Under .125 Klonopin Club

[[...]]

Thanks Bob and Trust.

 

I was wondering if the way I am cutting the pills might explain the problems I am having from night to night.I do not crush pills, but chip away at them and weigh pieces. I am wondering if the active ingredient is dispersed evenly in the pill? So if I am only using 1/4 of the brand pill I may not be getting enough of the active ingredient? I do not crush 10 pills and weigh as I’ve heard folks do. Wondering if I would be better crossing straightover to brand?

 

Many thanks,

Sun🌻

I have wondered the same thing-is the drug uniformly distributed in the pilll-I think it probably is because most pills have score marks which let you to cut it in half at least. So I think you’re OK with cutting pills.  However if your pill doesn’t have scoring marks then you might want to crush it and mix the powders together and then weigh them.

I could help you with that if desired.

[[Su...]]

Good morning. Thanks for all of your input!

 

Last night, I took just the Brand name K. I don’t feel “well” but I do feel better this morning than yesterday (when I combined brands). We will see how it goes, as it just has been inconsistent, even throughout the day. Headaches have been the one constant. I did not have them on Mylan.

 

I will say even when I was taking just Mylan, there were times where it seemed stronger than others. Wondering if it goes back to cut, as I quartered to get to .38

 

Yes, with scoring I would think there are equal amounts on each side. But may get trickier  with quartering, which I do to get to .38.

 

Thanks again, congrats to all here getting so low/off!

Sun 🌻

 

[[mo...]]

So today I theoretically have 32 days to go at .032 but I am thinking I have so many symptoms I’ll need to hold a few days. This is very much a downer for me as I’m ready to end this. If I wasn’t working I’d push through but I have to function. I keep hoping at each micro reduction that I’ll start to feel better as some have reported but no such luck yet. So tough. I guess I need to take a break and let my brain catch up to my taper rate. Very hard to do and can’t guarantee I will when I take my dose tonight. Any words of encouragement appreciated.

[[Bl...]]

So today I theoretically have 32 days to go at .032 but I am thinking I have so many symptoms I’ll need to hold a few days. This is very much a downer for me as I’m ready to end this. If I wasn’t working I’d push through but I have to function. I keep hoping at each micro reduction that I’ll start to feel better as some have reported but no such luck yet. So tough. I guess I need to take a break and let my brain catch up to my taper rate. Very hard to do and can’t guarantee I will when I take my dose tonight. Any words of encouragement appreciated.

Mountaintop you are a fighter, you can do this!!!!! Remember your body is healing and you are done for the most part, this is the beginning of the end

Much love

Blossom

[[mo...]]

Thank you Blossom, that is a great way to look at it.  I still reduced by .001 last night and I feel a bit better than yesterday. Maybe I only needed rest and maybe the wave is ending so I can push forward. Hoping the next 31 days are over in a blink. I am a fighter but this whole thing is several kicks in the face! After this is over and I have energy again  I’m planning to climb the tallest mountain I can. Hope all is well with you too Blossom. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

[[Bl...]]

Thank you Blossom, that is a great way to look at it.  I still reduced by .001 last night and I feel a bit better than yesterday. Maybe I only needed rest and maybe the wave is ending so I can push forward. Hoping the next 31 days are over in a blink. I am a fighter but this whole thing is several kicks in the face! After this is over and I have energy again  I’m planning to climb the tallest mountain I can. Hope all is well with you too Blossom. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

After the storm comes sunshine!!!, I totally get you, after I’m done with this I will travel a bit... I am feeling depressed and stiff for the most part, but I can do this, and so can you! Rest is the best medicine, I bet that mountain is waiting for you!

You are very welcome

Much love and a big hug, you can do this!

Blossom

[[mo...]]

Thank you Blossom, that is a great way to look at it.  I still reduced by .001 last night and I feel a bit better than yesterday. Maybe I only needed rest and maybe the wave is ending so I can push forward. Hoping the next 31 days are over in a blink. I am a fighter but this whole thing is several kicks in the face! After this is over and I have energy again  I’m planning to climb the tallest mountain I can. Hope all is well with you too Blossom. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

After the storm comes sunshine!!!, I totally get you, after I’m done with this I will travel a bit... I am feeling depressed and stiff for the most part, but I can do this, and so can you! Rest is the best medicine, I bet that mountain is waiting for you!

You are very welcome

Much love and a big hug, you can do this!

