Can tolerance withdrawal stabilize?

Have you heard of anyone stabilize while on tolerance w/d? I feel a need to stabilize before beginning my taper.

Depends what you mean by stabilize.  I think many people think stabilize means feel good.  I don't think that's it.  I think stabilize is more like being at a point where you can manage with the symptoms - that you're not getting hit by a constant barrage of new, horrific symptoms.  In that respect, I think that you can stabilize.

I can't say for sure, but I can tell you my experience.  When I started my taper I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms.  As I very slowly began to chip away at my Xanax, I began to feel better.  The lower in dose I got, the better I felt.  I suspect that by tapering, this sent a signal to my GABA receptors that it was time to start up regulating again.  My experience only, but I have seen this happen for other buddies too.  Good luck Jwl and I'm sorry you feel bad. 

Heading in the same direction as Juliea. Some syx are less intense as I go lower in dose....not sure if it will stick yet bc I have a long way and several months to go but right now the strong awful feelings and not being able to get out of bed has gotten better, along with sleep. Don't get me wrong, these syx are still a struggle...they are just less now. Especially the sweating profusely 24/7. This syx has decreased by at least 85%!

 

G

I was in acute tolerance w/d for five years while still on a prescribed dose of Klonopin. Like many of us, I didn't have the faintest idea that my medicine (despise calling it that), was making me desperately ill. I can only answer based on my experience and from the perspective that you were experiencing withdrawal symptoms prior to your taper.

 

My c/o dose was high, so unfortunately I was unable to manage my symptoms, stabilized, NO. I am on the last leg of my taper 1.76mg of liquid Librium and I am feeling much better. Stabilized yes, I would have to say that I am having many good days, finally! As like theGrinch1 and Julia, I am still struggling with symptoms, but not as intense. I was able to return to work and manage my symptoms.

 

Those of us who are already experiencing withdrawal symptoms at the start of our taper, seem to do better with less benzo. This only makes sense, as the benzo stopped working. However to get to ground zero we still have to poison ourselves on a daily basis. This is only my opinion, however I have seen the same in others.

 

It is like the spoiled milk in the refrigerator. We can't just throw it out, instead we have to drink it slowly everyday until it's gone..umm.

Funny but I don't recall my Dr telling me that nicey nice part.

 

Hope you feel better and hang in there, the gallon is almost empty.

 

Best wishes,

dragonfly1

 

Have you heard of anyone stabilize while on tolerance w/d? I feel a need to stabilize before beginning my taper.

 

Hi Jwl,

 

My 2 cents:

 

Last December I was in bad tolerance withdrawal.

 

End of January: went to a psychiatrist, who gave me Gabapentin to help me stop the dangerous/DEADLY (I Mean it. I read it. Thomas Kinkade) practice of taking valium w alcohol.

 

End of February: She added Trazodone and suggested I cut by 2.5 (of 20mg)

 

Beginning of April: began a daily taper; it brought me out of tolerance.

 

Good luck! Feel free to PM me if any questions.

 

Steve

Steve - are you still taking the gabapentin?

JWL,

I am new to this site and have just started tapering from Diazepam and got off a number of anti-depressants this year too so I am taking control of my life finally and have withdrawals but nothing I cannot handle or have not felt from time to time due to Tolerance withdrawal while taking benzos for 38 years. I have had a busy life and finally, I have time for ME so this is a "stable" time for me to get off this awful medication. I will never stabilize on it, it has just made me progressively sicker over the years adding more and more anti-depressants to the mix which have not helped so time to take action.

 

I think you need your life around you to be somewhat manageable while you embark on the tapering program. Plan it well and know when is best for you to begin and keep a diary/log. Do your research - read the Dr. Ashton Manual, it is the best information and a post here by Parker about what happens to the brain is also incredibly helpful for me. The pain I feel is healing and that is positive.

 

I wish you wellness and a good time to come off your medication. We have ups and downs all the time and things happen in life but I am ready to meet everything without relying on medication for the first time. This is key to my success and I hope you get whatever it is you need to decide when and how to taper down. Go gently

Moya,

I also have fibromalgia. I think it's one of the factors that got me on this miserable road. I've been holding off (tapering) b/c I'm trying to decide which med to get off first Valium or ambien. I've heard good opinions from both sides. I'll make up my mind soon. Plan to do a very slow taper. Some of the stories I hear scare the daylights out of me.

Jim

Hi Jim,

I was prescribed Lyrica for my Fibromyalgia but I felt too drugged on it and stopped taking it and just put up with the pain or take one lyrica if I really have to and sleep for a day, it usually helps. I am glad I did not get hooked on them, sigh!!

 

I am not familiar with Ambien. When you start tapering with Valium, its okay to begin with but I find my sleep is disturbed and without sleep, the days are difficult so your Ambien might be a help to get you through that.

 

I have come off Ativan and far too fast so it was a terrifying period of my life but Valium are easier to get off, half the strength of Ativan so I know I will be able to do it if I do it very slowly.

 

Wishing you strength and hope you get that stability first to start your tapering and maybe your doctor can advise you which medicine would be best to begin with. Good luck!!

Just throwing something out there bc two people mentioned fibro....I was dx with fibro too....did you know the syx mimic the issues of being on a benzo and also wd syx? The benzo might be causing your syx and that you don't actually have fibro. Now if you had fibro prior to taking any benzo than that is another story, I was dx while on mine and as I go lower in dose my syx are fading. I am still sick but have hope that I was misdx, as many people on this site have been, by doctors who don't understand that benzos MAKE people sick and they never put 2 and 2 together. Once these people were off the benzo for a time... all their syx went away. I hope I am one of them!!!

 

G

What is prothiaden and what's it used for?

The Grinch1

 

I totally agree with your thoughts on fibromyalgia. I got it after I was on benzos for years so I believe it is all related. I feel better since I stopped the pain medication and have not suffered a lot recently but the weather is warm and sunny which helps. I am happy to cope without medication for it now.  If I manage to get off benzo's completely, I will cure most of my ills.

 

Jwl - Prothiaden is an anti-depressant, an old one like myself Another name for it is dosulepin. I am hanging on to it for how as I have just gotten off two other AD's and need to stabilize for a while. I feel much better without them and tapering of Diazepam is on hold at 27 mg but I am not yet a month into the program. I hope to go down further next week if I feel well enough. I will keep the Prothiaden unless the Psychiatrist has other thoughts tomorrow?? I have only seen her once and she is looking at the meds. but I know what I want now and hope the tapering of the benzo is what she wants too or we will clash!! I am a taurus so when I have a plan, I have a plan and that's it. On a mission!!!!