Long Haulers

[[Ca...]]

Kit, that means a lot. Thank you    You all have been the blessing to me, this forum has kept me sane in knowing a) I’m not alone and b) This is getting better every moment and will eventually end.  Helping raise others up when they are suffering also helps me too, it helps me keep perspective and stops me from staying stuck in my own stuff, and reminding others of the good taps me back into it when I’m down 

[[se...]]

Shayna,

 

My symptoms vary. Mostly anxiety, breathing problems, insomnia and gastric symptoms.  Looping thoughts and anxiety are big ones. I have severe medical anxiety..

[[Sh...]]

So sorry to hear that x I hope u will get a reprieve from it soon. My sxs are getting more tolerable the lower I get, or maybe I’m learning to cope with them better, I don’t know. All we can do is keep chipping away and cross our fingers. Sending u a virtual hug x

[[se...]]

Thank you Shayna, hugs to all!  Let’s keep supporting each other on this nightmare journey!!

[[Sh...]]

Yep x I’m here for the long haul ... 

[[Un...]]

Hi all,

 

I definitely fit into this group. I cut around 6% a month. I went down from 3.5 to .5 mg K from 2013- 2017. Then I stopped there as I was sick of tapering. My cuts had gotten smaller over those years to around 3.5-4% a month. I didn't even think I was ever going to taper again after having what I would call PTSD from the experience. But some months ago I decided to give it another go. Now I'm a month into a 6% a month micro taper. I know it will take me years because I go slow and I want to step off at a very low dose due to how potent K is. But the way I figure it, I stopped tapering and got my life back. It was a huge relief. So much so that I really didn't think I would finish tapering off. And even before I stopped I slowed enough that I began to get my life back before I held. So if it takes a while, I would rather do that and live normally than be in pain or miserable during a taper than jump in an already w/d state. From what I saw years ago when I was here, those people tended to have the roughest rides right behind those who did fast tapers and cold turkeys.

 

What I tell myself is that time is going to pass anyway. If I worry about getting off them, I tend to go too fast and get ill. Then life sucks. But if I just take it easy and go slow, my life is normal and it's not like it's a big deal.

[[se...]]

I like you approach and have to agree!  You will definitely come off, just keep moving forward!

[[Sh...]]

Hey guys just checking in x hope ur both doing ok today. X

[[se...]]

Unknown, you are making larger cuts than I am.  I could only dream about 6 percent per month.  Hope you both are doing well this week.

[[va...]]

Hi Candice and everyone. I qualify for this group. I'm chipping away at it so slowly that at this rate it'll take me ten years to taper 2mgs Valium. So be it. I don't care. Raising my daughter and managing my job and finances is all I care about after a horrible benzo crash that almost landed me in a psych ward. Stability is my top priority after having experienced that.

[[se...]]

Welcome valiumnomore!  We are all in the same boat, taking it slow but knowing we will get to the end is all that matters.  Merry Christmas everyone!

[[va...]]

Welcome valiumnomore!  We are all in the same boat, taking it slow but knowing we will get to the end is all that matters.  Merry Christmas everyone!

 

Thank you Seasalt and Merry Christmas!!

 

🎄🎅☃️❄️🎁🤗

[[Sh...]]

Merry Christmas guys x I hope u have a lovely day (I realise with covid it is difficult x)

[[Di...]]

Hi just found this group...think I have connected with some of you on other threads.  I love all your encouraging words.  I started my taper too fast (not knowing what I was doing until I found BB) and was also CO from Xanax to Lorazepam at the wrong equivalent.  My last cut was 1% less then 3 weeks ago still trying to stabilize.  I want to try DLMT after I am stable.  When I see how long it may take at such a slow rate I get overwhelmed but reading your posts here has given me hope.

Thank you all!

Dianedeedee

 

[[Ma...]]

Hi,

 

This group is the support I was looking for.  I successfully tapered from 11mg to 2 mg from 11/16 to 8/19. I held a lot and never exceeded 10% a month. I crashed due to many factors in 9/19. I then updosed twice landing at 4 mg. 4/20 I had to change manufacturers of diazapam which caused acute symptoms. This went on  for 3 months until I realized I was never going to stabilize. I then spent another 3 months crossing over to Valium brand. In October I started a dry cut microtaper at 5% per month. After 2 weeks I was slammed with horrible wd.  I held again and restarted at 2% per month. That had worked out. Between the updose and low taper rate, I’m feeling very discouraged. 

