50 and over club- withdrawal and recovery issues for the aged :-)

Im  72. I am about to start a clonaz 0.5 liquid taper soon even tho i feel ok on it after 3 years. I read how it can turn one and  cause dementia. I have just tapered zopiclone but also on mirtazaoine.

The horrors stories are making me think ill stsy on as time isnt on my side. I alresdy have digestive issues and pain and tinnitus from zopiclone w.d. is there abyone my age whose had a reasonable time reducing as i switched from 0.5 c to 4mg diaz but at 2mg my acid was sooo bad and hyper sexual i went back on 0.5 c but things not the same as before.  Also i go high if i eat carbs by pm and often the meds dont kick in for ages now

Hi Everyone. 

 

I’m 72 and have been on alprazolam  .5mg x 2 for 32 years.  I cut from .75 mg about a month ago and am now trying to figure out a taper schedule for my remaining .5mg.  Presently I’m taking .25mg a.m. and .25 mg p.m. 

 

My doctor devised a schedule which would have me ending in 6-8 WEEKS.  This is very scary to me. 

 

 

Hello im.72 . Ive only been on 0.5 clonaz 3 half years. I am uk

I have got my gp to prescribe give me liquid. Your gp i believe is telling you way too fast but i hope someone else on here can help woth taper. I dread starting mine as everyone tapering or after stopping havevawful symptoms a d im already in pain.

At our age i wonder why especially after 32 years you want off. Have they turned on you??

I hope somewhere here can advise as theyve advised me a lot. Maybe if not write tour question under taper forum??? You are very brave

Hi Basten- I don’t want off.  My doctor appears to have suddenly realize my age and informs that’s benzos are harmful to folks over 65.  In that regard, she is deprescribing and wants me to taper.  😢.

I guess cos say can cause memory probs and falls etc. I think after so long and it keeps you going its  a bit unfair.

I think mine has turned on me the clin but something digestive wise hadnt been right since i tapered z .

I think as i said maybe you need to post in different section i.e. taper plan as more will read. 

Hi Everyone. 

 

I’m 72 and have been on alprazolam  .5mg x 2 for 32 years.  I cut from .75 mg about a month ago and am now trying to figure out a taper schedule for my remaining .5mg.  Presently I’m taking .25mg a.m. and .25 mg p.m. 

 

My doctor devised a schedule which would have me ending in 6-8 WEEKS.  This is very scary to me.

 

Wow, I'd run away from that doc! Maybe there are some people out there who can taper that amount in 8 weeks, but that probably doesn't apply to many people who have been on it for over 3 decades. Personally, I used a liquid taper so I could do mega-tiny cuts during my taper. There's a guy on the boards named Bob7 who is wonderful at coming up with taper plans. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you reached out to him. My best to you!!!

Hi, I will be 59 in September.  I have tapered from 5 years of 2.0 mg Clonazepam daily, starting Memorial Day weekend 2021, I am now at 1.25 mgs & will cut 10% to 1.125 mgs for the month of August.  I see my Dr. August 23.  I am thinking of agreeing to a new script for 1.0 mgs a day for September, although I will have enough .0625 *bits* to safely taper down .

 

I am not happy about doing this but I actually feel about the same at 1.25mgs as I did at 2.0, and I am getting older AND my Dr. may retire soon so I want to be at 1.0 or lower when he retires so I can find another prescriber easier. 

 

Hi all, I'm 68, was on and off zopiclone for about 12 years teensy dose, would never have stopped them, but GP retired and new one forced me to go CT. Totally ignored NHS advice to taper and if on med with short half life , easier to withdrawal by switching to diazapam. The NHS basically sucks, Only help offered was AD refused give me any diazapam Main symptoms mental, horrible intrusive thoughts. First 8 months just about tolerable , but last 22 months since been awful. Did at times give up hope of recovering. Tried every self help going, therapy you name it , plus range supplements. wondered if takes longer if you're older?

