Jump to content

benzo birthday for me


[do...]

Recommended Posts

Greetings, Fellow Benzo Freaks--

    I tapered off Valium completely on 10/7/19 & I am feeling pretty human now that it's 12/15/19. I will not be surprised or disheartened if I crash & burn yet again, but the Waves have lessened in intensity a LOT. The first month was rugged & I appreciated all the info I got on this site immensely. Fear of the unknown is quite potent; simply knowing one's symptoms are common eases that fear.

   

    Xanax was prescribed to me in varying doses for the past 30 years. I was, indeed, in a bad, bad space when I first took it but after a few years, succeeding psychiatrists & neurologists simply continued the tradition. And I defined myself as an "anxious person."

   

    Two years ago, I made a Big Change. I ended a 28-year relationship. I figured I might as well change a lot of other stuff so I decided to taper off the MASSIVE amount of opioid pain meds I'd been taking for many years, too (510 mme daily--thanks, Fentanyl patches!). My neurologist was not in favor of the move but I did it anyway. I also started working with a trainer to find better ways of dealing with chronic neck/back pain. 

 

    As I was tapering off the opioids, the neurologist told me that he wanted all of his patients to get off benzos. I figured getting off the 1.5 mg Xanax daily that I'd been taking for so long would be no problem. SURPISE!!! It was a problem. I switched to Valium & then did a slow taper, dropping by just small amounts every 3-4 weeks--or longer. I took the time I needed. I cannot imagine doing it as quickly as the Ashton Protocol BUT that's just me. Everyone is different because the bioavailability of the drug is different for each person.

   

    I am now off all opioids & all benzos. Of the two, the benzo taper was MUCH weirder. And I was taking the equivalent of 51 ten milligram morphine tablets daily (in this form, it would have been a Major Food Group). And still, the benzo taper was/is trickier. It is not linear--you don't get a little better each day. Instead, you must accept that you'll go up & down for a while & that your best bet is to relax & roll with it.

 

    So, I am feeling a lot better these days. I know I'm still "in it" but it is not so acute. I don't make a lot of plans since I don't know how I'll feel on any given day. If I wake up at 2 am, I turn on an audiobook. I don't worry about 'doing enough.' Getting off these drugs is my Most Important Task right now. Anything else I accomplish is gravy.

   

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on getting off! You have achieved a major accomplishment and I wishing you steady healing ahead. 

 

You posted what I needed to hear today.  The part about it being up and down has made me feel I have been doing something wrong.  I have struggled wirh the mental symtoms of Clonazapam the most, so it's hard to find clarity.

 

Great job on being free from benzos!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the benzo taper was/is trickier. It is not linear--you don't get a little better each day. Instead, you must accept that you'll go up & down for a while & that your best bet is to relax & roll with it.

 

that's what I felt the whole way through my taper. So much "go slower" in the forum when sometimes "just keep going" might be the better advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that was a great success story, Doveswan.  Your attitude is great and so spot on imo.  Congratulations. I know soon you will be making plans!    :smitten: :smitten:  Mary 💜
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations Doveswan on getting off both Benzos and opioids!  I hope you're giving yourself many well-deserved pats on the back.  Sounds like you have a terrific attitude and it's very inspiring! Thanks for posting your Celebration. :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...