09/02/2026- .29% reduction from .0700g to .698g.. hoping for the best...

I just decided to drop just a tiny percentage of .29%. I wanted to feel like I'm below.0700g. In 21 months, I went from .0740g to .0698g....

Overall, I continue with my ups and downs symptoms and manageable. Some days are better than others. The truth is that when I drop, and despite of the withdrawal symptoms, I end up feeling better mentally. It's like taking weight from my brain....

In the name of Jesus Christ, I am healing.....

7 hours ago, Raymond said:

09/02/2026- .29% reduction from .0700g to .698g.. hoping for the best...

I just decided to drop just a tiny percentage of .29%. I wanted to feel like I'm below.0700g. In 21 months, I went from .0740g to .0698g....

Overall, I continue with my ups and downs symptoms and manageable. Some days are better than others. The truth is that when I drop, and despite of the withdrawal symptoms, I end up feeling better mentally. It's like taking weight from my brain....

In the name of Jesus Christ, I am healing.....

You've got this down to a science @Raymond tapering super gradually while keeping a close eye on your system.

I certainly should have known better and been extra careful with Paxhell but experience is the best teacher, even when it hurts!

You're doing amazing, congrats on breaking the 0.0700👏

Edited September 3Sep 3 by Fullhealing

9 hours ago, Fullhealing said:

Paxhell

This is a very nice way to describe this medication....it's definitely 😔....I can't even believe medication is allowed.....

We just need to move forward.....we will get there ..

I hope you feels better....

09/05/2026- 21 months, ups and downs, .29% reduction.....

Well, in the lasts three days I have been between good and bad. Mostly with tiredness. I have been sleeping well. I wake up around 539am, with the difference that I go back to sleep again. In the last three months, I have seen improvement in my sleep. Although I still wake up around 530am, I continue to go back to sleep 80% of the time. My brain feels lighter than ever. I haven't felt this release of pressure from my brain in the longest. It's like I had 300 pounds weight on my head that came off. Even when I'm in stress, I can feel my brain calm. Same goes with my heart. I can have anxiety, but if I close my eyes and focus in the heart area, I feel peace.

I am still struggling other psychological and physically symptoms, but I have been able to manage everything in the last four months despite the waves.

Headache was gone for probably four weeks, but it came back last night. It was a lot less intense than previous one. I can definitely confirm that as time goes on, it becomes waves becomes weaker.

One problem this morning, out of few others, is that I needed to mower my lawn and wow, I just couldn't cut a tiny square. I felt totally tired, and little fear sensation. Although, I feel with energy and calm, I just couldn't do that. So, I'm going to try to fix my riding mower which that will helps me a lot. A lot of things to do around the house that I have put in stand by. So I guess, I will concentrate in small tasks until afternoon comes where I feel even better. Hopefully, the energy comes back and the tiredness gets better....

Other than that, I am continuing moving forward and my motivation is those nice windows I have felt in the past...

I went from .0700g to .0698g three days ago because I just wanted to feel like I made it to the lower 70'S.... 😂 I just wanted to feel good about it after 21 months journey from .0750g to .0698g it's a progress....

I will hold now due to a daughter and father trip I have at end of September. This small reduction will help my system to continue catching up with my cold turkey 21 months ago. My plan is to go slow first in the next few months before doing 3% which it is my goal.

I can only hope for the best...

🤗 And 🙏 for everyone.....

@Raymond You're doing great my friend, ups and downs, typical of this journey, but you are making progress, listening as you go. It's paying off I know it!

09/08/2026- 22 months, progress continues....

During these past three days, I was feeling very good. I think the best days as I entered my 22 months journey. My sleep continues to be little better. My mornings are continuing to be blah, but with better energy.

Today, I woke up around 5am and couldn't go back to sleep as I was doing in the past few days. However, no anxiety, no crawling sensation, and no burning sensation. I only had mild thoughts and little brain pressure, and other mild symptoms.

Let see how I end up today.

Overall, I have been feeling better with same ups and downs. Looking forward for my longer windows.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we will all heal... patience, acceptance, float, and prayer.

10 minutes ago, Raymond said:

09/08/2026- 22 months, progress continues....

During these past three days, I was feeling very good. I think the best days as I entered my 22 months journey. My sleep continues to be little better. My mornings are continuing to be blah, but with better energy.

