The Long Hold Support Group

[[Sh...]]

I know what you mean Heathcliff. That's why I'm working. My mind is busy so its okay. But as soon as I get home...crash. Mental sfxs slam me. It gets very exhausting distracting your self non stop and trying to block out your own mind.

[[He...]]

Shamo,

Hope you are still doing well in your LONG JUMP!

 

Heathcliff

[[...]]

 

 

Miyu.... Do you think it was worth switching over to the Valium  from the kolonopin if you could do it again? I am in a critical situation right now and feel something has to be done.... Trying to arm myself with as much info as possible...severely ill

 

Thank you kindly......

 

Pleasebehere.... im so sorry you are struggling so much 

 

Sorry ivebeen off line a couple of days, had a very rough time which I will explain in a new post.... Your question , I honestly am not sure. I do feel more stable on Valium without the inter dose WDs , however, I don't think tapering it is any easier than K would have been, that's if I could have gone slow enough , which I don't know that I could have given the strength of K.

I knew I wanted to cross, K scared me because of its potency. Crossing was not easy though and I wasn't well either before I started the cross. If I did that again , I would go way slower, I took 11 weeks as it was to cross to 10 mg V, I could never have done the Ashton method. I had K WDs the whole time. So I wish I could tell you what to do , but I do feel the pros of V now I am crossed. I got horrible inter dose WDs with K even with 3 doses a day. 

[[...]]

So , dummy me..... I did what you did Heathcliff , and I'm sure we've all done it (!), last Sunday I thought , well , I'm feeling a bit better after 3 weeks holding, why don't I try a teeny tiny cut, and I mean tiny, , like 1/4 of  1 / 16th of a mg V . A grain of sand. I mean , how could that give me WDs right?

Big mistake. For two days I felt fine , then it hit me, and I've been back to hell where I was three weeks ago before I started the hold.... Ugh.

 

Anyway , I guess we learn by our mistakes sometimes on this journey. I'm really going to try and hold now. I have to re read the propaganda regularly, and again , so that I don't cave.

I would like to be in relatinship with you all here about how long I hold for, because I don't trust myself at all not to do it again.

I get so scared of the drug that I just want to press forward . And so many conflicting opinions and experiences. I do have to give it a real shot to see if it works for me to do a long hold.

 

Sorry if I've missed any posts that might have been addressed to me......

 

Oh well... Onward, I sure hope some of you feel better today

[[...]]

Oh , on sleep.... Melatonin works really well for me... I take 1/4 mg

[[...]]

Nova 1 , thanks for your great posts......

So , do I understand you right that you do better with cut and hold? Seems you get intense symptoms though after you cut, but it's quicker for you than MT?

Just not sure if I missed something in your posts  , thank you!

[[He...]]

Hi MiYu, Pleasebehere, and everyone else on this support group,

Today I had a good day! Neck and back are much better. Very little shakes and trembles.

I drove all the way to my old school to see some of my teacher friends and last years kindergarteners. Had a good time. In the afternoon I went walking with a friend and her dog in a little village for about an hour and a half. Got home and I was pooped, but I did it!

I know that my wdfx are easing up because of this hold. I am at day number 30! . The last time this happened it wasn't even this good but I cut again anyway after two months. Big mistake,....but that is NOT going to happen again.

This time I am not pushing it. It is so good to feel alive again!

Thus time it's going to be at least a three or four month hold. I'm not messing myself up again.

And when I start my tapering again it's going to be teeny tiny until I see how my body reacts.

 

I know I may be miserable tomorrow with some returning wdfx because healing is not linear.  But these recent happenings are proof that my hold is working. I have never felt this good since January,  8 months ago when I started my taper!

 

I hope all who are holding will not give up. Let's keep the resolve to hang in there with each other's support.  It's hard to realize just one week ago I thought I was going to die because the wdfx were so bad.  Whoever said it to me, I can't remember, but you are so right.... Hang in there Heath, things can turn around when you least expect it!

 

One day at a time,  go slow slow slow, have patience, don't rush time, give your brain time to heal....we all heal at our own correct time, not by a calendar, listen to your body!

 

Thank you buddies for your sage suggestions and opinions. Today I love you all.

