The Long Hold Support Group

[[He...]]

Glad to see you here Valley!!!! You truly are the hero of so many!

Hope you are ok. We’ve been missing you!

 

Now all we need is to see Cant here again. Another very much missed Buddy!

Sincerely Hope all is well with Cant!

 

Heath 

[[be...]]

Glad to see you here Valley!!!! You truly are the hero of so many!

Hope you are ok. We’ve been missing you!

 

Now all we need is to see Cant here again. Another very much missed Buddy!

Sincerely Hope all is well with Cant!

 

Heath 

Yes Heath, Cant is very much missed by all of us. I just Pray he is OK and happy and well.  :'(

[[be...]]

So true begood! Comforting to see both Valley and Heath!

[[He...]]

I have a question for those of you taking remeron,  I started taking 7.5 mg last night.

I am very sensitive to everything.....does this help you.  Side effects...?

I did sleep well

 

Worried about dizziness?

 

Thanks ❤️HS

[[To...]]

Just wanted to share with my long hold buddies that this has been such a hard day for me. I have been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks due to I think all my job interviews. Last night was bad and I was really exhausted today. It is also the two year anniversary of my dad's death, and I am absolutely surprised by how hard this is hitting me. I am a complete mess. I also found out that I did not get a job I had interviewed for, and feel somewhat devastated as my work situation is not good, and I have had a million interviews (and this was a second interview, so they were interested), but I never seem to get the offer. I know I should be thankful to have a job, but right now, feeling very down. There were a couple of better opportunities in the spring but I got scared because of my taper and I didn't pursue them. I hate this whole process. Thanks for letting me share.

NJ, the job situation will work itself out. The ones that did not pan out were not meant to be. Stay determined, it will pay off.

 

It's weird how there can be delayed reactions or later upsets when we lose important people in our lives. It happened to my wife when she lost her father. She was numb when it all happened, but her biggest emotional reaction came about two years later. While it was painful for her, I was glad it (eventually) happened. I think that it took that long for her to let go and accept it. Another form of healing I guess.

[[NJ...]]

I have a question for those of you taking remeron,  I started taking 7.5 mg last night.

I am very sensitive to everything.....does this help you.  Side effects...?

I did sleep well

 

Worried about dizziness?

 

Thanks ❤️HS

 

HS: Remeron has saved me, I started at 3.75 mg and have worked my way up to 15 mg, which seems to be the right dose for me.

 

It helps me fall asleep almost every night. I am all of a sudden having issues with very early awakenings, but that is another story. The side effects for me is a slowing down of my digestive tract, which works great for me because I tend to have IBS type symptoms and can spend all day in the bathroom sometimes. It is definitely known as a weight-gain drug. I have not gained weight but have not been able to lose any either.  I would think anything that causes drowsiness has the possibility of causing dizziness. I will say it took me probably five months to adjust to the extreme fatigue I felt the next day, but I am glad I kept with it.

 

For me, I just needed the sleep, because if I don't sleep I start throwing up which isn't great for remaining functional. I could not be tapering without the remeron. It still is hard, but not as hard.

 

And thanks to everyone for your kind words of support yesterday, I needed that. My job search results have been hard to swallow; I have never had this much difficulty finding a job in the past. I had a good interview again today, so we will see. And now I know I need to be much kinder to myself on the anniversary of my father's death. If I can take off work, I should, because the grief is still so hard.

[[He...]]

NJ

Thanks for the info

 

I wish you well on this last interview.....you’ll find the job you are meant to have and enjoy...hang in there.

 

Thoughts about the tough time you are having with your Dads anniversary......the grief eventually turns into wonderful memories.....at least it did with me.

❤️HS

[[Ch...]]

Hey Chris,

I just wanted to chime in on your smoking dilemma. I was in the same boat, I was addicted to cigarettes but I could tell that they ramped up my symptoms, nicotine is a stimulant after all. I was noticing that I would feel remarkably worse for about 20 minutes after each smoke, yet I was using them as a crutch during this taper and smoking way more than usual. It felt backwards to me. I decided that enough was enough and I quit smoking 17 days ago. Still holding strong! I noticed right away my anxiety went way down. Sure quitting smoking sucks but it didn't give me anxiety, it lessened it. I read Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking (recommend!!!!) and realized that withdrawal symptoms of nicotine are extremely mild, it's kind of like being hangry. It's nothing compared to benzo withdrawal!!! If you can do this, you can do anything! I highly recommend quitting smoking. I also figured this is a good time because I am not very social right now so I am not having to be around a bunch of other smokers, I am not drinking or partying at all, and I think benzo withdrawal wears down the immune system so my health feels vulnerable.

