Taper on long hold

[[An...]]

Hey buddies I’ve been suffering for a solid 1 year. I have gone from 75mgs to 13.75mgs in 1 year. I’m suffering with extreme insomnia I’ve tried everything and starting to look very sick. I’m thinking about putting my taper on hold for 3 months. Has anyone here done an extremely long hold it’s been around 6 weeks since my last 1.25mg cut do we heal once the poison is out of our system or are we healing now? 

[[Fa...]]

Hi, @[An...].  I'm truly sorry you've been suffering for so long.  My worst symptom through my benzo injury, and taper, has been insomnia as well.  I have held on 2 separate occasions for 3-4 months.  Both times my sleep improved, and I felt better - not great, but much better and fully functional. 

With that said, everyone is unique in their makeup and life circumstances, but my opinion is that when one is severely sensitized and unstable (and functionality is important to them) - the best option is to hold and keep your benzodiazepine dose (and any other psychotropic medication you may be on) the same for a period.  I highly doubt it is going to make many people worsen.  If the long hold does not work, you will have at least tried and given yourself the best chance to improve your functionality and symptom severity.  Again, this is just my opinion.

Once stable, you may also consider making smaller reductions in dose.  1.25mg cuts at the dose you are on (and below) are becoming fairly substantial reductions in dose (especially if you are unstable and experiencing fairly intense symptoms).  Perhaps consider making smaller, more frequent, reductions in dose.

Also, I noticed you posted about an iron infusion possibly making you worse last week?  Are you on any other medications or supplements at this time?  If so, have you made any changes to dosage amounts, or forms, of either this past year?

[[An...]]

12 minutes ago, [[F...] said:

Hi, @[An...].  I'm truly sorry you've been suffering for so long.  My worst symptom through my benzo injury, and taper, has been insomnia as well.  I have held on 2 separate occasions for 3-4 months.  Both times my sleep improved, and I felt better - not great, but much better and fully functional. 

With that said, everyone is unique in their makeup and life circumstances, but my opinion is that when one is severely sensitized and unstable (and functionality is important to them) - the best option is to hold and keep your benzodiazepine dose (and any other psychotropic medication you may be on) the same for a period.  I highly doubt it is going to make many people worsen.  If the long hold does not work, you will have at least tried and given yourself the best chance to improve your functionality and symptom severity.  Again, this is just my opinion.

Once stable, you may also consider making smaller reductions in dose.  1.25mg cuts at the dose you are on (and below) are becoming fairly substantial reductions in dose (especially if you are unstable and experiencing fairly intense symptoms).  Perhaps consider making smaller, more frequent, reductions in dose.

Also, I noticed you posted about an iron infusion possibly making you worse last week?  Are you on any other medications or supplements at this time?  If so, have you made any changes to dosage amounts, or forms, of either this past year?

Hey, I’m also sorry to hear that your insomnia is bad. I also had a period where I felt 70-80 percent healed. I tend to forget I got the iron infusion and that’s when I started to go extremely backwards. Yes my cuts are too large I might switch over to a water taper from here: I am not on anything else except magnesium glycerinate which I also ran out and got worse but taking that again. I am thinking about taking a rescue dose it is 11.06 pm where I am and I’m on 0 sleep in 48 hours 

[[or...]]

Hi @[An...],

Love the username

I think the best thing I've done is hold the dose I'm on if my sxs warrant it, which I mean, if I'm losing my one remaining marble.  I do very small tapers, from C Tablets, and a small, jewelry scale.  I'm able to be spot-on the number most of the time (you can look at my history of taper here if you want to Oregonlady)

It sounds like it's not too late for you to slow it down and I can't recommend it more, OL

PS stick with us here, I don't think I'd survived without the site, and I know there's no way I would have learned a smart way to taper

 

Edited May 7 by [or...]

[[Fa...]]

Hi again, @[An...]. Thank you for the kind words, but thankfully my insomnia is currently more mild than it was at one point.  It is basically just worse quality and more broken than my old sleep, but I am getting a decent amount of hours per night.

