The Easier Taper Support Group

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,  well if you can find the kind I was speaking of it has so much power that a light press is all you need and it seems to surround that muscle. Yes fight on I will. Have a nice day.

[[Re...]]

,  well if you can find the kind I was speaking of it has so much power that a light press is all you need and it seems to surround that muscle. Yes fight on I will. Have a nice day.

 

Thanks begood, I will look for it. It sounds amazing! 

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Happy to hear the positive update, RF! Trigger point massage helped me a ton during my taper. One of the best things about being almost done is that the muscle tension is all but gone now. So take heart, it does get better!

 

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I've been tapering from 2 MG klonopin since March 2016.  Had been taking 2 MG for 7 years.  I read lots of research and personal experiences before getting courage to start taper.  I have taken a slow approach and I'm now down to .5 MG.  I have had very few symptoms.  I've been fully functional and haven't had sleeping problems and minimal anxiety.  Some breathing issues like many other people have experienced but it's tolerable.  I do a lot of therapeutic work to keep my mind from catastrophic thinking and obsessing.  So far I've learned to just trust my body.  When I cut back I do it in small increments especially now that I'm down to smaller doses.  I'm so hopeful now that I can be klonopin free.  I'm doing much better than I thought I would be.  I was so terrified to cut back.  There's no rush. Please trust that this can be done without horror and agony.  I'm doing it and you can too.  So far so good.  Will post again when I'm even closer.

hi how have you being tapering? liquid titration? thank you nicole

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[glow=red,2,300]"KNOCK KNOCK"[/glow] How you doing jp? hope you are doing well.

[[Ca...]]

Hooray!  Finally a group/thread which reflects my mind frame!  This is awesome!

 

My taper from Xanax started nuts-ville because I didn't know what my body needed.  Once I had that figured out, it's been smooth sailing and has only gotten easier and easier. 

 

The road is not always easy, but it is always worth it.  I can honestly say that this whole experience has been a gift to me because I found the root of who I truly am when I was forced to go to places that were way outside of my comfort zone, that I would not have taken myself voluntarily.  I've been blessed with the resources and opportunities to taper in a way that my body can tolerate, not everyone is as fortunate. 

 

For what it's worth, I can say that what has helped me a whole lot is meditation.  I've learned the skill of bearing witness to what I'm experiencing, and not becoming wrapped up in a story of it all, a story that quite frankly makes it feel a whole lot worse and scares the living daylights out of me.  I've learned the impermanence of everything through meditation, of becoming aware and knowing that everything passes, no matter how uncomfortable I may feel at the time.

 

Another nugget of wisdom I've found is that you ARE NEVER STUCK.  Ever.  So anytime you feel stuck, just repeat to yourself, "I am not stuck."  Because it's the truth.  Your cells are always changing, always renewing.  Your body is literally renewing itself as you read this.  For example, it has been scientifically established that cells inside the body regenerate at different speeds – liver cells in 6 weeks, stomach lining cells in 3 days, eye cells in less than 48 hours.  In one year from today, your entire body will contain 100% brand new cells where you will physically not be the same person that you are today.  Your healing is constantly happening.  What you are experiencing is temporary.  If you're going to doubt something, doubt your own limits.  Don't doubt your capabilities.

 

Love your body, love it while it heals.  Honor and respect the process it is inherently so smart to find its way through.  Listen to the messages of what it is saying it needs.  Is it rest?  Is it exercise?  Is it a hug?  Is it a creative outlet?  The key is finding who you are, understanding what promotes your own healing, and doing those things.  Be flexible, those things might shift from day to day.  For me, one day I'll be in a hot bath with candles, lavender oil and epsom salts to rest my tired body, the next day running my booty off to get the nervous energy out.  Be okay with it all, release the 'shoulds' and just love yourself through whatever arises. 

 

I choose to also focus on gratitude. I've found it's the one emotion that cannot be swallowed when I'm overwhelmed in benzo withdrawal upticks.  I might be grumpy as heck, irritable, anxious, etc.  But, I can ALWAYS find something to be grateful for.  And that feeling of gratitude takes me out of the negative feeling I was having, even if just for a few minutes.  It breaks the cycle, it stops that negative story from continuing in my head.  It gives me perspective and clarity.  It reminds me that I am much more than this experience.

 

You are capable, you are loved, you are much more than withdrawal.  And buddies, you are never alone. 

 

Candice

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Wonderful thoughts Candice!  :thumbsup:

 

We are of a like mind...and I would guess that those on this thread are getting through this in much the same manner - it's what allows us to have an "Easy Taper".

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[glow=red,2,300]"Wonderful",[/glow] Candance if you seek you shall find, and you are here now, Welcome, a great bunch of like minded Souls.

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Never saw this thread before but i love it already !!!!

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This new Thread will put a smile on your face and lift you up.

 

                                                                          http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=170572.0

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This thread puts a smile on my (already smiling!) face.

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Very well said Candice.

I am a great believer in mindfulness too.

Your write very well.

I'm jealous😀

 

Hi Begood.

I'm doing ok thanks.

