Calling any other seniors

[[At...]]

Hello BBs 

Ive posted on here in small clusters since, I think, last October.

I have a concern about my age which is 66. As I read the success stories I noticed rhat mist say they started to feel much better after 2, 3 or 6 years post taper. They are encouraging stories! 

 

My concern is that I am 66 yrs old ( my brain still thinks Im around 35). It feels a bit discouraging though, that I don't,  apparently,  have much to look forward to as, if I follow what appears to be a typical experience, I won't have much of a life intil I'm in my 70s!  I realize that there is nothing I can do about that but it would help if I heard from a few ppl around my age who have tapered successfully or are tapering but doing ok with it.

I'm around 5 months in and have tapered from 3   0.5mg clonazepam ( klonopin ) tablets to the last ½ tablet, or 0.25mg.  I'm  glad I've listened to those who have posted and also replied to mine. I have sloooowed my taper right down as I'm finding this last 0.25 mg very difficult. Much more intense symptoms than before, especially anxiety, depression and feelings if depersonalization, though brief. Fortunately I've found that the intense symptoms only seem to appear starting at about day 3 to day 9 or 10 then they dial back enough that I can function reasonably well. I plan to take as long as it takes with this last 0.25 mg. I'm thinking no sooner than another 3 months.  

Don't get me wrong, I have found enormous help and encouragement from those who post and are under 60 yrs old! It's just that I'd love to know how other seniors are doing. 

I've begun to dread the next cut but I'm going to ask my pharmacist for the lowest dose tabs they have and cut those in quarters for the next cut. ⅛ of a tab cut is now too much of a cut. 

 Anyway  I digress. Bless all of your hearts for your dedicated posting! It helps more than you know.   Any thots or ideas at all would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

 

[[PE...]]

Hi I'm sorry I'm younger but just wanted to say there a many, most i think, that gets better much earlier than years! 

Reason why they are not posting as much as they who have longer withdrawals might be to they have better things to do than being on a benzo withdrawal and tapering forum.

have a nice day

Edited March 4 by Guest

[[Pi...]]

People are living longer.  We could live another 20 years or more.  I am trying to fix my bad habits -too much sugar etc.  during this time.  I am in my 20th month and feel better.  I still have symptoms but much better.  This experience is giving me determination to try to live longer with better health to make up for these lost years.

 

Edited March 5 by [Pi...]

[[Pa...]]

Recovery timelines are different for each of us so if I were you, I wouldn't assume you'll take years to feel better.  I know hope is tough to come by when we're going through this but hope is a good and powerful tool and having it is a good thing.

I can see you recovered, grateful and happy in your late 60' and beyond. 

[[ea...]]

I so agree. Benzo wd can be so horrible you think you’ve gone insane or think you’re dying. It’s easy to fall into a sort of negative rabbit hole. “I’ll never heal from this” feels true to you. But benzos lie. Benzos will tell you that you should reinstate, to just give up and give in. What a tragedy that would be. 
I began this journey at 62, 11+ years ago. BB at that time had a fairly large group of people who were over 60. That reassured me. Over the years I’ve noticed that older people have better skill for coping with withdrawal. And I have never seen anything that would say older people heal slower. 
Over time, I’ve learned that people who try very hard to follow the coping tools suggested by other benzo victims seem to do better. Remaining positive no matter what seems to be key. Learning how to deal with anxiety, insomnia, and a lot of other symptoms seem to be how people survive this. I just returned to BB after a long time, about 5-6 years. I may be healed but I’m also the same tearful, terrified newbie I used to be - at times. Sometimes I just need a “tune up.” Be reminded of what I went through back then. I can tell you that struggling through this was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. But that doesn’t mean anything because I am now back to being the person I was BEFORE my brain got wrecked on benzos. 
Two weeks into my disastrous cold turkey, I had this profoundly deep feeling that I was “waking up”. At the time I wasn’t able to explain this. But down the road, it hit me. I WAS just waking up from using benzos for 30 years. A brain on benzos isn’t logical, is it? Mine sure wasn’t. My benzo use had started to affect almost everything about me. My work, my relationships, my thoughts and behaviors. 
And getting off benzos allowed my brain to begin the arduous task of healing itself. I am the ME I should always have been.

[[Th...]]