Im  72. I am about to start a clonaz 0.5 liquid taper soon even tho i feel ok on it after 3 years. I read how it can turn one and  cause dementia. I have just tapered zopiclone but also on mirtazaoine.

The horrors stories are making me think ill stsy on as time isnt on my side. I alresdy have digestive issues and pain and tinnitus from zopiclone w.d. is there abyone my age whose had a reasonable time reducing as i switched from 0.5 c to 4mg diaz but at 2mg my acid was sooo bad and hyper sexual i went back on 0.5 c but things not the same as before.  Also i go high if i eat carbs by pm and often the meds dont kick in for ages now

 

How bad was your taper off zopiclone and mirtazapine?  Mirtazapine is horrible stuff.

 

You "go high" if eat carbs in the evening... do you mean your blood sugar goes up?

 

I got off clon. and mirtaz but am in bad shape.  Still on zolpidem.

Least Basten was allowed to taper from zopiclone and given diazapam to help with other withdrawal. GP refused flatly give me any more zop made me just stop after 12 years. Think if you can taper got to be easier than CT!

Hi, I will be 59 in September.  I have tapered from 5 years of 2.0 mg Clonazepam daily, starting Memorial Day weekend 2021, I am now at 1.25 mgs & will cut 10% to 1.125 mgs for the month of August.  I see my Dr. August 23.  I am thinking of agreeing to a new script for 1.0 mgs a day for September, although I will have enough .0625 *bits* to safely taper down .

 

I am not happy about doing this but I actually feel about the same at 1.25mgs as I did at 2.0, and I am getting older AND my Dr. may retire soon so I want to be at 1.0 or lower when he retires so I can find another prescriber easier.

 

Hi - You are doing great with you taper.  I just wanted to suggest that if you do asked your doctor for a new script, you may want to asked for .5mg  or even .25mg  as they will be alot easier to cut as you go down.  I find that the further down in dose I go the harder it is to cut the .25 mg and I am sure at the amount you are at, the 1 mg pills will be even harder to cut!

 

Good luck with you taper.

 

Take care.

Thank you tolnblpt.  I do get the .5 mg clon tablets now, as Dr. changed my script back in May to 1.5 a day and he wants me to take them 3x a day.

Thank you tolnblpt.  I do get the .5 mg clon tablets now, as Dr. changed my script back in May to 1.5 a day and he wants me to take them 3x a day.

 

You are welcome!  That is great!  They are easier to cut.  Those pieces get harder and harder to make smaller.  They are like crumbs.  lol

 

Have a great day!!!

Julia

Hi, I will be 59 in September.  I have tapered from 5 years of 2.0 mg Clonazepam daily, starting Memorial Day weekend 2021, I am now at 1.25 mgs & will cut 10% to 1.125 mgs for the month of August.  I see my Dr. August 23.  I am thinking of agreeing to a new script for 1.0 mgs a day for September, although I will have enough .0625 *bits* to safely taper down .

 

I am not happy about doing this but I actually feel about the same at 1.25mgs as I did at 2.0, and I am getting older AND my Dr. may retire soon so I want to be at 1.0 or lower when he retires so I can find another prescriber easier.

 

Hi - You are doing great with you taper.  I just wanted to suggest that if you do asked your doctor for a new script, you may want to asked for .5mg  or even .25mg  as they will be alot easier to cut as you go down.  I find that the further down in dose I go the harder it is to cut the .25 mg and I am sure at the amount you are at, the 1 mg pills will be even harder to cut!

 

Good luck with you taper.

 

Take care.

 

Maybe switching to a liquid taper might help. I did that and found tiny cuts at even really low doses were super easy to do. Just a thought

Hello

Started benzos 32 years ago and into my second week of not taking that garbage.

Loving life or at least the part I can control.

Peace

Hi, I will be 59 in September.  I have tapered from 5 years of 2.0 mg Clonazepam daily, starting Memorial Day weekend 2021, I am now at 1.25 mgs & will cut 10% to 1.125 mgs for the month of August.  I see my Dr. August 23.  I am thinking of agreeing to a new script for 1.0 mgs a day for September, although I will have enough .0625 *bits* to safely taper down .

