Just over 3 years off ADs, 2 years 8 months off zopiclone and 2 years off valium

2 years off! I can’t believe it. I remember those early days off. Sheesh they were nasty. But time passes and it gets easier little bit by little bit.

 

To my friends here that were so supportive and helped me in the hard days, Thanku so much. Even tho I’m not back to the way I was before I am 85% and that’s enough for me. ❤️

here for this post!  you have the best perspective and humor on this forum

2 years off! I can’t believe it. I remember those early days off. Sheesh they were nasty. But time passes and it gets easier little bit by little bit.

 

To my friends here that were so supportive and helped me in the hard days, Thanku so much. Even tho I’m not back to the way I was before I am 85% and that’s enough for me. ❤️

 

Wow -- Amazing. Happy for you. Can you say more about how the healing happened?

Good to see you're making the most of life!

here for this post!  you have the best perspective and humor on this forum

 

Aw Kanoba u are such a sweetheart x you always make me smile and u are one of the kindest people on this forum ❤️ Always giving positive vibes no matter how u are feeling x Thanku sweetie for always being such a lovely friend to me here x ❤️

2 years off! I can’t believe it. I remember those early days off. Sheesh they were nasty. But time passes and it gets easier little bit by little bit.

 

To my friends here that were so supportive and helped me in the hard days, Thanku so much. Even tho I’m not back to the way I was before I am 85% and that’s enough for me. ❤️

 

Wow -- Amazing. Happy for you. Can you say more about how the healing happened?

 

Hi Rebecca x well it was gradual for me. I was in a very bad place for a while, I had a lot of meds to get off as u know. I used valium to wd from zopiclone and the entire taper was just horrible. I went back to work 4 months after I finished my last taper. It was extremely hard but I think it gave me an anchor. I had to be somewhere every day so I couldn’t dwell on how bad I was feeling. I think the fact I had to speak to people was good too because I had very bad agrophobia and anxiety for most of my taper so I believe it helped retrain my brain how to interact with people again. When I was about 8 or 9 months off I was still struggling so badly and I thought right enuf of this shit I’m not waiting anymore I’m going to make this healing happen so I just started smashing myself at the gym and juicing every day. I’d do an hour of cardio and an hour of weights and on my days off swim for an hour too. It was hard at first but I started looking forward to it. Then by maybe 12 months I just started feeling better. My sleep got better, (not a lot but I went from 0-3 to now 5-6 and sometimes longer) and most of the other symptoms just vanished.

 

I was watching a movie the other day and someone said “your body is not tired, your mind is weak, get your mind right” and I thought yep. That’s the key. I don’t think it was anything in particular but a combination of just “acting normal” that got me there in the end. Not playing the “I’m too sick to do that” game.

 

Now I know some people will be too sick to do these things but the take away is, do something. Stop googling, stop searching for a magic combo of supps or whatever. I did that too and it’s a waste of time. Read success stories because they are true. Get up and show up every day no matter how shit u feel coz this is it. This is ur life. Who knows if we’ll get another crack at it but all I know is I remember sitting by a window for a couple of years crying my eyes out watching people outside living while I was inside dying. I had severe muscle wastage and could hardly find the strength to make my kids school lunches most days. My god. Too traumatic to even think about. I lost 4 years of my life to this. 5 or 6 actually if u count the beginning of my problems to today. Too long.

 

Now, I am strong. I lift heavy weights and my guns are bigger than my 20 year old sons 💪🏾.

 

If u want it, fight for it. Even if u can only walk to the end of ur street, do it. Every day no matter what. Mind over matter. ❤️

Good to see you're making the most of life!

 

Thanks honey. Some days still feel like I’m trying to summit Everest but I’ve been to the top of the mountain many many times now. 👍🏼 I know u have too x

Congrats my friend!

 

So happy for you!

 

Hugs,

Winnie

Two years!! Yay! I’m at 22 months now and I’m so glad I had you as inspiration on my journey! You are truly a warrior! Thanks for always being there for me! You are my awesome Aussie And amazing wonder from down under! Congrats my friend!

Congrats my friend!

 

So happy for you!

 

Hugs,

Winnie

 

Naww thanks Winnie!! I hope ur doing ok? ❤️❤️❤️ I don’t get on the main forum much anymore but I think I should so I can see how my sweet buddy Winnie is doing x sending u s big hug honey xx

Two years!! Yay! I’m at 22 months now and I’m so glad I had you as inspiration on my journey! You are truly a warrior! Thanks for always being there for me! You are my awesome Aussie And amazing wonder from down under! Congrats my friend!

 

Thanku lovely ww ❤️ Omg u are so close too! Can u believe it’s been 2 years? Time flies doesn’t it. I told my hubby yesterday it’s been 2 years and he said “ wow, it felt like it took the longest time for u to get off and now it’s been 2 years!” Then we both went really quiet coz I think that period came back for a sec and how hard it was. It’s a milestone for him as much as me, and I know it will be the same for ur family x

 

How was ur trip?

Two years!! Yay! I’m at 22 months now and I’m so glad I had you as inspiration on my journey! You are truly a warrior! Thanks for always being there for me! You are my awesome Aussie And amazing wonder from down under! Congrats my friend!

 

Thanku lovely ww ❤️ Omg u are so close too! Can u believe it’s been 2 years? Time flies doesn’t it. I told my hubby yesterday it’s been 2 years and he said “ wow, it felt like it took the longest time for u to get off and now it’s been 2 years!” Then we both went really quiet coz I think that period came back for a sec and how hard it was. It’s a milestone for him as much as me, and I know it will be the same for ur family x

 

How was ur trip?

