Are we healing at all during taper?

The title is my question.

 

This is my logic for asking:

 

I was on Ativan for 4 months and I'm fighting myself with my valium taper because as is, it will take me almost 3 months to taper.

 

My ultimate debate is am I doing more damage by being on the benzo at a lower dose longer *or* by cutting it rapidly?

 

Ashton's little 0.5-1.0mg/valium reduction over 1-2 weeks leaves a broad range for interpretation, to me. That's as little as 0.5 every 2 weeks and as much as 1mg every week.

 

With the long half-life of valium, I don't know how a cut is going to impact me for a week.... seems like that is where I see the difference, so far.

 

Right now, I am dry micro-tapering at a rate that takes me down 0.5mg over the course of each week.

 

My Dr doesnt know Im tapering because if he did, he would jerk me off it in 3 weeks.... he's already told me that's all it would take. So, he is no help. He clearly does not understand benzos.

 

 

 

 

You'd be pretty hard-pressed to find any doctor, even psychiatrists, who understand benzos/benzo W/D. It's something that the victim knows more about than the "helpers".

 

My NP took me off a pretty steep dosage of Xanax a few days ago. She didn't give me anything to taper with, just cut my script or ability to get benzos to maintain functionality. Her reasoning for this was that I had become tolerant, and I guess she didn't want to be held accountable for an addiction, and didn't want to deal with a dependent patient.

 

This is a mental health office too, so she deals with patients that have severe mental health issues, and she has no idea what kind of pain I am going through right now or she just doesn't care.

 

They're (and by they, I mean prescribers) are mostly ignorant of the substances they prescribe, and it's usually the patient who figures this out at a later time. It's so so cruel, and I tried to get a long-acting benzo to taper with, but was denied by this NP. It's medical malpractice to do this kind of stuff. So, I understand your pain and possible anger at your doctor, because that is where I am at right now.

 

I am in a bad spot, and this NP just told me to take Trazodone, and that everything will be okay. Talk about wiping your hands free of a patient.

You'd be pretty hard-pressed to find any doctor, even psychiatrists, who understand benzos/benzo W/D. It's something that the victim knows more about than the "helpers".

 

My NP took me off a pretty steep dosage of Xanax a few days ago. She didn't give me anything to taper with, just cut my script or ability to get benzos to maintain functionality. Her reasoning for this was that I had become tolerant, and I guess she didn't want to be held accountable for an addiction, and didn't want to deal with a dependent patient.

 

This is a mental health office too, so she deals with patients that have severe mental health issues, and she has no idea what kind of pain I am going through right now or she just doesn't care.

 

They're (and by they, I mean prescribers) are mostly ignorant of the substances they prescribe, and it's usually the patient who figures this out at a later time. It's so so cruel, and I tried to get a long-acting benzo to taper with, but was denied by this NP. It's medical malpractice to do this kind of stuff. So, I understand your pain and possible anger at your doctor, because that is where I am at right now.

 

I am in a bad spot, and this NP just told me to take Trazodone, and that everything will be okay. Talk about wiping your hands free of a patient.

 

I'm looking at your history. Are those daily doses or sporadic?

Until a few days ago, my daily dose got up to 2.5mg. The Klonopin use was kind of sporadic, but once I got the Xanax, I took it at approximately the same time every night, and worked myself up to a steep dosage in a matter of days.

The title is my question.

 

This is my logic for asking:

 

I was on Ativan for 4 months and I'm fighting myself with my valium taper because as is, it will take me almost 3 months to taper.

 

My ultimate debate is am I doing more damage by being on the benzo at a lower dose longer *or* by cutting it rapidly?

 

Ashton's little 0.5-1.0mg/valium reduction over 1-2 weeks leaves a broad range for interpretation, to me. That's as little as 0.5 every 2 weeks and as much as 1mg every week.

 

With the long half-life of valium, I don't know how a cut is going to impact me for a week.... seems like that is where I see the difference, so far.

 

Right now, I am dry micro-tapering at a rate that takes me down 0.5mg over the course of each week.

 

My Dr doesnt know Im tapering because if he did, he would jerk me off it in 3 weeks.... he's already told me that's all it would take. So, he is no help. He clearly does not understand benzos.

 

Excellent question Imcomingup.  I'll be interested to see what answers arise.  Thanks!

I do feel that we do heal somewhat while we taper. I'm kind of going in a rapid speed at the end of my taper but I feel much better now and hoping I can completely come off within next 10 days or so.

I think this is a great question too.  I am convinced I am healing as I taper. My cuts seem to work the best when I cut every 3 weeks.  I have done a few long holds and they weren't nice.  They just staved off the worst of my symptoms so I could finish a job. But I was still in withdrawal all the time.  I never felt well.

 

My symptoms have been more severe, but my windows have been getting better as I get down to the end.  I had the best 4 days in my last 10 years, last week.  It was such a joy and relief.    I can't wait to be off this stuff.