These benzos sure are poison, no matter your age. I am 64, and coming up on 3 months since my last dose. I tapered but quickly and jumped too soon. Its been brutal on me physically and mentally. I too worry this will drag out into years, possibly the decade. Its easy at our age to look upon our future as bleak and empty, getting old is not for sissys. There isn't a whole lot to look forward to at our age, and wasting this precious time on this benzo h*ll is ugly. But we owe it to ourselves to make these last decades, if we have them, as positive as possible. Not to dwell on how poorly we feel physically but how well emotionally we still can be. We have the power to heal and make life brighter, but its just so easy to fall into the pit of doom, I get it. Especially during the healing from benzos, I can be horribly depressed. But I am forcing myself every day to get even a small bit of exercise, eat right and be thankful for what I do have. I hope to get past all these post withdrawal symptoms one day. But if I don't, thats ok too. Ive struggled in so many ways over my life, I can learn to deal with this too I guess. And so can you! Be well my friend! ♥️

[[WU...]]

1 hour ago, [[e...] said:

I am the ME I should always have been.

Good post, enjoyed reading. I say to myself I want to know what I am REALLY like without these pills.  I'm quite sure there is a real me and a benzo me,  just a shame I never thought about it sooner!

 

On 04/03/2024 at 06:30, [[A...] said:

My concern is that I am 66 yrs old ( my brain still thinks Im around 35)

I would agree with your brain if that's how it feels! I'm 64 and never consider myself "old", not even in the mirror. I always think I look pretty good actually which is amazing considering how much pain I'm in. Good luck 

[[or...]]

@[At...]I'm 76 and I feel pretty darned good. I finished my taper about 8 years ago and regained my "baseline" of feeling good about 2 years after my taper. So, say at 66.  Since then, I've moved states and started a new business. So . . . not everyone feels like c***p for years and years. I had a very challenging taper after a 15 year history of psych drugs and benzos, but somehow I got through "the weeds".  This forum certainly helped. Best to you and believe in yourself. Anything's possible!

[[At...]]

On 04/03/2024 at 00:13, [[n...] said:

Hi I'm sorry I'm younger but just wanted to say there a many, most i think, that gets better much earlier than years! 

Reason why they are not posting as much as they who have longer withdrawals might be to they have better things to do than being on a benzo withdrawal and tapering forum.

have a nice day

THANKS!! That really helped! Maybe when Ive been iff them for a while and doing ok I'll post a 'success story' to give another view point. So far I've done well ( except for about the first week if each cut) but I'm taking it very very slow. Cheers!  x 

[[At...]]

19 hours ago, [[P...] said:

People are living longer.  We could live another 20 years or more.  I am trying to fix my bad habits -too much sugar etc.  during this time.  I am in my 20th month and feel better.  I still have symptoms but much better.  This experience is giving me determination to try to live longer with better health to make up for these lost years.

THANK YOU! That gives me hope for sure.  I am trying to get fitter also. If I live longer I want it to be in good health too. Best of luck! x

[[At...]]

4 hours ago, [[T...] said:

These benzos sure are poison, no matter your age. I am 64, and coming up on 3 months since my last dose. I tapered but quickly and jumped too soon. Its been brutal on me physically and mentally. I too worry this will drag out into years, possibly the decade. Its easy at our age to look upon our future as bleak and empty, getting old is not for sissys. There isn't a whole lot to look forward to at our age, and wasting this precious time on this benzo h*ll is ugly. But we owe it to ourselves to make these last decades, if we have them, as positive as possible. Not to dwell on how poorly we feel physically but how well emotionally we still can be. We have the power to heal and make life brighter, but its just so easy to fall into the pit of doom, I get it. Especially during the healing from benzos, I can be horribly depressed. But I am forcing myself every day to get even a small bit of exercise, eat right and be thankful for what I do have. I hope to get past all these post withdrawal symptoms one day. But if I don't, thats ok too. Ive struggled in so many ways over my life, I can learn to deal with this too I guess. And so can you! Be well my friend! ♥️

THANKS! I love your attitude and yes, I've had to struggle in life too so I'm thinking that does help! I'm tapering very slowly over, most likely, around 7-8 months if ny Doc will wear it.  Am 5 months in now but this last half of 0.5 tab is a lot harder than the first 2.5 tabs. So I'm slowing it down. 

