Status Update - So Far So Good

Hi All,

 

I am just checking in to provide a status update.  I read so many posts where people are struggling with significant problems and want to provide one that provides encouragement that not everyone suffers so much.  So far I have successfully tapered down from 1 mg K to less than half and have had fairly mild symptoms so far.  My water titration taper rate is now at 0.004 mg/day.  My symptoms have mainly been fatigue, headaches and nausea.  I have also recently started to notice some tinnitus.  Interestingly, I am doing better than ever with anxiety and insomnia which were the reasons I started using K.  As my dosage gets lower I have noticed a significant improvement in my cognitive ability and the morning cog fog is much reduced from when I was at higher dosages.  I firmly believe one of the keys to a successful taper is to find the rate that your body can handle and not press past that point.  I have a full time and demanding job, so need to be very careful that my taper doesn't cause intolerable withdrawal symptoms.  Anyway, I hope this gives others hope and provides a data point for someone who is managing fairly well.  I have read many posts where the going gets tougher towards the end and I will inform if that happens to me as well.

Awesome Ben800!  Thanks for the update.  Thinks have gone pretty smooth for me so far as well.  I am down to .09mg total daily and am currently holding for a week do to a small increase in insommnia and anxiety.  Feeling much better today after day 4 of my hold and may start reducing again tonight.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

Hi Ben,

 

Thanks for the update.  Great job!! I will start my daily taper tomorrow. I also work and need to keep symptoms at a minimum.  You are half way there!!  Congratulations!!

Nice job Ben! I have been keeping an eye on your taper...I'm jealous No...I'm happy for you. I have enjoyed comparing notes along the way. Looking forward to your success story!

 

 

Good luck Sharkey, Anne and Tryinhard.  Sharkey you are just about home free.  I wish you the best as you get started Anne.  Tryinhard it looks like you have done well getting all the way up to a taper rate of 0.005 mg/day.  I feel the edge at 0.004 mg/day so will not attempt to go faster.  I don't want to risk a set back.  Best wishes as you keep making progress.

It's so nice to hear encouraging stories. I am happy for you, Ben and all others on this thread. I think I need to revisit my tapering schedule. I think I went way too fast. Im looking forward to your success stories. yay!!!

It's so nice to hear encouraging stories. I am happy for you, Ben and all others on this thread. I think I need to revisit my tapering schedule. I think I went way too fast. Im looking forward to your success stories. yay!!!

 

Congrats on your progress!  You have come a long way.  How long have you been holding at .75mg?  When you stabilize,  you may want to consider a daily micro taper.  People find it much easier whe. You get to the lower doses.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

thanks, Sharkey.

 

I like reading your posts, they are usually very encouraging and upbeat.

 

I was dry cutting and I think I went too fast. I felt like I was doing ok and then it all hit me like a tun of bricks. I've been trying to stabilize but I don't think its going to happen because its been like 8 weeks. so Im 'thinking about the dreaded updose. I know people say not to do it if you can handle it, but Im in a very bad way. But I also don't want to updose if it wont help my symptoms.

 

Id love to just start over and do titration because I see so many people doing better this way. do you have an opinion on updosing?

 

thanks so much

 

 

Not a fan of up dosing myself but 8 weeks is a long hold.  What else are you doing to control your symptoms?  If you do updose maybe just try .125 to one of your doses?  When are your symptoms the worst?

 

Once you stabilize you could switch to titration if that is the route you want to go.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

WeCanDothis:  I know this sounds nuts but when I was at my worst and held and it didn't work I tried a small cut because I refused to up dose and felt better - why I have no idea.  Then I switched to microtaper - had same type of  s/x and symptoms though with less intensity than on cut and hold -  and then all of a sudden -  no reason I could see my body said - hey I like this- and I feel better the lower I get.  These drugs are hard to figure out but you may want to try a slight cut - if you get much worse - well just go right back up - and up dose - no harm in that since we have to do whatever we can to get off of these drugs.  Also  things I did to help: I now exercise every day it helps me lots.  I did it even when I felt awful - 20 minutes of yoga, or just a walk, nothing major but got myself moving.  It works better than mediation for me  and 2.  I have religiously done this deep breathing exercise that is supposed to 'kick in' and take away anxiety -  Here is the you tube on it explaining why it works - at the time I figured it sounded nuts but I would try anything and it actually works for me.  http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/VDR00112/The-4-7-8-Breath-Benefits-and-Demonstration.html

I agree with Kgirl on the breathing exercises.  I am a big believer.  Although I don't follow the exact method demonstrated in her weblink it is quite similar and regularly helps me get back to sleep if I wake up in the middle of the night. 

I agree with Kgirl on the breathing exercises.  I am a big believer.  Although I don't follow the exact method demonstrated in her weblink it is quite similar and regularly helps me get back to sleep if I wake up in the middle of the night.

 

Kgirl and Ben, I also agree with you guys about breathing techniques.  This is always the first thing i do when anxiety creeps in on me.  I have got so use to it that about 50% of the time the anxiety goes away just from concentrating on my breathing for a while.

 

Stay strong!

sharkey

haha. don't we all wish we knew about these things to cope with anxiety before we took the benzos

 

I guess we live and learn, eh?

 

Wecan16

haha. don't we all wish we knew about these things to cope with anxiety before we took the benzos

 

I guess we live and learn, eh?

 

Wecan16

 

I couldnt agree more 

You said Sharkey and We Can do this- - now here's to us all getting off.