Need Help and Support

[[mi...]]

HI,

Need support and help.  First.  I am not sure when I first started tapering from 3mg of K per day since my plan was to only reduce my last dose of PRN out of my life and only take 2mg a day.  I decided March 5th to completely taper off of K.  My first official taper was .5mg reduction to 1.5mg.  This rendered me bed bound except for going to the bathroom and getting up to eat.  My body hurt so bad I could not lift my head or neck without going through extreme pain.  It would take me many attempts before I could get myself vertical.  This went on for about a month.  Needless to say I held.  I held until May first when I started to cut at the rate of 5% every two weeks.  Now June 1st I did my 3rd cut of 5% and the pain has returned again.  Not to the same degree but the pain is pretty bad.  What do I do?  The taper % is minimal.  I'm thinking of extending my cuts for 3 week intervals.  Thought of being in this much pain for 1 1/12 years is daunting.  Many more sxs but not as extreme.

 

Secondly, The Ashton Manual states the c/o from K to Valium can be difficult.  Can anyone describe their experience with c/o from K to V?  I see a new dr on July 2nd and I want to present the Ashton Manual.  Right now I am doing a dry cut.  I have been on K for 21-22 years.  Does the sxs symptoms get less as time goes on and gets closer to the end of your taper?

 

MissBella

[[mo...]]

Hi Ms. Bella, congrats on reducing your dose by 1/2 that is something. Can I ask if you are currently exercising or were when you resumed your taper? Exercise helped me immensely in my earlier stages I can only walk now but it helps. I can suggest what I would do based on your answer to that.I’ve never crossed over a medication so don’t know about that one.

 

As for symptoms I don’t think there’s rhyme or reason. Some have mostly the same throughout their taper while mine changed throughout. Some were consistent throughout while others left only to be replaced by something else. Some experience less symptoms the lower they go or some have more or the same. Not sure if this helps, everyone has a different experience.

[[de...]]

I think extending the time between your cuts is a good idea Bella.  But as mountain says, there is no rhyme or reason to this process, and everyone is different. 

 

Sounds to me that your body is telling you it's too much at the moment.  I'd listen to my body. 

 

Dee

 

 

[[Br...]]

missbella,

The reply's on your post provide reasonable views. Each person's w/d or taper experience is highly unique.  Currently I'm tapering off K and attempting as low as possible with only K.  I take it day by day and reevaluate my plan every 30 days. For now I'm tapering with K, however that may change to V at some point. 

 

You're very wise to take the Ashton manual with you to your doctor.  I've read it multiple times as with each reading I discover something new.

[[Jo...]]

Hi MissBella. Congratulations again on your reductions to date. I see you are doing a cut and hold approach. I tried that initially and even though I was using the 5% conservative taper like you I was quite ill. I then changed to a daily microtaper (I dry cut my Kolonopin pills. You can either do that or convert to liquid). I used Jim Hawk’s of B.B.  Application available at www.benzo.alwaysdata.net. It took a few days but once I switched to this method I became much more functional.

 

I hope this helps!