You are an inspiration to me! Thanks!  Cheers.  x

[[At...]]

3 hours ago, [[W...] said:

Good post, enjoyed reading. I say to myself I want to know what I am REALLY like without these pills.  I'm quite sure there is a real me and a benzo me,  just a shame I never thought about it sooner!

I would agree with your brain if that's how it feels! I'm 64 and never consider myself "old", not even in the mirror. I always think I look pretty good actually which is amazing considering how much pain I'm in. Good luck 

THANK YOU!!

[[At...]]

3 hours ago, [[o...] said:

@[At...]I'm 76 and I feel pretty darned good. I finished my taper about 8 years ago and regained my "baseline" of feeling good about 2 years after my taper. So, say at 66.  Since then, I've moved states and started a new business. So . . . not everyone feels like c***p for years and years. I had a very challenging taper after a 15 year history of psych drugs and benzos, but somehow I got through "the weeds".  This forum certainly helped. Best to you and believe in yourself. Anything's possible!

THANK YOU! Oh I am so glad I found this group. Yes, I've been on benzos etc for 25 yrs so I'm tapering very very slowly.  I may stay on the Backofen and one antidepressant because Ive had depression and anxiety since I was 5.  I figure if I can cime off of clonazepam  I can face anything! Lol.

Your reply is very encouraging!! Thanks again!

[[Th...]]

17 minutes ago, [[A...] said:

THANKS! I love your attitude and yes, I've had to struggle in life too so I'm thinking that does help! I'm tapering very slowly over, most likely, around 7-8 months if ny Doc will wear it.  Am 5 months in now but this last half of 0.5 tab is a lot harder than the first 2.5 tabs. So I'm slowing it down. 

You are an inspiration to me! Thanks!  Cheers.  x

I wish you all the best in your taper and recovery. Keep us posted on your journey! 

[[ap...]]

On 04/03/2024 at 16:30, [[A...] said:

Hello BBs 

Ive posted on here in small clusters since, I think, last October.

I have a concern about my age which is 66. As I read the success stories I noticed rhat mist say they started to feel much better after 2, 3 or 6 years post taper. They are encouraging stories! 

My concern is that I am 66 yrs old ( my brain still thinks Im around 35). It feels a bit discouraging though, that I don't,  apparently,  have much to look forward to as, if I follow what appears to be a typical experience, I won't have much of a life intil I'm in my 70s!  I realize that there is nothing I can do about that but it would help if I heard from a few ppl around my age who have tapered successfully or are tapering but doing ok with it.

I'm around 5 months in and have tapered from 3   0.5mg clonazepam ( klonopin ) tablets to the last ½ tablet, or 0.25mg.  I'm  glad I've listened to those who have posted and also replied to mine. I have sloooowed my taper right down as I'm finding this last 0.25 mg very difficult. Much more intense symptoms than before, especially anxiety, depression and feelings if depersonalization, though brief. Fortunately I've found that the intense symptoms only seem to appear starting at about day 3 to day 9 or 10 then they dial back enough that I can function reasonably well. I plan to take as long as it takes with this last 0.25 mg. I'm thinking no sooner than another 3 months.  

Don't get me wrong, I have found enormous help and encouragement from those who post and are under 60 yrs old! It's just that I'd love to know how other seniors are doing. 

I've begun to dread the next cut but I'm going to ask my pharmacist for the lowest dose tabs they have and cut those in quarters for the next cut. ⅛ of a tab cut is now too much of a cut. 

 Anyway  I digress. Bless all of your hearts for your dedicated posting! It helps more than you know.   Any thots or ideas at all would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

Hi I'm 68 years old. I tapered X then V for 3 years and 8 months. I'm now off for 20 months. I have severe symptoms, I have also come off Oxycotin  Gabap. And now tapering Cymb. I am mostly bedbound at home but manage to sit up when out of the house during the day. My husband gets me out for a drive. I know the fear and all the symptoms of which I have had many.. I know what it feels like to be older and wonder how long it will take. But from all accounts we all recover, it's just a time thing

 

[[ap...]]

