I had forgotten to make one of these, but I jumped!

Hello there, my name is Forest. I am a 25 year old average guy like any of you. It's nice to meet you. I am sorry for any typos in advance! Now... Believe me, I've had a hell of a time getting off of these. After 6.5 years of benzo use, I'm finally off my daily prescription Xanax!

My story begins on my father's birthday, 10/06/11. I had been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Panic Disorder at this time.

I had a pretty fast and hurtful taper. I had been given benzos in this order...

Not counting the antidepressants that were prescribed alongside all of these, here are the benzos given...

10/06/11 - 2 mg Ativan

10/14/11 - 1 mg Klonopin

11/01/11 - 1 mg Xanax

01/04/12 - 2 mg Xanax

04/01/14 - 3 mg Xanax

04/01/16 - 2 mg Xanax

01/01/17 - 1 mg Xanax

12/03/17 - 1.5 mg Xanax

01/01/18 - C/T Xanax

01/03/18 - 1 mg Xanax

01/18/18 - 0.5 mg Klonopin (cutting dose in half as Xanax and Klonopin are equal in strength besides half life)

01/25/18 - 10 mg Valium (0.5 mg of Xanax and Klonopin are equal to approx 10 mg of Valium).

Then proceeding with 1-2 week 1 mg cuts until down to 2 mg I did 1-2 week 0.5 mg cuts. Jumped at 0.5 mg of Valium on 04/13/18. This is where my being on benzos and other meds story ends.

As you see, I had some ups and downs. Luckily, I had read the Ashton Manual and at least got to do a fast taper, rather then a rapid taper at a detox center or even worse, continuing out a CT from what I think is one of the worst drugs ever created, Xanax.

I am still quite symptomatic. My main symptoms are paresthesia and tinnitus - my biggest ones that just won't ever leave me alone. I do get anxiety every now and then, but to my surprise it is less common now. That's a plus. There are many other things but I won't bore you. I know that we are all going through hell but I am able to walk at times and even exercise a little, well, to a point - but I'll take it. I feel like I have gotten better in many ways in comparison to when I was on much higher doses. I waa so sick on these last year, I am happy that tolerance hit. If tolerance never hit after all these years, I would have never gotten off of these. Bellew me, it is a wonderful thing. I do not crave another by any means. I feel great in the sense that I know I am off of these. I feel awful in the arms that these symptoms are very much annoying. I feel very lucky in comparison to some. My symptoms DO get heavy. At one point I waa facing some extremely challenging ones, ones that I do not to trigger others with. The point is - those have left. I was using this EVERY DAY

All in all, if I can do this, you can too! Take it slow. Don't rush. I wish I had stayed on for longer but I did not due to wanting to get off by my daughter's 10th birthday. I wanted it to be known that I jumped the same day she turned 10. I will keep it that way too. It's been servile since I've posted. I feel I don't really know anyone on here. I'm always open to talking and hopefully this can make you feel better about all of this. There is hope. There are times I always think I won't make it, but I will and you will too. We are healing day by day, regardless if we are on the med or not. Soon as we start our taper those receptors are coming back to life. Keep in mind that this process takes time and it is best to be patient. I am incredibly impatient. This had taught me a lot about patience. I had also quit drinking alcohol and eating fast food completely as of 12/17/17. I am a better person who eats all organic now. I now know so much more than I did before about what causes excitotoxicity and what causes flooding in the brain. I know that these symptoms are normal and to accept them is key.

Though it seems impossible, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I cannot wait for the day I post my success story. That day will come. Yours will too.

I cannot believe for the first time in so many years that I am COMPLETELY med free! Happy healing. 

Congrats, Forest!  As time goes by it’ll only get better.

Congrats, Forest!  As time goes by it’ll only get better.

Thank you! Congrats to you on 6 years! I hope you are feeling well today. I'm sure you feel much better after all this time and do not take life for granted! Haha.

Could you by Chavez tell me where you got your meter from? I remember seeing this website before, but adding one would feel rewarding for me. Thanks so much!

I’m doing well these days, thank you! I’m still here because I’m retired and want to help others get through this.

Ticker is from the Ticker factory.  There’s a link on the Technical board that leads you to the site and gives instructions on how to set it up. 

I’m doing well these days, thank you! I’m still here because I’m retired and want to help others get through this.

 

Ticker is from the Ticker factory.  There’s a link on the Technical board that leads you to the site and gives instructions on how to set it up. 

Thanks so much! That's wonderful. I'm so glad to see that there are SO many healed and SO many want to help stick around on places like BenzoBuddies and the Facebook groups and so on. Without all of you, I don't think I could do it. A big thanks to you and everyone else for what you do. It will never go unnoticed.

Hello and thanks for sharing your story. Happy healing!

Absolutely! Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I hope you are well and have a good day*

Congrats Forest! I know how hard and scary it must of been realizing what these drugs can do to the body. How are you feeling? Are you on any other medication?

We all have our good and bad days but remember, we all heal in the end.

Happy healing 

Congrats Forest! I know how hard and scary it must of been realizing what these drugs can do to the body. How are you feeling? Are you on any other medication?

 

We all have our good and bad days but remember, we all heal in the end.

 

Happy healing 

Thank you. 

I am not on any medication, I am however eating extremely healthy and believe that is my medication. I drink juices and smoothies a lot and do anything I can to get my system back to balance along with exercise when I can. I believe doing all of this can drastically help and even potentially speed up recovery. Even over the course of the last few days, my main symptoms have only been paresthesia and tinnitus, really. During my taper things just sucked completely, felt like acute all the way through. I couldn't concentrate at all and felt like I was trapped in panic mode 24/7 for so long. I am glad to be where I am with this as I have accepted this, yet I am trying to move on with life at the same time and let my body do its best at getting me back to homeostasis. I believe eating all organic fruits and veggies is important, even if this means some glutamates are thrown in there as they are much lower than the kinds you find in processed foods. I am aware of so many veggies that DO have it but I feel the balance to everything is key. So organic fruits and veggies, exercise and meditation... that is my medication. All in all, I am keeping a positive outlook. I am only going to get better as time goes by. I want anyone reading this to know that they will too. Healing happens, you just gotta be patient and let time do it's thing, but doesn't mean you can't do things like improving your body and mind in the process.

I hope you are well. Happy healing.