The Long Hold Support Group

[[ga...]]

Thanks for the advice.  I've been doing a daily liquid micro taper from the start in April.  My daily drops have been .01 mg.  It started off being 4.35% every two weeks and naturally has increased in percentage since then.  I had every intention of making this a symptom based taper and adjusting when needed.  I knew from previous failed experience that I cannot handle when the daily percentages get to .8%, but that was at a lower dose of K.

 

I'm going to hold much longer than 2 weeks this time.  I'll see where I'm at in a month.  I want to be feeling good for longer than 2 weeks before I resume again as obviously that wasn't long enough for my CNS last time.

 

Welcome, Starshine. You seem to have this taper thing figured out! If you continue to listen to your body and adjust your rate with short holds, you may not need a long hold.

 

I was pushed by my original prescriber to keep cutting even though I was obviously going too fast. Big crash. At that point, only a long hold could help me. Thank heavens I got a new prescriber who understood this and encouraged me to hold. I was in waves and windows for nearly a year, but with a general trend toward improvement. That was my cue that I was doing the right thing. Now I'm tapering and incorporating short holds so I don't end up crashing again.

 

Whether I'm cutting or holding, I know that each day I am one day closer to freedom. You are, too!

 

Gard

[[To...]]

Thanks for the advice.  I've been doing a daily liquid micro taper from the start in April.  My daily drops have been .01 mg.  It started off being 4.35% every two weeks and naturally has increased in percentage since then.  I had every intention of making this a symptom based taper and adjusting when needed.  I knew from previous failed experience that I cannot handle when the daily percentages get to .8%, but that was at a lower dose of K.

 

I'm going to hold much longer than 2 weeks this time.  I'll see where I'm at in a month.  I want to be feeling good for longer than 2 weeks before I resume again as obviously that wasn't long enough for my CNS last time.

Hi Starshine. I am also doing the daily liquid taper. You may already know this but be careful of how much you taper daily. .01mg may not look like much but it adds up to a lot really fast. That's one of the downfalls of daily tapering. I started at .007mg daily which was fast and i'm paying the price for it now. Just wanted to warn you. I wish I knew better when I started. Goodluck to you.

[[sl...]]

Hi starshine and WELCOME!

 

I highly recommend that you read the propaganda that Valley um just posted here.

 

I truly believe it's the best advice you could get. It says it all and much better than I could ever say it.

 

Valley.... thanks for posting your propaganda again! I think we all could use to read your wise information from time to time. It's a good shot in the arm.

 

Starshine...Hope your days get easier.

 

Always remember when wdsx ramp up....try cutting a little less and/or holding a bit longer.

 

 

Heath

 

Hi Starshine ad Tommy.

I'm fairly new here too and was worried about long holds.

 

Valley's propaganda helped me to work out what to do and it seems to be working for me so far.

I had symptoms after my last cut - my recent cuts had been a bit much but I have no symptoms now [at the moment - touching wood] and feel good.

I'm convinced this method will work for me as I did have a 6-7 month hold last year and waited until I felt stable before starting to cut again.

Am taking things very slowly now and have read good advice from this group.

Good luck both of you 

[[Ca...]]

Morning All...

 

Welcome, New Faces....

 

Things are going well my end, so thats 2months post "cut" for the tide to start to turn...

-Will try to behave from here, and cut much smaller, when ready...

 

Hope everyone else is doing well, and strength to those in the midst of it all...

-sleep time here soon...

 

[[To...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

[[ly...]]

 

 

Tommy and all,

 

I got myself into a very bad place for first year and held for 8 months (maybe a few months longer than necessary - but was a little worried about starting up again ).  It was the best decision.  As was my 4 month hold last Spring as I foolishly got myself seriously sideways again.

[[ly...]]

 

 

Post-jump update:

 

Things are going far better than anticipated.  Symptoms are very low on Day 5 off xanax.  Almost or actually the lowest post-cut in my 2 yr  taper.