Blossom

 

:smitten:

[[Go...]]

Checking in. Down to .025 k. Equivalent to one half mg. V. 

Feel better across the board symptom wise. So very sick the first year and a half or so. Only problem is this new symptom that has appeared.  Pain. Pain in my shoulders, elbows, wrists and hands. Am now partially crippled by this pain. If it gets worse I’ll be crippled. Im an active person. This is not an option. So hope it resolves.

  Im at 30% a month drop. .00025 a day drop. Not far to go.  I will walk off at .000000. Never crossed my mind to jump. Why spend 2 and a half years tapering the just wreck it at the end. Let this poison just slowly fade out.

    Bye now. Goodchance

 

[[...]]

You are doing so very well.  Sorry to hear about the pains.

Soon you can say you are zero benzo!

 

[[ci...]]

Goodchance,

 

Good to hear from you.  You are coming in for the landing!  Hopefully your pain will dissipate over the rest of your taper.  We are almost there!

 

Circlestar

[[...]]

Goodchance,

 

Good to hear from you.  You are coming in for the landing!  Hopefully your pain will dissipate over the rest of your taper.  We are almost there!

 

Circlestar

Hey Circlestar -now that you’re near the end do you feel like you need a lot more sleep in order to be rested?

[[ci...]]

Hi Bob,

Right now I am sleeping a pretty solid 5 hours a night which is amazing compared to where I was.  I’m doing ok with that for now.

 

Is it possible the fatigue you feel is from something other than WD.  Maybe you should have yourself checked out to be sure?

 

 

[[...]]

Hi Bob,

Right now I am sleeping a pretty solid 5 hours a night which is amazing compared to where I was.  I’m doing ok with that for now.

 

Is it possible the fatigue you feel is from something other than WD.  Maybe you should have yourself checked out to be sure?

Thanks for asking-it is possible-I’m looking into sleep apnea.

[[mo...]]

Nice job Goodchance! We are close in our dose. I’m at .022 today. Like you, I plan to walk off gracefully. My main symptom is fatigue/muscle weakness. Cannot walk far or do much without feeling dizzy. I hope your pain ends soon. You will be done very soon!

[[Fi...]]

Hey all you current and previous .125ers. I hope today finds you well. Wanted to update a bit. Things were going in the right direction for me. I was sleeping, getting small errands done with effort but not stuck in bed for about a month or so there. When I hit below .020 it's like a bomb went off in my body and brain. I've been pushed way, way back. I'm getting nailed by intense symptoms I haven't had for months. I'm hopeful I'm starting to dip my toes into the acute waters because this is extremely trying right now. I'll hang in there. You keep doing the same.

[[Fi...]]

Also how crazy, three of us are about in the same spot! Circle, mountain, you guys are doing great. We're almost free!

[[mo...]]

Hey Fox!!

 

Good to see you plugging away! I’ve had a similar experience but different. When I hit .020 it was like a switch was flipped and I had more energy, was able to run some errands and remain standing for more than a few minutes. Then at around .014 I mistakenly skipped a dose so I reduced by .002 instead of .001. I woke feeling like I did in my cut and hold days right after a cut. Wasn’t sure why I was feeling that way until I looked at the schedule before my next dose. I haven’t felt great since but I’m continuing on. I was starting to think this drug didn’t have much of a hold on me any longer but feeling like that after one innacurate  dose says I’m not quite there yet. And that’s ok. Still hard to believe. Feeling jittery and vibrating sensations are back. I have 11 days to go but have a family function so may hold for 3 days towards the end. All in all I’m feeling excited this phase is ending. Even though I feel crappy I do have more strength I suppose. Last night I thought about cleaning the house really well. I didn’t do it, but the fact that I felt well enough and thought about doing it at all and no longer simply in existing mode tells me some change has occurred. 

 

One hopeful thought is that right before I started feeling better at .020, I had several very rough days in a row and I was considering a hold. Then out of the blue a window opened. So don’t be discouraged. I’ve heard a similar experience from a few people. You said it Fox, close to freedom!

[[ci...]]

Hi Fox and MT,

This is crazy for sure!  But we are all really getting there!  Unbelievably, I have had some rough patches at these extremely low levels.  Early this morning was a tough one out of the blue when I least expected it.  But I'm OK during the day today.  Maybe something I ate?  I'm starting to wonder about foods and how they may impact sxs, especially after the taper is done.  I've linked a success story by SSR1975 that is quite interesting in case you haven't run across it:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=205360.0

 

Hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

Circlestar

[[Kr...]]

