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Where I'm at right now (bad wave / new-old symptoms / feeling of lost progress)


[lo...]

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General background: 0.5mg Ativan 1-2x/day for 3 years, rapid taper, minimal side effects. 2 years later, same dose/frequency for ~6 weeks, then cold turkey.

 

Since that initial first week (which was a nightmare of constant anxiety/panic, insomnia, inability to eat, bodily tension, shaking), I've been steadily improving, with the characteristic "waves" of symptoms that come and go at varying frequencies. When I did a rapid taper a few years ago, I had two very consistent symptoms that I'm just now experiencing since my cold turkey: tremendous pressure in my ethmoidal sinus (feels like a pair of very heavy sunglasses sitting on the bridge of my nose) and a kind of lightheadedness that I think is what some people call "fog."

 

I'm about 90 days out from my last dose, and lately my chief concern has been certain dietary triggers, mainly caffeine. However a few days ago, I went through a wave that felt just as potent as that first week going cold turkey. I'm still recovering from it now, but since then, I have been experiencing the same symptoms that I had when I tapered way back when. I don't know whether I consider this progress or a setback. I'm not really sure what to think of having new (if familiar) symptoms emerge now. Is this part of the long term recovery process?

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looseleaf,

 

I had to give up caffeine and am just now attempting a small amount each day.

 

Setbacks are extremely common in this withdrawal.  But they shouldn't last as long.

 

Progress?  You've made progress since your last dose, and you will continue to heal.  Don't let the setbacks discourage you.

 

ty

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