The Long Hold Support Group

[[ga...]]

Half asleep, stumbling toward kitchen to make a big mug of peppermint tea. My morning ritual. Can do it with my eyes closed 

 

Gard

[[Va...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

Hope you get settled in and everything goes well! 

[[be...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

Hope you get settled in and everything goes well! 

I second that, Welcome back to the USA. Hi Valley, you been busy? or just shoveling snow or cleaning out the Chicken Coup.?

[[Va...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

Hope you get settled in and everything goes well! 

I second that, Welcome back to the USA. Hi Valley, you been busy? or just shoveling snow or cleaning out the Chicken Coup.?

Hi BG. We just had the one of the biggest snowfalls I can remember. I shoveled 3 times yesterday and my neighbor did it a fourth time. The temps dropped to around -20 degrees last night. It was exhausting lol.  --V

[[be...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

Hope you get settled in and everything goes well! 

I second that, Welcome back to the USA. Hi Valley, you been busy? or just shoveling snow or cleaning out the Chicken Coup.?

Hi BG. We just had the one of the biggest snowfalls I can remember. I shoveled 3 times yesterday and my neighbor did it a fourth time. The temps dropped to around -20 degrees last night. It was exhausting lol.  --V

WOW, hope you are not overdoing it, we have ice here and going to get really cold tonight, I am afraid to venture out, do not want to fall and hurt my Pride..... Please do not overdo.

[[Va...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

Hope you get settled in and everything goes well! 

I second that, Welcome back to the USA. Hi Valley, you been busy? or just shoveling snow or cleaning out the Chicken Coup.?

Hi BG. We just had the one of the biggest snowfalls I can remember. I shoveled 3 times yesterday and my neighbor did it a fourth time. The temps dropped to around -20 degrees last night. It was exhausting lol.  --V

WOW, hope you are not overdoing it, we have ice here and going to get really cold tonight, I am afraid to venture out, do not want to fall and hurt my Pride..... Please do not overdo.

LOL. It's too late. I overdid it yesterday. Grab your blankets and stay warm! --V

[[so...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

 

 

 

Stephen, if you don't mind me asking, how has your long hold worked for you? gathering all the stories I can. Thanks.

 

~SS

[[He...]]

Valley.. -20 degrees?  &)(;/-//:$) where do you live? Antarctica?

[[Va...]]

Valley.. -20 degrees?  &)(;/-//:$) where do you live? Antarctica?

Close. Idaho lol.  --V

[[ca...]]

Valley, my better half is from Challis Idaho lol ! Hates the North East thinks it feels colder out here do to the humidity and we were down below zero Monday and Tuesday so bundle up and keep the woodstove rippin

[[Va...]]

Valley, my better half is from Challis Idaho lol ! Hates the North East thinks it feels colder out here do to the humidity and we were down below zero Monday and Tuesday so bundle up and keep the woodstove rippin

You're right about the northeast can do. I've spent some time there and the humidity definitely makes it feel colder.  --V

[[St...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

Hope you get settled in and everything goes well! 

 

Thanks. I have friends helping me move in. So far, so good. I'm concerned that long term the townhouse we chose from across the other side of the planet isn't going to be a good fit for us. The neighborhood has slightly more traffic noise than I'd like. Not sure how to combat that. Maybe thick curtains or something. I'm really noise sensitive and probably have some kind of PTSD from all the insomnia I suffered in Australia and how much it was triggered by noise and light. On the upside it's pretty dark here.

[[St...]]

I'm finally back home. Not sure when I'm going to end my long hold. I've been holding until I got resettled in America in my home town. My wife is a week away. Not sure what I'm going to do then.

 

 

 

Stephen, if you don't mind me asking, how has your long hold worked for you? gathering all the stories I can. Thanks.

 

~SS

 

To be clear, I held because I was going through a big change. I've done this a couple of times, actually. A lot of change in the last couple of years. And I didn't fully understand all my symptoms while doing this, nor did I blog frequently enough or engage enough on BB to have help catching when I was symptomatic.

 

Anyway, in 2014 I reinstated two weeks after a complete taper to 5mg of Valium after things got really hairy. Lots of terrible symptoms. I reinstated to 5mg and held for 5 months out of an abundance of caution. I started a microtaper once I felt solid and was microtapering while flying internationally on vacation, working, etc. I thought I felt fine overall, but I was having a little vertigo, which I didn't understand then. Also a little derealization.

