What does feeling stable on a taper feel like?

This may be a dumb question, but when reading on the forum, you see tons of comments saying to lower your dose, feel stable, hold for a little bit and then make the next cut.

 

In this case, what does "stable" feel like? Is it the total lack of side effects? Is it feeling like you can function, but still not feeling great? Should you feel better than worse? Any guidance would be appreciated!

Hello

 

You can function, but still in tolerance withdrawal and still sick. Most people can tell different levels of the illness that is caused from decreasing the dose. How much you want to tolerate basically.

That's a good question Misssmith. 

 

I am in tolerance and it sucks so made my first cut two days ago. 

 

I didn't stabilise after reinstating 2 mgs Valium and couldn't wait any longer, it seemed like prolonging the agony so began my taper.  I'm still symptomatic. 

 

Forever while the drug is in my system, and forever while I cut, I will feel it in one way or the other and agree with ama732 in that it depends on how much you are prepared to tolerate. That's how I read it at any rate. 

 

How are you feeling Misssmith? 

 

Dee

 

 

 

 

Hmmmm. . .how am I feeling. . .that's a loaded question 

 

Well I'm in a bit of a strange situation. I haven't been taking Klonopin that long at all (a little less than a month) but I still know it's important to taper off. But I do think I should go faster due to the short amount of time I've been on it and because I want to prevent dependency. Does this sound right? I was taking .25 mg Klonopin as needed when I stopped taking a supplement called Kavinace that started this whole mess for me because it caused a benzo-like withdrawal with severe panic attacks and primal fear. It affects GABA B receptors.  In a three week period I took a total of about 3mg of Klonopin. I'm still so mad the doctor gave me this supplement and I didn't question it.

 

When those symptoms started becoming less intense over the course of a few weeks that's when I started to taper the Klonopin. I was at .25 for 5 days,  now I'm at .1875 for 3 days. I want to start at .125 tomorrow and then halve that a few days later to totally stop. Does this sound too aggressive based on the amount of time I've been using it?

 

I usually fall asleep no problem, wake up around 3:00, and then kind of go back to sleep until my alarm goes off at 6:00. I'm then jittery, feel okay driving to work,feel anxious at work with times of depersonalization or dizziness and then it starts to fade away around lunch time. I go home, feel okay, take my dose and go to bed. My other main symptom at this point is feeling like my face is on fire.

 

During the initial withdrawal from Kavinace it was horrifying. So I'm better than that.  I'm just  terrified of adding a benzo withdrawal to this but I know I'm right at the window of when many people can stop and be okay. I just keep wondering how long I will feel this way, if my brain is damaged, and when I will be "me" again. I'm so scared.

 

I was taking the Kavinace for 4 months.

Oh Misssmith, if only I were more more experienced I would offer you advice but I don't feel qualified and don't want to make matters worse.

 

My first thoughts are that you are in a really good position to just stop the K, but as I do not have any knowledge of the supplement you mention I don't feel able. 

 

Three milligrams of K over 3 weeks is not much at all, but I do understand that we all have different physiologies. 

 

I'm hoping someone with more experience will jump on board but I do congratulate you on not wanting to develop a tolerance, you have saved yourself a lot of grief. 

 

Dee

Thanks, Dee!! I appreciate the support and honesty. I just don't want to make a bad situation worse and I'm scared to go either direction, you know?

 

I think I will try posting in the other substances forum as well.

I haven't felt stable or even remotely functional since I went into tolerance withdrawal and started my taper from there. Most days I'm lucky to be up on my feet from more than 3-4 hours at a time. Every morning I wake up feeling hungover sore all over. I'm tired and sleeping all day long, some days I'll get a little window for a couple of hours after my nightly dose.

I AM TRYING TO FIND THE FAITH-BASED FORUM I HEARD YOU HAVE BUT HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS.  HOW TO DO GET TO IT, PLEASE.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

 

 

Thanks, Dee!! I appreciate the support and honesty. I just don't want to make a bad situation worse and I'm scared to go either direction, you know?

 

I think I will try posting in the other substances forum as well.

 

I would definitely not prolong the taper given the short usage. Any withdrawals you are feeling is likely from the kaviance withdrawal. So many doctors are just ignorant of what they are recommending!

That's how it is for me too DMW and the reason I began my taper.  Some days (only recent) I've felt like I'm stabilising and report it here, then next day I'm kicked in the head again and my hopes dashed. 

 

My flat is an absolute tip, I sometimes forget to shower ugh! And as for brushing my hair I look like a caricature of Albert Einstein only crazier. 

 

I really can't concern myself with these everyday things that people take for granted and just stumble through the day telling myself that I'm healing and trying to remember to drink water. 

 

Have decided to hold for a while because as I write I tremble and sweat, and am so tired.  I do not have the mental, emotional or physical capacity to cut again, not yet.

 

I suppose I am making progress in that there are those days when still not well feel slightly better, if you can call it that, so I'm holding for a while to have those "good" days/hours go to make a semblance of whole.

 

Dee 

Sorry Lyn and NJstrength I cut into the thread unknowingly, or really not knowing what I was doing. 

 

Dee x

 

I don't know where the Faith based Forum is Lee I'm pretty new here and am stumbling around myself.  Someone will know. 

 

Dee

Found it.  Thanks.  Benzo brain.  Can't remember how I found it, but I did and am now a member of it.  So glad for it.