Whatever you decide to do, we will be here to support you! If you decide to do it, my 4 recommendations are:

1. Get Allen Carr's book

2. Download the Stop Smoking App

3. Get a good quality vape to use in emergencies

4. Join the sub reddit Stop Smoking

 

Good luck!

 

Thanks so much for the info.  I am going to do my best to quit. 

[[...]]

I have a question for those of you taking remeron,  I started taking 7.5 mg last night.

I am very sensitive to everything.....does this help you.  Side effects...?

I did sleep well

 

Worried about dizziness?

 

Thanks ❤️HS

 

Hi HS 

I replied to your other post about the Remeron , it's definitely great for sleep , but when I use it I only take 1 mg and that's enough for me to get a full nights sleep , aside from the cortisol surges that wake me up , I fall back to sleep though ,a nd it also seems to help with those .

 

Report on how it goes , but I'd start low if I were you ,

Love, MiYu 

Love, MiYu

[[...]]

Just wanted to share with my long hold buddies that this has been such a hard day for me. I have been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks due to I think all my job interviews. Last night was bad and I was really exhausted today. It is also the two year anniversary of my dad's death, and I am absolutely surprised by how hard this is hitting me. I am a complete mess. I also found out that I did not get a job I had interviewed for, and feel somewhat devastated as my work situation is not good, and I have had a million interviews (and this was a second interview, so they were interested), but I never seem to get the offer. I know I should be thankful to have a job, but right now, feeling very down. There were a couple of better opportunities in the spring but I got scared because of my taper and I didn't pursue them. I hate this whole process. Thanks for letting me share.

 

Thinking of you NJ  ❤️

I lost someone close to me 9 years ago , there are definitely stages of grief ...and healing .

I still cry , but as I think healing seeker said, you start to remember the happy memories after a while.

 

Love, MiYu

[[Va...]]

Glad to see you here Valley!!!! You truly are the hero of so many!

Hope you are ok. We’ve been missing you!

 

Now all we need is to see Cant here again. Another very much missed Buddy!

Sincerely Hope all is well with Cant!

 

Heath 

Thanks Heath! I wonder about cant also.  —V

[[Va...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPPY FRIDAY!  —V

[[be...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

[[lo...]]

Hoping to stabilize soon. Been holding some hours are better than others

[[NJ...]]

Just wanted to share with my long hold buddies that this has been such a hard day for me. I have been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks due to I think all my job interviews. Last night was bad and I was really exhausted today. It is also the two year anniversary of my dad's death, and I am absolutely surprised by how hard this is hitting me. I am a complete mess. I also found out that I did not get a job I had interviewed for, and feel somewhat devastated as my work situation is not good, and I have had a million interviews (and this was a second interview, so they were interested), but I never seem to get the offer. I know I should be thankful to have a job, but right now, feeling very down. There were a couple of better opportunities in the spring but I got scared because of my taper and I didn't pursue them. I hate this whole process. Thanks for letting me share.

 

Thinking of you NJ  ❤️

I lost someone close to me 9 years ago , there are definitely stages of grief ...and healing .

I still cry , but as I think healing seeker said, you start to remember the happy memories after a while.

 

Love, MiYu

 

MiYu,

 

Thank you. I was just totally overwhelmed by how difficult the second anniversary was. I was not expecting that, thought, okay, one year was bad so now I should be fine. Was not fine. Need to be kinder to myself. Next year I will take the day off if I can to grieve and spend time the way I need to.

[[He...]]

I have a question for those of you taking remeron,  I started taking 7.5 mg last night.

I am very sensitive to everything.....does this help you.  Side effects...?

I did sleep well

 

Worried about dizziness?

 

Thanks ❤️HS

 

HS: Remeron has saved me, I started at 3.75 mg and have worked my way up to 15 mg, which seems to be the right dose for me.

 

It helps me fall asleep almost every night. I am all of a sudden having issues with very early awakenings, but that is another story. The side effects for me is a slowing down of my digestive tract, which works great for me because I tend to have IBS type symptoms and can spend all day in the bathroom sometimes. It is definitely known as a weight-gain drug. I have not gained weight but have not been able to lose any either.  I would think anything that causes drowsiness has the possibility of causing dizziness. I will say it took me probably five months to adjust to the extreme fatigue I felt the next day, but I am glad I kept with it.

