3 months....

I am very pleased to be 3 months off of benzos.

I got through several pretty severe anxiety attacks this week, by walking and breathing/meditating, reaching out and music!!

I wish that I could say that I feel great but for now I am just hopeful.

I go see an anxiety "specialist" on Monday. I want to do anything but re-medicate although it has been tempting. I know that being med free is the answer.

For those of you in the beginning....I never thought I would be able to be off of these drugs, and I am, and I am moving forward and as you read in these other posts.THERE IS HOPE!!

Let's all stick together. We are all heros for overcoming this!!

Steph

Hi Steph,

Thanks for posting this, so many people recently off benzo's feel hopeless thinking they should immediately feel better.  You've let them know that it takes a bit of time, but there is always hope.

Pam

Hi santacruzsteph,

Great to see you off benzos. It will take time to fully develop coping strategies. There is good evidence that benzos inhibit the learning of coping strategies, so things should improve now that you off.

Good luck with the specialist. Let us know how it goes.

Steph,

Thank you for posting.  It helps those of us still in the fight.  Congrats on being benzo free. 

Tim

Thanks for your post, Steph.  It's always good to receive encouragement.  There are too many of us under the dark, wet blanket of hopelessness that the w/d can cause.

Jan

Hi Jan,

That 'blanket of hopelessness' is only temporary.  Do your deep breathing exercises and keep that positive attitude that got you off the benzo in the first place.  It takes awhile for full recovery but every month will get better.  The post-benzo period goes alot faster than tapering.  I can't believe I am off xanax one year. 

Patty  xo

Thanks Patty.  I'm actually still tapering - probably have about 3 weeks left if all goes well.  I've been one of the slow ones.  I'm down to .09mg and really want to be off of the K, but don't want to rush anything as I've tried to go a bit faster once in a while and it gets me in a world of hurt.

Congrats on being Xanax-free for a year!  WOW! 

Jan

Jan,

I see you are down below the .10 mark....you are almost done!!!  How does it feel to be near the end?

Tim

Hey Tim:

The realization that I'm so close is great, but the reality of what I'm still going through can be overwhelming, too.  I've never had any windows of relief the entire taper so far, and I'm hoping I can be one of the people who gets great relief once off and not have any worsening s/x.  If it does happen that way, since I've had lots of practice, I'll try to roll with it.  I'm so tired and weary and all the other stuff that goes with this - just want it to be over - but I will not quit.  I've been one of the slow taperers; that has bummed me out, but every time I tried to go a bit faster, I was hit doubly hard with s/x, so I've had to keep at my same pace all the way through.  As of today, I'm down to .08mg - hoping it will be less than 3 weeks but I've got to listen to what the body is saying.

Wishing you some great windows of relief and tremendous success with your taper.  What a journey we've been on, huh?

Jan

Jan,

To quote the Grateful Dead..."what a long strange trip it's been"....and I didn't ask for the ride and I know you didn't either.  In fact, I want a refund.

Three weeks....and you are done....sweeet....maybe you will be one of the people that just skate off the Klonopin....like Lost in Brooklyn did. You and I will both be celebrating benzo freeness soon. 

Tim

Steph:

Congrats on being off benzos.  Those first few months after the taper can be a real monster.  We are all looking forward to learning from your anxiety specialist.

ntw