Over 60 years old and over 30years of use

[[Buddie]]

Hi everyone
I feel like I need to join in this group.  I’ll be 60 in February.  You can read my signature below.  It has not been pretty these last 10 plus months.  I’m over 4 months off and 6 days ago I got the third Covid booster.  Besides my lymph nodes swelling up huge under my left arm and collarbone it has set me back to the beginning it feels like.  I felt like I was doing a bit better before the vaccine.  Was it the vaccine or was it going to happen anyway idk? A feeling of terror that attaches to real life things that I fear is my very worst symptom and burning of course.  Lots of other symptoms too but hoping I can get back to pre vaccine soon.  This is really hard guys!! I’ve had a few windows where nothing bothers me at all so I know that is what life can feel like. 
Are we old… sheesh I guess so. 
[...]

[[Buddie]]

Hi everyone,
I am getting ready for a cut to .15mg of Ativan. I sure hope that this pace that I am going will help me in the end get off of this. I am still weighing and filing. The percentages of the cuts are getting higher, so I am concerned. I was wondering how everyone is tapering. And for those us in the group, is everyone going super slow? I am using Medical Marijuana at night to help with sleep. It is helping I believe. I will be 65 this March.

[[Buddie]]

You know for those of us on these for over 30 years , I am just curious, did everyone have the same prescribing dr? And then they retired? I am so glad I stockpiled Ativan and didn't tell him I was tapering. I only took this for sleep, never imagining it would cause any issues. I can hardly take ANY kind of stress...My heart starts racing, etc. What about everyone else? Where are you in your taper?

I had to change docs after 15 yrs or so because I moved out-of-state, but I started tapering at year 21 or so and didn't tell the doc. I too stockpiled to a point and then quit going to the doc once I knew I had plenty to taper with. The taper was almost 6 years and it stunk. The stress, racing heart, etc. that you mention was a brutal thing at my end too. I'm about 7-8 months off now, and things in that area have improved so much. Keep pushing...calmness is out there for you!

[[Buddie]]

Hi everyone,
I thought I would try to start a new group for those of us that are older and have been these drugs most of our adult life. I had a small bout of insomnia at age 25 as I was starting a business. Got put on Ativan .5 and took them nightly for almost 40 years. Never thought twice about it. I moved to a new state in 1997 and had to meet new people, etc. I started to notice I couldn't pull up words, lose my ability to stay focused, memory was faulty,  forming sentences got hard. I never hit tolerance, never went up in dose. Started to research and thought, holy shit, this is from the Ativan. Tried cutting my dose in half in Sept 2019, and I got hit with symptoms. I quickly reinstated within 2 weeks. I thought, I am dependent on this. My exhaustive research began. My long term prescriber was going to retire in a few years. Through research it appeared that drs were pulling people off of this class of drugs. Honestly I got too scared to stay on them with dr. retiring.  I started my taper in March of 2020. I am at .16mg through a dry taper. I am hoping that a group of us can band together with this common thread of being older and on these drugs for this long. Help each other through the process.

Thanks for starting this group!  I turned 60 in July.   Was prescribed Klonopin in 1994 after having a baby, developing insomnia and being diagnosed with fibromyalgia.   About 4 years ago a doctor casually mentioned that I should think about getting off them…but no advice on how to do it or warnings about what could happen.  2 years of hell ensued as I haphazardly cut my doses and developed multiple illnesses that no one realized were due to benzos.  Anyhow, just finished my second, longer, slower taper and hoping to feel better soon!

[[Buddie]]

Anyhow, just finished my second, longer, slower taper and hoping to feel better soon!

I see that you just went benzo free! Congratulations!! How are you feeling?

[[Buddie]]

I feel pretty achey right at the moment but overall doing okay.  Not any worse than times along the taper.

[[Buddie]]

I was just wondering what taper method is everyone using? I continue to file and weigh!! I am so glad I started this taper. I think the days of long terms prescriptions seem to be coming to an end. I continue to stockpile the Ativan! I just noticed a new type of timed release Ativan just got FDA approval...how messed up is that?

[[Buddie]]

I have tried doing cut and hold. Very small amount of .0625mg off of 4mg of k. I had up to dose over the past 2 years due to the stress of taking care of my Mom and awful medication induced setback. Amoxicillin and Augmentin for 14 days. Also, switching brands. I was below 2mg 2 years ago. Unbelievable, it what it is. I had tremendous stress and had to function. My Mom is now in Heaven, so I thought I would attempt it again. I am almost 68 and it is getting harder. My life will be calmer, but I miss my Mom so much. I would do it again for her.
I have entertained the weighing and shaving of my pills. I would be interested in the formula.
The cut and hold is probably doable, but I can feel the smallest of cuts.
Thanks again and greatly appreciative of any help.

[...]

[[Buddie]]

I was just wondering what taper method is everyone using? I continue to file and weigh!! I am so glad I started this taper. I think the days of long terms prescriptions seem to be coming to an end. I continue to stockpile the Ativan! I just noticed a new type of timed release Ativan just got FDA approval...how messed up is that?

Yes, very messed up indeed!  I use a pill grinder and weigh out tiny amounts on a micro scale, it works for me. I’m doing a 0.1mg reduction per week of Lorazepam.

[[Buddie]]

[...], I hear you about cut and hold. I couldn't reduce that way, so investigated the DLMT (daily liquid micro taper) method. I think there's a thread on here about that. Anyhow, when I was down at 3, then 2, mgs of valium, I took the big part of my dose in pills, and liquefied 1 mg of valium (valium, 2 mls of vodka to dissolve the pill and 98 mls of water), which enabled me to make tiny daily cuts of .01 mg (1 ml of solution). It took me 100 days to reduce each 1 mg of valium but,  brother, it was sure worth it. I still noticed the reductions,  but not nearly as  much as with cut and hold. I was able to continue working and live my life.

Just a thought.

[...] (73)