 

I pray tomorrow will be as good as today! ....and for those who are struggling, may your day tomorrow be much better than today.

 

Heath

 

I honestly don't know what I would do without this BB FORUM.

 

[[Pl...]]

 

 

Miyu.... Do you think it was worth switching over to the Valium  from the kolonopin if you could do it again? I am in a critical situation right now and feel something has to be done.... Trying to arm myself with as much info as possible...severely ill

 

Thank you kindly......

 

Pleasebehere.... im so sorry you are struggling so much 

 

Sorry ivebeen off line a couple of days, had a very rough time which I will explain in a new post.... Your question , I honestly am not sure. I do feel more stable on Valium without the inter dose WDs , however, I don't think tapering it is any easier than K would have been, that's if I could have gone slow enough , which I don't know that I could have given the strength of K.

I knew I wanted to cross, K scared me because of its potency. Crossing was not easy though and I wasn't well either before I started the cross. If I did that again , I would go way slower, I took 11 weeks as it was to cross to 10 mg V, I could never have done the Ashton method. I had K WDs the whole time. So I wish I could tell you what to do , but I do feel the pros of V now I am crossed. I got horrible inter dose WDs with K even with 3 doses a day. 

 

Thank you so much MiYu...

 

V - or anyone else that can chime in.... Kolonopin is not agreeing with me at all... I can't take the suffering....

 

This is my problem... I feel as though k does nothing for me... It is way too strong as Miyu said... Every morning when I wake up it is pure horror of non stop adrenaline and panic...and physical akasthesia... I am at my breaking point...

 

I am afraid because isn't Valium stronger in its half life then Valium.... If I am a poor metabolizer won't this effect me greatly... Such as 5 mg will feel like 10 milligrams to me...

 

If I cross over do I have to use the same equivalency of Valium equal to k?

 

Will I be able to cross to a much lower amount?

 

I am petrified of introducing yet another drug because now I will be experiencing withdrawals from the kolonopin... Valium seems to be known for burning.... Which also scares me .... If you look at my other posts I'm already suffering with serious symptoms from k? Is this wise at this juncture?

 

I constantly have chemical anxiety that won't stop....I just always feel high on this drug.. I can't do it... It should be taking away my anxiety instead it just gives it....

 

Please help with any suggestions.... I can't suffer like this any longer...

 

Miyu, is the sedation and potently really much less then k?  I would think with its long half life it would be worse? I don't understand the mechanisms....

 

Thank you all....

 

 

[[Va...]]

Hi MiYu, Pleasebehere, and everyone else on this support group,

Today I had a good day! Neck and back are much better. Very little shakes and trembles.

I drove all the way to my old school to see some of my teacher friends and last years kindergarteners. Had a good time. In the afternoon I went walking with a friend and her dog in a little village for about an hour and a half. Got home and I was pooped, but I did it!

I know that my wdfx are easing up because of this hold. I am at day number 30! . The last time this happened it wasn't even this good but I cut again anyway after two months. Big mistake,....but that is NOT going to happen again.

This time I am not pushing it. It is so good to feel alive again!

Thus time it's going to be at least a three or four month hold. I'm not messing myself up again.

And when I start my tapering again it's going to be teeny tiny until I see how my body reacts.

 

I know I may be miserable tomorrow with some returning wdfx because healing is not linear.  But these recent happenings are proof that my hold is working. I have never felt this good since January,  8 months ago when I started my taper!

 

I hope all who are holding will not give up. Let's keep the resolve to hang in there with each other's support.  It's hard to realize just one week ago I thought I was going to die because the wdfx were so bad.  Whoever said it to me, I can't remember, but you are so right.... Hang in there Heath, things can turn around when you least expect it!

 

One day at a time,  go slow slow slow, have patience, don't rush time, give your brain time to heal....we all heal at our own correct time, not by a calendar, listen to your body!

 

Thank you buddies for your sage suggestions and opinions. Today I love you all.

 

I pray tomorrow will be as good as today! ....and for those who are struggling, may your day tomorrow be much better than today.

 

Heath

 

I honestly don't know what I would do without this BB FORUM.

So good to hear Heath! I hope it continues all the way down. 

[[Va...]]