 

For me, I just needed the sleep, because if I don't sleep I start throwing up which isn't great for remaining functional. I could not be tapering without the remeron. It still is hard, but not as hard.

 

And thanks to everyone for your kind words of support yesterday, I needed that. My job search results have been hard to swallow; I have never had this much difficulty finding a job in the past. I had a good interview again today, so we will see. And now I know I need to be much kinder to myself on the anniversary of my father's death. If I can take off work, I should, because the grief is still so hard.

 

I take Remeron on a very scarce basis. Only about once every 3 weeks. I really don’t understand my sleep difficulty. It’s only about every three weeks that all of a sudden I can’t sleep well for about 3-4 nights in a row. That’s when I take the Remeron.the other nightsI get between 5 1/2 and 7 1/2 hours .

The Remeron I take is 3.75 mg and it knocks me out for about 9-11 hours. Then I am in a daze for about 3-4 more hours. So if I need it, I take it at about 8. O’clock in the evening so I am myself again by  around noon.

I can’t take it on the days I go to work in the morning or obvious reasons.

Again I dont understand why most of my nights are pretty good. Again, I just chalk it up to benzo devil!

I really don’t like how Remeron gives me a “hang over” but once in every three weeks, I guess I can live with it.

 

Also,

Remeron has never made me sleepy

And from my own experience and from what I have read, the lower the dose of Remeron, the better it is as a sleep aid.

If Remeron is making you sleepy, I would suggest going DOWN in your dose.

But I’m no doctor!

Definitely, ASK YOUR DOCTOR!

But I dont see how trying a lower dose could harm you.

Heath

 

[[Va...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

[[Su...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

 

Wow Valley!  Especially with all that's happening!  Woot!

you are an inspiration.

SS

[[Va...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

 

Wow Valley!  Especially with all that's happening!  Woot!

you are an inspiration.

SS

Thanks SS! I appreciate it. —V

[[He...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

 

Wow Valley!  Especially with all that's happening!  Woot!

you are an inspiration.

SS

Thanks SS! I appreciate it. —V

 

Wow Valley way to go!

[[be...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

 

Wow Valley!  Especially with all that's happening!  Woot!

you are an inspiration.

SS

Thanks SS! I appreciate it. —V

 

Wow Valley way to go!

[glow=red,2,300]"Congratulations" [/glow]Valley that is great, keep up the good work, so glad you are here with us again.  

[[Va...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

 

Wow Valley!  Especially with all that's happening!  Woot!

you are an inspiration.

SS

Thanks SS! I appreciate it. —V

 

Wow Valley way to go!

[glow=red,2,300]"Congratulations" [/glow]Valley that is great, keep up the good work, so glad you are here with us again.

Thanks BG and all! It’s been a wild ride for sure but I think most is outside stress rather than benzos.  —V

[[Gr...]]

Hey Guys,

 

Just want to give a little update. 

 

First off- NJStrength- I'm so sorry you didn't get the job.  I wish you luck in future interviews.  Job interviewing can be really rough.  Here's a hug. 

 

Went to therapy on Friday and psychologist says all my anger is justified and she doesn't think I have an anger problem.  Tried to tell her an example of my anger, and when I told the story, I couldn't remember how I was mean to my husband, but while he was turning up the wrong thermostat, I said something mean to him.  I remembered his reaction afterwards and my son's but nothing else.  When I tried to recall what I said that was mean, it was like my brain was just really fuzzy there.  Later my husband and I talked about it and he reminded me what happened.

 

When my husband didn't turn up the correct thermostat, I got so angry I threw this travel mug, half full of cold coffee, that I had in my hand.  I threw it wherever, it bounced off the wall and near my husband.  It was not direct violence but I'm not really too proud of it.  I just can't even believe I forgot I did this.  Possibly blocked it out or something? 

 

Argh.  I don't know how to get help with this anger problem, but luckily it seems to be getting a little better with time.  I just hope my marriage can survive. 

[[To...]]

Hope lack of activity on the thread means everyone is doing well. HAPY FRIDAY!  —V

Doing well, hope you are doing OK, glad you are back. Stay Strong

I’m doing well.  Officially down to 3mg! 

Valley, Great to see how you've weathered recent challenges and also not have a setback in your taper. Way to go!

[[bl...]]

Heath; somehow I never saw this. Hi r your hands no? Any better? Sorry for late response. Sometimes thread moves so fast and I miss a lot.

Thanks,

Blue