Help with titration taper please!

[[Pa...]]

Hi Annie,

 

Check out this article about morning anxiety....what it tells me is, continue your taper!

 

 

 

"Yes, depression and anxiety are worse in the morning. That is when your body's cortisol level is the hightest(cortisol is stimulating) and that accounts for probably part of what you are feeling. Cortisol is the stress hormone, your body produces when you are under stress.

 

The paradox of stress/cortisol is that anxiety produces cortisol, which produces anxiety which produces more cortisol, which causes you to feel more anxious...etc....

 

Soon you find yourself in this never ending cycle of anxiety and depression.

 

What you must do to get well is ACCEPT your anxiety. You must ACCEPT your feelings and not try to fight them. Do this long enough and an interesting thing happens, the anxiety goes away."

 

Deanne Repich from her article Understanding Early Morning Anxiety says,

 

"Another reason why symptoms can be worse in the morning is because your blood sugar is low when you first wake up. You have gone all night without food.

 

 

It's important to maintain a constant blood sugar level because the brain uses sugar, also known as glucose, as its fuel. If blood sugar levels are too low or drop too fast, then the brain starts running out of fuel.

 

This causes the brain to trigger the "fight or flight" response. The "fight or flight" response sends a rush of adrenaline, cortisol, and other neurotransmitters through your body to prepare you to fight or flee the perceived threat (low fuel).

 

This process can trigger physical reactions ("symptoms") such as trembling, rapid heartbeat, sweating, panic attacks, fatigue, insomnia, mental confusion, nervousness, dizziness, and more."

 

 

 

[[An...]]

Hi Pamster,

Point taken! - CBT has taught me this, which I have been able to do.....sit with my anxiety, accept it and imagine it as a colour & texture, watch it grow & diminish, perhaps I am not focused enough on practising what I have learnt, so.....down 1ml tomorrow & ACCEPT!

Thanks for the reminder.....

Annie

[[Pa...]]

Hi Pamster,

Point taken! - CBT has taught me this, which I have been able to do.....sit with my anxiety, accept it and imagine it as a colour & texture, watch it grow & diminish, perhaps I am not focused enough on practising what I have learnt, so.....down 1ml tomorrow & ACCEPT!

Thanks for the reminder.....

Annie

 

You made my day Annie, thanks for asking, listening and accepting. 

[[An...]]

Tomorrow I am down to 50ml titrating from 100ml of Valium - so far I am still standing, still get anxiety, but I accept that as part of healing, I know I still have half to go, but considering I was on equivalent of 25mg of Valium a day I feel the going is good.  I am learning to accept my anxiety, and hey, I have it - it doesn't have ME!

Wondering if I should add more liquid to daily dosage....as on 3 doses  (8 hourly) and getting harder to get level doses. 

I feel much less fogginess, have a lot more energy, and am much more interested in life and motivated at work.

I believe that this will get even better.

Thanks Pamster for your help on my bad day....re affirming my beliefs as you suggested has really helped!

Onwards & 1ml less a day!

Annie

[[Th...]]

Tomorrow I am down to 50ml titrating from 100ml of Valium - so far I am still standing, still get anxiety, but I accept that as part of healing, I know I still have half to go, but considering I was on equivalent of 25mg of Valium a day I feel the going is good.  I am learning to accept my anxiety, and hey, I have it - it doesn't have ME!

Wondering if I should add more liquid to daily dosage....as on 3 doses  (8 hourly) and getting harder to get level doses. 

I feel much less fogginess, have a lot more energy, and am much more interested in life and motivated at work.

I believe that this will get even better.

Thanks Pamster for your help on my bad day....re affirming my beliefs as you suggested has really helped!

Onwards & 1ml less a day!

Annie

 

Hi Annie,

 

Since you are using Valium, it is not essential to have your 3 doses divided precisely because of Valium's long half life. Even with me titrating Clono, some of my 3 daily doses were not exact and I didn't notice any difference.

 

I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better the lower you are! 

[[Co...]]

Hi,

 

As Theresa says, a bit of variation should not matter much. However, as your dose gets lower, you might benefit by adding extra liquid. Once you have removed the liquid that is not required (so that you are left with your daily dose), just top up the liquid with some extra milk to any convenient amount. Don't for get to give it good stir.

[[An...]]

Thanks Colin,

Am feeling good at the moment, quite on the ball!  Down to 46ml - will top up a bit as you suggest, many thanks, what would I do without you all!

Annie

[[An...]]

Help! have been on another thread saying that I'd had flu & was better and was still titrating.

Went back to work yesterday, thought my w/d symptoms were bad - but have had a realisation that I had been taking Paracodol -for 3 days solid for my temp and awful headache, when I started to feel better I stopped them obviously. Before the flu my depression was minimal, and anxiety only moderate, and not all the time. But I felt so down, and really  anxious that I called my CBT therapist, and she talked me through how I felt, and will see her in 2 days. BUT could this deterioration be caused by the Paracodol?  I would normally take just Paracetamol, but headache so bad took these instead.

Please - someone help me out here!  (am titrating on 36ml ) so am well on the way, and will stick with it, but have I taken something to make my w/ds worse?

Annie

[[Pa...]]