Hi Fox and MT,

This is crazy for sure!  But we are all really getting there!  Unbelievably, I have had some rough patches at these extremely low levels.  Early this morning was a tough one out of the blue when I least expected it.  But I'm OK during the day today.  Maybe something I ate?  I'm starting to wonder about foods and how they may impact sxs, especially after the taper is done.  I've linked a success story by SSR1975 that is quite interesting in case you haven't run across it:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=205360.0

 

Hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

Circlestar

 

I thought I'd chime in here about foods and what is working for me now 3 months off in case any one finds it helpful. After walking off at .003mg on February 22, I went into the worst mental acute stage which seemed to start around 2 weeks off and continued until the beginning of May, so pretty much all of March and April.  The physical symptoms were consistent with what I'd experienced during the taper, but the mental/emotional were the worst that I had experienced.  I am finally starting to feel much, much better. 

 

I knew something wasn't working - that something was aggravating the existing withdrawal symptoms - and after talking to a friend and expressing how I felt like I had not control over what was happening, we talked deeply about nutrition and how I did have control over what I put in my body.  I was already a healthy eater, but I don't seem to absorb the nutrients that I consume and I really needed to figure out how to fix that in a gentle way.  Normal protocols for gut healing have made me worse in the past, as I don't think they are intended for those in withdrawal! I stumbled on a detox/raw vegan community that really helped starting to shift things for the better.  Let me preface by saying, I am not raw vegan and am not trying to detox my body as any little changes seem to upset the balance of my system, but I am moving in that direction, trying to slowly transition to eating more living foods with the most densely concentrated nutrients as possible to facilitate as much healing as possible.  I do not eat dairy, eggs, soy, corn, rice or gluten. 

 

Here are some things that have worked for me:

 

-I stopped all supplements.  I went to the doctor in February and had bloodwork done and she has suggested B12, Vitamin D, magnesium and potassium.  After a dermatologist visit and having my iron checked, I learned I was also deficient there and told to supplement.  I was taking all of these through mid-April and feeling progressively worse.  Since I know I deal with malabsorption of nutrients due to gut issues, my theory is that these vitamins were not being properly absorbed and that introducing them just created more work for my body which had to now work to eliminate them. This completely taxed my lymphatic system which seemed to become completely congested, manifesting in excess mucus, skin eruptions, etc.

 

-I am trying to fix digestion/absorption.  I know that the benzos messed up my gut and am working on fixing my gut issues and not aggravating my system as it heals. I am eating more live foods (more fruits and vegetable).  I am sprouting my own seeds and eating the cute little baby plants (broccoli, alfalfa, clover and radish sprouts).  I am juicing every morning, drinking my juice on an empty stomach.  My gut has had a hard time with a lot of fruits and veggies due to fermentation issues so I eat and juice the fruits and veggies that are consistent with a Low Fodmap diet.

 

-I am practicing Kundalini yoga.  The chanting and movement works to balance the nervous system, stimulating the vagus nerve, balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain, etc.  There are so many benefits!  It makes me feel energized and amazing.

 

-I am rebounding on a mini-trampoline to increase lymphatic flow and release toxins.  I hadn't been able to exercise for many, many months.  Jumping for 10-20 minutes every day has helped tremendously.  It's so important to move and sweat to release lymphatic waste, which is old cells, mucus, medications, environmental toxins, etc.  I am well aware that exercise intolerance is a real thing, so if you are extremely fatigued like I was when I started, just standing on it and bouncing without even lifting your feet off is beneficial.  But I know there are days when you can't even do this.  Believe me, I have spent days going from couch to bed.

 

-I am dry brushing my skin to increase lymphatic flow and remove toxins.

 

-I am choosing to believe that I'm healing.

 

I send you all so much love and well wishes for healing.  If any of this information resonates, great.  If not, keep searching for what works for you.  Hang in there.  Keep going. You are doing great and you will feel better!

[[mo...]]

