Have you had a bad experience with a long-term hold? Pls Post

[[ly...]]

 

Hello everyone,

 

I am hoping to hear from anyone who has had a bad experience with a long-term hold (in excess of 2 months).  There is little that I can find in reading the various threads that talks of negative experiences with longer holds. 

 

Could you describe what you experienced (new or worsening sxs, etc.)?  I have had only good experience but I want to know if this is not the norm. 

 

Please also post any good experience as well!

 

THANK YOU!

[[Ke...]]

I held for two months after doing a too fast taper. I noticed that I felt a bit better but not anywhere near great. I started to taper again and am hopefully just about done.

I get scared that if I hold long, it gives the drug more time to be in my system. Plus I have no idea what stabilize means... Not sure if that's possible for me. Everybody has a different idea of what they can handle.

[[ly...]]

 

 

Ok.  I guess the lack of response is a pretty good indication.  I wanted to hear from people who experienced what some refer to as "tolerance withdrawal" or any worsening sxs  or...or ...  I'm trying to see if ANYONE had a problem caused by a long hold.

[[Do...]]

Good post Lynn...I am curious too.

 

I'm not having any problems but will be holding, as you know, while we travel.  I don't want or need to hit a hard spot while traveling.  It's not fair to my SO, he has enough to worry about.

[[ly...]]

 

 

Hi Donna!  Yeah...you know that I am holding for the summer too!

 

I don't know that we'll get any response here - but that may tell us all we need to know!

[[Kg...]]

Lynn I did a long hold when I first started tapering because I had my daughter's wedding to attend and  I was afraid I would not be functional if I continued my taper. I never felt better the entire time  I held, in fact after weeks of holding I actually felt worse.  I think I am an outlier in this regard.  I have tried other times to hold during my taper. Except for one time where a 10 day hold helped me every time I have held I consistently felt worse as the days went on.  As soon as I cut again the awful symptoms toned down and became bearable.  What I have done therefore instead of holding is to change the pace of my cuts (I do a microtaper) or the amt cut. So for example I started cutting every day .002 and couldn't do it so I went to .001 grams of the K.  Then when this became too much (based on my s/x) I slowed down and cut 10 days out of 14, I then slowed it down again toward the end of my taper of the K - and at the very end sped up again to doing c/h/c/h. 

 

For my Valium taper I tried a hold when my s/x ramped up and as the week went on I felt worse and worse each day so I then resumed my taper, started up very slowly and felt better.  I do think you need to listen to your own body.  No one knows why some of us don't do well on holds (I am not alone in this by the way I know others like me) and others feel better when they hold.  Just listen to your own body - if holds work for you then use them - this is not a race to be sure.

[[ly...]]

 

 

 

Thank you Kgirl!  I hear so many different things and often don't know if it's myth or reality.  It makes total sense that we all react differently and I fully agree that we have to listen to our own body and proceed on whatever path is best for us.  I've done very well with holds and plan to continue holding when symptoms ramp up.  Beyond the usual couple of weeks after a cut, I haven't had sxs worsen - only lift.  I was just looking for anecdotal "evidence".

[[Do...]]

One thing that is for sure when it comes to these benzos......everyone is different.  :thumbsup:

 

 

[[ba...]]

I've held on klonopin for 4 months, in fact I updosed. My really bad symptoms disappeared somewhat (like severe anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain) but I've gotten some new symptoms: I feel like I can't really breath, sometimes I get this strange tunnel vision, almost like derealization, my arms feel heavy, it's hard to move or talk.

[[Ch...]]

I held from around Thanksgiving til after New Year's during my taper... so around 6-7 weeks.  No problems.  GABA receptors take so long to heal that long-ish holds are probably a good thing overall.

[Guest [pu...]]

Ive done a 3 month hold and will be holding through summer. They've done nothing, but make tapering easier. Nova started a thread on here about long holds. I can't post the link right now, but it's gotten over 400 responses. I'll see if I can bump it.

[Guest [pu...]]

Over in the withdrawal support threads, I just bumped the thread I was talking about, that addresses this exact question.

[[ly...]]

 

I'm with you Pure.  I'm doing well and holding for the summer.  I am on Nova's thread and the Long Hold Support Forum.

 

I am just trying to get anecdotal evidence of "harm" so this can be weighed by people on holds.  I've read posts stating that one shouldn't hold beyond 2 months so I'd like to know if anyone suffered a bad effect by holding longer.  I haven't but I know that people differ in taper experiences.

 

Thanks for your response and all the best!

[Guest [pu...]]

I think it has to do if you've hit tolerance or not. I didn't. I don't think holds are harmful. I think tapering too quickly, or are not ready, is more harmful, as I think it adds more shock to the nervous system. Who knows? I just go with how I feel and adjust accordingly. 

[[ba...]]

My last set of tapers was brutal, but since I've been holding I've been getting new, annoying symptoms, so it may be best just to hold for a little while and then taper. I personally don't know if I have the mental stamina, but I'm guessing the longer you are on this medication the more chances it has to harm. I wish there were a medical doctor on here to answer these questions. It's a toss-up between holding to keep your sanity while at the same time trying to get off the meds ASAP with a slow taper just to get this rat poison out of your system.