 

 

Miyu.... Do you think it was worth switching over to the Valium  from the kolonopin if you could do it again? I am in a critical situation right now and feel something has to be done.... Trying to arm myself with as much info as possible...severely ill

 

Thank you kindly......

 

Pleasebehere.... im so sorry you are struggling so much 

 

Sorry ivebeen off line a couple of days, had a very rough time which I will explain in a new post.... Your question , I honestly am not sure. I do feel more stable on Valium without the inter dose WDs , however, I don't think tapering it is any easier than K would have been, that's if I could have gone slow enough , which I don't know that I could have given the strength of K.

I knew I wanted to cross, K scared me because of its potency. Crossing was not easy though and I wasn't well either before I started the cross. If I did that again , I would go way slower, I took 11 weeks as it was to cross to 10 mg V, I could never have done the Ashton method. I had K WDs the whole time. So I wish I could tell you what to do , but I do feel the pros of V now I am crossed. I got horrible inter dose WDs with K even with 3 doses a day. 

 

Thank you so much MiYu...

 

V - or anyone else that can chime in.... Kolonopin is not agreeing with me at all... I can't take the suffering....

 

This is my problem... I feel as though k does nothing for me... It is way too strong as Miyu said... Every morning when I wake up it is pure horror of non stop adrenaline and panic...and physical akasthesia... I am at my breaking point...

 

I am afraid because isn't Valium stronger in its half life then Valium.... If I am a poor metabolizer won't this effect me greatly... Such as 5 mg will feel like 10 milligrams to me...

 

If I cross over do I have to use the same equivalency of Valium equal to k?

 

Will I be able to cross to a much lower amount?

 

I am petrified of introducing yet another drug because now I will be experiencing withdrawals from the kolonopin... Valium seems to be known for burning.... Which also scares me .... If you look at my other posts I'm already suffering with serious symptoms from k? Is this wise at this juncture?

 

I constantly have chemical anxiety that won't stop....I just always feel high on this drug.. I can't do it... It should be taking away my anxiety instead it just gives it....

 

Please help with any suggestions.... I can't suffer like this any longer...

 

Miyu, is the sedation and potently really much less then k?  I would think with its long half life it would be worse? I don't understand the mechanisms....

 

Thank you all....

Please form what I've read, V is a great option for those who can't taper K. It is more sedating which isn't all bad as it does wear off after you've been on it a while. The half life is much longer and it isn't as potent as K. With that being said, it's probably about 50/50 for those who switch. The crossover is probably the hardest part. Hope you can figure out. The right move Please. You've suffered long enough.  --V

[[Ho...]]

 

 

Miyu.... Do you think it was worth switching over to the Valium  from the kolonopin if you could do it again? I am in a critical situation right now and feel something has to be done.... Trying to arm myself with as much info as possible...severely ill

 

Thank you kindly......

 

Pleasebehere.... im so sorry you are struggling so much 

 

Sorry ivebeen off line a couple of days, had a very rough time which I will explain in a new post.... Your question , I honestly am not sure. I do feel more stable on Valium without the inter dose WDs , however, I don't think tapering it is any easier than K would have been, that's if I could have gone slow enough , which I don't know that I could have given the strength of K.

I knew I wanted to cross, K scared me because of its potency. Crossing was not easy though and I wasn't well either before I started the cross. If I did that again , I would go way slower, I took 11 weeks as it was to cross to 10 mg V, I could never have done the Ashton method. I had K WDs the whole time. So I wish I could tell you what to do , but I do feel the pros of V now I am crossed. I got horrible inter dose WDs with K even with 3 doses a day. 

 

Thank you so much MiYu...

 

V - or anyone else that can chime in.... Kolonopin is not agreeing with me at all... I can't take the suffering....

 

This is my problem... I feel as though k does nothing for me... It is way too strong as Miyu said... Every morning when I wake up it is pure horror of non stop adrenaline and panic...and physical akasthesia... I am at my breaking point...

 

I am afraid because isn't Valium stronger in its half life then Valium.... If I am a poor metabolizer won't this effect me greatly... Such as 5 mg will feel like 10 milligrams to me...

 

If I cross over do I have to use the same equivalency of Valium equal to k?

 

Will I be able to cross to a much lower amount?