It is a good sign that you felt 70-80% better at one point in your taper.  That makes me believe that if you keep all medications, supplements, and diet the same (for the most part) for a period I would expect your insomnia to improve and stabilize.

Again, it may not get back to a high quality 7-8 hours you may have used to get, but I found that I was getting 4-6 hours fairly consistently and occasionally 7-8 hours, it was usually just lighter and more broken hours.

In regards to ‘rescue dose’ - I would not do such. If it were me in your shoes, I would experiment first with unisom tablets (doxylamine succinate).  They are sold in 25mg tablets OTC in the US.  I take one tablet on rare occasions I am unable to fall asleep, and it usually allows me to fall asleep and get a couple few hours sleep as a current worst case scenario. 

[[En...]]

I am still tapering currently. What I do is make a cut then hold until i feel good then cut again. If you are cutting while feeling bad you will compound your suffering. If i were you i would hold your current cut until you feel good. Let your brain catch up and heal. I wouldn't go backwards and reinstate for all the suffering you have been through up until this point will be for not.

Just my opinion. 

[[Tw...]]

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

Hey buddies I’ve been suffering for a solid 1 year. I have gone from 75mgs to 13.75mgs in 1 year. I’m suffering with extreme insomnia I’ve tried everything and starting to look very sick. I’m thinking about putting my taper on hold for 3 months. Has anyone here done an extremely long hold it’s been around 6 weeks since my last 1.25mg cut do we heal once the poison is out of our system or are we healing now? 

Your brain and body will heal once the poison is out of your system, but it is not an easy road. Don't give up. It takes time to heal. 

[[Tw...]]

34 minutes ago, [[E...] said:

I am still tapering currently. What I do is make a cut then hold until i feel good then cut again. If you are cutting while feeling bad you will compound your suffering. If i were you i would hold your current cut until you feel good. Let your brain catch up and heal. I wouldn't go backwards and reinstate for all the suffering you have been through up until this point will be for not.

Just my opinion. 

I agree with @[En...]Don't go backward. It can be very hard at times. Once you think you have gotten past a certain symptom, it can resurface, which can be disheartening. Just have courage. Be strong. Lean on your spiritual beliefs for strength and guidance, especially when all else fails. 

[[An...]]

2 hours ago, [[F...] said:

Hi again, @[An...]. Thank you for the kind words, but thankfully my insomnia is currently more mild than it was at one point.  It is basically just worse quality and more broken than my old sleep, but I am getting a decent amount of hours per night.

It is a good sign that you felt 70-80% better at one point in your taper.  That makes me believe that if you keep all medications, supplements, and diet the same (for the most part) for a period I would expect your insomnia to improve and stabilize.

Again, it may not get back to a high quality 7-8 hours you may have used to get, but I found that I was getting 4-6 hours fairly consistently and occasionally 7-8 hours, it was usually just lighter and more broken hours.

In regards to ‘rescue dose’ - I would not do such. If it were me in your shoes, I would experiment first with unisom tablets (doxylamine succinate).  They are sold in 25mg tablets OTC in the US.  I take one tablet on rare occasions I am unable to fall asleep, and it usually allows me to fall asleep and get a couple few hours sleep as a current worst case scenario. 

Hey thank you so much for your kind message. I haven’t reinstated I held off now I’m going into over 48 hours no sleep, I’ve taken 1 sleep restavit, which is doxylamine succinate magnesium glycernate and 5htp. My brain is just not shutting off, I take sleep restavit regularly. Is this not aloud? 

[[An...]]

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

Your brain and body will heal once the poison is out of your system, but it is not an easy road. Don't give up. It takes time to heal. 

Fingers crossed we all heal 

[[An...]]

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

I am still tapering currently. What I do is make a cut then hold until i feel good then cut again. If you are cutting while feeling bad you will compound your suffering. If i were you i would hold your current cut until you feel good. Let your brain catch up and heal. I wouldn't go backwards and reinstate for all the suffering you have been through up until this point will be for not.

Just my opinion. 

Thank you for voicing your opinion I highly appreciate it: yes I think that’s what is happening I’m cutting when I feel terrible: I will stop cutting for the next 3 months 

[[En...]]

