The Easier Taper Support Group

[[ly...]]

Hi Everyone

 

Thanks for kind messages 

 

Like conversation.

Mine hasn't been easy either.

But certainly easier than a lot of others poor souls.

 

At the beginning it was hard.

Daily micro tapering made it much more bareable.

Mindfulness has helped hugely with thought patterns.

 

JP, good to hear you are moving along well and not having many problems.

I start day 22 this morning and at the moment am also not experiencing huge problems.

Worst of them is that I still have tinnitus 24/7 and a really stiff neck.

I do get minor anxiety on some mornings and a little bit of numbness and tingling in my fingers, some other minor things as well.

All in all it is very manageable and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way and gets better not worse.

I to had some times through my taper that were challenging to say the least and succumbed to the horror stories one reads about how hard and protracted this process will be.

Let's hope that others read this and get some enthusiasm for the future.

 

2trusting

 

More good news 2T!

 

I've never thought the worst, no matter how much I read. I think it helps alot to taper slowly, in a way that limits the bad wd.  You and jp are great examples for everyone.

[[be...]]

Hi Everyone

 

Thanks for kind messages 

 

Like conversation.

Mine hasn't been easy either.

But certainly easier than a lot of others poor souls.

 

At the beginning it was hard.

Daily micro tapering made it much more bareable.

Mindfulness has helped hugely with thought patterns.

 

JP, good to hear you are moving along well and not having many problems.

I start day 22 this morning and at the moment am also not experiencing huge problems.

Worst of them is that I still have tinnitus 24/7 and a really stiff neck.

I do get minor anxiety on some mornings and a little bit of numbness and tingling in my fingers, some other minor things as well.

All in all it is very manageable and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way and gets better not worse.

I to had some times through my taper that were challenging to say the least and succumbed to the horror stories one reads about how hard and protracted this process will be.

Let's hope that others read this and get some enthusiasm for the future.

 

2trusting

 

More good news 2T!

 

I've never thought the worst, no matter how much I read. I think it helps alot to taper slowly, in a way that limits the bad wd.  You and jp are great examples for everyone.

I also have not thought the worse, I felt that it was my taper and I was the one to decide how to proceed, so glad you and jp are doing well, I think you are both doing great, says a lot about how you handle Life issues. I will proceed with what is working for me, and have all along. :thumbsup:

[[be...]]

💖 Hey just wanted to drop in and say I am done with my 10 day taper and now at .90mg of Valium I will restart hold for one month. It was easier it seemed, but the days felt longer, only had a couple of blips and nothing really and know that I will be healing more on my hold. Best wishes for all.

[[ly...]]

 

 

Great news BG!   Slowly but surely...

[[...]]

Hi Ed and 2T good to know we are all hanging in there :thumbsup:

 

Great stuff BG  :thumbsup:

 

For me today;

Stomach a bit yuk.

Tinnitus

Slept between 12midnight and 4am then tossed and turned.

Watched sport on tv and declared it a day of rest.

 

Again 10 being perfect.

I am 8.5/10

 

[[2t...]]

JP so far I have not had sleep problems but along with tinnitus and a stiff neck I seem to have some stomach problems, not major but annoying as if I have not eaten for a day or so and it also comes with a bit of gas.

I am still in Florida amd so far nothing has stopped me doing things or dampened my mood.

 

2trusting

[[...]]

2T

Cramping and frequent visits to the toilet today (TMI)

We have as many gaba receptors in the gut as in the brain apparently.

Hence our stomach issues.

Can remember earlier in taper having chronic bloating and continuous gas for about a week.

Sleep generally ok though as well👍

 

[[be...]]

2T

Cramping and frequent visits to the toilet today (TMI)

We have as many gaba receptors in the gut as in the brain apparently.

Hence our stomach issues.

Can remember earlier in taper having chronic bloating and continuous gas for about a week.

Sleep generally ok though as well👍

jp I wonder if some ginger tea would help, sorry about the tummy, but it is so true about our tummy and the gaba receptors the stomach is called the "Second Brain", it is just balking now, trying to find its sweet spot. Stay Strong.

 

You are doing well 2trusting, just some things need to normalize. Use a warm moist pack for your neck, hot towel with a piece of plastic and a dry towel on top. Stay Strong.

[[...]]

Thanks BG

I drink lemon and ginger teabags during the day.

I will get a chunk of fresh ginger and try a more powerful brew👍👍

[[...]]

Copied this from Ashton Manual.

The calm your emotions is so true.

Not always easy especially when you are suffering from a serious mental breakdown from whatever cause.