 

I am petrified of introducing yet another drug because now I will be experiencing withdrawals from the kolonopin... Valium seems to be known for burning.... Which also scares me .... If you look at my other posts I'm already suffering with serious symptoms from k? Is this wise at this juncture?

 

I constantly have chemical anxiety that won't stop....I just always feel high on this drug.. I can't do it... It should be taking away my anxiety instead it just gives it....

 

Please help with any suggestions.... I can't suffer like this any longer...

 

Miyu, is the sedation and potently really much less then k?  I would think with its long half life it would be worse? I don't understand the mechanisms....

 

Thank you all....

Please form what I've read, V is a great option for those who can't taper K. It is more sedating which isn't all bad as it does wear off after you've been on it a while. The half life is much longer and it isn't as potent as K. With that being said, it's probably about 50/50 for those who switch. The crossover is probably the hardest part. Hope you can figure out. The right move Please. You've suffered long enough.  --V

 

Please,

 

I crossed from Xanax to V and it' been better for me due to longer half life and lower potency.  I still have withdrawals but the symptoms are not as violent as they were with Xanax.  From what I understand, X and K have similar potencies. If you are doing so badly, I think a crossover would be worth a shot.  The crossover for me was pretty uneventful and I actually felt better than I had in a while. Of course now I'm tapering so I feel like crap, but I'm making slow and steady progress.  The sedation from V only lasted a few weeks and then my body got used to it.  I actually did a pretty nontraditional crossover.  Instead of substituting doses, he just added v at 2.5 mg three times a day on top of my Xanax 0.75 mg daily and I weaned off the Xanax at 0.125 a week (he was hoping the 10:1 ratio quoted in some books would work for me). It became obvious that wasn't enough to cover the withdrawals half way through so he bumped up the V to 5 mg  3x daily (just like Ashton's ratio) and I as able to wean off the rest of the X.  Nonconventional but it worked.  It took about 5-6 weeks. I do hope you find something that works for you.  There are plenty of people on the KK thread that have crossed from K to V, check over there if you haven't already.

[[ga...]]

Hello, Hold Group. I have been holding my Librium for months and months and decided to try cutting my Q. It's been awful. The neuropathy is now disabling. Spending lot of time lying in bed listening to guided mediations. I have some for pain relief and some for relaxation. Being still and having a calm voice to focus on is the only way I can get relief. I don't know how all of you survive who work or have children to look after. My young adult children give me enough trouble and they supposedly look after themselves.

 

Found out why my son has been dodging me. He dropped out of college (again) and didn't want me to find out. He was trying to work full time at a new job and go to school. He went to 2 days of class and then quit. He is discouraged because he doesn't like his job (managing fast food) and wants to get a technical degree in something geeky (because he is totally introverted geek). But he tends to try to bite off more than he can chew over and over. I was sad to hear he had tried and failed again and how down on himself he was. But, on the bright side, now he has time to mow my overgrown, weedy lawn.

 

Time to go back to holding everything and waiting for life and w/d to settle down. Full blown chicken mode.

 

Gard

[[Pl...]]

 

 

Miyu.... Do you think it was worth switching over to the Valium  from the kolonopin if you could do it again? I am in a critical situation right now and feel something has to be done.... Trying to arm myself with as much info as possible...severely ill

 

Thank you kindly......

 

Pleasebehere.... im so sorry you are struggling so much 

 

Sorry ivebeen off line a couple of days, had a very rough time which I will explain in a new post.... Your question , I honestly am not sure. I do feel more stable on Valium without the inter dose WDs , however, I don't think tapering it is any easier than K would have been, that's if I could have gone slow enough , which I don't know that I could have given the strength of K.

I knew I wanted to cross, K scared me because of its potency. Crossing was not easy though and I wasn't well either before I started the cross. If I did that again , I would go way slower, I took 11 weeks as it was to cross to 10 mg V, I could never have done the Ashton method. I had K WDs the whole time. So I wish I could tell you what to do , but I do feel the pros of V now I am crossed. I got horrible inter dose WDs with K even with 3 doses a day. 

 

Thank you so much MiYu...

 

V - or anyone else that can chime in.... Kolonopin is not agreeing with me at all... I can't take the suffering....

 

This is my problem... I feel as though k does nothing for me... It is way too strong as Miyu said... Every morning when I wake up it is pure horror of non stop adrenaline and panic...and physical akasthesia... I am at my breaking point...