 

I am not happy about doing this but I actually feel about the same at 1.25mgs as I did at 2.0, and I am getting older AND my Dr. may retire soon so I want to be at 1.0 or lower when he retires so I can find another prescriber easier.

 

Hi - You are doing great with you taper.  I just wanted to suggest that if you do asked your doctor for a new script, you may want to asked for .5mg  or even .25mg  as they will be alot easier to cut as you go down.  I find that the further down in dose I go the harder it is to cut the .25 mg and I am sure at the amount you are at, the 1 mg pills will be even harder to cut!

 

Good luck with you taper.

 

Take care.

 

Maybe switching to a liquid taper might help. I did that and found tiny cuts at even really low doses were super easy to do. Just a thought

Thanks but I have tried liquid and I am one of the people that can not tolerate it. 

Wonder how anyone is doing over 50?  Do we have an over 60 board, btw?

 

I don't post much because nothing seems to get me better.  Hopefully others are doing better than that?

 

Anyhow, hi to all!

Wonder how anyone is doing over 50?  Do we have an over 60 board, btw?

 

I don't post much because nothing seems to get me better.  Hopefully others are doing better than that?

 

Anyhow, hi to all!

No but lots of us me included are over 60 Babs, and I'm not doing good right now  either unfortunately , you could start your own  over 60's + support group  board  if you want  a lot us are past 60 on here 

 

                                                        Nova 

Anyone in this group doing well?  Frankly, I know nobody who has been on these many decades who is getting better.  Altho there are a few on here who recite the 'age doesn't matter' meme...  sigh.

Nova, sorry you are not better.

I'm 68, soon to be 69.  I'm closing in on 11 months off ativan.  It was rough, especially at 7 months off.  Now I'm much better.  I still have waves of sx but they are mild.  I feel like my old self.  I know there is more healing to be done, but feeling as I do now makes all the difficult times worth it.

 

Don't give up on yourselves just because you're in your sixties.  There is plenty of life left in us.  Carpe Diem and don't look back.

Wonder how anyone is doing over 50?  Do we have an over 60 board, btw?

 

I don't post much because nothing seems to get me better.  Hopefully others are doing better than that?

 

Anyhow, hi to all!

 

I'm a 60 dude! I'm finally free from the benzo mess as of a few ago. Twenty seven years total!! That's some miserable stuff, but it's nice to be off it. You'll get there

 

Hang tight!

Frankly, I know nobody who has been on these many decades who is getting better.

 

Yes you do. You know me. We've been in contact before.

 

I got better . . . even better than I was pre-benzos. And I keep on getting better, accepting new challenges in my work (I'm a writer and book publisher). And I'm 73.

 

So it's far from a given that us "elders" don't get better.

 

Katz

I am 52 and I am not sure how I am going to fare after I jump from Xanax. I have about 4 to 5 weeks to go and then I am jumping. My biggest problem is insomnia. I only slept 4 hours last night and the night before that was zero. Every now and then, I will get a 7+ hour night, but it's certainly not consistent.

 

Have a great day!

 

HM

I am 53 and am now 20 months off of Ativan and Ambien.  I still get hit by waves from time to time--especially lately as my work stress is very high. 

 

I'm still in a much better place now so don't give up.  Just keep pushing ahead.  If you fall down, get back up.  Tell that inner voice to shut up already with all the failure talk!

 

You can do it. 

 

 

Wonder how anyone is doing over 50?  Do we have an over 60 board, btw?

 

I don't post much because nothing seems to get me better.  Hopefully others are doing better than that?

 

Anyhow, hi to all!

 

Ultra, how are you now?  At what point did you become functional?

 

I'm a 60 dude! I'm finally free from the benzo mess as of a few ago. Twenty seven years total!! That's some miserable stuff, but it's nice to be off it. You'll get there

 

Hang tight!