The POSITIVE withdrawal thread.

[Guest [to...]]

Nightmares and morning panic are gone.

Insomnia is still occasional, but less frequent.

[[Ki...]]

The lower I get in dose....the better Im doing:

I'm working (still)

I'm driving again

I'm walking 30 min every day

Anxiety is low

Rarely experience panic

Feeling more optimistic and engaged with life

Not isolating at all anymore

Started accepting social invitations again and enjoying it

Sleep is still excellent (8 hours)

Feeling more like myself

 

I have a long way to go, but writing down how far I've come keeps me motivated. Great thread 

 

[[Sa...]]

Hi Kiddo1977-

 

I love your tagline "Only hope is stronger than fear." I have hope every day and keep striving to improve my life. I'm going for a walk now and wish all a hopeful day!

 

SADIE

[[Ca...]]

My fear lifted a few months ago. It was paralyzingly fear. I'm so thankful that it's been gone for awhile. I have continued to work throughout this last year & am thankful for that. I'm stronger. I was reckless before all this & I have wised up a lot. I no longer fear dying. I no longer feel the need to control everything. I now know I will always be an advocate of healing naturally as much as possible. I have a better understanding of health. I left toxic relationships behind & my life is much better for it.

[[...]]

  Cad,  Not feeling paralyzing fear anymore is a huge improvement in the quality of your life.  What wonderful progress ! This is a great thread !  I am no longer having bladder spasms, very little neck pain, no electric shocks in my legs at night, am sleeping well, my entire digestive system is working better than it has in over a decade !  And I am just feeling so good about myself ! 

[[Lo...]]

  Cad,  Not feeling paralyzing fear anymore is a huge improvement in the quality of your life.  What wonderful progress ! This is a great thread !  I am no longer having bladder spasms, very little neck pain, no electric shocks in my legs at night, am sleeping well, my entire digestive system is working better than it has in over a decade !  And I am just feeling so good about myself !

 

Wow, I love this thread! Brings me hope! 

[[th...]]

I am no longer drenched in sweat 24/7 

 

And some nights I sleep 3 hrs straight! 

 

Grinch 

[[...]]

Good morning,  Grinch, I forgot about the drenching sweat !  Hurray that it is gone !  LM, it is fun to write about the symptoms we don't have anymore or the lessening of them.  Hugs, KB. 

[[os...]]

 

 

The whites of my eyes really are back and have been for some months now.

 

Not commenting on anything else.

 

 

[[Be...]]

Positive: On my 3rd day of a .50 X taper. Very happy I am doing ok. No sweats, no insomnia. No major sx. 

No one has been hurt, no bodies need hiding. 

[[...]]

Benzo Fuzz,  That is wonderful !  You are on your way !  Hugs, KB

[Guest [to...]]

I'm able &motivated to keep up on personal projects again. I even read and retained info out of an engineering text today. I think being at a lower dose is starting to awaken my brain again. I hope it gets even better once I'm off.

[[No...]]

 

          I'm off the XANAX,  can I join? Positive affirmation is vital on this Benzo

            Journey with like minded BB.

 

          Simply put,  Positive thoughts, actions help the healing process.

 

          These last three weeks I have dealt with major life events, got through them, no

          anxiety,  panic. Didn't even think about taking a Xanax.

 

          Good thoughts forward.

            Notforme

         

[[...]]

Notforme,  That you were able to go through major life events without thinking about a Xanax is absolutely wonderful !  Welcome !

[Guest [to...]]

Congratulations, notforme, getting through major stress events and not feeling the need for a benzo. That is great to hear. That means that mentally, you've won, and that's the way forward. Keep it up! I'm.sure you'll handle whatever life just threw at you just fine as well,

[[No...]]

Notforme,  That you were able to go through major life events without thinking about a Xanax is absolutely wonderful !  Welcome !

 

Thanks Kb45

 

Congratulations, notforme, getting through major stress events and not feeling the need for a benzo. That is great to hear. That means that mentally, you've won, and that's the way forward. Keep it up! I'm.sure you'll handle whatever life just threw at you just fine as well,

 

  Thanks to you too, Torbjorn.  I do feel my mental capacity getting stronger.

 

    You're brain is "awakening"  as you get lower. I experienced that also.

   

    More we keep our brain working, the better.

 

 

[[fl...]]

I see no valium users here...I could sure use some positive thoughts...thank you for being here...flower

[[br...]]

I can laugh, drive, sleep most through the night. A lot of stuff has subsided: Severe headache gone, tingling, tinnitus.

 

Love and Healing!!

[[...]]

Breakinthachainsrl,  You are healing and feeling good !  That is wonderful !  Enjoy your weekend !  Hugs, KB

[[va...]]

I am loving this thread already.

 

rstud, stop frying for a minute and post something that has improved for you.

 

NOW. 

 

 

Oscar

 

i no longer think I'm going to die any minute.

 

brain zaps are gone

 

flying monkeys gone

 

sleep from 0 to 3-4 hpn

 

sex is great

 

communist plot to poison me gone

 

ear plugs gone

 

sunglasses in bed gone

 

The bummer is all these things could return in the next hour, rstud

 

LMAO    (the ones I put in bold are hysterical.  I'm wondering if they were/are real.)

[[va...]]

Well, since I started tapering, I really haven't had that many bad symptoms.  I count myself extremely fortunate. 

 

I've made 3 cuts so far.  I've gone from 2mg xanax/day to 1.5mg/day.  It's been exactly 30 days since I stabilized myself at 2mg/day after an accidental CT event that scared the crap out of me where I experienced all kinds of horrible stuff.  The worst problem I've had is VERY LOUD tinnitus, which drives me crazy, but I had tinnitus before I went on xanax.  It's just never been this loud.  But now, it only gets bad for a few days after I cut, and it subsides to where it's only really noticeable a few hours before it's time to take my pill (I take a smaller dose in the am and a larger one at night).  The other thing that happens is my anxiety increases right after I decrease my dose, but it only lasts for a day or two.  I also seem to experience nausea during the 2nd-3rd day, but again, it goes away.

 

Positive effects:

 

I started writing again.  I've been diligent about keeping a journal of what I eat, which supplements I take, how I'm feeling, what I'm doing, etc., so I can try to pinpoint what might cause me to have a bad effect vs when I have few symptoms.  This has also prompted me to write about other aspects of my life, so I'm actually starting to journal again, after many years not doing it.

 

I ended a toxic relationship that I've been holding onto for a long time, thinking it would change when I knew deep down it wouldn't.  The thing that allowed me to do that, I think, is the fact that I've been writing every day about how I feel and what's happening to me. 

 

I've also been meditating again and doing some yoga, which I haven't done in a very long time, years, in fact.  I've started exploring my spirituality again and looking within, and it feels GREAT.    I'm learning things about myself, and while this journey is going to be a pain in some ways, I think it will be a positive experience overall.  I'm trying to keep a positive outlook, and I think the reason I'm able to do that is the fact that I've been doing all those other things.

 

I've also been listening to music during the day instead of watching netflix.  That has a calming affect on me as well.  So, there are a number of feedback loops happening here, feeding on one another and helping me to maintain a level of calmness, even when my symptoms are flaring up, and I believe this is helping to keep them at a minimum.    I just hope it continues to stay this way!

 

Peace.

 

~K 

[[mi...]]

This was a great idea oscar......I had never had a window in almost 8 mos......I fluctuated from feeling bad to worse most days....last week I felt a huge shift......

 

  My s/x were:

 

Headaches

Burning tearing eyes

Sinus issues

Head and ear pressure

Tinnitus

Stiff painful neck

Tooth and jaw pain

Nausea

Muscles in stomach pulling

Adrenalin rushes

Sweating

Hot flushes

Pins and needles hands and feet

Random pain

Weird cravings

Always felt hungry

Heart racing and palps

B/p spikes

Weird chest sensations

Shortness of breath

 

I may have missed a few....I do not feel I am in a window....I feel almost healed very few s/x now, mostly low tinnitus. Most importantly I feel that "I" came back to me before benzos....it feels wonderful....

 

I hope this thread keeps going.....I will not write a success story until I am sure that I am 100% healed.....this is the perfect place to post a pre-success story ......

 

I hope everyone is feeling better.... :smitten:m....

 

 

 

[[Co...]]

Oscar...this is a great idea...and more specific than the accentuate the positive thread. We desperately need to know that people recover from waves ..every wave eventually gets better. I keep a 'Window ' journal for myself on the progress board because I could not stand to mark my progress by waves and long months of slow non-linear progress.

..I am closing up month 10 and about a week or so away from month 11. Yes,  I am still getting waves...but I am so much better

......s/x that are better...

...........sleep...consistently 6-7 hours every night..

............not staying in bed every day...now up all day doing things

............intrusive thoughts...only infrequently

............random fear improving

............concentration much better

....Things do get better with time and we need visible proof of this from buddies currently on the boards we visit.

.....Thank you Oscar for starting this. I will be a frequent visiitor. ............coop

[[Lo...]]

Hmmm maybe my brain fog has lifted a bit. I managed to submit 4 articles today. 1 to an online blog I write for and 3 to a print magazine. Despite lack of sleep I made it happen! 

[[mi...]]

LM...... :yippee: :yippee: ....see keep goin girl....m ..