 

When we decided to move to Australia I held again at 4.3mg, roughly. I held for 3 months while we were moving and, once again, felt pretty okay. A little more derealization, alittle vertigo. But otherwise I was able to move between countries, get settled and go back to work. After this last crash in August I became much more educated on how my symptoms manifested and what to look out for. I held at 2mg and have held there since August.

 

Most of that time since I stablized in August has been okay. I was really symptomatic in late August. Head pressure, derealization, nerve pain, anxiety, etc. Once I got stable, though, I've been alright. Maybe since mid to late September. I haven't been doing much, to be clear. Literally my life has been about surviving the move back to the US and taking care of myself. I have a very rigorous, strict diet, I keep track of everything I eat and every medication I take. I've been very diligent about this and I think it's been helpful to me surviving the move between countries and living out of a suitcase.

 

Sorry for the long-winded response, but since there are multiple holds and you're looking for information I was hoping it would be helpful. I've only held because I've had so much change. I think it's helped a lot, but it's definitely delayed my recovery. I hope I haven't hurt myself worst in the process. There's no plan right now. The only plan I have is to start going to my psych here and once my wife is home start to come up with a plan of attack on how to proceed.

[[so...]]

Thanks much for the response, Stephen. Sounds like you were pretty stable on your holds for the most part.

[[be...]]

Hi Solitude, how are you doing?, thinking of you and others here. .

[[Va...]]

Hi Solitude, how are you doing?, thinking of you and others here. .

Same here BG. The holidays can be a stressful time of year. I know it's traditionally been the most stressful for me throughout my adult life. 

 

Hope everyone is doing well! --V

[[so...]]

Hi guys, I'm hanging in there. Still not happy with my head. It has become increasingly problematic the last couple of weeks. Aches, pressure and those sharp stabs that come and go in an instant. It has made the spacy cog-fog worse.  It just feels like something is wrong with my brain.

 

Just don't understand why this is popping up now, two months into my hold. Upset and disappointed. Hoping that continuing to hold will allow this head stuff to ease off.

 

I have ice packs now as Heath suggested, and will settle in with them at bedtime along with some soothing music.

 

I did get out this afternoon to visit my daughter and see her new car, so that was nice. And I did a few minutes of snow shoveling, so got a bit of exercise.

 

Now it's time to veg out with some Netflix. Hope you guys are doing well today.

[[be...]]

Hi Solitude, how are you doing?, thinking of you and others here. .

Same here BG. The holidays can be a stressful time of year. I know it's traditionally been the most stressful for me throughout my adult life. 

 

Hope everyone is doing well! --V

Oh Valley I like Christmas, it is just sorta sad because of loss right around Christmas, I do feel bad for so many buddies all over the boards that are struggling so with their issues and I know they are not in the mood for the Holiday, and I wish they could find something to hold on to, Like "Hope" that things are going to get better soon, but we know it takes a long time, longer sometimes that many like or can bear, that is what causes me to feel sad also, but I am going to have a lovely Christmas no matter what. Yes I still believe in Santa Claus and I will be looking in the sky on XMAS Eve, like I do each year, fairy tales keep me going . And I am so grateful for the "Birth" on that snowy night in a Manger far away, many many years ago.

[[He...]]

SS,

I am so sorry that the headaches are plagueing you without a let up. I hope the ice packs will help. Moving them around when the pain localizes in a certain spot also helps a lot.

But I hope you don't give up on your hold.

 

 

Soooo....

I am in the middle of a hold and as I said before, I really don't know if my very troublesome tummy and my neck problems are from the benzos or not.

 

But  I will NOT give up on my tapering plan. I'm holding for another two weeks, until after the new year, and then I'll start my micro taper. I read somewhere on this forum that sometimes when you go lower in a dose as I plan to do, the symptoms you are having go away.

If mine are not gone by then, I sure hope when I start my taper again, that they may improve or disappear.

These benzos are a crazy bunch if meds. No one ever know what to expect during a taper.

 

I am going to a mini family reunion on the 24th at my son's vacation home in the desert. It sure would be nice if in the next four days my wd sxs would let up for at least just the holiday weekend.

But here I sit with the bad neck and tummy, but doing whatever I can to get through it and accepting the things I cannot change. Se la vie! That's the little French I know!

 

Take care SS and everyone.

 

All the best to all the buddies who are struggling and may all the buddies have some relief so we all can enjoy our holidays. I too believe in fairy tales and miracles. Bring them on!

