End/Finishing taper and stopping altogether..last steps??

  Hi, 

I'm having trouble grasping how members are completing and having benzo completely out of system.  I've been trying to stretch very low dose from daily out, to get to every other day, to finishline.  Some kind members have written some opinion(s) I've tapered too fast.  I'm not backtracking.  I'm at bet. 1/8 mg. to 1/4 now approx. 32-34 hours.  Another member wrote about importance of number of hours active in system and that it's eliminated by this time.

But, I'm just not "getting".  Even if you're micro-tapering, eventually you have to stretch it out, in order to finally stop, don't you?  Please, if anyone can offer any guidance on this, I'd appreciate .  I did read the sticky notes on general tapering and even therein, didn't find this part addresse.  ? ??Thanks!

Hi Cuz,

-I wasnt sure if you would get replies to these posts... -So my best guess...

Most people reduce to a minimal daily dose and stop from there...

The speed, including any hold time, and the cut or dose size are the common variables...

Missing doses seems to me to be more a Dr or rapid taper type thing...

You are correct, -half life seems to be the issue, perhape only in theory, Im not sure..??

My understanding is that the polarising or fluctuating medication levels are not conducive to healing.. Probably in a similar way to constant updosing, CTs, or infrequent (as needed) dosing has been contributed to the term "kindling" here... Though probably on a smaller scale...

Weather this has any real bearing on ones outcome, IDK..??

I inadvertently did this at 0.5v due to constantly forgetting my dose, and I cant say if it was a problem or not.. My SX waves continued to increase post jump as per normal, so I held at 0.25v for some time until ready to stop...

Looking back, idealy, I should have tapered down to 0.0000000000001mg

But as we are all different, the same theory could have you being fine with eliminating doses as a method to finally step off med..??

I would possibly use your taper history up to this point, to decide how to proceed...

Just my thoughts... I havnt read much on the matter, but member dm123 touched on it in "his" laymans thread...

If anyone can elaborate..??

Hi Cantfly,

Thank you for replying.  Ohhh.  Well; now I'm stymied that others' are getting down to lowest daily dose and then just stopping altogether w/out a need for stretching that out.  Because just stretching out from daily to 34-36 hours is causing me a big increase of w/d symptoms, pain being most paramount.    For now, I'm going to have to forget about stretching it out or ceasing, since the stretching isn't tolerable.  I'll either do the 1/8 mg. once daily, or 1/16 mg/crumbs twice daily.  Hopefully, I'll glean more info. while I'm holding, on last dose.  (Maybe I should have titled post "Last Dose").  I can't view your signature while composing my reply; post only is viewable.  Are you down to .5 valium?  Also, I put in a search by member name dm123 to read his thread and nothing's coming up?? 

Huy Cuz,

I guess thats why I had to finish my taper so slowly and it took months of increasing SX to feel stable after each cut.. This time increased with each further cut...

I aimed for 3weeks of feeling ok(ish) before cutting again...

Though it wasnt as clear cut as it sounds writing it...

I have been off a bit over 4months, and it has been "interesting" to say the least...

Stepping off at 0.25v followed the pattern of previous cuts.. But New previously unseen SX appeared, and old ones cycled through, -some pretty intense like when I first cut way too much (75%) and found BB... And other SX were just a touch, enough to remind me...

Remember I have 2 other WDs going on, so it gets a bit grey at times...

How deep the benzo hooks can go in just blew my mind...!!

Prior to jumping or stepping off I was Riding Dirt Bikes again, and realy starting to get it back together... Though I feel much better in many ways "fresher", It has still been a big step back.. Anxiety (severe) appeared for the first time in my life, but that is nearly gone again after a few months...

I did have a huge stress event 2weeks post jump, that had/has a huge impact on things, so its a bit hard to determine whats what exactly...

I would describe things as "fragile" atm... most days on the lounge with several naps a day to combat the fatigue... A few hours in the tractor slashing grass or clearing tracks and fire breaks costs me a few days of rest... 

But I have had yrs in bed prior to, and including benzos, due to WD... -So its not that bad relitivly...

My best guess is that the V is about done for me now, and what im feeling is more opiate and lyrica WD...

Low n Slow, is the way to go... IMHO...

Some of us just have to tease the meds out.. And I have noticed that for some that taper slow enough to actually notice, usually by necessity, -lots Starts to happen and appear at around 0.25v.. I suspect this is where the body realy starts to have to rely on its own systems to maintain homiostasis... -Remembering that we are all different, so this will vary accordingly...

Perhaps you can sift through this and find something that relates or helps... In time I will try to lay MY story out as clearly as I can..

Hi Cuz,

Ativan has a short half life and active window. If you are taking it only every 30 hours, your blood levels of the medication are on a see-saw already. The best way to taper directly from Ativan (without switching to a longer acting benzo) would be to break your daily dose into two doses, and slowly reduce those doses until done. Because the smallest size pill for Ativan is 0.5mg, I think a lot of people end up using a liquid taper to make it easier to measure, but it is possible to do it dry, just a ltitle less exact, and more holding. Are you working with 1mg pills or 0.5mg pills? Do you have a scale to use for tapering?

Hi,

Thanks buddies!  When I went to 1/16 mg. 2x's/day w/d sxs-pain not As bad; still in pain, but lower.  I have the 1 mg. pills and doing the dry cuts to this small amount is difficult.  I do my best...I break in half, then kinda "shave" such a low dose.  I don't have the scale.  I really hadn't wanted to make this my entire life focus, but since I am pretty incapacitated w/anxiety/agoraphobia (never an issue before) that really doesn't matter.  I just am aware that I don't want to obsess this, as I feel it will exacerbate the anxiety and possibly the depression too.  (One reason my writing this is so late; haven't come back to BB for 3 or 4 days now.)  More than anything else, I just distract: online, tv, phone and I've been reading more general benzo. w/d information @ Benzodiazepene Information Coalition. 

I still can't fathom "jumping" from this amount, but eventually I guess I'll have to.  I only have a finite amount left, much decreased from start of active taper & dr. who rx'd is out-of-the-picture; he did most reprehensible thing advising last rx was last rx.  If I hadn't read up on this shortly before that and knew dangers of CT, that could've killed me.  I feel I've made it thus far, w/out researching out a physician who's a "benzo-cooperative prescriber".  So, what I have left should see me through for quite some time @ this very small dose.  I have read about liquid titration, but it sounds like pills don't necessarily mix well in water; sometimes vodka used; so don't really want to do that.  Never had any alcohol issues, but never much cared for any alcohol straight-up either; just uncomfortable w/the idea of using alcohol to dilute a benzo.  That's just me; I've always felt, for anything, that "it it works for you..great! Use it"; no judgement.  Thanks again 

Cuz, I would not jump. At minimum I'd purchase a scale and thoughtfully decrees your daily dose as you feel comfortable. I'm doing this dry taper hoping that over 125 days as I had a very bad wave at my last cut. (Link below). You may be able to move much more quickly than that but I'd reduce a small amount see how you feel then continue. The last bit can be tough. And I think it's good to measure. I saw a decrease in my symptoms simply from purchasing the scale and taking the same dose each day while I'm holding or maybe it's just the time that helped me stabilize. Hope for the best but love with caution. Best of health to you.

https://benzodrytapermath.com/