Look at you go.... 0.07 mg 🎉🎉🎉

I am so jealous but your win is all of ours. ❤️🙏

Hoping this month treats you well. Looking forward to your next update. 😀

Wombat

On 7/25/2026 at 3:54 AM, AlmostOff said:

I read Dr (((Horowitz))) and Brassmonkey took around 5 years to taper off.

That time frame has gradually become my goal...I initially thought it'd be off in less than 12 months 🤣

😂 I thought I'd be done in 6 months, after a slow and cautious taper 😆💊⚕️

Took about 4 years from the beginning to being healed 🤣

Monthly update time...

 

There is something calming about landing back on the runway in your own country, where you speak the language and we drive on the correct side of the road (the left side 😉).

 

After returning home, I felt ok and reduced my dose to 0.07 mg. I don’t know why, but a few days later I was surprised to feel a slight burning sensation on the tops of my feet… burning at 0.07mg? Are you serious! I also had a few less than ideal nights’ sleep. Was it jet lag or the dose reduction? Maybe it was both.

 

Returning to work, I paused a few times and thought this would have really rattled me this time last year… but I was ok. Recognising that I was calm when I would previously have been anxious was a brilliant feeling.

 

18 months ago, I found going to the movies too stimulating because of the intense sounds and visuals. I went last week and had no problems at all.

 

I don’t feel perfect from a WD perspective, but that’s obviously too high a benchmark to aim for. Reflecting on what I have experienced throughout this process:

• raging 4am anxiety,

• a sense of impending doom,

• tinnitus,

• insomnia,

• concentration issues,

• noise sensitivity,

• bladder issues,  

• intense sweating (the list goes on)

…I’ve got to be happy with where I am!

 

Anyway, I’m still only AlmostOff, so I’m not getting ahead of myself. I’ll keep chipping away patiently and plan to be off at some stage in 2026.

 

December will mark the 5-year anniversary of my taper… just crazy! Had I not read about these slow, methodical tapers on the former site, I’d never have believed it would be necessary. I acknowledge others have been just as slow and methodical as I have, yet their journeys have been far more difficult. I guess I ‘won the lottery’ by being prescribed an ‘easier’ AD to taper off.

 

Once I jump to zero, the clock will start ticking before I can pen my success story and joyfully burn my remaining pills and micropipette in celebration!

 

I hope that documenting my experience will encourage someone else on their journey.

 

Until next month.

11 minutes ago, AlmostOff said:

Monthly update time...

 

There is something calming about landing back on the runway in your own country, where you speak the language and we drive on the correct side of the road (the left side 😉).

 

After returning home, I felt ok and reduced my dose to 0.07 mg. I don’t know why, but a few days later I was surprised to feel a slight burning sensation on the tops of my feet… burning at 0.07mg? Are you serious! I also had a few less than ideal nights’ sleep. Was it jet lag or the dose reduction? Maybe it was both.

 

Returning to work, I paused a few times and thought this would have really rattled me this time last year… but I was ok. Recognising that I was calm when I would previously have been anxious was a brilliant feeling.

 

18 months ago, I found going to the movies too stimulating because of the intense sounds and visuals. I went last week and had no problems at all.

 

I don’t feel perfect from a WD perspective, but that’s obviously too high a benchmark to aim for. Reflecting on what I have experienced throughout this process:

• raging 4am anxiety,

• a sense of impending doom,

• tinnitus,

• insomnia,

• concentration issues,

• noise sensitivity,

• bladder issues,  

• intense sweating (the list goes on)

…I’ve got to be happy with where I am!

 

Anyway, I’m still only AlmostOff, so I’m not getting ahead of myself. I’ll keep chipping away patiently and plan to be off at some stage in 2026.

 

December will mark the 5-year anniversary of my taper… just crazy! Had I not read about these slow, methodical tapers on the former site, I’d never have believed it would be necessary. I acknowledge others have been just as slow and methodical as I have, yet their journeys have been far more difficult. I guess I ‘won the lottery’ by being prescribed an ‘easier’ AD to taper off.

 

Once I jump to zero, the clock will start ticking before I can pen my success story and joyfully burn my remaining pills and micropipette in celebration!

 

I hope that documenting my experience will encourage someone else on their journey.

 

Until next month.

Wonderful! Can't wait to read your success story! And yes the left side is the correct side 😆

17 minutes ago, AlmostOff said:

I hope that documenting my experience will encourage someone else on their journey.

You have absolutely been encouraging me on my journey!!!! On days I am not doing well, reading your thread is a huge encouragement!!!

I am so excited to see you off these meds. I will be celebrating right alongside of you.🎉 😀

Still getting symptoms on such a low dose is impossible to believe. But you are doing better than you were. That is encouraging.

Hoping you slide off with very little or no ripple at all.

Best wishes

Wombat

5 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

I don’t feel perfect from a WD perspective, but that’s obviously too high a benchmark to aim for. Reflecting on what I have experienced throughout this process:

• raging 4am anxiety,

• a sense of impending doom,

• tinnitus,

• insomnia,

• concentration issues,

• noise sensitivity,

• bladder issues,  

• intense sweating (the list goes on)

…I’ve got to be happy with where I am!