Today, I woke up around 5am and couldn't go back to sleep as I was doing in the past few days. However, no anxiety, no crawling sensation, and no burning sensation. I only had mild thoughts and little brain pressure, and other mild symptoms.

Let see how I end up today.

Overall, I have been feeling better with same ups and downs. Looking forward for my longer windows.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we will all heal... patience, acceptance, float, and prayer.

Sounds great. I am happy for you!

5 hours ago, Raymond said:

09/08/2026- 22 months, progress continues....

During these past three days, I was feeling very good. I think the best days as I entered my 22 months journey. My sleep continues to be little better. My mornings are continuing to be blah, but with better energy.

Today, I woke up around 5am and couldn't go back to sleep as I was doing in the past few days. However, no anxiety, no crawling sensation, and no burning sensation. I only had mild thoughts and little brain pressure, and other mild symptoms.

Let see how I end up today.

Overall, I have been feeling better with same ups and downs. Looking forward for my longer windows.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we will all heal... patience, acceptance, float, and prayer.

Update....

Back of neck, and back upper pain. Like if I'm a puppet and someone is pulling the strings.....other than that, I am good. Of course, I have other symptoms, but only putting the onces that are more uncomfortable and annoying...

Edited September 8Sep 8 by Raymond
Adding comments

09/10/2026- 22 months journey, right side cortisol spike, crawling sensation, tiredness, muscle weakness, ups and downs.

Yesterday, I had to take a day off since I felt like I did not want to do anything at all. I felt no motivation at all. I noticed that I started to feel on my right side of brain these crawling sensation, tingling, and some movement. In the past many months, all these movements were felt on the left side of brain, but it shifted to the right side. It always in the morning hours. In the afternoon hours, I felt better again, but toward the late afternoon, I felt like little dizzy, and sleepy. It was this tiredness symptom that I haven't had in many months. My eyes were just trying to close.

My two legs felt weak. The back of the neck area felt pain. Q

This morning, I woke up again at 530am with the cortisol spike, but the crawling sensation, anxiety symptoms only on my right side of brain. I opened my eyes and we usual, it was gone. I feel again little burning sensation or hot in few areas, but it seems less intense. I also feel stomach bloated and specially on the upper area.

Let see how I continue this morning. Hopefully, I can concentrate at work and do my best....

8 hours ago, Raymond said:

09/10/2026- 22 months journey, right side cortisol spike, crawling sensation, tiredness, muscle weakness, ups and downs.

Yesterday, I had to take a day off since I felt like I did not want to do anything at all. I felt no motivation at all. I noticed that I started to feel on my right side of brain these crawling sensation, tingling, and some movement. In the past many months, all these movements were felt on the left side of brain, but it shifted to the right side. It always in the morning hours. In the afternoon hours, I felt better again, but toward the late afternoon, I felt like little dizzy, and sleepy. It was this tiredness symptom that I haven't had in many months. My eyes were just trying to close.

My two legs felt weak. The back of the neck area felt pain. Q

This morning, I woke up again at 530am with the cortisol spike, but the crawling sensation, anxiety symptoms only on my right side of brain. I opened my eyes and we usual, it was gone. I feel again little burning sensation or hot in few areas, but it seems less intense. I also feel stomach bloated and specially on the upper area.

Let see how I continue this morning. Hopefully, I can concentrate at work and do my best....

Update.....

Neck pain feels little better, but left side headache again, but manageable...all day my head feeling both good and bad.... crazy 😧...this is the only journey that you can probably tell people that you are feeling good and bad at the same time....

Bad months so far.

1 to 5 months - terrible aHELL

Month 10- bad

Month 21 - little less than bad, not intense....

09/11/2026- ups and downs as usual. Same old same..

yesterday was little intense in the morning hours, but less intense than previous months. Main symptom yesterday was headache and lack of motivation. Felt like dumb and slow all day... afternoon got little better. I felt laughing few times without the emotion of laughter....this is part of the journey. Learning to cope with the fluctuating changes on and off.

This morning, I woke up again 5:30am. It is automatically. Less cortisol spike again. I stayed in bed as usual doing the same routine, but I did felt this big deep breathing again. It's probably the fifth time in 22 months that I felt it. It's like the heart was empty from all the anxiety from all this time.

