The Easier Taper Support Group

[[po...]]

Magnolis

I wasn't sure if that was a big drop.  Thanks for verifying that.  It wasn't a daily .08 just a one time .08 drop but yes thats where things went bad for me.  I even updosed back to 5mg 22 days after holding after an immediate small updose.  Im on day 6 now waiting for that to kick in.  It still hasn't.  Is this normal not to feel an updose 6 days after on diazepam??  Im freaking out out won't get stable.  It's a 1/2 mg updose.  Its where I felt really good two months ago.  Why isn't this working?

[[Va...]]

Magnolis

I wasn't sure if that was a big drop.  Thanks for verifying that.  It wasn't a daily .08 just a one time .08 drop but yes thats where things went bad for me.  I even updosed back to 5mg 22 days after holding after an immediate small updose.  Im on day 6 now waiting for that to kick in.  It still hasn't.  Is this normal not to feel an updose 6 days after on diazepam??  Im freaking out out won't get stable.  It's a 1/2 mg updose.  Its where I felt really good two months ago.  Why isn't this working?

Hi pooky. It can take a while to stabilize depending on how quickly you updose. If you had updosed a little sooner (within 10 days to 2 weeks) , you may have stabilized in that 5-7 day window. I would hypothesize that your CNS continued to destabilize over those 22 days and will take slightly longer to adjust back to baseline. Give it some more time and I'm guessing you'll be ok. Try not to stress about it. Improvement will come on gradually. I'm sure it won't take you as long but it took me 6 months to stabilize after cutting too fast. See how you feel in 2 weeks. Just my 2 cents.  --V

[[Ma...]]

Poppy,

 

Another issue I see is your conversion to only 5 mg. That's done but it really wasn't high enough according to conversion tables where 1 mg x is equal to 20 mg valium. So any small updose you make is really just stabilizing. When I screwed up, it took about 2 to 3 weeks. I didn't updose, just held. In your case, if you can stabilize, you cut many extra mg of valium out and should  consider yourself very lucky!

 

[[...]]

Why is it that anytime a thread starts asking for some positive thoughts, it stops....dead in it's track!  I can not be the only one not having a problem!

 

Thanks Jenny K for responding.  I didn't start the thread but I think it is one that is needed.  There needs to be some sort of offset for the newbies, so they don't get scared out of their mind.

 

I didn't start this thread and didn't name it, but in a small way feel responsible for keeping it going😘

 

The above posts say it all. A peaceful place in a sea of suffering.

 

My taper wasn't easy, but it was certainly easier than a lot of others on here!

 

Magnolias, I found a pace that suited me and kept going.

I was dropping 1 mg every 2 months from 5mgs to zero.

I was told my GP that under 5mgs would be tough.

When it didn't happen he said under 2mgs would be tough.

Never happened.

Also acute didn't happen either and I am now 10 weeks post slide off!!!!

[[ly...]]

 

Yes jp, perhaps "easier" is a more apt term.  If this were "easy" we likely wouldn't be here.  I think that most members of BB could have a very tolerable taper experience if they slowed down.  But I've talked myself blue in the face on that.

 

Magnolias,

 

I've found a pace that works for me and have not had much difficulty at the lower end of my taper.  Things started going off the rails last year and I held last Spring for four months and then reduced my taper cuts to a much more comfortable level.  The percentages do increase as I get lower because I have been keeping a constant cut amount (now .005mgs xanax) since I hit about .1mgs in January.  I cut .005mgs every 10 days and this has gone well for the past 6 months.  Prior to that I was cutting .03mgs every 30 days for about 6 months.  So, at .1mg I dropped my monthly cuts by 50%.  It was the right decision as those larger cuts were really starting to hit me.  So...an example of adjusting/reducing as we get lower - all based on, and depending on, a plan of having wd sxs stay in the mild/manageable range all the way off.

