Ativan-Valium Substitution: Calculation/Resource(??)

[[al...]]

I don't want to try to recreate an existing group, but I've scanned most of this category, and not seen anything that quite covers what I'm thinking of...but not positive. I have checked out the Valium support thread, but what I'd really like to find some info/anecdotal evidence on is: how people have customized the Ashton substitution to better suit their individual needs?

 

All I've heard basically, is that it's not uncommon to take 6-9 or ?? weeks, and that stronger w/d s/x indicate more Valium may be necessary, while excessive sedation likely points to taking a bit less  Valium.

But what size of dose do you 'tweak'? And many more open ended questions, and confusion .

 

I was a bit apprehensive about the whole Valium thing, but after going through a very difficult (and ultimately unsuccessful Ativan titration taper), I zipped through the first 2 stages of the substitution. Week/stage 3 felt a bit less 'easy'; I did have s/x even in week one, but they felt very manageable.

 

Then, much to my dismay, I totally crashed as I started Week/stage 4. I woke up the morning after taking my first 10 mg.Valium/no Ativan bedtime dose, and felt as bad or worse than particularly the latter stages of my painful titration taper...only it seemed to hit me all at once, with no real warning.

 

After being unable to get up, or even think coherently, I eventually took 3 mg. Ativan that day (was down to 1.5), and halved the Valium; just trying to buy a little time and re-evaluate. To make a longer story short, I ended up updosing to 4 mg. for a week, and cutting out the Valium.

 

A couple of days ago, I hopped down to 3.5, and next week plan to get back to 3mg-the Valium sub starting point; I did a similar series of 'hops' (albeit over a longer period of time after post-titration updose). However, after the abrupt problem I hit at day1/week 4, I'm a bit nervous.

 

I had thought I'd have enough Valium in my system after 3 weeks to keep subbing, and my body/brain hadn't seemed to miss the slowly disappearing Ativan...but obviously something in this equation went wrong. Perhaps not enough Valium...then how much to try adding?

 

Perhaps a belated temper tantrum by reduced Ativan? My thinking now involves taking at least 10 days (as opposed to 7) to do each stage, but that's as much as I've been able to figure out. Perhaps I should also take a bit more than 5 mg of Valium in the beginning weeks (I wasn't exactly feeling sedated at all)?

 

Anyhow, if this is an inappropriate post in the wrong place, I do apologize. I've been posting in the 'Substitution Taper' category, but haven't seen a discussion on this sort of topic...and 'ST' seems to be a bit less active thansome other areas. So I just thought I throw this out there and see ??

 

Thanks for any input, or for advising me of some thread/info I've missed...was really disappointed by 'hitting the wall' and shutting down my sub (temporarily); I gutted it out for 8 really awful titration months before caving, so I'm not a total baby in terms of s/x, honest....

 

...so, nobody else with similar questions/issues?? Oh well, guess I'll 'guinea pig' it again, fingers crossed...