Ihank You

[[Ba...]]

Un be known to you all, I have been with you for at least 6 months now, reading, taking in all the information you have given to others while I have been withdrawing myself. I'm 62 and for the past 40 years have been off and on more medication drugs then I care to remember. I served in Vietnam twice and I came back a mess and through the years have experienced a lot of pain, mental and physical especially with medications. Anyway I'll start a blog later that way you'll know a bit more about me.  I stopped taking all my medications some months ago I just got sick of it all and i thought that's it no more well I cried for weeks the pain and suffering was terrible but what kept me going was the thought of all my buddies who gave up, and my wonderful family who have supported me giving up pills, alcohol, numerous upheavels. Anyway I'm have managed to do away with serapax, rohipnol, tramadol, panadiene forte, and am currently sitting on 4mg valium slowly tapering from 20mg. I hit a brick wall ( straight after an iron infusion which took 7hrs) at 5mg and after sitting on that for 14 days not being able to stabilise I decided to cut .5mg on these last 2 cuts. I know I'll get there from my past experiences, but now at this age it's harder and sometimes I get the thought why worry at this age basil. Then I got to keep motivating myself, love of my family, grandkids etc. but it's so hard and I agree with you all no one knows unless you've been there yourself. You have all given me encouragement thanks, for that means a lot to be able to find a site like this where everyone is so caring. You have a good crew Colin. I'm doing o.k at the moment thanks for listening to this story and I'm sure there's alot of others that are browsing this site and getting support for themselves in there way. Sleep and early morning very hard but gotta keep going forward. godbless you all

 

[[Co...]]

Hi Basil,

 

Thanks for your warm words, joining up, and sharing your experiences with us.

 

Yes, the crew are great, but the very long pointy stick helps! I had better watch out, or they will they will gang up and jump me! :muscle: :muscle:

 

Do start the blog; I'm sure everyone would like to read it.

 

Take care.

[[ru...]]

Hallo Basil!

 

Welcome to the forum. Seems like you've done well with your tapering-- just remember that the lower you get on on the Valium, the greater the percentage you're cutting each time. You might want to consider dropping .25 now, rather than .5. Easier on the ol' bod and all that.

 

BTW, you're not all that old either. You could have a good 20+ years left in you, see your grandkids grow up and all that. My mother in law is 85 and she still runs rings around me.

 

rufus

[[si...]]

hi basil - thank you for sharing your story and for the complements.

 

you are never too old to have a good life - i always think how old would i be if i waited two more years - or five more yrs.  those years would of been lost and my health further compromised.

 

and i hear ya on the benefits of a forum - others may of supported my decision but they were not ready or prepared to deal with the real nitty gritty of withdrawals.

 

 

[[el...]]

Hi Basil!

First off, thank you so much for your service in Vietnam. I have friends past and present who are Vets of that war, and you all are a very special group of people who have made an incredible sacrifice.   

 

You have done amazingly well getting off all those meds, and you are almost there!! Congratulations. Having the wonderful, supportive family that you have is such a blessing.

 

By the way, Colin boasts that he keeps us in line, but in reality, that would be like herding cats.  

 

Glad to have you here!!

Linda

[[si...]]

herding cats over a fast moving river at that.

[[Ba...]]

I think it's great when you all can interact with each so happy and friendly with each other. It raises a smile,a laugh with the comments, really great it makes a person feel welcome to join in. Anyway serious stuff, should I cut .5 or .25 off next cut, am on 4mg at present. Even though I hit my tolerance and been able to handle it I don't want to wreck everything now so close to the finish line, maybe consider .25 cut. The only thing making the division on the 2mg tablet hmm. What's the thoughts, would'nt mind some advice. Another thing I've noticed as I've been tapering off is that it's bad enough trying to get to sleep, but I've had to get up to go to the toilet a few times through night more than I used to normally to urinate. But then who knows when I say normally I was still taking valium maybe someone can enlighten me on this problem.

 

Thanks again for the welcome

Basil

 

[[el...]]

Basil, the peeing thing is very wd!!  Everything is hypersensitized, including the bladder.

As for pill splitting, we have an interesting technique. Split your 2mg pill into quarters. Take one quarter and crush it well. if you don't have a pill crusher or mortar and pestle, use a plate and the back of a spoon. After you crush it, split it in roughly two piles. You can use a credit card to do this. lick up one pile using your finger. set the other pile aside for the next day. each pile would be  .25mg, or an eighth of a pill. Then you just have to take 3.5mg  of your pills to make a total of 3.75mg.

[[el...]]

I'm very glad you feel welcome because you are! You're one of us now. Scary huh?