Opinion time: Am I going too slow?

[Guest [...]]

You can see from my signature my history of Ativan. Started taking. 5 to 1 MG twice daily late July 2016 to October 7,2016. I cold turkeyed that for nearly 7 weeks until I had to reinstate at 1mg twice daily on November 28, 2016. Stayed there for 8 weeks until January 29, 2017. I began to taper from a total of 2mgs taken in one dose, at night, occasionally I would take 2.25mgs, but that was maybe 4 times.

So here I am two months later and planning a cut to finally be at 1mg.  So now I have been tapering for the same amount of time I have been on it this second time and am approaching only halfway. I feel like because of this I am actually doing more harm than good because I am taking more of a smaller amount for longer than I took my larger. Would this be true? Am I doing more damage by tapering slow for only 8 weeks use, or because of the cold turkey being so severe and withdrawals from it being BAD to cause my family doctor to reinstate for tapering, is this slow taper the way to go? Take all the time since last summer into consideration... It counts? Secondly..am I doing more damage than good? Tapering too slow?

Thank you everyone for your opinions...and if you feel like it, you can leave your experiences too. Maybe I am just looking for reassurance today. It seems like forever to me. I just want to heal and feel like I am not.

[[Ch...]]

I have no hesitation in saying that there can be NO harm in going slowly!!!  Quite the opposite, in my opinion.  I have been reading your posts for some time and you are suffering but soldiering on....as long as you can get the med to taper with, who cares how long it takes?  I, too, am weary of being unwell, but there it is...it just takes time to recover....

Listen to your body!!

[[be...]]

I have no hesitation in saying that there can be NO harm in going slowly!!!  Quite the opposite, in my opinion.  I have been reading your posts for some time and you are suffering but soldiering on....as long as you can get the med to taper with, who cares how long it takes?  I, too, am weary of being unwell, but there it is...it just takes time to recover....

Listen to your body!!

Choco, you just took the words out of my mouth, good advice. I do not care how long it takes as long as I am functional and I am, Patience and Time and Acceptance are key. Best to both of you and we will all be Free one day.

[[bu...]]

I have no hesitation in saying that there can be NO harm in going slowly!!! 

 

:thumbsup:

 

If you really want to try to speed up, then give it a try and see how it works.  But IMO there is no such thing as "too slow".

[[ly...]]

 

 

I see no harm in "slow" but often problems with "fast".  If anything, your difficulties with tapering would suggest too fast.

[Guest [...]]

Thanks everyone. I think I just woke up this morning, looked at the calendar and realized that I have been tapering for as long as I have been on it this time around and it feels like getting no where. I am sure you all can relate. I had a tough weekend with personal stuff which just caused my anxiety to spiral. Even considered a rescue dose yesterday, but didn't.  I realized that I can't handle high stress and confrontation like I could pre-benzo and I strongly need to work on coping skills. Just general discouragement I suppose. I know it will get better, we all will if we haven't yet....It's just the feeling of the long and winding road to get there.

[[Lo...]]

Thanks everyone. I think I just woke up this morning, looked at the calendar and realized that I have been tapering for as long as I have been on it this time around and it feels like getting no where. I am sure you all can relate. I had a tough weekend with personal stuff which just caused my anxiety to spiral. Even considered a rescue dose yesterday, but didn't.  I realized that I can't handle high stress and confrontation like I could pre-benzo and I strongly need to work on coping skills. Just general discouragement I suppose. I know it will get better, we all will if we haven't yet....It's just the feeling of the long and winding road to get there.

 

The brain has no calendar built in it. It takes its own sweet time to readjust itself

[[be...]]

Thanks everyone. I think I just woke up this morning, looked at the calendar and realized that I have been tapering for as long as I have been on it this time around and it feels like getting no where. I am sure you all can relate. I had a tough weekend with personal stuff which just caused my anxiety to spiral. Even considered a rescue dose yesterday, but didn't.  I realized that I can't handle high stress and confrontation like I could pre-benzo and I strongly need to work on coping skills. Just general discouragement I suppose. I know it will get better, we all will if we haven't yet....It's just the feeling of the long and winding road to get there.

 

The brain has no calendar built in it. It takes its own sweet time to readjust itself

:thumbsup:

[[be...]]

I think you are doing fine. I have never heard anybody complain that they are tapering too slowly, only those who regret tapering too fast. One can always speed up if wanted. But as said, please listen to your body and no calendar. The best advice I got while I was tapering my K and had a frantic moment was to just throw it out. So I did and felt better but then forgot my mom's birthday.