[[po...]]

jp

Your taper gives me soooo much hope!!!!  When I get stable Im going to start the daily micro taper like ultra slow.  maybe .003 a day.  Im SUPER sensitive to cuts and terrified of lag time.  I don't care if it takes me 2 years to come off 5mg as long as I can be a good mom and have my brain.  I must remain positive.

[[be...]]

jp and Lynn, agree with "easier" and for me I will use doable. I am just a might tired of always having to defend something that is working so well for those of us that have found an good taper plan and it is working. All I know for sure if I had kept tapering at the larger % going lower I would have been 6 ft under so happy that Free pointed out to me the lower you go the % goes up, I was clueless. Anyway this thread has been supportive and a place where we could come and read about our taper and get support and caring words, and not be slapped down because it is working for us. Onward and Upward as a good friend states when things get dicey. I am functional and I am happy for "easier"

[[Al...]]

Hello all - Since I have been daily tapering things have gone relatively well for me with minimal problems however am finding now that reducing at 0.02mg daily is too fast for me so have been reducing by 0.02mg for 5 days and then holding until stable. This has seemed to work for me where I am right now.

 

I did think that I might be better off halving the rate to 0.01mg daily to try to make things smoother... any thoughts?

 

I am finding the reductions harder as I go lower but am still able to work full time and live a reasonably full life. I could not have done this when I was using the cut and hold method. Also found that liquid tapering is actually quite easy once you get used to it and have found a way that suites me and my lifestyle.

 

Can't believe how long this all takes.

 

Great thread btw... Good to hear some positivity going on in what can be such a difficult and arduous situation.

 

Alex

[[be...]]

Hi Alex, I pretty much had to do the same, half the amt I was tapering, it may take a bit longer, but I have found for me I have stayed functional with just tiny blips of little things, since I had to previous horrific tapers this is like nothing in comparison, so I am doing well. For me the liq taper is working, when I first started I had some little issues, so I went back to dry and waited about a 2 wks and restarted and it has been fine, I just have to make sure I am doing it right so I check off everything as I make my brew....

 

Yes a taper takes a long time, but so be it, knowing what I know now, I will do the time I know how long I have to still go, but choose to not hinder my thinking it is just a number and in the scheme of things if I go too fast that will hold me back also. I have found a good taper plan for me, I have had to tweak it at times but go with what works for you. Welcome there are some really great people here. jp will answer you and others. Stay Strong and I think you are doing well. Make it work for you. P.S I intend to slide off, no "jumping" for me, just a nice slide into the world waiting for me...jp slide off and doing well.

[[po...]]

Alex

It looks like from your signature you held for a year is that correct?  Did you need to hold or did you just pause?  Im at a really difficult spot.  Just wondering if starting a daily micro would help or make things worse.  And wondering how long to hold

[[ly...]]

 

Hey Alex,

 

I had to drop my taper rate in half around the first of the year.  I went to liquid at this time.  I taper every 10 days and this has worked well for me.  I didn't like the uncertainty of a daily reduction - i tried it for a few weeks.  Xanax cuts hit me around day 3 - it's very predicable and I like this.

 

My taper is taking much longer than I ever thought.  But, this is fine.  While not symptom free, things are minor and I'm fully functional.  As long as I'm living life I don't care how long it takes to get off.  I do think that a mild taper correlates to a mild "jump" and that  healing/adjusting is happening on the way down.  I guess I'll find out in the next month or two... :o  I'll sure report - the good, bad or ugly, as the case may be.

[[...]]

Hi Alex

You seem to be doing really.

Either method you describe will work.

The 0.01 drop will be smoother and if my my maths are correct and you dissolve 1 mg in Vodka and add water to 100 mls that would take 100 days to drop 1 mg.

Some go slower.

I did 1 mg in 60 days at the end and it was ok for me.

I am also a problem drinker😟

Been sober for 5 years.

[[Al...]]