 

 

Awwww thank dear! You are sure right about it being our hubbys accomplishment as much as ours. They sure had to go through it too! I remember when we had a fire in our patio fireplace and burned and smashed all my taper supplies on year 1. This year who knows what we’ll do. Probably go about our day quietly and not let it take anymore of our thoughts. Lol  it’s crazy how fast the time has gone!

 

Our trip was awesome! We had such a great time and I had no problems at all. I even indulged in a couple glasses of wine! No problems there with that either, thankfully! Felt so good to feel more normal than I’ve felt for years! We have another trip booked over Labor Day and a Hawaii trip booked for next February! I should’ve made that one Australia instead! 😉

 

I’m so happy for you my friend and so glad we have defeated this benzo bitch and given it the middle finger goodbye! We are onto bigger and better days! Never thought I’d get here, but am s thankful I am, and I am so thankful for you and people on this forum!  :smitten:

😆 I love how u celebrated ur first anniversary haha classic! That’s my girl! That’s so cathartic. I bet it felt amazing to smash that shit! I remember when I flushed my zopiclone it felt pretty great! I can’t wait to hear what u do this year!

 

Wow honey I’m so happy for u! I’m so glad u had no reactions to the wine! Must’ve felt so freeing! It’s such a nice feeling isn’t it? Like we’ve been waiting to exhale this whole time. Now we can let go of that breath we’ve been holding a little. Hawaii sounds amazing! U have to get down here one day. I know it’s a long way but Australia is so beautiful. I love my country and even tho I’m not much of a os traveller I’m not sad about it coz my country is gorgeous and still so much of it I haven’t seen. There’s so many people here from OS now so I think lots of people are crossing it off their bucket list. X next time ❤️

 

Yeah we kicked that benzo bitch right in the hooha 💪🏾 

I couldn’t have done it with u and my other friends here. U guys are the best x ❤️

 

It’s my anniversary today. I always post early coz I think I might not be able to on the day, but of course I’m here. ❤️ I’m sitting here 5:30am smiling the hugest smile and so greatful it’s behind me xxx

💕💕💕

I remember you tapering off Valium and stepping off, and wondering when you'd sleep. Then sleep started coming back, you got out of the house, hit the gym, went to music concerts  , etc. Now look at where you are.    I just remember the many posts from you wondering when you'd sleep. 

 

Me? I'm 6 weeks since jumping using NAD+, and I'm in Post-Acute. I am able to eat more variety of foods without being sick all the time. Having short, morning, windows. Sleep is starting to improve. I can't believe what I can eat now, that I couldn't eat as little as two weeks ago.

 

I ate a PBJ sammie last night! And it was glorious!!!!  :D

 

Some days I feel like I'm at 50%, others maybe 30%. But I'm getting there.

 

We both slayed the benzo beast. Darth Benzo got beat by the Benzo Jedi.

Congratulations Shayna, something that will forever be behind you, hope it continues to get better and better!

I’m so happy for you Shayna. You keep smiling. Go out and live your life like the badass warrior that you are. Hopefully I’ll be writing one of these someday.

💕💕💕

 

❤️ Hugs and kisses back at u honey xxxx

I remember you tapering off Valium and stepping off, and wondering when you'd sleep. Then sleep started coming back, you got out of the house, hit the gym, went to music concerts  , etc. Now look at where you are.    I just remember the many posts from you wondering when you'd sleep. 

 

Me? I'm 6 weeks since jumping using NAD+, and I'm in Post-Acute. I am able to eat more variety of foods without being sick all the time. Having short, morning, windows. Sleep is starting to improve. I can't believe what I can eat now, that I couldn't eat as little as two weeks ago.

 

I ate a PBJ sammie last night! And it was glorious!!!!  :D

 

Some days I feel like I'm at 50%, others maybe 30%. But I'm getting there.

 

We both slayed the benzo beast. Darth Benzo got beat by the Benzo Jedi.

 

I know gosh I was a serial poster back then. Shows how unwell I was. So happy for u lottie!!! It is amazing the changes u notice in a short period of time. And being able to eat sugar again without it revving ur engine oh it’s amazing! U enjoy that Sanga (Aussie for sandwich 😂)

 

Pew pew darth is going down!!!

Congratulations Shayna, something that will forever be behind you, hope it continues to get better and better!

 

Thanku honey x how are u doing❤️

I’m so happy for you Shayna. You keep smiling. Go out and live your life like the badass warrior that you are. Hopefully I’ll be writing one of these someday.

 

U will I guarantee it. I used to read them and think I’d never get here. Give it the big FU and u will get there too I promise mate xx

Shayna -

 

Always here for your posts! Thanks for bringing so much life to this incredibly hard journey - it's a lift and a gift to us all!

I'm 4 mo off. Slowly, slowly!

 

xox

openroad

Oh honey 4 months!!!! Amazing! I hope the acute stuff is starting to ease off. Hard days but better days are coming. Hold the line my love. U guys lift me too. Nothing lifts me more than seeing my mates here succeed. One by one we’re getting off this junk. It’s sad but also amazing now to come here and not recognize many names that are logged on. It means most of us that were on here a couple of years ago almost constantly aren’t on as much, and we’re getting better. As much as I hate seeing more and more new members, I know one day they’ll be where we are and that gives me a boost X

 

Sending u a virtual 👋 high five ✋

Thanku gardener! It’s such a bumpy process. I’m going thru a bit of a rough patch this week and u think geez here we go again but these waves aren’t like the tsunamis they were at the beginning more like annoying ripples that rock u when ur on ur floating sun bed.

 

I’m so glad to hear it keeps getting better x Thanku! I hope ur still doing well? ❤️ Lots of love to u xx