ASHTON TAPER / CUT & HOLD SUPPORT

[[ar...]]

Good luck Ingrid.  Hope it goes well for you.

[[bo...]]

Did I mention I like the people on this thread a lot?? And Arcade, glad to see you do too!

 

No racing to the end, though. We each have a 'rate' of reduction that 'works' best for us. The winners are the ones who step off gently and heal on the way to zero as well as beyond.

 

Seeing how I have nothing much to report this evening, I'll try this thought out: how much psychologically has to do with the size of the pills? I have 2mg that are the same size as my 5mg, as well as a different brand 2mg that are much smaller. When I cut from 3.5 (1/2 of a 5 + 1/2 of a 2) to 3 (a whole 2 plus a 1/2 of a 2) the 'volume' of pill increased. While the rationale part of my brain told me that the amount of V was dropping, but my taste buds and eyes said "you're taking more. Aaargghh".

 

Fortunately, the coming cut to 2.5 will see me taking just 1/2 of a 5, which will feel like almost nothing. Then, horrors, going to 2mg I'll be taking a WHOLE PILL again.

 

What I want is a series of successively smaller pills, so that it actually LOOKS like I'm reducing. No, I'm not serious, but I bet I'm not the only one who has these thoughts!!

[[ro...]]

Ingrid,

 

Love your avatar,

 

Rose

[Guest [in...]]

I know bolders I know  For me, I feel "safer" with a bigger pill. I'll think, "oh, I wont feel a thing, Im still taking a whole pill!" 

[Guest [in...]]

Thanks Rose! That was a selfie from my fall vacation. I was about to eat a scrumptious breakfast, gourmet-my favorite kind!  And I love your new avatar as well. I saw your post on Valium thread. I so wish your mornings would improve. But I believe that's a hallmark of Valium w/d-shaaty mornings? I dont have them so far, but I get so excited about coffee and green tea, that I am up and at 'em! 

[[la...]]

this is the thread that rocks . I don't go to Valium thread anymore

Ingrid 4.5mgs!!!!!  congrats

[[Sh...]]

Arcade79 - Like you, I was only on benzos a short time, so elected to go faster than most people on here. There were some rough patches, especially towards the lower doses. Maybe symptoms would have been less severe had I gone slower. But it is a trade-off; my preference was to just get it done as quickly as I could tolerate in order to reach my goal. And I'm not sorry I did it that way. I started feeling much better almost as soon as I jumped. No acute withdrawal at all (still have symptoms, but much milder).

[[ar...]]

Did I mention I like the people on this thread a lot?? And Arcade, glad to see you do too!

 

No racing to the end, though. We each have a 'rate' of reduction that 'works' best for us. The winners are the ones who step off gently and heal on the way to zero as well as beyond.

 

Seeing how I have nothing much to report this evening, I'll try this thought out: how much psychologically has to do with the size of the pills? I have 2mg that are the same size as my 5mg, as well as a different brand 2mg that are much smaller. When I cut from 3.5 (1/2 of a 5 + 1/2 of a 2) to 3 (a whole 2 plus a 1/2 of a 2) the 'volume' of pill increased. While the rationale part of my brain told me that the amount of V was dropping, but my taste buds and eyes said "you're taking more. Aaargghh".

 

Fortunately, the coming cut to 2.5 will see me taking just 1/2 of a 5, which will feel like almost nothing. Then, horrors, going to 2mg I'll be taking a WHOLE PILL again.

 

What I want is a series of successively smaller pills, so that it actually LOOKS like I'm reducing. No, I'm not serious, but I bet I'm not the only one who has these thoughts!!

 

Bolders,

 

You're thinking too much. 

[[ar...]]

My mornings with Valium were horrible in the beginning.  What seemed to work for me was taking the morning dose on an empty stomach and the waiting an hour to eat.  That's just me though.

 

Rose,

 

I take 20mg prilosec also.  Have you had any issues with that and Valium?

[[ar...]]

Arcade79 - Like you, I was only on benzos a short time, so elected to go faster than most people on here. There were some rough patches, especially towards the lower doses. Maybe symptoms would have been less severe had I gone slower. But it is a trade-off; my preference was to just get it done as quickly as I could tolerate in order to reach my goal. And I'm not sorry I did it that way. I started feeling much better almost as soon as I jumped. No acute withdrawal at all (still have symptoms, but much milder).

 

Shira,

 

I elected to go a little slower because I need to be stable for my job.  I work in IT and they need me to keep the network operational.  Believe me if I could I would go faster but it seems holding 10 days at .5 cut works for me.

 

best wishes

[[ar...]]

Did I mention I like the people on this thread a lot?? And Arcade, glad to see you do too!

 

No racing to the end, though. We each have a 'rate' of reduction that 'works' best for us. The winners are the ones who step off gently and heal on the way to zero as well as beyond.