Hi Fox and MT,

This is crazy for sure!  But we are all really getting there!  Unbelievably, I have had some rough patches at these extremely low levels.  Early this morning was a tough one out of the blue when I least expected it.  But I'm OK during the day today.  Maybe something I ate?  I'm starting to wonder about foods and how they may impact sxs, especially after the taper is done.  I've linked a success story by SSR1975 that is quite interesting in case you haven't run across it:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=205360.0

 

Hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

Circlestar

 

I thought I'd chime in here about foods and what is working for me now 3 months off in case any one finds it helpful. After walking off at .003mg on February 22, I went into the worst mental acute stage which seemed to start around 2 weeks off and continued until the beginning of May, so pretty much all of March and April.  The physical symptoms were consistent with what I'd experienced during the taper, but the mental/emotional was the worse that I had experienced.  I am finally starting to feel much, much better. 

 

I knew something wasn't working - that something was aggravating the existing withdrawal symptoms - and after talking to a friend and expressing how I felt like I had not control over what was happening, we talked deeply about nutrition and how I did have control over what I put in my body.  I was already a healthy eater, but I don't seem to absorb the nutrients that I consume and I really needed to figure out how to fix that in a gentle way.  Normal protocols for gut healing have made me worse in the past, as I don't think they are intended for those in withdrawal! I stumbled on a detox/raw vegan community that really helped starting to shift things for the better.  Let me preface by saying, I am not raw vegan and am not trying to detox my body as any little changes seem to upset the balance of my system, but I am moving in that direction, trying to slowly transition to eating more living foods with the most densely concentrated nutrients as possible to facilitate as much healing as possible.  I do not eat dairy, eggs, soy, corn, rice or gluten. 

 

Here are some things that have worked for me:

 

-I stopped all supplements.  I went to the doctor in February and had bloodwork done and she has suggested B12, Vitamin D, magnesium and potassium.  After a dermatologist visit and having my iron checked, I learned I was also deficient there and told to supplement.  I was taking all of these through mid-April and feeling progressively worse.  Since I know I deal with malabsorption of nutrients due to gut issues, my theory is that these vitamins were not being properly absorbed and that introducing them just created more work for my body which had to now work to eliminate them. This completely taxed my lymphatic system which seemed to become completely congested, manifesting in excess mucus, skin eruptions, etc.

 

-I am trying to fix digestion/absorption.  I know that the benzos messed up my gut and am working on fixing my gut issues and not aggravating my system as it heals. I am eating more live foods (more fruits and vegetable).  I am sprouting my own seeds and eating the cute little baby plants (broccoli, alfalfa, clover and radish sprouts).  I am juicing every morning, drinking my juice on an empty stomach.  My gut has had a hard time with a lot of fruits and veggies due to fermentation issues so I eat and juice the fruits and veggies that are consistent with a Low Fodmap diet.

 

-I am practicing Kundalini yoga.  The chanting and movement works to balance the nervous system, stimulating the vagus nerve, balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain, etc.  There are so many benefits!  It makes me feel energized and amazing.

 

-I am rebounding on a mini-trampoline to increase lymphatic flow and release toxins.  I hadn't been able to exercise for many, many months.  Jumping for 10-20 minutes every day has helped tremendously.  It's so important to move and sweat to release lymphatic waste, which is old cells, mucus, medications, environmental toxins, etc.  I am well aware that exercise intolerance is a real thing, so if you are extremely fatigued like I was when I started, just standing on it and bouncing without even lifting your feet off is beneficial.  But I know there are days when you can't even do this.  Believe me, I have spent days going from couch to bed.

 

-I am dry brushing my skin to increase lymphatic flow and remove toxins.

 

-I am choosing to believe that I'm healing.

 

I send you all so much love and well wishes for healing.  If any of this information resonates, great.  If not, keep searching for what works for you.  Hang in there.  Keep going. You are doing great and you will feel better!

 

Hi Kristin!

 

Thanks so much for the update and advice. I appreciate so much when the “free folk” check in from time to time. I vaguely remember in my cog fog state some of your posts and you jumping. So, may I ask specifically what your mental/emotional symptoms were like? We all heal differently but this is concerning and something I’ll look out for. I have a job and I’m a single mom so I’m grateful this far I’ve been for the most part functional. Did you feel debilitated by your symptoms or were they fairly  manageable, relatively speaking? Just goes to prove we continue to heal for some time after we jump. I’m preparing for that too. My family seems to think after I jump I’ll be good as new but I’m trying to set expectations there. Also how fast was your taper? Do you think it was fast and maybe contributed to symptoms later or did you go fairly slow? Sorry for all the questions! Just curious and hope this will help with what to do and not do.

