The Long Hold Support Group

[[se...]]

Holding has allowed me to stabilize.  I have held a month at a time and it has done wonders, but everyone is different.

[[Tr...]]

 

 

Hi,

 

I've held for almost 6 months just to get stable.  After that only short holds when a hick-up occured. It worked for me.

The last 1 mg was almost " easy".

 

Good luck!

 

Trochsetter

[[Fr...]]

 

 

Hi,

 

I've held for almost 6 months just to get stable.  After that only short holds when a hick-up occured. It worked for me.

The last 1 mg was almost " easy".

 

Good luck!

 

Trochsetter

 

 

Trochsetter

I can’t tell by signature what dose were you at when you held six months.

 

Thank you both Seasalt and Torchsetter!

[[Tr...]]

 

Hi JlaV,

 

I was at 3 mgs.

Starting at 10,75 mgs. Going down to 6 mgs was doable.

Down to 3 was becoming extremely hard to do.

I crashed at 3 mgs. Thus the long hold.

After that brake, things became easier.

 

The last mg was the easiest part.

 

Trochsetter

[[Fr...]]

 

 

Hi JlaV,

 

I was at 3 mgs.

Starting at 10,75 mgs. Going down to 6 mgs was doable.

Down to 3 was becoming extremely hard to do.

A crashed at 3 mgs. Thus the long hold.

After that brake, things became easier.

 

The last mg was the easiest part.

 

Trochsetter

 

This is so helpful. I have had the exact same experience. Started at 12.. 6mg it got a lot harder and from 3-2.2mg is being very uncomfortable. So a six month hold at 3mg really helped? And what rate did you resume your taper at?

[[Tr...]]

 

 

Hi,

 

I went low and slow . I reduced 0,001 or sometimes 0,002 of the overall weight of the tablet(s). Not looking at how much that was in mgs of Diazepam. No maths needed, just scales and nail file.

 

This worked for me.

 

Hope this helps you!

 

Trochsetter

[[Fi...]]

 

 

Well girls and boys, 

 

Tonight I'm going to take my last  crumb of Diazepam! 

 

The bits of tablet are now so small, there's just no point in prolonging this.

 

It just is time to stop.

 

After 2,5 years of tapering and often holding this book is closing tonight!

 

It has been an unbelievable journey, to say the least.

 

Words cannot describe.

 

Only you, fellow benzo victims, know how awful benzos are.

 

I often doubted if I would make it, but I made it through.

 

A big thank you to people on here who have supported me along this road!  ❣

 

Trochsetter

 

Ps This was the official part. The party starts tomorrow 

 

Congratulations Trochsetter!  I understand how taking the last dose feels and then the odd feeling of not taking it after. 

 

I'm wishing you continued healing and smooth sailing ahead.

 

Final Healing

PS I am 4.5 months off and feeling very well. 

[[jo...]]

Ahh, ok. Same with me, and the research I did last year when finally tapering in earnest indicated that these drops in progesterone hit the same receptors and caused the same essential process as benzo withdrawal, so I assumed we were getting a double whammy. It actually feels the same as a post partum episode I had when I'd never been on any benzos at all, just every single month. I'll try to find those research papers again later, but it impacts GABA severely. Was very odd to see it was essentially the same process. Every attempt at tapering for me has been near impossible due to this and because it causes growth of fibroids.

Hi

 

I just read your message.

I have just had fibroids diagnosed after a scan.

I am unclear, are you saying that benzos cause growth of fibroids?

[Guest [fl...]]

Hi guys, just wanted to jump in here and offer a little help and simple explanation.

 

During the menstrual cycle, we experience a big jump in progesterone after ovulation. This results in a change in neurosteroids and increase in the GABAergic neurosteroid, allopregnanolone. Normally, this is nice, but the brain doesn't like change. It then produces anxiety forming GABA receptors called alpha 4 subunits. It can take a few days for these to go down, then many feel ok.

