trying to wrap my head around all this new lingo i am learning about. Thank goodness for the signs that pointed me in the right direction to start researching my meds. I just quartered my pm dose. Feeling good about it. Thanks for your help !

[[Tr...]]

UPDATE:

 

This week I'll celebrate three years since jumping off Klonopin and my life is going so well! I don't suffer from anxiety attacks at all, and have managed to fight depression with a combination of taking small doses of SAM-e, regular exercise and occasional meditation.

 

Over the past 6 months I've managed to sustain a couple of good romantic relationships that are really helping me see the bright side of life. I've also gotten my finances in good order and this is giving me greater peace of mind that things will be OK. I'm still at the same job I mentioned in my original post, and they're really happy with my work. I've become a better father to my two teen daughters and overall things are looking good in my life.

 

So glad I found this forum to help me get rid of those damn benzos and make things work for myself. Good luck to everyone and know that you can do it eventually!

[[de...]]

A very inspiring story Travis.  Thank you for updating. 

 

When I read someone's initial improvements and then note that there a few more pages of their story to read I hold a negative expectation that it is all going to go pear shaped but NO, 3 YEARS AND STILL TRUCKING!  Yay, you.  I am really happy for you. 

 

Dee

[[Tr...]]

Thanks Dee. That's an interesting observation that I hadn't thought of before. I guess if the comment train goes on long it's probably not good news!

 

I think a lot of successful jumpers just don't bother coming back because it's tough to look back on. I came back for a bit a while after jumping because I liked the support, was dealing with mild depression and felt like I was in a good spot to give some advice. But I've dropped out recently because I've been better able to sustain romantic relationships that provide good emotional support and truly feel like i'm living a new life.

[[co...]]

Hi Travis... did the SAM-E help you with anxiety as well or did you not suffer that in post-withdrawal?

[[Tr...]]

It's hard to say if the SAM-e helped with anxiety. I think it may have, since I really don't suffer anxiety symptoms any more since taking it.

 

I started supplementing with magnesium around the same time so it's hard to tell which it is. However, I've recently been skipping my magnesium and haven't had any recurrence of anxiety at all, so I'm not sure if the magnesium helped much anyway.

 

I will say this: Time really does heal. I had never suffered the kind of debilitating anxiety as I did when I was trying to come off Klonopin and haven't since then. It's just gotten better and better over time.

[[Ma...]]

What a profound change has happened this month since I quit Klonopin! Back in February I was bed-ridden with depression and anxiety over having no work and running out of money. It had been 6 years since I was laid off from my last full-time job. In those 6 years I managed to lose my house, disintegrated my marriage, wrecked my car, was semi-homeless for 6 months and lived on the edge of poverty for at least 3 years. I was working from home and barely making ends meet. I was secluded, lonely and broke. The only good thing I had going for me was seeing my kids for 1/2 the week.

 

I had always taken about one or two .5mg doses of Klonopin per week but in February I had increased to daily doses. I began scaring myself with thoughts of suicide and knew I needed to do something to rise from the depths of self-doubt and hopelessness. I tried quitting Klonopin cold turkey but suffered from intense adrenalin surges, depersonalization and insomnia. I finally started a steady benzo taper three months ago, along with talk therapy, meditation, regular exercise and a reinstatement of Zoloft.

 

The taper really helped me stabilize and I was able to concentrate on updating my resume and looking for work. My last dose was a month ago. I'm excited to say that I just finished my first week at a great new job and didn't suffer any anxiety attacks! What a difference. Last fall I quit a job after just one day because I suffered a WD influenced panic attack. This time I was steady and calm and ready to take on the challenges.

 

Looking forward I can finally see the end of these past 6 years of financial stress. I may even start saving! I feel so much better being benzo free and hope that others will see that it's possible to move beyond these medications and find a new life for themselves.

 

I'm so excited for you Travis P!  What a way to regain your life ❤️.    Thanks so much for posting your story.  It gives us all inspiration and hope.