 

As for me I’m at .010 but I’m taking a beach trip and want to be as functional as possible with the kids maybe at least be able to build a sand castle and think straight so I’m going to hold about 6 days until we return. I have had some fairly intense symptoms the past few days, I think I’m part due to eating something really unhealthy, to your point about diet so I think the hold will do me good as much as I want this to be over. Thanks again for sharing your experience. And I’m rooting for you Fox, Circle, Goodchance and continued healing for you Kristin! We are all healing.

[[ci...]]

Hi Fox and MT,

This is crazy for sure!  But we are all really getting there!  Unbelievably, I have had some rough patches at these extremely low levels.  Early this morning was a tough one out of the blue when I least expected it.  But I'm OK during the day today.  Maybe something I ate?  I'm starting to wonder about foods and how they may impact sxs, especially after the taper is done.  I've linked a success story by SSR1975 that is quite interesting in case you haven't run across it:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=205360.0

 

Hope you all have a great holiday weekend!

Circlestar

 

I thought I'd chime in here about foods and what is working for me now 3 months off in case any one finds it helpful. After walking off at .003mg on February 22, I went into the worst mental acute stage which seemed to start around 2 weeks off and continued until the beginning of May, so pretty much all of March and April.  The physical symptoms were consistent with what I'd experienced during the taper, but the mental/emotional were the worst that I had experienced.  I am finally starting to feel much, much better. 

 

I knew something wasn't working - that something was aggravating the existing withdrawal symptoms - and after talking to a friend and expressing how I felt like I had not control over what was happening, we talked deeply about nutrition and how I did have control over what I put in my body.  I was already a healthy eater, but I don't seem to absorb the nutrients that I consume and I really needed to figure out how to fix that in a gentle way.  Normal protocols for gut healing have made me worse in the past, as I don't think they are intended for those in withdrawal! I stumbled on a detox/raw vegan community that really helped starting to shift things for the better.  Let me preface by saying, I am not raw vegan and am not trying to detox my body as any little changes seem to upset the balance of my system, but I am moving in that direction, trying to slowly transition to eating more living foods with the most densely concentrated nutrients as possible to facilitate as much healing as possible.  I do not eat dairy, eggs, soy, corn, rice or gluten. 

 

Here are some things that have worked for me:

 

-I stopped all supplements.  I went to the doctor in February and had bloodwork done and she has suggested B12, Vitamin D, magnesium and potassium.  After a dermatologist visit and having my iron checked, I learned I was also deficient there and told to supplement.  I was taking all of these through mid-April and feeling progressively worse.  Since I know I deal with malabsorption of nutrients due to gut issues, my theory is that these vitamins were not being properly absorbed and that introducing them just created more work for my body which had to now work to eliminate them. This completely taxed my lymphatic system which seemed to become completely congested, manifesting in excess mucus, skin eruptions, etc.

 

-I am trying to fix digestion/absorption.  I know that the benzos messed up my gut and am working on fixing my gut issues and not aggravating my system as it heals. I am eating more live foods (more fruits and vegetable).  I am sprouting my own seeds and eating the cute little baby plants (broccoli, alfalfa, clover and radish sprouts).  I am juicing every morning, drinking my juice on an empty stomach.  My gut has had a hard time with a lot of fruits and veggies due to fermentation issues so I eat and juice the fruits and veggies that are consistent with a Low Fodmap diet.

 

-I am practicing Kundalini yoga.  The chanting and movement works to balance the nervous system, stimulating the vagus nerve, balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain, etc.  There are so many benefits!  It makes me feel energized and amazing.

 

-I am rebounding on a mini-trampoline to increase lymphatic flow and release toxins.  I hadn't been able to exercise for many, many months.  Jumping for 10-20 minutes every day has helped tremendously.  It's so important to move and sweat to release lymphatic waste, which is old cells, mucus, medications, environmental toxins, etc.  I am well aware that exercise intolerance is a real thing, so if you are extremely fatigued like I was when I started, just standing on it and bouncing without even lifting your feet off is beneficial.  But I know there are days when you can't even do this.  Believe me, I have spent days going from couch to bed.

 

-I am dry brushing my skin to increase lymphatic flow and remove toxins.

 

-I am choosing to believe that I'm healing.