 

At the end of the luteal phase - around 3-5 days before menstruation - progesterone drops and with it allopregnanolone. This is more change for the brain, and more anxiety producing alpha 4 subunits. Add to this a reduction in GABA tone, and it's sheer misery due to progesterone withdrawal, which is a lot like benzo withdrawal.

 

The real kicker is that alpha 4 subunits do not respond to benzos OR allopregnanolone. They just sit there and cause misery. There are 3 things that make them go away - none of them super practical. 1) alcohol - one glass of wine over 2 hours (study available upon request) 2) flumazenil 3) Salvia (sage - but I suspect it takes a lot)

 

Once the brain heals, it then can deal with all of these changes better, but that takes time. Until then, the only solution for what is basically PMDD are neurosteroid elevating SSRIs (Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac and Pristiq). I desperately wanted these to work for me, but cannot handle the extra serotonin yet. I don't love SSRIs, but for temporary use, wanted to use them.

 

My cycle is unpredictable at anywhere from 23-28 days. If this cycle brings misery, I might try SSRIs again.

 

I hope that all makes sense and wasn't too sciency. Basically, the brain hates change and women suffer changes twice a cycle. When change happens, the brain makes anxiety GABA receptors that respond to nothing practical and make us sad. When we have a period, we suffer progesterone withdrawal.

 

If I had a magic wand, I'd turn off my ovaries for a while. Sigh. Birth control pills just cause suppression of GABAergic neurosteroids and more problems, so...resist if you can.

 

As an aside - fibroids are usually caused by estrogen dominance - meaning that you don't make enough progesterone. This is common in perimenopause but can happen anytime. Also common with low T3 (active thyroid hormone) which is super common with stress.

[[ki...]]

Fluffer, Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) is an SNRI and also a metabolite of Effexor (Venlafaxine). I was told that Effexor treats PMDD, mine has only gotten worse with tapering (I didn’t have it before benzos and ADs). I would think if Pristiq boosts neurosteroids that Effexor would too.

[Guest [fl...]]

Kitsune556, you are right, I am sorry! Pristiq is not on the list of neurosteroid increasing SSRIs. Thank you for the correction!

[[se...]]

Thank you for posting this!! I needed to hear that, I’m a couple of months out and needed the encouragement.

 

Congratulations for beating benzo’s!

[[Be...]]

Hi guys, just wanted to jump in here and offer a little help and simple explanation.

 

During the menstrual cycle, we experience a big jump in progesterone after ovulation. This results in a change in neurosteroids and increase in the GABAergic neurosteroid, allopregnanolone. Normally, this is nice, but the brain doesn't like change. It then produces anxiety forming GABA receptors called alpha 4 subunits. It can take a few days for these to go down, then many feel ok.

 

At the end of the luteal phase - around 3-5 days before menstruation - progesterone drops and with it allopregnanolone. This is more change for the brain, and more anxiety producing alpha 4 subunits. Add to this a reduction in GABA tone, and it's sheer misery due to progesterone withdrawal, which is a lot like benzo withdrawal.

 

The real kicker is that alpha 4 subunits do not respond to benzos OR allopregnanolone. They just sit there and cause misery. There are 3 things that make them go away - none of them super practical. 1) alcohol - one glass of wine over 2 hours (study available upon request) 2) flumazenil 3) Salvia (sage - but I suspect it takes a lot)

 

Once the brain heals, it then can deal with all of these changes better, but that takes time. Until then, the only solution for what is basically PMDD are neurosteroid elevating SSRIs (Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac and Pristiq). I desperately wanted these to work for me, but cannot handle the extra serotonin yet. I don't love SSRIs, but for temporary use, wanted to use them.

 

My cycle is unpredictable at anywhere from 23-28 days. If this cycle brings misery, I might try SSRIs again.

 

I hope that all makes sense and wasn't too sciency. Basically, the brain hates change and women suffer changes twice a cycle. When change happens, the brain makes anxiety GABA receptors that respond to nothing practical and make us sad. When we have a period, we suffer progesterone withdrawal.

 

If I had a magic wand, I'd turn off my ovaries for a while. Sigh. Birth control pills just cause suppression of GABAergic neurosteroids and more problems, so...resist if you can.

