ASHTON TAPER / CUT & HOLD SUPPORT

[[Ho...]]

Yay, I finally made it! Yesterday was my first day with no Valium. I have some ear zaps and tension aches in my jaw and temples but that's about it. So grateful to Ashton. I did cut and hold all the way down. The general rule here of cutting 5-10% every 10-14 days has worked for me. Soooo glad to be done and ready for true healing to start.

 

Congrats Grape!  Keep us posted how you are doing

[[et...]]

Yay, I finally made it! Yesterday was my first day with no Valium. I have some ear zaps and tension aches in my jaw and temples but that's about it. So grateful to Ashton. I did cut and hold all the way down. The general rule here of cutting 5-10% every 10-14 days has worked for me. Soooo glad to be done and ready for true healing to start.

 

Way to go Grape

etown

[[la...]]

YES...Grape..you did it ...congrats...now stay here and pull us along up out of our hole too

[[...]]

Hi, I've been reading a lot on this board as I decided to try a cut and hold. I had been doing a daily micro taper and I crashed so I tried a patterned taper and I still crashed. So I thought I would try a cut and hold. I'm not on V like BBallmom I'm on K. My baseline sxs are daily anxiety and severe agoraphobia, I'm housebound.

 

I decided that since I was struggling so much with the micro taper I would start with a really small cut. I figured I might not get any w/d sxs or if I did they would only be minor. I was sooooo wrong. I cut 2.5% on Jan 12 and became completely non-funcitonal pretty much from day one. I'm still struggling with increased sxs and a couple of new ones started the middle of last week. Depression and lonliness.

 

Has anyone experienced such a small cut with such long lasting sxs? I would really like to get back to my baseline sxs which while they aren't fun I'm at least somewhat functional.

 

I'm not sure what to do next.

[[bb...]]

Hey tntd - Just wanted to say "hi". I saw in your post you mentioned I was on V - well I'm on the poison K just like you. I am so sorry you are still feeling bad. I have made another cut today, so crossing fingers. Hugs to you my friend....  Hang in there.

[[...]]

Hi Bballmom, I forgot my comma  I meant to say, "I'm not on V, like BBallmom I'm on K  . It's good to see you here as well as on the K Klub thread.

 

I hope your cut goes well. I see you cut by 8% again. You are lucky and I'm glad you can cut that much. My little cut of 2.5% sent me over the edge. That was almost three weeks ago and I still haven't recovered. I don't know what to do. Nothing seems to work without sending me crashing into the wall. I do have to admit I did recover faster when I was micro-tapering though. Maybe because I would stop before it got too bad. It looks like I'm going to have to go back to the micro-taper once I recover from this cut. Figuring out what works best has really been awful. I'm glad you seem to have found what works for you. 

 

Hugs to you too. We'll get through this 

[[ed...]]

Yay, I finally made it! Yesterday was my first day with no Valium. I have some ear zaps and tension aches in my jaw and temples but that's about it. So grateful to Ashton. I did cut and hold all the way down. The general rule here of cutting 5-10% every 10-14 days has worked for me. Soooo glad to be done and ready for true healing to start.

 

Grape!!!!! I'm so proud of you! You did it.    I'm really excited to hear how your healing comes along.  I know it took a lot of work and guts, but you fought through and look where you are. Great work!

 

All the Best,

Ed

[[bb...]]

Hey everyone! I am into Day 7 on my cut and still the mornings are tough.  It has been a long week! I walk at lunchtime and that seems to settle me down a little. It just disappoints me a bit. I get discouraged very easily. I am using the scale method. Some encouraging words would be great today. Thank you and I hope everyone is doing OK on their journey. 

[[et...]]

Hey everyone! I am into Day 7 on my cut and still the mornings are tough.  It has been a long week! I walk at lunchtime and that seems to settle me down a little. It just disappoints me a bit. I get discouraged very easily. I am using the scale method. Some encouraging words would be great today. Thank you and I hope everyone is doing OK on their journey. 

 

It's ok to be discouraged but it needs to be a fleeting thought and then back to business. Stay focused on the prize. You are doing great and need to pat yourself on the back because Benzo tapering is not for the faint of heart. It takes a tough son of a gun to get to the other side.

etown

[[bb...]]

Thank you etown for the encouraging words. This is my 3rd time on K and it has been soooo hard this time! Thanks again.

[[kc...]]

I have a question about using a gram scale.  Bought one recommended by users, and find it rather uncertain.

As in...

I weigh half a pill and get .078, then take it off, return the scale to zero and weigh it again... .08!... try again....76!

What's up?  Is there some trick I'm not doing?

 

 

Hard to get exact dosages when there's this variant.

Ideas?

[[2t...]]

I have a question about using a gram scale.  Bought one recommended by users, and find it rather uncertain.

As in...

I weigh half a pill and get .078, then take it off, return the scale to zero and weigh it again... .08!... try again....76!

What's up?  Is there some trick I'm not doing?

 

 

Hard to get exact dosages when there's this variant.

Ideas?

 

Mine was the same so when I started to get low I swapped to a compounding pharmacy to make my pills up for me.

Although I am using cut and hold it is with klonopin and not valium so it is even harder to get an accurate weight as a .5mg k pill is the same as 10mg of valium.