 

I am afraid because isn't Valium stronger in its half life then Valium.... If I am a poor metabolizer won't this effect me greatly... Such as 5 mg will feel like 10 milligrams to me...

 

If I cross over do I have to use the same equivalency of Valium equal to k?

 

Will I be able to cross to a much lower amount?

 

I am petrified of introducing yet another drug because now I will be experiencing withdrawals from the kolonopin... Valium seems to be known for burning.... Which also scares me .... If you look at my other posts I'm already suffering with serious symptoms from k? Is this wise at this juncture?

 

I constantly have chemical anxiety that won't stop....I just always feel high on this drug.. I can't do it... It should be taking away my anxiety instead it just gives it....

 

Please help with any suggestions.... I can't suffer like this any longer...

 

Miyu, is the sedation and potently really much less then k?  I would think with its long half life it would be worse? I don't understand the mechanisms....

 

Thank you all....

Please form what I've read, V is a great option for those who can't taper K. It is more sedating which isn't all bad as it does wear off after you've been on it a while. The half life is much longer and it isn't as potent as K. With that being said, it's probably about 50/50 for those who switch. The crossover is probably the hardest part. Hope you can figure out. The right move Please. You've suffered long enough.  --V

 

V-  thank you I just called a pharmacist and asked about beta blockers to perhaps reduce my adrenaline surges.... I don't have high bp for the most part and I don't want to take it everyday as those also need to be tapered...

The Ashton manual said it blocks adrenaline and tremors...she was leaning more towards it lowering bp...

 

I also. Heard about seriphos but I don't know if that impedes healing...

 

I asked about crossing over to Valium and she said that didn't make sense as it was just staying on another benzo...she may have a point because of the severity of my situation but how can I just stop this.... I told her the potentcy equivalency.....She said I sound like I am too sensitive and I should just do a detox....

 

That is what got me in this mess..

 

.. I am afraid to call my doctor because I don't know what he will do... I'm afraid he'll rip me off these meds by force and make me take something just for seizures...

 

Sorry that I keep coming on here for help.....

 

I will also ask on the Valium thread......

 

[[Va...]]

Hello, Hold Group. I have been holding my Librium for months and months and decided to try cutting my Q. It's been awful. The neuropathy is now disabling. Spending lot of time lying in bed listening to guided mediations. I have some for pain relief and some for relaxation. Being still and having a calm voice to focus on is the only way I can get relief. I don't know how all of you survive who work or have children to look after. My young adult children give me enough trouble and they supposedly look after themselves.

 

Found out why my son has been dodging me. He dropped out of college (again) and didn't want me to find out. He was trying to work full time at a new job and go to school. He went to 2 days of class and then quit. He is discouraged because he doesn't like his job (managing fast food) and wants to get a technical degree in something geeky (because he is totally introverted geek). But he tends to try to bite off more than he can chew over and over. I was sad to hear he had tried and failed again and how down on himself he was. But, on the bright side, now he has time to mow my overgrown, weedy lawn.

 

Time to go back to holding everything and waiting for life and w/d to settle down. Full blown chicken mode.

 

Gard

Hi Gard! So good to hear from you but sorry for what you're going through. Sounds like you got a double whammy with the Librium and the Q. Hopefully once you get off the Q it will be easier to get off the Librium.  Hope things settle down for you.  --V

[[...]]

Pleasebehere, I think what Hope said is good advice. I don't feel good on V , but prefer it to K . The sedation is not that bad. I'm just having great difficulty with WD altogether . I crossed to 10 mg V for my .375 K , so I actually increased according to the Ashton equivalent , and I think mor would have been even better for me to stabilize. K is 20 X stronger than V , that is why it seems like a lot of V , but it's just not as strong of a drug. k would just hit me like a ton of bricks.

 

 

Heathcliff ..... So great a good day! Wow..... Happy for you. I'm envious that you have gotten to a low dose. I don't think I'd feel so bad about holding if I was on a lesser dose , as it is I'm stuck at 8.5 mg and can't reduce further which makes me feel like I'll never get there.

Sometimes I think I should just jump in and get lower and then hold, but I don't know if I could bear the symptoms , they are bad enough as it is.