Thanks for your replies... I think that begood and lynn are right in that a slower taper might help me maintain a less eventful taper (what we all strive for I think). I'll drop at 0.01mgs daily and stop every 5 days to see how it's affecting me. I also will definitely not be jumping at 0.5, rather thinking that a slide off would suite me much better. Besides want to be able to work throughout if I can and minimise the risk of acute...

 

JP - congrats being 5 years sober. The drinking set me back badly a couple of times if I'm honest and goes some way to explaining why I've been tapering for such a long time.... So knocked it on the head as it made me feel so lousy and always messed my tapering up. Don't touch it now.

 

It looks like from your signature you held for a year is that correct?  Did you need to hold or did you just pause?  Im at a really difficult spot.  Just wondering if starting a daily micro would help or make things worse.  And wondering how long to hold

 

Hi Pooky - I simply paused for a while and then started again using a liquid taper. However have been holding whenever I don't feel able to function well or it affects my everyday life to the point where I can't cope cutting... I think that holding until I feel relatively stable is extremely important for me. Personally I was feeling awful after every cut until I started a liquid micro taper and it has definitely made this whole process more bearable.

[[Re...]]

Hi Everyone! I hope everyone is doing well with their tapers. I just wanted to give you all hope and encouragement that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  I jumped on March 1st after a micro taper.  After my jump I never went into acute or had any horrible side effects. The reason it has been so long since I posted is I literally do not even think of klonopin or my taper. My husband and I were discussing something this morning which made me think of my taper and I thought how encouraging it might be for some of you that life without benzos or the thought of benzos is possible.  When I jumped I purposely stayed away from the forum to clear my head of all thoughts of benzos.  While I felt bad that I was not keeping everyone updated, it was what I needed to start living life without the albatross hanging over me. Life is good and it only gets better. Stay strong, you can do this!  Peace!

[[be...]]

[glow=red,2,300]"Congratulations"[/glow] so nice to read such an upbeat post, so happy it has went well for you. I too hope to slide off and if I have some little blips so be it, and I will just deal with each day as it comes, but I am so happy the choice I made to taper slowly. Enjoy each second of your Life, it is Precious and now you are "Free" Best to you always.

[[Ma...]]

Thank you.. We need more of your posts!!!!

[[ly...]]

 

 

Wonderful news Ready and so very happy for you!   I'll be taking the plunge in the next few weeks and am hopeful for the same experience you've had.  Enjoy your life - it sure sounds like you are!

[[Re...]]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone!!  Keep looking up everyone. It only gets better!!!

[[2t...]]

Great news Freddy, I am not free of symptoms but also never had an acute phase, after 4 months am left with tinnitus, choppy sleep and some anxiety. Life goes on though and I am getting better.

Lynn, I will be looking forward to reading about your slide off.

 

2trusting

[[Ki...]]

Thats wonderful news Freddy!!

[[ly...]]

 

 

There is a xanax thread but it is not very active.  I was a longtime xanax user and have just completed a very successful taper.  I'm happy to answer questions and explain how my taper went and what I did to make it easier.

[[ly...]]

 

 

Sure!

[[Ki...]]

I took xanax and ambien for 16 years. There are a lot of us on here. Many switched to valium or klonopin because of our interdose wd symptoms- but our brains can probably relate to your problems.

[[be...]]

Shout out to jp, thinking of you Friend, I am soon to be down to 0.75mg, nine more days and just taking my time, I am happy with going slow and having as easy taper as I can. Hope to have you post again here soon. Stay Strong.

[[ly...]]

Shout out to jp, thinking of you Friend, I am soon to be down to 0.75mg, nine more days and just taking my time, I am happy with going slow and having as easy taper as I can. Hope to have you post again here soon. Stay Strong.

 

Hey Begood!  You are getting there my friend!  I'm so happy that you have found a pace that you feel well at.  You are doing this the right way!  I know the patience it takes.  Not easy!

 

I'm also thinking of our friend jp.  I hope things have improved on the health front.