 

Heath :smitten:

 

Thank goodness I don't live in IDAHO, sorry V!  How cold is it today! ?

 

[[Va...]]

Hi Solitude, how are you doing?, thinking of you and others here. .

Same here BG. The holidays can be a stressful time of year. I know it's traditionally been the most stressful for me throughout my adult life. 

 

Hope everyone is doing well! --V

Oh Valley I like Christmas, it is just sorta sad because of loss right around Christmas, I do feel bad for so many buddies all over the boards that are struggling so with their issues and I know they are not in the mood for the Holiday, and I wish they could find something to hold on to, Like "Hope" that things are going to get better soon, but we know it takes a long time, longer sometimes that many like or can bear, that is what causes me to feel sad also, but I am going to have a lovely Christmas no matter what. Yes I still believe in Santa Claus and I will be looking in the sky on XMAS Eve, like I do each year, fairy tales keep me going . And I am so grateful for the "Birth" on that snowy night in a Manger far away, many many years ago.

Me too BG. It's just the stress of shopping and getting everything ready. This is the first year we won't have our 2 oldest daughters and granddaughter here so it's kind of sad but still thankful for what we have. I hope all buddies find relief and happiness this Christmas! --V

[[Va...]]

SS,

I am so sorry that the headaches are plagueing you without a let up. I hope the ice packs will help. Moving them around when the pain localizes in a certain spot also helps a lot.

But I hope you don't give up on your hold.

 

 

Soooo....

I am in the middle of a hold and as I said before, I really don't know if my very troublesome tummy and my neck problems are from the benzos or not.

 

But  I will NOT give up on my tapering plan. I'm holding for another two weeks, until after the new year, and then I'll start my micro taper. I read somewhere on this forum that sometimes when you go lower in a dose as I plan to do, the symptoms you are having go away.

If mine are not gone by then, I sure hope when I start my taper again, that they may improve or disappear.

These benzos are a crazy bunch if meds. No one ever know what to expect during a taper.

 

I am going to a mini family reunion on the 24th at my son's vacation home in the desert. It sure would be nice if in the next four days my wd sxs would let up for at least just the holiday weekend.

But here I sit with the bad neck and tummy, but doing whatever I can to get through it and accepting the things I cannot change. Se la vie! That's the little French I know!

 

Take care SS and everyone.

 

All the best to all the buddies who are struggling and may all the buddies have some relief so we all can enjoy our holidays. I too believe in fairy tales and miracles. Bring them on!

 

Heath :smitten:

 

Thank goodness I don't live in IDAHO, sorry V!  How cold is it today! ?

Hi Heath. It got up to 15 degrees today so we're having a heat wave lol.  --V

[[Va...]]

Hi guys, I'm hanging in there. Still not happy with my head. It has become increasingly problematic the last couple of weeks. Aches, pressure and those sharp stabs that come and go in an instant. It has made the spacy cog-fog worse.  It just feels like something is wrong with my brain.

 

Just don't understand why this is popping up now, two months into my hold. Upset and disappointed. Hoping that continuing to hold will allow this head stuff to ease off.

 

I have ice packs now as Heath suggested, and will settle in with them at bedtime along with some soothing music.

 

I did get out this afternoon to visit my daughter and see her new car, so that was nice. And I did a few minutes of snow shoveling, so got a bit of exercise.

 

Now it's time to veg out with some Netflix. Hope you guys are doing well today.

Netflix sounds good to me SS! Hope the headache wave passes soon.  --V

[[ga...]]

Hi Solitude, how are you doing?, thinking of you and others here. .

Same here BG. The holidays can be a stressful time of year. I know it's traditionally been the most stressful for me throughout my adult life. 

 

Hope everyone is doing well! --V

 

On the one hand, I'm glad it's not just me. On the other hand, I wish you could have happy holidays. I wish we could both have happy holidays. Planning to hold this week. Hope it helps.

 

Gard

[[Va...]]

Hi Solitude, how are you doing?, thinking of you and others here. .

Same here BG. The holidays can be a stressful time of year. I know it's traditionally been the most stressful for me throughout my adult life. 

 

Hope everyone is doing well! --V

 

On the one hand, I'm glad it's not just me. On the other hand, I wish you could have happy holidays. I wish we could both have happy holidays. Planning to hold this week. Hope it helps.

 

Gard

I hope it helps too gard! I'm holding this week too but it's a built in hold. --V

[[He...]]

Hope your hold has positive results Gard.

And everybody feels better.

 

Heath