Message to Libertas

[[kn...]]

 

Hi, Knackered here.  I thought it proper that I let you know how I'm doing in response to your help in getting me straightened out in regard to my taper. I am now at 4mg of Diazepam and feeling much better.  It's not perfect of course; lots of ongoing symptoms, but actually able to live day to day comfortably.  I had given up and resigned myself that I was doomed to suffer for the rest of my life.  If you remember, I was @2mg. Anxiety, OCD, and poor impulse control have been a part of me since my earliest memory and they have been as much of a battle through all of this as have the Benzos.  So....I originally went up to 3mg and stayed there for 3 days.  That did not seem to have much effect, so I up dosed again to 4 and stayed there for a few days.  I also should bring to the forefront that I had added 100mg of gaberntin during this time.  Quite the cocktail, quite the mess.  Hang on, it gets worse....I found a link to an article posted here on reinstatement and read it carefully.  It seemed to make sense to me (remember-no impulse control) and I thought it best to return to 2mg where I had started.  I know: stupid, stupid.  Well with the combination of the gaberntin and the waffling on the dosage, it just about killed me.  Add to that the fact that I found and read another article here that led me to believe that for stable, long term users, starting WD was a mistake in the first place and I really didn't have a clue.  After about ten days of waffling and suffering, I went back to where I started: 4mg, dropped the gaberntin, and finally seem to be stabilizing and feeling more "normal" (whatever that means; guess it's up to the individual) and have stayed there for the last 3 days.  Whew! What an ordeal.  So here I am, 4mg, feeling decent and thinking I'll probably live after all.  There've been times the last 2 weeks where I really didn't care either way.  So, I've played the fool, but hopefully am now on the right track. As you advised, any further cuts will be done by way of liquid medication.  My old provider has already ok'd this.  I'm now waiting for the new one to come on board in early March.  I'm already on her patient list.  She's young and hopefully better educated and more flexible than those of the past.  In the mean time, I'm not going anywhere up or down.  Feel free to give me your feedback.  You folks are not in the judgement business and I trust you.  Thanks

 

 

[[Li...]]

 

What a lovely, uplifting message, @[kn...].  Thank you. 

I’m delighted you are feeling better!  It sounds like you have learned several important lessons about tapering and have a solid plan in place moving forward.  Well done!

Your new provider may or may not be well-informed about how to implement an individualized, response-guided taper.  I recently had a conversation with a newly minted primary care physician who told me she was taught two things about benzodiazepines in medical school: (1) do not prescribe and (2) if you inherit a prescribed patient, deprescribe over a period of 4 to 6 or 4 to 8 weeks.  She had harmed one of her patients by following this guideline and was eager to learn how to better help her other prescribed  patients.  I suggested that she read The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines by Mark Horowitz and David Taylor (link below).  You might consider ordering a copy for your new provider in case it’s needed. 

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines: Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, Gabapentinoids and Z-drugs | Wiley
https://a.co/d/dPaEOAe

 

 

[[kn...]]

Thanks for the link.  I have enough experience and references to make the requests I'll need and not to get led astray.  I'll also be seeing a psychiatrist rather than a primary care individual, but if she doesn't want to work with me, I know that my regular PC (not a Dr., but rather a physician's assistant) will help.  I've been with him for years and he's willing to let me direct and request just  about anything I need.  I'm in a liberal US state, benzos are still prescribed, and no one has yet to demand that I pursue their way or the highway..  Actually I've been my own worst enemy for pushing things too fast and trying to obsessively get off my BZ meds at a much too fast of a pace.  One more embarrassing request;  I need to update my tapering history on my profile.  I've tried editing it, but don't know how to save the changes.  Since I'm going to be here for awhile, I need to keep that part of things up to date.  Thanks again.  I'll continue to be straight forward with my comments on the site.  

[[Li...]]

Hello @[kn...].  My apologies for the delayed response.  I am just now seeing your post. 

To ensure  don’t miss posts from you in the future, might I suggest you use the @mention feature?  That way I’ll receive a notification in my feed.

To use @mention, enter the @ followed by the first 2-3 of letters of my username.  So, for example, when you enter @Li … a pop up menu will appear showing all usernames that begin with the letters Li.  Select my username from menu to insert it in your post.  (I used @mention for your username in this post.  It’s the blue oblong containing your username above.)

If you need assistance with editing your History, you can request it by starting a new topic on our Feedback & Technical Support forum at:

https://benzobuddies.org/forum/27-feedback-technical-support/

 

 

[[kn...]]

Hello @[Li...].  I get it.  Thanks for "chasing me down" and helping me.  I went ahead and left a quick post regarding editing my tapering profile and how to save changes.  I'm sure someone will get back to me soon.  Every time I log on, I learn new things and grow in my ability to respond to the needs of others.  I always questioned whether the things I chose to say would be of benefit to anyone, but I know realize that by posting I gain much more than I have to give to others.  

[[Li...]]

Well done, @[kn...]. You have mastered the fine art of using the @mention feature to tag other members in your posts.

I find your posts to be both insightful and helpful. I’m sure others do as well.  So please keep posting!

[[kn...]]

Thanks for your affirmation @[Li...]  It means a lot!