 

Seeing how I have nothing much to report this evening, I'll try this thought out: how much psychologically has to do with the size of the pills? I have 2mg that are the same size as my 5mg, as well as a different brand 2mg that are much smaller. When I cut from 3.5 (1/2 of a 5 + 1/2 of a 2) to 3 (a whole 2 plus a 1/2 of a 2) the 'volume' of pill increased. While the rationale part of my brain told me that the amount of V was dropping, but my taste buds and eyes said "you're taking more. Aaargghh".

 

Fortunately, the coming cut to 2.5 will see me taking just 1/2 of a 5, which will feel like almost nothing. Then, horrors, going to 2mg I'll be taking a WHOLE PILL again.

 

What I want is a series of successively smaller pills, so that it actually LOOKS like I'm reducing. No, I'm not serious, but I bet I'm not the only one who has these thoughts!!

 

Hello there bolders!  I promise I won't race you.  10 day holds seem to work well so far.  I'll adjust based on my symptoms.  My main symptoms tend to be mini migraines.  So far with this 10 day hold I sleep fine.  Let the healing begin my friend.

[[la...]]

INGRID, I have a question. I have held up to 3 weeks and never really felt any better. So I felt that after 3 weeks that was sufficient amount of time to see if holding would help me.

 

so in your experience did you feel better at 3 week mark? I see that you hold 5-6 weeks now and say it has helped you a lot. I keep thinking that 1-2 more weeks won't make any difference if at 3 weeks its still bad.

 

waiting to hear how its effected you.

 

and again I am jealous that you are under 5mgs now

[Guest [in...]]

Lainey I think Valium just agrees with me. From the start, I felt well on it. I was very sleepy, tired at first. But it never has made me feel bad. The only time I had bad feelings or w/d was when I tapered too fast. So, my situation is different than what you're experiencing, unfortunately. I may begin having issues as I get lower, so I wont celebrate yet! 

[[mr...]]

INGRID, I have a question. I have held up to 3 weeks and never really felt any better. So I felt that after 3 weeks that was sufficient amount of time to see if holding would help me.

 

so in your experience did you feel better at 3 week mark? I see that you hold 5-6 weeks now and say it has helped you a lot. I keep thinking that 1-2 more weeks won't make any difference if at 3 weeks its still bad.

 

waiting to hear how its effected you.

 

and again I am jealous that you are under 5mgs now

 

Hi Lainey,

I found that if I gave my mom anything that would flush her liver of the drug, such as black cumin seed oil, I would have to hold her dose longer.

This was to allow enuf build up of the valium to be at a rate her body could handle.

When we cut and hold, we need to hold long enuf for the half lives to build up to the level our body is used to in order to keep symptoms tolerable.

 

I believe oregankatz held for over a month, but can't remember how long.

[[ar...]]

I mirror what ingred said.  It made me sleepy at first but I got used to it.  It can make me constipated so to combat that I upmy fiber intake and eat Activia yogurt.

[[Ju...]]

Hi rosegal

I know we both hate the no sleep word. Personally I don't see how there are any other withdrawal symptoms that matter besides that one. I understand about hubby not understanding. He says, so you are tired so what? But it isn't tired, it is like the soul has been sucked out of your body. I know. I tell myself I don't have no sleep word, just a medication problem that is temporary. I also say, ok so I can't sleep but I can relax. It doesn't fix it, or make it go away but I think stopping trying to fix it makes it easier to handle. It isn't our fault, so it isn't up to us to fix it. It will go away, I hope it is soon for you.

[[Da...]]

Ive been using the ashton method cutting 1mg every week or so. I'm down to 2mg Valium glad to see a part of the forum thats actually based on science and clinical trials 

[[ar...]]

Dave,

 

This thread looks to be very positive compared to other threads.  So far everyone has been great!

[[Da...]]

If It's positive I will hang around. 

[[ar...]]

Boulders said it was so I'll blame him if we start seeing buzz kills.  Just kidding...lol

[[Ju...]]

Definitely don't want to be a buzzkill but based on my previous experience I will be taking a little rest around 2mg before going the rest of the way. I don't want a repeat of my last taper.

[[ar...]]

Just, What happened on your last taper?

[[Da...]]

Kolonopin for 6 years, you came off and you were fine and you let a dr reinstate you? Why in the world would you do that?

[[Ju...]]

Yup, the short story is in my sig. I started benzos because of postpartum anxiety. I wanted off asap but everytime I went off (super fast from what I know now), I would have withdrawal symptoms and I believed the doctors who told me that I had a worsening anxiety condition. One of my doctors also told me it was impossible to feel withdrawal from reducing 0.25 mg of klonopin. I desperately wanted to be a mother to my children and be functional and so it wasn't until I had a few rounds of experience that I started questioning whether the doctors were right and doing my own research. Even once I knew what was happening it was incredibly hard to go through the taper without a supportive doctor (withdrawal symptoms got worse each time). Now I have a doctor who understands so I am hoping to reclaim myself.

[[ar...]]

Just, Glad you found a good doctor.  How did you end up finding a good doctor?