Benzodiazepine tapering and long holds during taper

Question

Hi this is a question for any one that has or is tapering Ben, has any one done a long hold where you hold the taper dose for a few months or longer, I'm talking 3 months upwards not a week or two. If so what were you results? did it help symptoms?

 Did it give you a better base to reassume tapering from even if the symptoms didn't improve a lot or at all during the hold? What tape method wee you using as there's a few variations on taper methods in use. Did you use water or another substance to dissolve your pills to make a suspension or did you make a solution? 

There is a difference,A solution is a mixture featuring solutes that have been dissolved, while a suspension is a mixture of liquids also containing solid particles that may not completely dissolve inside the liquid. Materials that dissolve in liquids are considered soluble. When no more solute dissolves in a particular solvent while temperature remains the same, the solution is considered to be saturated.


Also did you start out with one taper method then change it before or during the long hold? How long where you on Benzos for? Did you take a daily prescribed dose or as needed or some days more than others? When did you begin to notice symptoms dropping off if the did during the hold? What age were you when you were prescribed the Benzos ? Where you in ''tolerance'' or ''tolerance withdrawal''l before you began tapering? 

Again there is a difference ''Tolerance'' is when the therapeutic effects no longer work, but there is no withdrawal symptoms, ''Tolerance withdrawal'' is when you get the actual type of symptoms taking your prescribed dose as if you were off the drugs or had taken a sudden drop or CT but you still taking the dose as prescribed. 

Thats what happened to me, for over ten year's I was in 'Tolerance withdrawal'' and it kept getting misdiagnosed as other ''illnesses'' physical and mental, I even had unnecessary operations done because of it as have lots of other people. 


Also ''Ashton Manual'' taper was too much too fast and I crashed badly so did lots of others for the same reasons, and I myself am now four and a half months in to what I've now decided will be at least a six month hold where I will re-evaluate at 6 to decide whether to hold longer or resume tapering. I was originally holding for three months then re-evaluate but due t a lot of stress causing a flare up in symptoms then decided to hold another three months then review it . 

Certain symptoms have improved or gone and certain things have healed but the most troubling symptoms are yet to show much improvement. If nothing else the long hold will give the central nervous system a chance to regroup  as lots of healing w aren't aware is happening will be. I don't agree with cut and suffer continuously neither do I agree with rushing off these drugs as quickly as possible healing happens as you taper.

 Its not how fast you can get of Benzos but how you feel with as little symptoms as possible or at least less bothersome as if your not good before you jump then that is setting the path you will carry on walking for quite some time in most cases. Or  possibly end up in protracted withdrawal where you rushed ahead faster than you actual healing rate. 

The drug level dropping is faster than your neurons and other healing systems can keep up with that takes longer and holding don't cause any harm its rushing that's the problem I look forward to hearing from those who have information of their holding experiences to share.


Tswana xxx

meegWpaw · Answer

hi Tswana i didnt see this in June i don't think ... you got such great answers already and i know you're just checking in, but i was on a lot of benzos and i ct'd, not knowing you shouldn't ... it was horrible ... i almost had a seizure but didn't.  my benzo w/d was worse, i think, than from opiates.  i had symptoms for quite a while, sorry to say.  they would get better ... recede ... then come back ... it came in waves, this happened for some time.  my friend was on benzos for many years and she came off on a super duper slow taper, i cant remember if it was six months or a year.  she cut her pills.  it was difficult for her.  but i think she did better than others bc of her slow taper.  i think ashton is good for cataloging symptoms, knowing your symptoms are normal.  i agree with ruthy on the other website, i went there as well.

hope you feel better soon

Meegan

Tswana · Answer

Hi ever one sorry I'm late replying I'm very rough but thank you all so very much for you replies. 

RUTHY55 I'm nearly 57 and have been on Benzos for wel over 30 years and there's peole in their late 70.s and  80's tapering off of them . 

Go to http://************.org/ and have a look or join an ask your question on there about you auto immune issues as I don't know about that but others on there will have more knowledge  xxxx

gnarly_1 · Answer

Hi well bezo withdrawal was my second worst detox only second to methadone with that said slow is good...where not aloud to give taper advise on the forum it is agenst the rules.....just know this even going slow your going to feel this taper it took around 8 months to get from zanex to clonipine then around 3 months to get off the conipine we switched to long acting witch made it ezer but no walk in the park the thing is your brain is not going to heal as long as your on this medication even at low doses so stretching it longer only will prolong how long your going to feel cr apy dr ashton is the leading specialist world wide and I followed her advise alot we just had a girl that celebrated 8yrs clean from benzos her nike name is merrymaria you should P/M her she is a wealth of information keep posting here for support
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Gnarly<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Ruthy55 · Answer

Hi, I'm slowly decreasing Klonopin. Prescribed 10 years ago. Was at 2mgs and ever so slowly am at 1.5 and felt pretty good for the first cut.  I have researched and resarched. The lower you go the harder it gets so each cut requires a longer and longer hold.  Like you I'm in no hurry and will avoid suffering at all costs. Months will be longer for each hold. I have read where it you take a few years at the least it can be done. At my age I cannot handle a Benzo WD trip. My Dr gives me her blessing to take as long as I need. We just finished a Tramadol WD for chronic pain that got better. I took it for 5 years. I went too fast. But I'm healed for the most part. But the big gun Benzo  taper will be many years for me. I bought a scale for when I will need to shave pieces and hold. Google Benzo Buddies. You may already know of them. They have already helped me to prepare. I'm sorry you are in Tolleramce WD. I can't imagine your pain. I would go back up of it were me just my own personal thing, not medical advice. then start the very long slow painless taper
I wish you the best...