Can someone tell me if I’m going slow enough

I totally understand. It’s horrible. You really and truly have to be patient with this process. Please do some research and you will find that people that go slowly and listen to their body have much, much better outcomes. You are not alone by any means. So many are going through what we’re going the due to the medical community.

BEFORE any medication use, I ask: Am I taking care of myself in ways nature has intended? From me an Octogenarian.
1- That means: Am I eating a reasonably healthy diet? Yes starting with H2O!
2- Am I physically active enough each day without too long sedentary slots?
3- Do I use my time in intellectually/ emotionally/ spiritually rewarding acts?
Each of these points spans a whole gamut of life but we all come out of our mothers fairly well-equipped to stay the healthful life course.
So I rarely see doctors, nearly no meds, or tests, and sleep well because I am tired physically and mentally by the day's end AND know what Important work next day awaits me: To Live Purposeful Life.
Diseases and disabilities so far have spared me even though I am in among the financially privileged bu I know how to stretch dollar. I buy food on sale and have a wholesome food within $10 a Day.
I hope it helps to some of the queries here. Good Luck, Fellow Travelers.

Thanks for the advice. I haven’t read the Ashton Manual but am aware of what she says. I don’t know how to taper less than .125 mg. I think in the manual she recommends titration? Not sure. My Dr only gave me a prescription for the .125 so the last part of my taper is really hard. How can I keep to 10% or less when my daily dose is now .25 mg?
If read I shouldn’t go back up but if I do what do you recommend going back ip to?

That is a very fast taper. Unfortunately when you finish your last pill it doesn’t mean withdrawal ends. Your body needs time for your gaba a receptors to re-emerge. There is no way to make that go faster. You are right 10% a month if you tolerate it. Good luck with your doctors.

My Dr has only given me .125 mg to taper and the math just doesn’t work to be at 10% when my daily dose is now so low at .375 mg. His instructions to me were to go down .125 every two weeks. I’ve added a week to taper every 3 weeks but clearly he’s given me bad advice (what else is new) but other than adding weeks I only have the .125 to work with.
I am aware of the fact that this doesn’t end when my taper is done and protracted withdrawal really scares me. Trying to stay positive but it’s not easy. This past week has been really awful and don’t know what to do. That’s why I originally posted what does go slow really mean for me. Thanks for replying. I know I’m not alone in this struggle but lately I feel so out of touch with the world including my friends and family. Horrible way to feel.

@amdavis70 Thanks for the reply. I am not sure about the tapering of dosages that small, but believe that a good compounding pharmacy could help with titration solutions. It’s worth a try. And, as far as going back up, I think it’s better than torturing yourself at too low of a dose. Go back to where you were stable and then come down slower/smaller, if possible. Don’t give up! You will get there even though it feels like there’s no way out. Let us know.

Part of my problem is I can’t think straight anymore, and have lost touch with who I am or who I used to be. I feel like crying or ending it all when I think about how much of me is gone.
So I don’t want to go back up but the thought of continuing my taper terrifies me.

Your comments interest and inspire me. I’m in my mid 70s, a retired educator and fellow sufferer. I’ve had sleeping issues for over twenty years, was put on a combination of benzos and baclofen and have been at war with them and myself ever since. Insomnia has been an insatiable beast and has defeated me to the point where I’m just a shell of my former self. I’ve attempted to wean a hundred times over the years but to no avail. My current doc seems unable to understand the process. This past month I’ve taken to giving it another try. But insomnia continues. The worse part is little sleep produces little intellectual curiosity and reading along with research is out of the question. Yesterday I came across this site and am reading the testimonials of my brethren. This is inspiring. Tonight, I’ll continue with my wean and see what tomorrow brings. No guarantees…

There's a 'not" missing in the last part of my post above: ...even though I am [NOT] in among the financially privileged...." I suppose everyone guessed it already!

From everything I’ve been reading, and it seems like the only thing I’m reading at the present time, there is light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. I don’t know how some of these brave souls found the courage and endurance to see it through and are now normal again. They are what keeps me going. Hang in there. The journey will be worth it when you get your life back and that’s worth fighting for.