Hi Annie,

 

The other thread you were posting on is here:  http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=14834.0

 

I wasn't sure if you knew where to find it.  From what I can read about Paracodol, I don't think it should rev up your symptoms.  I've heard of other folks using codeine during this process but of course our central nervous system is extra sensitive during this time.  Maybe you had more anxiety because you still don't feel all that well because of the flu.  Many people have to avoid all medications during this time.  There are lots of variables, it's hard to say which one causes what.

 

Try to calm yourself, worrying makes our anxiety worse.  Please let us know how you're feeling when you log back in, okay?

[[An...]]

Hi Pamster,

Thanks, perhaps am just trying to find reason for feeling anxious & depressed!  I find them good as a one-off for migraine.

Am at work, and trying forget myself, anxiety is a bit better today, still feel down, but am concentrating & following all my CBT instructions - seeing therapist tomorrow anyway, and my Consultant on Monday.  Have a weeks hol next week, and we have arranged days out.  I will go no matter what I feel like.  It is so tempting to get into bed, I have not felt so down in weeks, it's up to me really. have great husband and friends who are really supportive.  So willl keep it positive & carry on with mashing up my pills!

[[Pa...]]

Glad things are a tad better today, not much though darn it.  Your attitude is great, you plan to just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  You're doing so many things right, working on your CBT, seeing a therapist, going to work and planning a vacation. 

 

Thanks for checking in, it sure doesn't take much to make things worse does it?  Hopefully next week you'll feel good and have plenty of distraction to keep your mind off of withdrawals. 

[[An...]]

Pamster u r such a sweetie, I feel all tearful that someone understands..... and has been there, well - not just you everyone on here really!

RIGHT - gotta finish a job before I can go tonight.

My best to you,

Annie for you in a friendly way!

[[Pa...]]

My best to you too Annie  , I love that you say you're going to continue to smash up your pills!  I like it, no matter what life throws at you, you're determined!  Good for you!! 

[[An...]]

Feel quite up tonight, am crazy - bought Paul McKenna's new book & hypnotherapy cd, Control Stress!!!!!!!!!

I will report if I am gaining anything from it!!!

Annie

[[An...]]

Hi again,

Visited consultant yesterday - he felt I was doing really well!  Also suggested I cut to 2 doses a day - am  and late pm - as am down to 31ml of 10mg valium titration.  Will go with this as most of my w/d symptoms are am, improving during day.

He told me the seratonin levels drop if you are ill, so am hopeful this glitch is righting itself. 

Am on hol, so have lots planned, weekend trip went well had lovely day at country fair in Kent, kept my mind off me!!!!

Annie

[[el...]]

Good to hear, Annie!

 

Twice a day dosing is very reasonable with valium, since it has such a long half life. You are doing great. Have a gas on holiday! 

[[Pa...]]

I'm glad you're keeping your mind off of you!  Enjoy your holiday as best you can! 

[[An...]]

Great holiday, didn't go anywhere - just days out, am feeling amazingly normal as I reach 25ml - feel so positive about only having 25 days to go!!! I think the real me is back, I feel I can take everything life throws at me after this journey, which isn't over yet - but boy has it taught me some things about myself!!!

Annie 

[[Th...]]

Great holiday, didn't go anywhere - just days out, am feeling amazingly normal as I reach 25ml - feel so positive about only having 25 days to go!!! I think the real me is back, I feel I can take everything life throws at me after this journey, which isn't over yet - but boy has it taught me some things about myself!!!

Annie 

 

I'm so happy for you!! 

 

 

[[Pa...]]

Great holiday, didn't go anywhere - just days out, am feeling amazingly normal as I reach 25ml - feel so positive about only having 25 days to go!!! I think the real me is back, I feel I can take everything life throws at me after this journey, which isn't over yet - but boy has it taught me some things about myself!!!

Annie 

 

I love posts like this Annie, thanks for letting us know how you're doing! 

[[An...]]

No, Thank you both for your support & encouragement, understanding - you are two lovely people - will try and continue in this vein!!!!

Annie 

[[Co...]]

Good to hear that your taper plan is progressing so well. Please, do keep letting people know. It is only natural that those that are struggling tend to be more vocal - this can give a very distorted view of what to expect. The more people, like you, that keep relaying a positive message about relatively uneventful tapers (if carried out sensibly), the better members and visitors will feel about about their own (planned) tapers.

[[An...]]

Thanks Colin

It has not all been easy, especially the beginning - but I think like a lot of people as well as w/ds you are very apprehensive about it - and this in turn makes you even more anxious!  I would heartily recommend CBT, it has taught me to deal with so much of my anxiety and depression......and this in turn has got me so far!

Regards

Annie

[[An...]]

Hi all, well I opened my mouth & my foot went in.  Am down to 18ml a day, and suddenly really feel anxious and depressed again, oh just when it all seemed to be panning out, however will not give in to it - though it is pretty damn hard to be nice to people when you feel like that!  Sleeping is dodgy too- that has been ok up to now.  I am probably not being positive enough & tried pushing it away instead of accepting ....

Benzos are so 

Annie

[[Pa...]]

Darn it Annie, these withdrawals are wicked aren't they?  Just to let you know, it's nothing you did or said it's just the nature of this beast.  That's what I used to call it, the beast!

 

Good call though, about staying positive.  The good part is that you know your body is capable of feeling good, it did and will again.  Some folks never seem to get a break, so you're lucky.  I know, hard to feel lucky when you feel like crap, but this will pass.

 

I'm so glad you check in from time to time, it's always a pleasure!!