 

As an aside - fibroids are usually caused by estrogen dominance - meaning that you don't make enough progesterone. This is common in perimenopause but can happen anytime. Also common with low T3 (active thyroid hormone) which is super common with stress.

 

Fluff you are amazing! Thank you for this. Hope you’re doing ok xx

[Guest [fl...]]

Thanks, Bess you too!

 

I wish I were better. My brain is less anxious but I still feel awful. It’s hard to explain exactly why. I hope it’s not the lyrica. But just in case. I’m starting my taper off. Sigh.

[[Be...]]

Thanks, Bess you too!

 

I wish I were better. My brain is less anxious but I still feel awful. It’s hard to explain exactly why. I hope it’s not the lyrica. But just in case. I’m starting my taper off. Sigh.

 

Big love to you gorgeous girl,  make sure you are being kind to yourself & hang in there. It’s all gonna be ok.  Xx

[[Tr...]]

 

 

Thank you Final Healing,

 

It does feel good to be free!

 

I'm so glad to see you're doing  very well!  Gives us all hope

 

Wishing you full recovery!

 

 

Hi Seasalt,

 

It feels good to be on the other side of this crazy experience!

 

Full recovery to you too!

 

Stay stong!

 

Trochsetter

[[Su...]]

hi everyone,

i just wanted to ask some qns.... i do notice a huge influx of symptoms around ovulation and PMS since being in wd. It sucks big  time. This time im about to get my period and i have weird sensations in my vag. it started yesterday as pressure and today its vibrations and pulsing. im freaking out i have never felt this before. (i also just switched to Valium 12 days ago so i dont know if its the new benzo creating the symptom but im scared)... just wanted to know if anyone got this?

[[ki...]]

Jess, I’ve definitely had some weird sensations down there that I attribute to withdrawal. You’re not alone there.

[[Fr...]]

I have been tapering slowly since Nov 2018. I lost my period in March of 2020. Has anyone been able to get your period back by putting your taper on hold for a while?

[Guest [fl...]]

Jlavogt, your period will come back when you finish most likely.

 

I would give anything for my cycles to stop! I feel like I get 3 good days a month, and 24 bad ones due to my hormones.

 

If you hold your taper, there is no guarantee the cycles will return, however, as benzos themselves alter the HPA axis, including female hormones. Once off benzos and stable, however, you will likely find everything goes back to normal.

[[bo...]]

Hi just wondering if there is anything natural  you take during hormone changes, that can help with  sxs...  aparte from magnesium.

 

thxs

[Guest [fl...]]

I've had good luck with siberian rhubarb - Live Extension makes a formula called Menopause 731. Weird it's called that since the German studies were for peri-menopausal women. It binds to the calming estrogen receptors to improve estrogen balance.

 

Some have good luck with Vitex (chaste berry). After researching it, I declined. I can affect brain dopamine as well as possibly neurosteroids that help to keep GABA balance. That said, some really like it.

 

There are a bunch of other things too - primrose oil, black cohosh, and many others I can't recall right now.

[[Su...]]

Hi All,

I can attest to trying Vitex Chasteberry...  i tried it 3 years off benzos (the first time i was off benzos) and it gave me HORRIBLE headaches and mood swings... I guess now i know.

 

Thanks Fluffernutter123 i appreciated reading your posts about our hormone cycles... makes me wish i was a man during withdrawal. Yikes.

[[Su...]]

Flutternutter... also wanted to ask what have you noticed that the Menopause 731 has helped with ?

 

do you think it could help with the horrible wd sxs that certain phases of the cycle bring?

[Guest [fl...]]

SuperJess, I feel for you. It might help. For me, it was subtle but helped with middle of night anxiety. Because the drop of progesterone is basically like withdrawal, it’s leaving you with excess glutamate as gaba decreases. I’ve tried ultra low dose Prozac to increase neurosteroids. I’ve just started 1mg today. I’ll let you know if it helps. I also started very low dose pregabalin and might have to increase when my period strikes. My cycles are 23-27 days so it will be 2-5 days. This is so hard.