 

Cautiously optimistic with fingers and toes firmly crossed!

[[sl...]]

That's great lynn33

Gives me hope and determination to succeed.

[[To...]]

 

 

Tommy and all,

 

I got myself into a very bad place for first year and held for 8 months (maybe a few months longer than necessary - but was a little worried about starting up again ).  It was the best decision.  As was my 4 month hold last Spring as I foolishly got myself seriously sideways again.

Hi Lynn. Thanks for your encouragement and I'm happy to see you were able to get off benzos. It must be amazing to know you never have to deal with them again. Awesome!!!

[[sl...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Tommy    it must have been horrible for you.

I wish you success and good luck with these awful benzo problems 

[[Ca...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Tommy    it must have been horrible for you.

I wish you success and good luck with these awful benzo problems 

Hey Tommy,

I also started tapering all wrong... (yes guys, I know..  -whats changed. Lol)

I held for 6 months, which put me in a much stronger position...

Not much changed for the first 4months, then it got a bit up n down, even worse for a few days here n there, -right before it got much better, seemingly overnight...

 

Point being, the benzos still throw mind games at us, even though holding...

 

All the best...

 

 

 

[[To...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Tommy    it must have been horrible for you.

I wish you success and good luck with these awful benzo problems 

[/quote

Thanks slowly improving. Yes it is rough but i've been having some better days/moments. I'm hoping this hold is starting to help. We'll all get through this mess at some point.

[[To...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Tommy    it must have been horrible for you.

I wish you success and good luck with these awful benzo problems 

Hey Tommy,

I also started tapering all wrong... (yes guys, I know..  -whats changed. Lol)

I held for 6 months, which put me in a much stronger position...

Not much changed for the first 4months, then it got a bit up n down, even worse for a few days here n there, -right before it got much better, seemingly overnight...

 

Point being, the benzos still throw mind games at us, even though holding...

 

All the best...

Thanks Cantfly. I worry the holding won't help but I have had some breaks from the symptoms. Not breaks but reductions but I think I need to hold much longer like you did. All the talk about tolerance withdrawal and people thinking holding is bad and I just need to keep cutting seems crazy to me. I think cutting now would make me much much sicker. I'm glad the holding helped you and you're doing better.

[[Ca...]]

 

 

Post-jump update:

 

Things are going far better than anticipated.  Symptoms are very low on Day 5 off xanax.  Almost or actually the lowest post-cut in my 2 yr  taper.

 

Cautiously optimistic with fingers and toes firmly crossed!

Hey Lynn...

You crack me up..!!!

-I was poking around some other threads today.... -and see that you cant find Post Accute, no matter how hard you try...

Dont feel abnormal, -I intend to miss out too... (lets hope)

 

 

[[Ca...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Tommy    it must have been horrible for you.

I wish you success and good luck with these awful benzo problems 

Hey Tommy,

I also started tapering all wrong... (yes guys, I know..  -whats changed. Lol)

I held for 6 months, which put me in a much stronger position...

Not much changed for the first 4months, then it got a bit up n down, even worse for a few days here n there, -right before it got much better, seemingly overnight...

 

Point being, the benzos still throw mind games at us, even though holding...

 

All the best...

Thanks Cantfly. I worry the holding won't help but I have had some breaks from the symptoms. Not breaks but reductions but I think I need to hold much longer like you did. All the talk about tolerance withdrawal and people thinking holding is bad and I just need to keep cutting seems crazy to me. I think cutting now would make me much much sicker. I'm glad the holding helped you and you're doing better.

Sadly you will hear a few too many things on this site... look for your answers, and trust your judgment and body...

Tolerance would only come into play if you held a long time beyond stable...  But I worried about it also when I started... which is partly why I started my taper at 2.5V instead of probably 5V higher than that... I took V as needed as a taper aid for another med, so I had no real starting point... I guessed low, and had to hold till stable... -the short story lol...

Looking back, I should have dose corrected (updosed)... same tapering time, but I would have felt better... -But thats a whole other story...