Muscle pain continues and sometimes less intense than other times. This is one symptom that I got in the last 6 months again, but different. Instead of the pain, I feel more like needles or like someone pulling me from different areas. It moves around from upper arm to back muscles, to shoulders to neck, etc...akso, my legs feels like weak but with energy to walk. Weird stuff...

Other than that 22 months journey. Not even two years yet with ups and downs and holding until after my trip this month.

I probably still have about 10 symptoms, but the ones that really bothers me the most have been quiet lately.......let's hope I continue feeling better and energized alot more...

09/14/2026- cortisol up and down, good and ok days, blah mornings, same old same.

In the last three days, I have woken up between 5am and 530am with cortisol and head pressure. Some mornings better than others. Everything seems that few things feels better than others. Mostly feeling this mild head pressure on and off.

The other day, I did felt something that I did not experienced since my first month on this journey. I was driving to eat with wife and although I knew where I was going, I felt little lost for a second. This only happened one time in my first month. Then, I got back in time.

Other than that, my main symptoms these last days are head pressure on and off, lack of motivation, muscle pain on and off but less intense and it continues to be on neck and upper shoulder area. Blah all the time.

I continue to sleep through from the moment I go to sleep until I wake up 5am.

Let's continue moving forward and time will tell.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I will heal....keep faith!

@Raymond Sending love ❣️❣️❣️

Edited September 14Sep 14 by Lighty

You're navigating this piece by piece so very well @Raymond keep up the good fight 🤍

54 minutes ago, Fullhealing said:

You're navigating this piece by piece so very well @Raymond keep up the good fight 🤍

@Fullhealing .... thanks for your support. It's a struggle on a daily basis with some days better than others. It's being months that my mornings continues to be the worst between 5am to 9am, ups and downs. I might hold longer.....

57 minutes ago, Fullhealing said:

You're navigating this piece by piece so very well @Raymond keep up the good fight 🤍

And how are you doing?

2 hours ago, Raymond said:

@Fullhealing .... thanks for your support. It's a struggle on a daily basis with some days better than others. It's being months that my mornings continues to be the worst between 5am to 9am, ups and downs. I might hold longer.....

2 hours ago, Raymond said:

And how are you doing?

I'm sorry @Raymond I don't think the path was going to be clean either way but if you feel the symptoms are growing then it's indeed wise decision to hold for now, this lower doses are so so challenging..

Hang on my friend, you are doing great, things will ease up in time.

And thanks for asking I'm hanging by a thread to put it mildly, very hard lately but I'll survive.

2 hours ago, Fullhealing said:

I'm sorry @Raymond I don't think the path was going to be clean either way but if you feel the symptoms are growing then it's indeed wise decision to hold for now, this lower doses are so so challenging..

Hang on my friend, you are doing great, things will ease up in time.

And thanks for asking I'm hanging by a thread to put it mildly, very hard lately but I'll survive.

I am only struggling with concentration and few other symptoms, but they are between mild to ok. Not big deal for me. I shouldn't say struggling. I should have use manageable instead....

I hope you get to feel better. Trust me! Hold on long enough. You will feel better....I think I have been feeling 80% better all these past months.. I still get ups and down, but functioning. My mornings continues to be slow, blah, and no motivation for few hours...

7 hours ago, Raymond said:

09/14/2026- cortisol up and down, good and ok days, blah mornings, same old same.

In the last three days, I have woken up between 5am and 530am with cortisol and head pressure. Some mornings better than others. Everything seems that few things feels better than others. Mostly feeling this mild head pressure on and off.

The other day, I did felt something that I did not experienced since my first month on this journey. I was driving to eat with wife and although I knew where I was going, I felt little lost for a second. This only happened one time in my first month. Then, I got back in time.

Other than that, my main symptoms these last days are head pressure on and off, lack of motivation, muscle pain on and off but less intense and it continues to be on neck and upper shoulder area. Blah all the time.

I continue to sleep through from the moment I go to sleep until I wake up 5am.

Let's continue moving forward and time will tell.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I will heal....keep faith!

Update...

As always, afternoons better....I am struggling with concentration today, but I also feel other areas of mind and body better. I just can't tell , but I know it's better...

Symptoms

Lack of concentration

Lazyness

Mild stomach gases and bloated

Bored symptoms

Muscle pitches sensation in different areas moving around

Lack of emotions, I think. Probably, not feeling enjoyment..

Mild tinnitus. I just hear something and like crystals moving..