 

I send you all so much love and well wishes for healing.  If any of this information resonates, great.  If not, keep searching for what works for you.  Hang in there.  Keep going. You are doing great and you will feel better!

 

Hi Kristin, 

Thank you so much for the update.  You have been on my mind as I get to the finish of my taper and thinking about what comes next.  I was thinking of reaching out to you— but you beat me to it!  I am glad to hear that you have found some things that work for you. 

 

I wonder if you could give more details about your food regimen.  Are you eating fish? shellfish?

vegetarian?  How did you decide to eliminate the foods that you did?  Do you still eat potatoes? Eggplant? Avocado? Tomatoes? Nuts? Is there a book or reference that you used? 

 

I have read  “The Plant Paradox” by Steven Gundry and was overwhelmed by some of the foods he advocated restricting.  Also another source I read awhile back was “Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain” by David Perlmutter.  Have you looked at either of these?

Just wonder what you thought of those...

 

So far I have been able to maintain my exercise regimen.  30 minutes of cardio 3x week and 2 sessions a week with personal trainer.  I like going to the gym and we work on strength, flexibility, balance (and is probably good for the brain).  I’m hoping I’ll be able to keep it up once I’m fully off.  I also try and go for a walk most days— but’s it’s been terrible rainy weather this Spring.

 

For my brain, I am reading again. (Which was difficult last year when I was doing C&H).  Also playing cards with a regular group 2x week.  Good distraction.  I also do volunteer work one afternoon a week right now.  I’m wondering how much of this I will be able to do in acute?  How would you typify your ability to do things in acute compared to taper? 

 

You really sound good!  And you are inspirational!  Congratulations to you for coming so far!

Circlestar

 

[[Kr...]]

 

Hi Kristin!

 

Thanks so much for the update and advice. I appreciate so much when the “free folk” check in from time to time. I vaguely remember in my cog fog state some of your posts and you jumping. So, may I ask specifically what your mental/emotional symptoms were like? We all heal differently but this is concerning and something I’ll look out for. I have a job and I’m a single mom so I’m grateful this far I’ve been for the most part functional. Did you feel debilitated by your symptoms or were they fairly  manageable, relatively speaking? Just goes to prove we continue to heal for some time after we jump. I’m preparing for that too. My family seems to think after I jump I’ll be good as new but I’m trying to set expectations there. Also how fast was your taper? Do you think it was fast and maybe contributed to symptoms later or did you go fairly slow? Sorry for all the questions! Just curious and hope this will help with what to do and not do.

 

As for me I’m at .010 but I’m taking a beach trip and want to be as functional as possible with the kids maybe at least be able to build a sand castle and think straight so I’m going to hold about 6 days until we return. I have had some fairly intense symptoms the past few days, I think I’m part due to eating something really unhealthy, to your point about diet so I think the hold will do me good as much as I want this to be over. Thanks again for sharing your experience. And I’m rooting for you Fox, Circle, Goodchance and continued healing for you Kristin! We are all healing.

 

Hi mountaintop!  It sounds like you have been functional and smart with your taper so I would be less inclined to think that you will have debilitating symptoms post jump.  I actually did a symptom-based taper and it took me a little over 2 years, so it was slow.  Most of my symptoms were physical and I was not always functional.  I worked part-time initially but did not work at all the last year.  I would not be capable of working at this time, but I feel like I'm moving in the direction of feeling well enough to take on part-time work eventually.  I'm just pointing this out because it sounds like you are much more functional than I was during the taper and I don't want you to worry about being debilitated by symptoms if you aren't at this point.  I understand being concerned about what will happen post jump.  I do believe there is a shock that happens the medication is no longer being introduced to the body on a daily basis, but we are all so different on how our bodies adapt.

 

My mental/emotional symptoms were bad.  I was dealing with severe depression due to feeling sick all the time.  I couldn't think clearly or focus on anything, and if I did, it was obsessive thought-looping.  I was really just hanging on, sometimes taking it an hour at a time, really just doing it for my girls because I felt completely hopeless.  A few weeks ago after I had dropped the supplements and made the tweaks in my diet, I started having little flickers of joy and slowly started remembering what it felt like to be happy and connected. 

 

I hope your intense symptoms settle down and that you have a nice trip with your kids.  Keep holding your dosage as long as you need to give you peace of mind and enjoy your time with your loved ones.  I'm rooting for you!

[[Kr...]]