I know how you are from lurking on your blog😁👍

 

Today I went out painting with 12 other artists, we paint out in the street and attract quite a bit of attention, then had lunch.

I am organising Christmas lunch for 14 of us next Weds.

A bit grey and overcast, but nice to get out of the house.

I remain active walking the dog.

88 thousand steps last week, over 43 miles walked.

I do tend to overeat at this time of year/ plus benzo withdrawal munchies!

 

My top tip besides mindfulness/ meditation is to stay busy.

Not in a manic way, but just active.

The worst thing I could do I'd sit and think or stay in bed.

I know some have it bad on this forum and maybe don't have a choice.

I felt like that when I CT off Citalopram/Celexa.

Which is how I ended up on Benzo's, so I know that awful feeling.

For me, I try and stay busy and don't sit down til about 6 pm.

 

Walking

Painting

Framing

DIY jobs

Shopping

Mindfulness

Gardening

Talking to another human being.

I have taken delivery of two apple trees and will plant them out tomorrow.

Fri going to chat to a guy who has terrible anxiety and try and get him into mindfulness.

 

I am fast approaching 1.5 mgs Valium down from 20 mgs last June having switched from 2mgs Ativan.

Going to take it real slow (for me anyway) and maybe jump around March time.

Who knows!

 

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"Wonderful Advice" You sound like you have a full enjoyable Life, and you are my favorite "lurker"

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Your soooooo kind.

Flattery will get you everywhere :thumbsup:

To be honest these days I read less and less threads.

I just need this thread and your blog to get me thru.

Hopefully newcomers reading this thread will be heartened that this journey does not have to be hell on earth.

It ain't easy, but done slowly with a positive attitude, it can be done.

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This sounds Great ! I m following This one xxx

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Your soooooo kind.

Flattery will get you everywhere :thumbsup:

To be honest these days I read less and less threads.

I just need this thread and your blog to get me thru.

Hopefully newcomers reading this thread will be heartened that this journey does not have to be hell on earth.

It ain't easy, but done slowly with a positive attitude, it can be done.

http://rsmg.pbsrc.com/albums/v738/LadyFire/Thank%20You%20gifs/thanks-31.gif~c200

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I just wanted to give an update. I am now half way there from .50 mg daily Klonopin to .25 mg! Woohoo! I started my taper October 31st so I am a little under 1.5 months of tapering. I have had minimal side effects with a daily dry cut micro taper. I feel this is the way to go. I have many days where I feel normal. The days that aren't 100% is just slight muscle tension and low level headache.  I feel blessed that the 1st half of my taper has been easy.  For anyone who is suffering you may want to try a daily micro taper by either dry cutting or liquid titration.  I am using a gram scale and a micro-tapering excel sheet that some good soul,(user bedsocref) here at Benzo Buddies created. It allows you to plan your taper based on dry cutting or liquid titration. You can also choose how fast or slow you want to go.  It has been a god send!  Here is a link to the excel sheet if anyone is interested.

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=152430.msg2044371#msg2044371

 

I hope my update gives people hope that tapers aren't always scary. Good luck to everyone and positive vibes and peace to you all!  Have a great day everyone! 

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Great news, so glad for you, this can be done, sure we will have some discomfort at times, but honestly it is nothing compared at all to when I was going too fast and cutting too much, I am going to be at 1 mg of Valium tomorrow, and I am going to hold for a while, because that has been what has worked for me. Good job, and so glad that you posted this morning.

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ReadyFreddy,

Keep up the good work.

 

:thumbsup:

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Hello everyone!

 

I am celebrating today- I am now Xanax free!!!! 

 

Next up- the Valium taper, starting in about a month!  I've been told by many that Valium is easier to taper than Xanax, I am hoping I won't have to microtaper it.  We shall see!  The plan my doctor and I have come up with is to begin with eliminating 1 mg of Valium from my bedtime 7 mg dose, when I am ready.  She advised me to wait at least 3-4 weeks to let my body level out from the ending of my Xanax taper.

 

And today- I celebrate.  It was a long road here, and I have finally arrived.  XANAX FREE! 

 

PS:  Thank you JP, and that's AWESOME Freddy! 

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Candance, [glow=red,2,300]"CONGRATS"[/glow] you have a good Doctor giving good advice to wait for a while before starting taper with Valium. Best to you.

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Well done Candice.  :thumbsup:

Don't worry if you micro taper or cut and hold the Valium.

They both get you to the same destination and surprisingly, in the same time.

For me daily tapering has been a far smoother journey than Cut and Hold.

 

A good analogy is a micro taper is like sliding down a kids slide (smoothly)

Cut and Hold is like falling downstairs.

 

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Just dropping in to let everyone know that I have made it to [glow=red,2,300]"1 mg" Valium.[/glow]  Going slow and not tapering large amts has worked well for me, I am so thankful that I adopted this way of tapering and for me it has worked well, I am functioning and only having little blips that may come and go away fast. I truly feel like I am healing each day. Best to all.

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Way to go Begood! :smitten:

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Way to go Begood! :smitten: