How many people HAVE to work while tapering

[[pe...]]

Hi River,

I think we heal on the way down though I'm not sure what the research says. I have definitely felt better as I've gotten lower, though I still feel off one way or the other - depressed, cog fog, fatigue, anxious... you get the picture. But I do feel like my brain is working better, that I think more clearly and my memory is much better. I'm glad you're getting some positive results as you taper.

 

Peace

[[La...]]

Rriver, yes, I too have been feeling progressively better as my dose lowers. I really started making huge improvement at 0.34 mg lorazepam. At 0.29, I have to say that I am actually feeling excellent though I don't want to jinx the road ahead. Wd sx pretty minor now except for evening idw. Cognitive performance seems to be incrementally improving. Looking forward to cutting down to 0.24mg tomorrow!

[[...]]

Having a clear head, not feeling doped up, the return of the short term memory,

 

All this got better for me the lower I got.

[[Sk...]]

I am having a rough time holding jobs.  The withdrawl is starting to bite my ass.  I am nearing the end and it feels like it too.

 

-SZ-

[[...]]

Hey Sky

Why not just hold or go back to the last dose you felt better at?  There's no good reason to push things and feel miserable. Besides, the glutamate excitotoxicity engendered from overly rapid tapers may actually slow the overall healing process.

Bart

[[Sk...]]

Hey bart,

 

I will most likely slow my taper down for the last bit of it.  Why not?  It can't hurt, I suppose.

 

Thanks again.

[[Mr...]]

Hello it seems to me from what I've read everyone, the last part of the taper the last couple milligrams should slow down and not be afraid to hold as long as they need or maybe even up dode just a tiny little bit so that you don't feel rotten you're almost there at that point. I also think the last one or 2 mg is when your body is really trying to heal that last little bit I feel it's very important to do it slow and right. Because at this point you're almost in the homestretch and if you rush it like some people do you can have bad symptoms from a weeks or months afterwards so since you took so much time already to make at this point take a little extra time to do it right and finish properly just my opinion.

Mr scared in Ottawa.

[[ma...]]

Dear working buddies

 

Etown how goes it? are you surviving the teaching?

 

Mr scared, personally I am glad I went slow for the last 1mg (i reduced quite fast from 2-1mg) and took 2.5months to get to zero. I also don't think I would have benefited from continuing for any longer, as nothing was really changing for better or worse at that point. As the drug effect wears off the need for talking and willing yourself through it becomes important.

Repeating I can do this! got me to the end.

After two weeks off the v life is still far better than during the taper! Still know things aint  right of course.

Re work stress i have plenty of it, and the institution is in a mess. That is tough,  but I will get through...

lots of love magga xx

 

[[Sk...]]

Hello it seems to me from what I've read everyone, the last part of the taper the last couple milligrams should slow down and not be afraid to hold as long as they need or maybe even up dode just a tiny little bit so that you don't feel rotten you're almost there at that point. I also think the last one or 2 mg is when your body is really trying to heal that last little bit I feel it's very important to do it slow and right. Because at this point you're almost in the homestretch and if you rush it like some people do you can have bad symptoms from a weeks or months afterwards so since you took so much time already to make at this point take a little extra time to do it right and finish properly just my opinion.

Mr scared in Ottawa.

Thanks for this most valuable statement.

 

-SZ-

[[Mr...]]

Hello... I think it's very important to try to have some ok quality of life threw ur taper. Last year I made soo Many dumb mistakes during the first time I tried to taper with my doctor back in March and April. I was on 4 mg of Valium and the doctor thought I could taper off that no problem five weeks she was so stupid and that was so wrong for me. I jumped off  .5 mg back May 19, After 16 days off all hell broke loose it was terrible.... I only made it today 34 off where couldn't handle it thought I was gonna kill myself went to the ER and bang back on benzo's. So for me it took many months of reading understanding answering questions here to finally learn and make a plan that will work for me and let me have a quality-of-life so I can work, enjoy my relationship with my girlfriend and be a good person to those around me... Most days lol. I really believe now that we heal all through our taper and the most important thing to do is keep your healing rate and your taper rate very close. So even though there are going to be some tough times and you do have to do it downward taper try to keep your healing rate fairly close to that so to have minimal symptoms and don't feel like you're going crazy enough to go to the ER five times a week. Well that's my two cents or in this case my 2mg valium cents lol lol for the day...Mr scared in Ottawa.

 

[[...]]

Hang in there everyone

 

Having to slow down at the end is frustrating for me as well.  I stupidly thought I could continue my early taper rate all the way to the end (which would have put me being done on 9/8/13) but discovered quickly that I will likely have to re-adjust to slower and slower as my dose gets smaller and smaller.

 

I don't like it but I have to stay functional and support my family.

 

We can do this!

 

Magga - what are your symptoms these days at almost one month off?  Are you able to sleep?

[[et...]]

Magga - things are going fairly well with the daily taper. I have endured the most stressful past 3 months at work in my career and I came out the other side in pretty good shape.

Everyone - I love this thread and I am encouraged that many of you see the benefit from a taper speed that is closer to your healing rate. I can tell by the feeling of your posts that most people are functioning rather well.

Keep chipping away

etown

[[ma...]]

Hi Eliz

 

How are things? Dont be scared of finishing with this poison.

Its been just over 2 weeks since I quit, and generally my symptoms are less now than when I was tapering, but still around. The buzzy sometimes wired feeling comes up when I am stressed or tired.  I also feel upset and anxious sometimes but can mostly distract myself. Sleep is really not bad, although I havent slept through since my kids were born. I generally manage a solid 5-6 hours and doze an hour or so after that. Dreams are more normal than they were but can have unpleasant overtones if I have read or watched something disturbing. Mind is functioning well, I am writing and studying again!

Energy is MUCH improved. I even feel like running along the road (a few months back i was hobbling!).

All in all tapering for me was worse than post withdrawal SO FAR, but I sense its going to take some months before my inner confident optimistic self resurfaces.

Very best wishes to you,

 

magga x

 

[[...]]

Thanks Magga!

 

Your progress is very encouraging and I am happy for you!  :thumbsup:

[[ga...]]

magga,

 

I would love to be getting 5 to 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  You are very fortunate.  Mine is broken and irregular, some not little to no sleep.  The good news is I get enough to do my job.  The days following little or no sleep are extremely tough.  I have to push myself to go and do my job.  I will keep living day to day and hope that things improve down the road.  Still only 4 months off Ativan.

[[Mr...]]

Thanks once again E town that Seriphos is working wonders for my sleep. I have been takin one tab with breakfast, one at noon and 4 tabs just before I go to bed and swear to goodness it took about 5 days to kick in...but for the last two nights I slept from 11pm right to 6am with no 4am terror wake ups!!!! PERFECT!!!! And for the last 6 months before this I WOULD ALWAYS wake up at 4am on the dot with terror and feel jolted awake. So I'm going keep up wt my Seriphos and I will keep you all updated as I continue to use this product. And just to say these are just my opinions based on my experience threw trial and error and much much pain...but if it mite help just one member out there then that's beautiful to me.

Mr scared in Ottawa.

Peace to you all...

 

 

 

[[...]]

So far Seriphos is still working for me. I take 1 tablet in the evening and 2 at bedtime.

[[...]]

TGIF Everyone!

 

I have already put in way more than 40 hours this week and am slipping out to start my weekend early.

 

I hope everyone has a good weekend free from the stress of work.

 

Have a good one!

[[et...]]

Planning on having a little fun this weekend had a busy week too. Don't overdo it everyone.

How was your workweek?

etown

[[Rr...]]

Busy work week. Extra homework with daughter plus a doctor's appt.

 

I cut down to .69, woohoo! I'm in the 60's. Maybe I should wear a tie-dye shirt to celebrate

 

What is Seriphos? It's getting a lot of good reviews. Is it safe for long term use?

 

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

 

Rriver

 

 

[[La...]]

Productive work week for me now that I have slowed my taper rate and most wd sxs have lifted. Feeling stronger and mentally clearer so trying to get as much done as possible while I can (before the other shoe drops). At 0.24 mg I actually feel remarkably well / 90% human. Have some surfing and cycling planned for the weekend. Wishing you all a weekend of Windows and joy.

[[...]]

Hey Laser

Good job! Keeping just a slight deficit between your bodies benzo "requirements" to feel well and the amount you give it will allow for a minimally symptomatic taper. It just takes patience and some fine tuning like you're doing.

Bart

[[et...]]

Off to do stuff. If it rains any more here in Ontario I'm going to build an Ark!

etown

[[dr...]]

I'm jumping in on this thread!  I had a really tough workweek as I'm trying to find the "balance" on my titration that Bart and Etown speak of. I missed Tuesday as I couldn't leave the house. Friday was manageable and I closed a nice deal and felt almost human.  Great way to finish a crap week. Going to go easy on myself this weekend and probably stay in and just wait for my brain to stabilize. Have a great weekend all

 

Drew

[[Sk...]]

I really would like to work again but it being at the end of my taper, I don't know how good of an idea that would be.  At the same time though, I am almost going crazy just staying home all the time. 

 

-SZ-