 

Hi Kristin, 

Thank you so much for the update.  You have been on my mind as I get to the finish of my taper and thinking about what comes next.  I was thinking of reaching out to you— but you beat me to it!  I am glad to hear that you have found some things that work for you. 

 

I wonder if you could give more details about your food regimen.  Are you eating fish? shellfish?

vegetarian?  How did you decide to eliminate the foods that you did?  Do you still eat potatoes? Eggplant? Avocado? Tomatoes? Nuts? Is there a book or reference that you used? 

 

I have read  “The Plant Paradox” by Steven Gundry and was overwhelmed by some of the foods he advocated restricting.  Also another source I read awhile back was “Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain” by David Perlmutter.  Have you looked at either of these?

Just wonder what you thought of those...

 

So far I have been able to maintain my exercise regimen.  30 minutes of cardio 3x week and 2 sessions a week with personal trainer.  I like going to the gym and we work on strength, flexibility, balance (and is probably good for the brain).  I’m hoping I’ll be able to keep it up once I’m fully off.  I also try and go for a walk most days— but’s it’s been terrible rainy weather this Spring.

 

For my brain, I am reading again. (Which was difficult last year when I was doing C&H).  Also playing cards with a regular group 2x week.  Good distraction.  I also do volunteer work one afternoon a week right now.  I’m wondering how much of this I will be able to do in acute?  How would you typify your ability to do things in acute compared to taper? 

 

You really sound good!  And you are inspirational!  Congratulations to you for coming so far!

Circlestar

 

Hi Circlestar! Thanks for thinking of me and for the kind words.  I check in here every now and then to see how everyone on this thread is doing and am supporting you all with my thoughts.

 

In terms of diet, I am starting the morning with a juice made with cucumber, celery, orange, lemon and ginger.  My goal is to move to full celery juice to restore hydrochloric acid and aid with gut healing, but right now the celery alone causes too much bloating so I am slowly adding more over time.  A few hours later I will eat fruit.  Right now it's pineapple, but I am okay with oranges and blueberries as well.  I am trying to eat fruit as my first meal as it digests quickly.  If it is eaten after starchy meals or meals with protein, it just ferments and causes bloating.  If I'm still hungry later in the morning, I will eat steel cut oats with peanut butter and a small amount of maple syrup.  For lunch I have chicken and some cooked/steamed vegetables such as spinach, yellow peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, or cucumber.  I add my sprouts as well.   For dinner, I have something similar or I will have a sweet potato or regular potatoes.  I seem to digest all of these foods fairly well if eaten in small quantities.  For snacks I eat kind bars or seeds: pumpkin or sunflower.  My goal is to slowly add more fruits and veggies as my gut heals and to eat them raw, although I know this could be a long time from now.

 

I have heard of those books but have not read them.  Most of my gut knowledge comes from the SIBO community and then having to integrate that with what has happened due to benzo withdrawal.  It's really been trial and error.  I have always been pulled to a more plant-based diet though.  It makes the most sense for me intuitively even though my gut hasn't been able to digest the raw fruits and veggies.  Someone in the SIBO community said they had healed their SIBO on raw fruits and veggies which completely contradicts all SIBO protocols.  But since the SIBO protocols have not cured my gut, just allowed me to manage symptoms, I was intrigued to explore this direction of thinking.  I found the raw vegan community. The philosophy of eating living foods to heal our bodies is the first thing that has made sense to me.  I'm also trying to only eat when I'm hungry rather than following typical breakfast, lunch, dinner schedules.  I have learned that when my body doesn't have to digest, it can focus on healing.

 

There is a naturopathic doctor from Florida who has a lot of youtube videos about detoxing the system.  His name is Dr. Robert Morse and his ideas contradict the allopathic community and are kind of out there, but many of them completely resonate with me.  And I am feeling better going this route, so I'm inclined to think there is some inherent wisdom in what he says, and in knowing the body can heal itself if given the right conditions.

 

That is wonderful that you can exercise and distract with cards and volunteering!  Keep it up, it's good for the soul.  Do it as long as you feel well but please listen to your body and rest if you need to do so.  Great job making it this far!!

[[ci...]]

I did it!  I finished my taper!  Let the healing begin...

 

Circlestar

[[...]]

I did it!  I finished my taper!  Let the healing begin...

 

Circlestar

I am so happy for you-thank you for sharing-I wish you the best.