How were you early on in your taper?

Have to keep remembering , we DO heal

[[...]]

Heathcliff..... However did you manage a 2.5 mg cut your first cut in Jan? How were your symptoms? 

[[Va...]]

Heathcliff..... However did you manage a 2.5 mg cut your first cut in Jan? How were your symptoms? 

Hi Miyu. I know this question is for Heath but I was able to cut at a rate of 2.5mg a week when I started. I even waited for 3 weeks on the last cut before I cut 1mg and that's when everything went south. I don't understand it as I was able to stabilise between each cut until the last one. It could be a delayed reaction or lag time effect.  I'm not sure. I just know that all my cutting now revolves around symptoms. If I feel any, I hold.  I could probably get off faster but I'm not going through the horrid experience of severe withdrawal and having to hold for 6 months again because of it. If I do another long hold it will be to allow for deeper healing to take place.  --V

[[...]]

Nova1 - I case you missed my post ... In your signature .... Are you saying you do better with cut and hold at 1/4 mg mo than MT? Thank you so  much

[[be...]]

[glow=red,2,300]Hang in there Gard, the good time will come back, Time will make it better. Begood.

[[...]]

Heathcliff..... However did you manage a 2.5 mg cut your first cut in Jan? How were your symptoms? 

Hi Miyu. I know this question is for Heath but I was able to cut at a rate of 2.5mg a week when I started. I even waited for 3 weeks on the last cut before I cut 1mg and that's when everything went south. I don't understand it as I was able to stabilise between each cut until the last one. It could be a delayed reaction or lag time effect.  I'm not sure. I just know that all my cutting now revolves around symptoms. If I feel any, I hold.  I could probably get off faster but I'm not going through the horrid experience of severe withdrawal and having to hold for 6 months again because of it. If I do another long hold it will be to allow for deeper healing to take place.  --V

 

ValleyUm, thank you , I really appreciate your response, you seem very level headed about the whole process, I am trying to get to that place . I have never been symptom free since I started benzos, although I did have ap period when I first started klonopin where I felt a lot stronger, but I had been ill so was catching up from that too. My crossover was really hard and i experienced so many WD symptoms that have never really gone away. So maybe my body really does just need a break , to catch up, balance a bit , stabilize I hope , and then maybe my taper wouldn't be so hard.

I find your experience very encouraging thank you.

I think if I could just have a period where I felt stable , and knew that was possible it wouLd change how I relate to the whole process. Praying for that!

Thanks again, MiYu

Ps I just got my V refill and they changed the brand from activas to Teva, and the pills are a different weight! So now I have to figure all that out so I don't end up cutting where I don't mean to in the switch  ! I think Teva is a decent generic though

[[...]]

Ps Valley Um..... I have friends in my Facebook support group who just plowed through to get off and are suffering horribly now after finishing their taper..... I think that's worse , better to heal on the way down of possible. I think you know when you are healing as you reduce right? 

[[He...]]

Heathcliff..... However did you manage a 2.5 mg cut your first cut in Jan? How were your symptoms? 

 

Hi MiYu,

 

I have no idea how I got away with a 2.5 cut at the the very first cut in my taper.

I had already had the shakes and looking back I think I was probably in tolerance already in the beginning of January. I was trembling and shaking for atleast the whole month of Januarywhen I decided I had to get off of the Valium, it wasn't helping me. And it  was only making me sick.

 

So when I made the first cut, I had done it really with no knowledge at all about how to taper. I remember always always always having the trembles and shakes. But I keep cutting. I didn't even wait a month. Sometimes I held for two weeks, sometimes three. I was totally irratic because I really didn't know what the heck I was doing. I just got lucky  that the shakes and trembles were my only major wdfx. But I did have blurry vision at times, very sensitive ear popping and everything seemed very loud, and bad headaches.

So I actually tapered extremely fast..... But...it did finally catch up with me. ( you can't fool your brain!)

 

If you will look at my signature you will see that I was at 1.25 at the end of May, and here I am 3 1/2 months later in mid Sept and I am still only at 1.2.  I had to hold twice to let my brain heal and catch up.

Although I thought I was getting away Scott free, I really wasn't ! I never gave my brain a chance to heal during those fast cuts and tiny holds and now it was all catching up to me... Big time!