[[Di...]]

Magnolis I'm so sorry you have had such a hard time.    Hoping the 2% is going to work for you.  I feel your discouragement benzodiazepines sure are a hard challenge it shouldn't be this way.  I keep telling myself we will heal!

[[Ma...]]

Has anyone been able to increase their tapering rate after experiencing a rough start?

[[se...]]

Yes, I have recently.  For the first eight months I was only able to reduce 2.5 percent per month.  Recently I have been able to do this once weekly.  I have also recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s (thyroid autoimmune).  I’m not sure, but I think my thyroid was hyper and then went hypo.

 

Have not met with an endocrinologist yet, but should be in the next week or so.

[[Ma...]]

Thanks, that encouraging.

[[Ca...]]

Welcome Diane and Magnolis 

 

Diane- I’m so glad you’ve found some hope here in this thread. Little by little, you are getting there. You are healing.

 

Magnolis- I completely get it. I’m going super slow as well, and at this point my goal is to live a quality of life that allows me to function. I think the best thing we can do is listen to our bodies, and release the agenda we may have had about how fast this should go. Keep doing what works. That’s the best way to go, in my opinion.

 

Sea salt- That’s awesome that you’re able to speed things up for now!  Super encouraging!

 

As for me, I’ve done a lot of holding because my son caught COVID . And then, I became sick within a few days of his positive test. I kept testing negative but I had all the symptoms except for shortness of breath. We believe he caught it from his step sisters who go to school face to face (due to their mother enforcing this).  My two kids are currently learning remotely. It’s so stressful dealing with children coming and going from my home who are exposed at school and their other home (their mother doesn’t wear a mask and believe this is nothing more than a flu and it’s not “real”). Sigh. I might get tested for antibodies to get some peace of mind, with the hope I have them and thus some kind of immunity. The idea of a blood test deters me....

 

I hope everyone had a decent holiday and new year, and that everyone is doing alright and is safe.

[[se...]]

Candace, I am so sorry to hear you are not feeling well.  I still don’t understand why people just can not wear a mask?  I am thinking of you and I hope everything works out for the best.

 

Yes, I have been able to pick up the pace on my taper and I am happy.  I am not sure how long I can keep up this pace and worry about hitting a wall, but I am counting my blessings at the moment.

 

The bad news is the autoimmune diagnosis.  I feel like my body is reacting to everything I eat.  I hope I can get this under control.  I absolutely love fried clams, had a couple yesterday and my tongue began to burn and my throat became scratchy.  A few hours later, I got a sore throat and the burning tongue returned.  I must have developed an allergy.  I did notice a strong chemical flavor and assumed it was the oil used. 

 

Is it me, or is there always something? 

[[Di...]]

Candace thank you for the welcome.  Hope you feel better soon.

[[Ul...]]

10% per month??? I feel like I've barely done 10% per YEAR. Mostly 1-2% per month with many months at 0. Mega moocho slow. I've been putting k in my body now for over 26 1/2 years. The good news is that I'm hopefully just a few months away from ending the taper ride. I'm sure some protracted fun will be there after my last dose, but at least I'll still be moving forward. Blessings to all of you!! . We'll get there...

[[Di...]]

Ultra so happy that you are close to being done with this stuff.  I know 10% would probably have worked for me but I started out way too fast and now I have been paying for it.  Wishing you the best.

[[Be...]]

I found this group by accident, looks like I belong here. This post ( http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=250788.0  ) gives a lot of background. I just learned about Dr Christy Huff from my Promise Peer, and she was a long hauler. She is aparently a member of BenzoBuddies. But my Caseworker from Kaleidoscope got off easily ( http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=250742.0 )

 

I am stuck in a terrible W/D hell, and it feels like I'm not getting better by much, I did post in the Long Hold Support Group where they recommmended not reinstating my cut, and to hold until I'm stable, I feel like I am nowhere near stable. I visitied the tapering group for information on micro-tapering, which is what I will be doing from now on. But I don't think I'll be able to handle daily, it may have to be monthly. They recommended I start at 1% once I am stabilized.

 

So here I am, did doing a really slow taper with tiny cuts help you as it appears it did with Dr Huff?

 

I so wish I found this board before I foolishly did a rapid taper from Valium. With it's long half-life, no wonder I had few W/D symptoms.