kzaug2014

Hi Jay, it's nice to see you! Great post! "This deal ain't for wimps." I like that...so true! No wimps here! Lol! Well, maybe...I sorta started out wimpy, even if I didn't show it! My self confidence is steadily growing. 2016...we gotcha!!!

Astro...I agree! I feel so blessed to be on the straight & narrow! That's great that you got to spend some time w/your son. Our kids are gifts from God, imo! I love spending time with mine too...& what's really awesome, is that love spending time with me too lol!

Shining, how are you? I'm going to shoot ya a pm a bit later!

My dear Patricia, where are you? I hope everything's okay?

Winslow, Intro, Sizzle & Sharon...I hope your wkend is going fine.

Winslow, Ty for your very kind words! We're all here to support each other. Isn't it great!?!

Wkend (( Hugs )) to everyone!

kzaug2014

Wolfy...I forgot you....So glad you're my friend! (( Hugs ))

patricia68

I'm not doing well kzaug. I don't know if it was the last fight with my husband, the post holidays blues, the cold gloomy days...I feel depressed. Everybody is so kind and helpful here, but I don't know where to find the motivation for follow their advice. I just want to crawl under the blankets and hide...

It's too cold to go for a walk. I just want to sleep. Or hide. I just feel sad...

Winslow

I'm feeling that way too Patricia, can't put my finger on what's causing it,just so unlike me, feel weepy,creepy, bleh

patricia68

What can we do Winslow? Everybody is telling me to go for a walk, to exercise...I barely have the motivation to get dressed in the mornings...

Amethyst327

Is anyone from this thread still around? I've been on Klonopin for 20 years. I'm now on .5 mg daily (my highest was 1.5 mg) I recently tried tapering down to .25 but wasn't successful. It's brutally painful coming off of it so congrats to all who have! Was wondering how you did it and what you experienced

Astro

Welcome to SR, Amethyst. This thread is active every day so hang in there and you'll get some responses.

kzaug2014

Welcome Amethyst!
I was prescribed 2mg/day for 10yrs. I cold turkeyed it...twice. I lost my doctors both times. Honestly, I got clean outta sheer terror. I didn't want to take a chance that some doctor would cut me off again in the future.
I was prescribed Gabapentin the 2nd time I quit & that helped out considerably. So I would talk to your doctor about this.
I also quit drinking pop & caffeinated coffee.
A few things people do to relieve anxiety are...meditation, yoga, adult coloring books, eat healthy & deep breathing.
There's no getting around some withdrawal for many people, so you must be absolutely determined to quit. I wanted sobriety so badly that I was willing to feel like crap for as long as it took.
It takes time for your brain to heal after long term benzo use. My doctor explained it to me this way...we have receptors in our brain that get damaged by taking benzos because the drug replaces the receptors job....those receptors will repair themselves, but it takes time ( which is why we feel withdrawals. )
You also need a support system, whether it be AA, NA, Rational Recovery, Sober Recovery. I used Sober Recovery alone, but many people use more than 1 support.
Keep posting, you can do this!

Hi Patricia & Winslow!
Patricia, I think it's probably a combination of all three of those reasons you mentioned.
I think depression is particularly tricky disease. The only way I can maintain depression is with medication. It runs in my family & there was no getting around it for me. I take Zoloft....my friend takes Paxil. I tried Paxil & it was a horrible experience. What works for 1 person may not work for another.
I would talk to your doctors, you guys.

(( Hugs )) everyone!

patricia68

That's true kzaug. Antidepressants don't agree with me. I have horrible side effects, much worse than anxiety.

JayG123

Hey amethyst, trying to do a 50% might be a bit to much to fast. Obviously you should talk to your doctor about doing a responsible taper. According to the method developed by dr. Heather Ashton you should try not to cut more than 10% every 1 to 2 weeks. Benzo withdrawl is very case specific. You should try to go at pace that is the most comfortable for you.

Winslow

Hey all,welcome Amethyst,yeah 50% is high,especially toward the end of a taper,you've come along way since 1.5 mg though,that's a great success😊 Patricia, how you feeling? My depressed mood is weird cuz its up and down all day,I think a lot of it is being newly sober,its very common in early sobriety,I've read that some peeps are incorrectly diagnosed as bipolar in early recovery cuz of the mood swings it brings,let's lean on each other and talk it out here😊 hello to all,I hope we all have a great Monday

kzaug2014

Hi all,
Not feeling well. Hope you guys are doing okay. (( Hugs ))

Soberwolf

I'm glad I'm your friend Kzaug

Astro

Hope you feel better soon, K. Prayers.

Winslow

Hey all,hope you're feeling better Kzaug,its going around that's for sure,seems to be a lingering sickness 2 of my coworkers have been sick since before Christmas,still cruising along here haven't been making a cut though,I'm scared,I'm responsible for my 2 year old grandson 4 days a week and to be in the throes of withdrawal and hafta take care of him is hard! Dang I wish there was something to make this effortless, hope all are well,enjoy your day😊

kzaug2014

Thx guys...it's just a cold, but it's bringing me down.
Winslow, did your new doctor say if it was your last refill? I completely understand your fear...caring for a 2yrs. old is tiring in itself, much less coming off ativan. Is there anyone else that could care for him when you quit?

Patricia, how many different antidepressants did you try hun? You're in my thoughts and prayers.

(( Hugs ))

patricia68

5-6 different SSRis, paxil was the one I took for over 3 years, I was sick the entire time until I finally found a Dr that understood that it was side effects. Wellbutrin sent me to the ER after two weeks, I thought I was having a heart attack. I guess antidepressants are not for me...they make my panic and anxiety 10x worse!

Soberwolf

Get well soon bud

kzaug2014

Ty Wolfie! I actually do feel better today. I am so thankful it was just a 3 day cold & didn't drag on forever like it normally does.

I've also been experiencing some winter blues lately....cooped up in the house w/winter storm warnings last 3 days, laying around too much because I haven't felt well, dark dreary days, ect.
Even my hubs told me I haven't been very affectionate lately. So I apologized and have been showering him w/lots o' love. When you're lucky enough to find a man as wonderful as mine, you make it a point to make him as happy as possible.

So I used some of my own advice today, pulled myself off the couch, put a Ratt cd in & started exercising. I just bought a mini treadmill & a new yoga tape "Easy Yoga for Easing Pain" last wk, so I thought I'd better start putting them to good use.
My hubs told me I should take it slow and easy to begin with because I tend to overdo it & usually end up hurting myself somehow lol. He's right, so I just did 5 mins on the treadmill & 1/2hr of the yoga dvd. A couple hrs later, I did another 5 mins on the treadmill again.
My mood is already starting to lift! That's not to say exercising magically works. I think it could depend on how far along someone is in their sobriety & how severe someone's depression is. I do know it increases endorphins in the brain & that I always feel better when I exercise ( or at the very least stay active. )

How's everyone doing today?
(( Hugs ))

Astro

So I'm curious. Can one yoga to Ratt ?

Geez I need to get my butt back on the bike and treadmill!