 

Why I never got really really bad wdfx before, during those big cuts and fast down dosing, I have no idea! Dumb luck?  But as I said, and ValleyUm explained everything was catching up with me. It was a too fast taper and the cuts were to big and I didn't hold long enough between holds. So now  my brain was screaming at me! It really was saying slow down and let me heal!

 

But I am now enlightened! I know I have to cut slowly so I don't suffer the bad wdfx  I have been getting after even tiny cuts recently.

 

My present  30 day hold has gotten me out of hell. But I know from experience that even though I feel So alive and well for the past three days, it does  NOT MEAN I AM READY TO CUT AGAIN!

I'm waiting for at east three or four months.

 

When I begin to taper again, My plan is To keep my micro taper at about .005 for four days and then hold again for four days to see what happens. No more rushing fir me! But I will adjust it according to how I feel.( MUCH SLOWER THAN THE BEGINNING OF MY TAPER!)!)

 

Minor wdfx will be okay with me, but if I start getting major wdfx, IWILL hold fir as many months as I need to. Hopefully it won't come to many more long holds.

 

If I can cut bigger I will, but I have to wait and see how I feel.

 

MAJOR PLANS OF MICE AND MEN! Very funny!

 

Heath

 

 

So it's micro taper with holds fir me from now on.

It will probably take a really long time to free me from the Valium altogether, but at least I will feel alive  and have very little wdfx.

[[He...]]

Heathcliff..... However did you manage a 2.5 mg cut your first cut in Jan? How were your symptoms? 

Hi Miyu. I know this question is for Heath but I was able to cut at a rate of 2.5mg a week when I started. I even waited for 3 weeks on the last cut before I cut 1mg and that's when everything went south. I don't understand it as I was able to stabilise between each cut until the last one. It could be a delayed reaction or lag time effect.  I'm not sure. I just know that all my cutting now revolves around symptoms. If I feel any, I hold.  I could probably get off faster but I'm not going through the horrid experience of severe withdrawal and having to hold for 6 months again because of it. If I do another long hold it will be to allow for deeper healing to take place.  --V

 

I agree with VallyUm 100%.

And yes, better to heal slowly as you taper slowly, and  be in good shape when you jump, than to be in hell as you taper too fast, and then be in hell again when you jump!

 

Heath

[[He...]]

MiYu,

What's this about a Facebook group for benzo people? I'd love to join? Is it open to others? What are the rules? I don't want to butt in or to rain on your parade, but I am interested in any and all resources.

 

Thanks Heath

[[He...]]

Pleasebehere,

I am a bit confused about what you wrote but I just thought I'd give you a bit of what I know.

 

I'm not sure if you said something about crossing over to Valium from klonopin all at once? OR  Am I not understanding?

If that us so, I wanted to point you to the Ashton manual that is on line. There is a chapter that lists schedules for crossing over from k to v With precise equivalencies. Although she lists time frames for holding as well, you certainly could hold longer than she recommends to give your body time to adjust when you cross over. As far as Valium being sedating, as VallyUm stated,  the sedation does wear off. (Heck I would welcome the sedation! I need sleep!)

 

Also, the fact that Valium has a long half life does NOT mean it is stronger. Actually,  from what I understand, Valium is one of the weaker Benzos.  The reason Valium is good for  tapering, and the reason it is recommended to cross over to it to make tapering easier, is that the long half life means it keeps the medicine in your body for a longer time and it reduces from your body at a slower rate. So the steadiness of the drug makes for much less interdose wdfx. The drugs like Xanax and some others have shorter half life's and that is why people have to take it so many times a day to avoid interdose wdfx. PERHAPS YOU WERE ADVISED TO CROSSPVER FROM KLONOPIN BECAUSE  KLONOPIN MAY HAVE A SHORTER HALF LIFE TOO. BUT PLEASE CHECK THAT OUT BECAUSE I AM NOT REALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT KLONOPIN.

 

Just trying to help you. You probably know this already. But do check this all out, because I am no expert. But this is how  I understand it.

 

I hope you are felling better today! I feel so badly for you. you are  struggling so much and you deserve better. You are being such a warrior! I hope tomorrow is a turning point for you.

 

Heath