Proud of you. ❤️🙏

15 hours ago, Chippy said:

And yes the left side is the correct side 😆

😁

14 hours ago, Wombat said:

You have absolutely been encouraging me on my journey!!!! On days I am not doing well, reading your thread is a huge encouragement!!!

I'm glad my ramblings have been helpful for you 🤗

9 hours ago, LostinCanada said:

Proud of you. ❤️🙏

Thank you, LIC. You've been such a blessing to me.

15 hours ago, Chippy said:

And yes the left side is the correct side 😆

Pffftt 🙄

40 minutes ago, AlmostOff said:

Thank you, LIC. You've been such a blessing to me.

And you to me. ❤️🙏

Congratulations @AlmostOff , this is exciting news, and excited to read your success story in the future. Dancing for joy over here, so wonderful. 😊

Hoping all goes well this month.

You've got this!!!!

Wombat

Update time:

 

After dropping to 0.035mg, I’ve not noticed any WD.

 

I did experience some brief ‘situational’ anxiety: I found myself driving somewhere I’d never been before. Google Maps stopped working, traffic was gridlocked, the low-fuel light came on, and I had a plane to catch! I reckon a bit of temporary anxiety in that situation is perfectly reasonable. That said, my passenger was as cool as a cucumber, so maybe I’m still more susceptible to stress than the average person.

 

Experiencing no WD doesn’t mean my life is perfect. It’s logical on reflection, but I’m not sure it’s what I expected or hoped for 🤷‍♂️

 

The reality is that I’m an imperfect person living in an imperfect world. Consequently, not everything goes to plan. What matters is learning from mistakes and developing the mindset and skills to manage stress in a healthy way. Acceptance and a focus on what we can control are essential.  

 

I’ve been chatting offline with a tapering friend on the same dose who’s experiencing much the same WD as me at the moment - not much. It really is a miracle, as at times it felt like we’ve both been “walking through the valley of the shadow of death.” 

 

Next stop will be 0.018 mg. I might hold there for 2 months, which would bring my taper to 5 years… then, God willing, I’ll jump to zero. 

 

Until next time.

10 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

After dropping to 0.035mg, I’ve not noticed any WD.

This is brilliant!!!! I have read that this is a a good sign of knowing that you are safe to come off the meds soon.

10 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

That said, my passenger was as cool as a cucumber,

Some people just never learnt the meaning of some words (like stress and anxiety). And some of us got their quota!!! 🙄

I think your anxiety was a pretty normal response for that situation. But even if it wasn't, you said it was only temporary, and didn't spiral out of control. Good work 😊

10 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

The reality is that I’m an imperfect person living in an imperfect world. Consequently, not everything goes to plan. What matters is learning from mistakes and developing the mindset and skills to manage stress in a healthy way. Acceptance and a focus on what we can control are essential.  

Perfectly written.

10 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

"walking through the valley of the shadow of death.” 

This I can relate to.

But to end it off "I will fear no evil, for You are with me".

10 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

Next stop will be 0.018 mg. I might hold there for 2 months, which would bring my taper to 5 years… then, God willing, I’ll jump to zero. 

I think this is very wise.

Super excited for you!! 😄

Wombat

Update time:

 

The drop to 0.035mg remained a non-event. The final step down to 0.018mg has been similar, with no identifiable WD at this stage. 

 

I read on the former site that someone often said, “better days are ahead”, and that we just needed “time + patience” and “consistent and accurate” dosing. At times, I really struggled to believe it. I’ve kept striving to be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer”. Perhaps a non-Biblical version of this verse would be “acceptance”; this journey has been very, very hard to accept at times!

 

I’ll hang out at 0.018mg for a bit. Then, I guess I’ll just wake up one day and stop, provided I feel as I do now. I’ll turn off my daily AD dose reminder alarm and get on with life, having made the jump to zero. 

 

Until next time.

6 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

The drop to 0.035mg remained a non-event. The final step down to 0.018mg has been similar, with no identifiable WD at this stage. 

This is the best news!!!!

6 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

I’ve kept striving to be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer”.

I need to pin this up.

So excited for you AlmostOff. 😄

Wombat

8 hours ago, AlmostOff said:

Update time:

 

The drop to 0.035mg remained a non-event. The final step down to 0.018mg has been similar, with no identifiable WD at this stage. 

 

I read on the former site that someone often said, “better days are ahead”, and that we just needed “time + patience” and “consistent and accurate” dosing. At times, I really struggled to believe it. I’ve kept striving to be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer”. Perhaps a non-Biblical version of this verse would be “acceptance”; this journey has been very, very hard to accept at times!

 

I’ll hang out at 0.018mg for a bit. Then, I guess I’ll just wake up one day and stop, provided I feel as I do now. I’ll turn off my daily AD dose reminder alarm and get on with life, having made the jump to zero. 

 

Until next time.

Amazing news! Yeah hold that final dose. I think this is a really good idea. Just get super stable before hitting zero. So happy to hear @AlmostOff :)

6 hours ago, Chippy said:

Yeah hold that final dose. I think this is a really good idea. Just get super stable before hitting zero

I totally agree...give it a couple months or more.... it's easier to prevent issues than repair. You know me, err on the side of caution. Nothing to lose and everything to gain. ❤️🙏

@AlmostOff this is wonderful news, I'm so excited for you. And yes our body's are wonderful guides at letting us know when the right moment is. You are doing truly amazing ❤️