Having said that, it screams out, that some who are suffering would greatly benefit from mindfulness/relaxation.

 

Quote;

 

"People bothered by long-term symptoms can do a lot to help themselves. For example:

 

Exercise your body. Physical exercise improves the circulation and function of both brain and body. Find an exercise that you enjoy: start at low level, work up gradually and keep it up regularly. Exercise also helps depression, decreases fatigue and increases general fitness.

 

Exercise your brain. Use your brain to devise methods to improve its efficiency: make lists, do crossword puzzles, find out what bothers you most - there is always a way round it. Cognitive retraining helps people to find ways around their temporary impairment.

 

Increase your interests. Finding an outside interest which you have to work at employs the brain, increases motivation, diverts attention away from your own symptoms and may even help others.

 

Calm your emotions. Above all, stop worrying. Worry, fear and anxiety increase all withdrawal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are actually due to anxiety and not signs of brain or nervous system damage. People who fear withdrawal have more intense symptoms than those who just take it as it comes and think positively and confidently about recovery"

[[be...]]

jp thanks for this, hopefully buddies that are suffering so much will read and gain strength and things will settle down, I wholeheartedly believe it is so true, Our Thoughts will derail us every time or lift us up. It is really simple but can be so hard for many to grasp. All I know it is working well for me and if I could I would shout it from the Rooftops. :thumbsup:

[[2t...]]

Yes JP, worrying is a sort of self fullfilling prophesy.

You worry about a minor symptom and it gets worse so you worry some more and the circle goes on and on.

I think this is why sleep seems to work as I assume you stop worrying when asleep and the symptoms have a chance to get better along with the healing that takes place when sleeping.

Also distraction is the same thing, for me I needed to distract both my mind and body for it to work.

 

2trusting

 

[[tr...]]

I have never written on this board, but I have been following this thread for a few months now. I find it very encouraging. Benzo buddies as a whole is terrifying. I need to get through this and maintain my job as well as function as a mother. Optimism is key. Thank you all for your updates.

[[...]]

Hi Trapped

Yes optimism is key👍

Are you doing cut and hold or daily micro taper?

I switched from cut and hold at 15 mgs to liquid taper and found it a lot smoother!

 

[[be...]]

I have never written on this board, but I have been following this thread for a few months now. I find it very encouraging. Benzo buddies as a whole is terrifying. I need to get through this and maintain my job as well as function as a mother. Optimism is key. Thank you all for your updates.

Welcome Trapped, "Optimism is key" such a wonderful thing to have, you will be fine. I would suggest reading the Success Stories. Glad to have you here. :smitten:

[[tr...]]

Thank you! I am doing cut and hold right now. It is going ok. Once I get down to about 15 or 14 I am planning on seeing how I do microtapering. So far this is going much better than I expected in the beginning. I know it is going to take a long time, but that is ok if I get off ok and feel ok afterwards.

[[...]]

Posted in benzo free celebrations!

 

Hi Folks

 

Day 40 since I slid gently off my last tiny dose of Diazepam.

 

Things have generally gone well.

Usual tinnitus.

Headaches, averaging one good one a week.

Still a bit of brain fog.

Some days a general feeling of apathy. As if I can't be bothered to do anything feeling.

My weirdest sxs has been the sensation that something is tickling the top of my left ear.!!  Had this for most of my taper

The above are slowly improving!

 

On the plus side. I am functioning well. Gardening, walking my 10k steps a day.

One day a week, I go out painting with friends.

My life is pretty much back to normal.

 

On the days or half days or hours or minutes that I don't feel 100% I try and practice acceptance.

There is a massive push by the young Royals in the U.K.

William Harry and Kate are all pushing Heads together as their charity.

Prince Harry has admitted suffering from anxiety and a close nervous break down as a result of not dealing with his mothers death.

Loads of people are talking about mental health.

Mental health was the main charity of the London Marathon on Sunday

It has helped me to accept mine.

If you are suffering you are not alone.

www.headtalks.com is another new website. Aimed at getting people to talk about mental health.

 

Sitting with anxiety/fear or "what if thoughts" and accepting them and befriending them, rather than spiralling into anxiety and panic is difficult I know.

But if practised it can be done.

Long slow deep abdominal breathing is so soothing and relaxing.

Telling yourself, this ok, I am not alone with these feeling or thoughts

Daily mindfulness meditation has been an absolute must for me.

 

One thing I have learnt in my 20 month taper is that whatever the sxs you are currently suffering from, hang in there, they change. They disappear eventually.

Severe back pain, blurred vision. Stomach sxs from hell.  Depersonalisation, derealization, brain fog, none of them lasted more than a few days or a week at the most.