On 06/03/2024 at 02:04, [[e...] said:

I so agree. Benzo wd can be so horrible you think you’ve gone insane or think you’re dying. It’s easy to fall into a sort of negative rabbit hole. “I’ll never heal from this” feels true to you. But benzos lie. Benzos will tell you that you should reinstate, to just give up and give in. What a tragedy that would be. 
I began this journey at 62, 11+ years ago. BB at that time had a fairly large group of people who were over 60. That reassured me. Over the years I’ve noticed that older people have better skill for coping with withdrawal. And I have never seen anything that would say older people heal slower. 
Over time, I’ve learned that people who try very hard to follow the coping tools suggested by other benzo victims seem to do better. Remaining positive no matter what seems to be key. Learning how to deal with anxiety, insomnia, and a lot of other symptoms seem to be how people survive this. I just returned to BB after a long time, about 5-6 years. I may be healed but I’m also the same tearful, terrified newbie I used to be - at times. Sometimes I just need a “tune up.” Be reminded of what I went through back then. I can tell you that struggling through this was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. But that doesn’t mean anything because I am now back to being the person I was BEFORE my brain got wrecked on benzos. 
Two weeks into my disastrous cold turkey, I had this profoundly deep feeling that I was “waking up”. At the time I wasn’t able to explain this. But down the road, it hit me. I WAS just waking up from using benzos for 30 years. A brain on benzos isn’t logical, is it? Mine sure wasn’t. My benzo use had started to affect almost everything about me. My work, my relationships, my thoughts and behaviors. 
And getting off benzos allowed my brain to begin the arduous task of healing itself. I am the ME I should always have been.

 

On 06/03/2024 at 02:04, [[e...] said:

I so agree. Benzo wd can be so horrible you think you’ve gone insane or think you’re dying. It’s easy to fall into a sort of negative rabbit hole. “I’ll never heal from this” feels true to you. But benzos lie. Benzos will tell you that you should reinstate, to just give up and give in. What a tragedy that would be. 
I began this journey at 62, 11+ years ago. BB at that time had a fairly large group of people who were over 60. That reassured me. Over the years I’ve noticed that older people have better skill for coping with withdrawal. And I have never seen anything that would say older people heal slower. 
Over time, I’ve learned that people who try very hard to follow the coping tools suggested by other benzo victims seem to do better. Remaining positive no matter what seems to be key. Learning how to deal with anxiety, insomnia, and a lot of other symptoms seem to be how people survive this. I just returned to BB after a long time, about 5-6 years. I may be healed but I’m also the same tearful, terrified newbie I used to be - at times. Sometimes I just need a “tune up.” Be reminded of what I went through back then. I can tell you that struggling through this was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through. But that doesn’t mean anything because I am now back to being the person I was BEFORE my brain got wrecked on benzos. 
Two weeks into my disastrous cold turkey, I had this profoundly deep feeling that I was “waking up”. At the time I wasn’t able to explain this. But down the road, it hit me. I WAS just waking up from using benzos for 30 years. A brain on benzos isn’t logical, is it? Mine sure wasn’t. My benzo use had started to affect almost everything about me. My work, my relationships, my thoughts and behaviors. 
And getting off benzos allowed my brain to begin the arduous task of healing itself. I am the ME I should always have been.

Wonderful post, I'm 68 and struggling, your positive post us very welcome. Thank you 

[[ap...]]

On 06/03/2024 at 02:20, [[T...] said:

These benzos sure are poison, no matter your age. I am 64, and coming up on 3 months since my last dose. I tapered but quickly and jumped too soon. Its been brutal on me physically and mentally. I too worry this will drag out into years, possibly the decade. Its easy at our age to look upon our future as bleak and empty, getting old is not for sissys. There isn't a whole lot to look forward to at our age, and wasting this precious time on this benzo h*ll is ugly. But we owe it to ourselves to make these last decades, if we have them, as positive as possible. Not to dwell on how poorly we feel physically but how well emotionally we still can be. We have the power to heal and make life brighter, but its just so easy to fall into the pit of doom, I get it. Especially during the healing from benzos, I can be horribly depressed. But I am forcing myself every day to get even a small bit of exercise, eat right and be thankful for what I do have. I hope to get past all these post withdrawal symptoms one day. But if I don't, thats ok too. Ive struggled in so many ways over my life, I can learn to deal with this too I guess. And so can you! Be well my friend! ♥️

I look forward to healing because I can travel and volunteer. I live in Australia where all this possible. You may find an interest as we grow older it's great. You will recover