 

The fact that you are noticing better moments is very encouraging..... For me that indicates im getting close... -Cracking the shell, is how I have put it...

 

Sounds like you will work it out fine...

 

 

[[Ca...]]

Guys,

Anyone heard from Nova??

 

[[Se...]]

 

 

Post-jump update:

 

Things are going far better than anticipated.  Symptoms are very low on Day 5 off xanax.  Almost or actually the lowest post-cut in my 2 yr  taper.

 

Cautiously optimistic with fingers and toes firmly crossed!

 

 

Super Dee Duper !!!

[[be...]]

 

 

[MOVE][glow=red,2,300]"CONGRATULATIONS GARD ON DROPPING ONE CAPSULE WAY TO GO"   [/glow][/MOVE]

[[ga...]]

Morning All...

 

Welcome, New Faces....

 

Things are going well my end, so thats 2months post "cut" for the tide to start to turn...

-Will try to behave from here, and cut much smaller, when ready...

 

Hope everyone else is doing well, and strength to those in the midst of it all...

-sleep time here soon...

 

What kind of odds is someone to give me on whether or not Cant will ever behave?

[[ga...]]

 

 

Post-jump update:

 

Things are going far better than anticipated.  Symptoms are very low on Day 5 off xanax.  Almost or actually the lowest post-cut in my 2 yr  taper.

 

Cautiously optimistic with fingers and toes firmly crossed!

 

I'm so very, very happy for you, Lynn! 

[[ga...]]

Hi Slowlyimproving and Cantfly.  Thanks for your responses. It gives me hope that holding works. I've been very sick and bedridden. I've only been holding for six weeks. Hopefully with time I feel better. Thanks and I hope you all continue to improve.

 

Oh I'm so sorry to hear that Tommy    it must have been horrible for you.

I wish you success and good luck with these awful benzo problems 

Hey Tommy,

I also started tapering all wrong... (yes guys, I know..  -whats changed. Lol)

I held for 6 months, which put me in a much stronger position...

Not much changed for the first 4months, then it got a bit up n down, even worse for a few days here n there, -right before it got much better, seemingly overnight...

 

Point being, the benzos still throw mind games at us, even though holding...

 

All the best...

Thanks Cantfly. I worry the holding won't help but I have had some breaks from the symptoms. Not breaks but reductions but I think I need to hold much longer like you did. All the talk about tolerance withdrawal and people thinking holding is bad and I just need to keep cutting seems crazy to me. I think cutting now would make me much much sicker. I'm glad the holding helped you and you're doing better.

 

You just keep listening to your own body, Tommy, and you will find the way that works for you. 

[[ga...]]

Hey, good to see you, Serenitee! I don't think I've seen that squirrel around here in awhile. Hope you're doing well.

 

Gard

[[ga...]]

 

 

[MOVE][glow=red,2,300]"CONGRATULATIONS GARD ON DROPPING ONE CAPSULE WAY TO GO"   [/glow][/MOVE]

 

Thanks, BG! I can't believe I made it, but I did. First milestone for me since my long hold. And now for a short hold to let my brain catchup with my ambitions! 

 

Gard

[[Se...]]

I've been holding off on saying anything at the risk of jinxing things, but I have been feeling really good as of late. My last cut was May 30th. I think my brain has finally caught up to my taper, or perhaps I should say, lack of taper, as in a nice little HOLD!

 

I think I will continue the HOLD for another month before I start again.

 

I am hoping that this is a glimpse of my future off Xanax. 

 

So glad I joined this group.

[[ga...]]

I've been holding off on saying anything at the risk of jinxing things, but I have been feeling really good as of late. My last cut was May 30th. I think my brain has finally caught up to my taper, or perhaps I should say, lack of taper, as in a nice little HOLD!

 

I think I will continue the HOLD for another month before I start again.

 

I am hoping that this is a glimpse of my future off Xanax. 

 

So glad I joined this group.

 

Wonderful news, S!