Others may have a method of making the scales more accurate, mine was the Gem20 digital jewelry scale.

 

2trusting

[[ed...]]

Because the Gemini scales are so affordable, I bought two of them. When there'd be a variance between the two scales, I'd just take the average weight of both readings.

[[Ju...]]

Wanted to check in with bballmom, sorry I havent been around much. It is harder the third (or fourth or fifth time) to taper- but it can be done! To those of you who are on your first time around, I recommend thinking about resources you can collect for after your jump to ensure that you dont get tempted to reinstate. Who is in your support network in real life? Can you talk to them about how important it is not to reinstate? Can you prep some freezer meals? Plan for a few days off work? I dont mean to say the jump will be tough- for many it isnt at all, but the more prepared you are the more likely you are to succeed.

Take care,

JKS

[[bb...]]

JKS - How nice of you to check in with me. I am having a very rough time of it these days. I'm into day 11 of my cut and still suffering pretty bad. Mornings are so hard. Just this morning I cried to my husband.... the anxiety, the depression, fear. You know the drill. I think I will hold a while and see if I can feel a little better. Then do smaller cuts. I am just so scared that I will feel this way the whole way down  :'( I swear I won't touch this stuff again. This sucks! Thanks again.

[[la...]]

Hi all.

I just wanted to hear from anyone who did this without figuring in the % of the cuts

 

I am at 2.5mgs V

 

my next cut is Monday...obviously if I cut .25mgs that's a 10% cut...BUUUUTTTT I want off this crap so I want to just cut .5mgs which is a 20% cut.

 

I have been SOOOOOOOOO sick this entire time that what more can I lose?  I sleep horrible, I wake to feeling horrible...and feel horrible all day long

 

I tried holding for 5 months..big waste

 

so my feeling is why drag this out longer...I need to just go for it...want to hear from others who have done just that

[[Ju...]]

Lainey as you know I cut 0.25 mg every two weeks at your dose. It worked for me. Some of the cuts were actually easy! Etown did the same, I think maybe three week holds. Good luck!

 

Bballmom- sorry you are struggling. I personally am not a fan of smaller and smaller cuts. I think we need cautious haste to get off and begin healing. I had to cross from klonopin to Valium and it really helped me. Is that an option for you?

JKS

[[Ju...]]

On second thought bballmom, if you are just feeling ground down by the taper but coping then a crossover probably isn't worth it. You are close. It is tedium and torture of the worst kind but you know how to get through. You got this.

[[bb...]]

Jks- I  actually at .875 mgs total a day. Not really close but I think I'm going to stick with the devil I know. I am using a scale so my measurements are in grams. Thanks again

[[Ju...]]

oh ok, I misread your signature

[[kc...]]

2trusting and edzo8 - thanks for the advice.

 

I think I'll buy another scale and try averaging.  Seems sensible.

 

Much appreciated!

[[ri...]]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to this. I started taking ativan after I developed tinnitus and completely lost the ability to sleep. I was a mess, I jusst couldnt function so I started taking 1mg of ativan at night to sleep and it really helped. I am calmer, I dont focus on my tinnitus as much and I sleep like a baby. Little From what I read this seems to be the best method but 'm not sure I quite understand. Do I just reduce by 10%(1mg to .9mg) every two weeks? is that the template? I noticed some people add some other meds but being that I have only been  on ativan for such a short time and on a small dose is it best for me to just reduce by 10% every 2 weeks?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

Chris

[[Al...]]

Ringingintheears,

 

I would like to suggest that you create a signature on your forum profile page.

 

That way everyone will clearly see what your on and for how long etc.

 

Welcome aboard. 

 

ATU

[[et...]]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to this. I started taking ativan after I developed tinnitus and completely lost the ability to sleep. I was a mess, I jusst couldnt function so I started taking 1mg of ativan at night to sleep and it really helped. I am calmer, I dont focus on my tinnitus as much and I sleep like a baby. Little From what I read this seems to be the best method but 'm not sure I quite understand. Do I just reduce by 10%(1mg to .9mg) every two weeks? is that the template? I noticed some people add some other meds but being that I have only been  on ativan for such a short time and on a small dose is it best for me to just reduce by 10% every 2 weeks?

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

Chris

 

Hi Chris,

Have you  ever missed a dose or 2 in a row? You may be the the percentage of people who can just stop taking the Benzo. If so you would know with Ativan after a few days of not taking it.

etown

[[ri...]]

Thanks for your reply

 

I really didnt think a month or two on benzo's at such a low dose would be a big deal but based on how I feel mentally it is clear that it is.

I have missed a dose and my mind started racing, I was really agitated and I felt burning in my legs. I told my doctor this and she thinks I may have become dependant already. earlier this week I cut to .75 and had racing thoughts all day so I went back to 1mg to start a proper taper. I will take 1mg for another few days to make sure I'm ready and start my taper next week. So far I cant find any doctors who know how to help with the taper so I'm going to work off the Ashton manual. Problem is, there is no advice for short term use and 1mg. I guess I'm supposed to cut by 5-10% every 2 weeks but I really dont know. I'm hoping someone experienced can help me out to get started.