Since April 2026 to September 2026, I have done about 2.5% reduction so far. Things being looking good and manageable ups and downs.

Following what my body feels like doing.

April: tiny amount

May: slowly increase reduction percentage

June: slowly increase ""

July: slowly increase ""

August: big 1.4% reduction

September: back to tiny reduction and holding...

Edited September 14Sep 14 by Raymond
Adding comments

Hey @Raymond glad to see you’re doing ok. If you don’t mind me asking. Did you wait until you had fully stabilized before starting your taper initially?

Thanks mate

14 hours ago, Johan1233 said:

Hey @Raymond glad to see you’re doing ok. If you don’t mind me asking. Did you wait until you had fully stabilized before starting your taper initially?

Thanks mate

@Johan1233 ... hello...on my journey, I only waited until I felt better before stabilizing and waves were manageable. In my first months, I waited 7 months before doing my first 1.5% cut. It was followed by 4 cuts. Then, I hit another bad wave at month 10 where old symptoms returned, so I hold for 6 months. Then, I reduced tiny percentage each month until I did another 1.5% reduction. At month 21, I hit another wave but not bad. Im currently at month 22 and I did a tiny .25% cut. I have been feeling like 80% better, but still having issues with cortisol. Some days, I can sleep until 630am, but other days I still continue to wake up at 530am in my 22 months journey. I probably still have like 7 symptoms and they do not appear all at once.

I feel that symptoms are weaker, but I still struggles in waves. I have read stories where people kind of stabilize more to w normal stage after two years and half or longer. I'm not even two years yet...

Overall, I just taper if symptoms are manageable, an I listen to my body.

I hope you are doing well.

Take care my friend....

6 hours ago, Raymond said:

@Johan1233 ... hello...on my journey, I only waited until I felt better before stabilizing and waves were manageable. In my first months, I waited 7 months before doing my first 1.5% cut. It was followed by 4 cuts. Then, I hit another bad wave at month 10 where old symptoms returned, so I hold for 6 months. Then, I reduced tiny percentage each month until I did another 1.5% reduction. At month 21, I hit another wave but not bad. Im currently at month 22 and I did a tiny .25% cut. I have been feeling like 80% better, but still having issues with cortisol. Some days, I can sleep until 630am, but other days I still continue to wake up at 530am in my 22 months journey. I probably still have like 7 symptoms and they do not appear all at once.

I feel that symptoms are weaker, but I still struggles in waves. I have read stories where people kind of stabilize more to w normal stage after two years and half or longer. I'm not even two years yet...

Overall, I just taper if symptoms are manageable, an I listen to my body.

I hope you are doing well.

Take care my friend....

Hey Raymond, good to hear from you. From what you have just said I think that was really sensible.

I was in a place a few weeks ago where I contemplated a reduction due to feeling generally pretty good half of the time.

But part of me wanted more stability

I guess the urge to come of these drugs is too strong

Thanks mate

17 hours ago, Johan1233 said:

Hey Raymond, good to hear from you. From what you have just said I think that was really sensible.

I was in a place a few weeks ago where I contemplated a reduction due to feeling generally pretty good half of the time.

But part of me wanted more stability

I guess the urge to come of these drugs is too strong

Thanks mate

I'm in the same boat as you. I want more stability, but when I feel good, I just reduced again. We definitely wants to come off these drugs. Even at the dose I am, in good days, I feel a lot better than being on this drug. So, I'm still struggling to either hold for more stability or continue going down slowly to come off. I definitely think we all want to come off right away, but avoid symptoms...

I might hold for another month and see if my mornings gets better. I only struggling from 5am to 10am. After that, it gets better, but still, I want to feel like a normal human again..

09/16/2026- 22 months, small nocturnal panic, woke up few times, couldn't sleep past 5am again...

In the past three days, I went back to wake up 530am and woke few times during the night. I woke up with a mild headache pressure that went away as soon as I opened my eyes.

Last night, I had a small one second mild nocturnal panic attack. This time, it did not caused me fear or anxiety as it used to. This is good. I went back to sleep right away, but woke up few times during the night.

Currently, just feel with energy, but blah sensation, lack of motivation, desire to go back to sleep, but can't sleep, and I hope I get to concentrate at work. If it's sunny, I will probably work from my hammock where it is quiet and relaxing.....

Let see how I end up and I hope for more stability.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we will heal ...