 

If there is such a thing as an easy taper.

Mine has been easier as I have got to lower doses compared to a lot of poor souls on here.

GP said things will get worse at 5 mgs. Didn't happen.

Things will get worse at 2 mgs. Didn't happen.

Put him right!!!

 

It certainly has at its core an acceptance of whatever benzo withdrawal has had to throw at me and not being fearful of it.

 

"We have nothing to fear other than fear itself"

Franklin D Roosevelt

 

 

[[be...]]

jp such a wonderful post and I am so happy for you and thank you for sharing your story here and thank you for being a good Friend and your support. I feel like my taper has been easy also, and I am so glad that I have learned things to do, and not let it get me down.

 

You are an inspiration, and I know that your Journey will continue to be one that will allow you to do the things you want. I do believe that we must be involved in Life and try to distract and do the things that will take focus off of the things we may be going through.

 

It has been a pleasure to have walked with you during this time and that to know that I will be walking off and will be sliding into the Life that is waiting for me. See you at the end of the Tunnel. :smitten:

 

[move][glow=red,2,300]"CONGRATS ON 40 DAYS OFF" THE BEST IS YET TO COME [/glow][/move]

[[Ma...]]

Jp,

Your post is going in my inspirational file. That's my go to place, to feel good!! And hopeful!!  Thank you.

[[ly...]]

 

 

I'm so very happy for you jp!  Take good care! :smitten:

[[Ca...]]

I don't know as much as you guys go because I haven't started tapering yet but from what I've gathered, it seems that if someone CTs, then reinstates, then starts the taper too soon after reinstating, that's bad. A good approach might be a long hold for several months after a bad CT followed by a slow taper.

[[tr...]]

JP Glad to hear you are doing well and thank you so much for sharing your encouraging story! :thumbsup:

[[ly...]]

I don't know as much as you guys go because I haven't started tapering yet but from what I've gathered, it seems that if someone CTs, then reinstates, then starts the taper too soon after reinstating, that's bad. A good approach might be a long hold for several months after a bad CT followed by a slow taper.

 

I'd say that it's a good plan to hold for awhile after reinstating from a CT.  For me, it always comes down to waiting until I feel relatively well before resuming my taper.  I want to make sure that I am on solid footing before subjecting my brain to the added stress of a cut.  If things are already haywire and you start cutting - well, that doesn't usually work out too well.  I've held for extended times twice.  This was after large/rapid cuts that produced bad wd sxs.  It took me quite a while to get back on my feet - and then I gave it a couple of extra months for some healing to take hold.

 

How are you doing now?  I can't tell from your signature where you are with your taper.

[[...]]

Hi Guys.

Thank you all for your kind words and I am so pleased it has given hope and encouragement. I find it difficult to get my thoughts onto paper.

 

BG you are too kind😉

You will be at the end of the tunnel soon enough.

 

Welcome cal18 and trapped here.

Take it nice and slow and if possible do mindfulness and or relaxation to control any fear and breath👍

Begood does a great daily buddy blog (below); and Lynn posts there too.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=141242.6620

 

Lynn does a progress blog below;

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=149099.220

 

You will read a lot about acute when you jump at the end of a taper on this forum.

If you go slow and even slower at the end like Lynn and begood, there is no acute.

It's a nice smooth slide of.

Yes I have had blips as begood calls them😳

But they are nothing more than that.

 

Today I went painting with fellow artist friends today and had lunch and felt really good. I walked 6.5 miles today and I am cream crackered (knackered).... Cockney rhyming slang!!!

 

One of my friends told me he felt anxious this morning and had taken Valium. I know he takes 2 mgs every now and again. This morning he took 4 mgs because 2 mgs didn't work as well!

His GP said it's ok to take 6mgs a day.

It's so hard to give advice without scaring someone.

He is 69.

I took 2 mgs of Ativan at the height of a crippling CT from Citalopram (celexa) so who am I to give advice.

I have given him links to mindfulness and relaxation.

 

[[be...]]

jp, how are you doing, hope everything is going well for you, and headaches have lessened, How long has it been now for you since you walked off.? Am I correct, you have not had any acute period?

 

Wanted to post here on your thread, that I am now down to 0.85mg Valium, and will start my one month rest, so far this taper plan has worked well for me. I had been doing the two month, but found that my Brain was ready long before I reached the end of the 2 month period, actually was not feeling as good, but now I have it down pat, taper 10 days and rest or hold for 1 month, and my taper amt is only 5%. I continue to have only mild blips, not sx as all as far as I am concerned. :smitten