From: PWiggs9414@a...

Date: Thu Aug 30, 2001 7:57 pm

Subject: Healing - It does happen at any age

Hi,

I am a 58 year young women who (like you) was on benzos for 28 years. I joined the group in May of 1999 and on May 18th 2000 I was completely off the benzos. I went through hell and near the end of the taper (3 months) the WDs were terrible and became worse when I was completely off of them.

The difference was after the initial hellacious 30 days a few changes started to happen. At 60 days off, the windows of normalcy came more often. At 10 months there were days of normalcy not only minutes. Now at one year and 3 months off, I cannot say I am completely healed but 80% there. I just came back from a Hawaiian vacation and enjoyed myself more than any other vacation I took on benzos.

The thrill of not having to pack those little pills was great and I was emotionally IN my vacation and REMEMBER it not like all the others I was always numbed with the benzos. When I saw the ocean I got tears of joy in my eyes and really felt the beauty of nature all through my body. I'm sure I would not have felt it the same way on ativan.

Sixty years old is not old to get off the benzos. I would go and do it and not worry how long you will take to heal. Enjoy the healing as it comes and it does happen. It is best to get off them now when you have a choice. The older I got the more tolerance symptoms I got and the last 3 years was getting sicker and sicker. I had a perforated ulcer 2 years ago and attribute ativan to just eating up my stomach. I never had ulcer pain.

Who knows what they will do and if you will be able to come off of them when you are older. I do not feel that I have any brain damage at all and am more mentally alert than when I was on the benzos. Sure, I lost a new job last month due to not being able to handle the stress of the job but I don't think it was because I was in WD. I think at my age any stressful job would be hard to learn and don't need it. Don't worry about the damage and how much healing you will have. I myself, do not feel brain damage occurs. I feel the drugs harmed us physically in the digestive area and muscular and joint areas. Hey, old age can give you that too. LOL

Hang in there and just DO IT.

Love Penny

15 years valium 12 years ativan

1 year 3 months benzo free