Let your body tell you when it is time to continue taper. I find 25% taper of what you have left to go is a good pace. When I feel good I proceed. I have 0.5mg left to go so my next cut will be 0.125mg or a quarter of the tablet. Usually i feel good after holding for 2 weeks. 

[[Ma...]]

I did a 2 month hold back in January and it really helped.  I was able to continue my taper from .5 C to .25 C where I am now.  I’m considering another one before my final .25 just to make sure my system is all caught up. 
 

I highly advise against rescue doses.  They really messed me up earlier in my taper.  You get a little immediate relief usually but for me, it became really hard to taper after because the levels were so up and down.  When I destabilized was right after I had done a couple rescue doses. 

[[Sw...]]

You may want to try some micro taper. It sounds like it would slow you down, but I don’t think it really does. I did larger cuts at the beginning of my taper and now I’m doing micro cuts to the end before I jump. I cut every three days I do .005 mg, the small cut you’ll be able to tell quickly if it causes your issues and you won’t be so far out that your brain won’t be able to catch up in a short amount of time stay away from the big cuts towards the end go with the micro I really like it  Seems to be keeping my symptoms down to bearable levels. I’m currently at .115 mg of Klonopin, I started micro tapering at .125. I have made three cuts so far able to really watch and feel how things are versus larger cuts which leaves you wide open to suffering if it’s too large . just a suggestion. Hope this may help you. Hope all goes well with your taper from here on. i’ve always felt it’s good to keep moving. If you can it keeps your optimism up, which is hugely important. The long cuts and long hold can kill your psyche and there’s no guarantee you’re gonna feel better. I’m starting to think it’s more just getting as much of it out of you as you can And managing your symptoms in the process just my two cents

Edited May 7 by [Sw...]

[[An...]]

I appreciate everyone replying it means the absolute world I have not felt this sick the whole taper. I don’t know if it’s the iron infusion that is making me sick plus a wave. I will reply to you all very soon thank you for the support 

[[Ca...]]

So sorry you are feeling very sick. Dont take rescue doses. I have a few times and they did not work but they screwed me up more. I am on a valium taper and I have been on hold at 14 mgs for two months. I was microtapering one mg a month but that may be too fast for me. I was down to 12.2 and very symptomatic and it was suggested to updose to 14. Sorry I did it. I lost momentum. The no sleep is very very tough. 

[[An...]]

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

Hi @[An...],

Love the username

I think the best thing I've done is hold the dose I'm on if my sxs warrant it, which I mean, if I'm losing my one remaining marble.  I do very small tapers, from C Tablets, and a small, jewelry scale.  I'm able to be spot-on the number most of the time (you can look at my history of taper here if you want to Oregonlady)

It sounds like it's not too late for you to slow it down and I can't recommend it more, OL

PS stick with us here, I don't think I'd survived without the site, and I know there's no way I would have learned a smart way to taper

Hey thank you for sharing your taper. It’s comforting to hear you found something accomodating to yourself. I will try cutting much smaller now: I have struggled with benzos for around 8 years. I will try moving to smaller cuts or a water taper 

[[or...]]

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

Hey thank you for sharing your taper. It’s comforting to hear you found something accomodating to yourself. I will try cutting much smaller now: I have struggled with benzos for around 8 years. I will try moving to smaller cuts or a water taper 

You're welcome, I took my ideas I found in Ashton, and on here from peers, and then just experimented on myself.  I started too high a cuts before I found BB, so when I learned about micro tapers.  They usually say around here, 5% -10% cuts but 5% was too big for me so I went smaller.  My last few cuts of my "so far" year of tapering were just .001 g of weight dose.  Seems ridiculous to many I'm sure, but it went very well as long as I held the dose for a time.

The last taper I did has surprised me as I tapered a bit bigger, and I am doing so good, but holding until I get through a "move" in June   When I'm settled in there, with a new puppy to boot (glutton for punishment evidently ) I'll taper another 2-3%.  Know one has to go that slow, but it can be worth it to see if wd sxs gives a person quality of life while still tapering, oregonlady~denise