Need HELP just got out of ER.

[[Fr...]]

Okay so please let me preface this by saying I have decided I no longer want to taper off of my Valium. I was prescribed ativan for a reason, my anxiety is not in a good enough spot for me to taper off currently. Yesterday was possibly the worst day of my life. This is 3 1/2 weeks after my last .5mg reduction bringing me down to 6.0mg valium

 

Somehow between 6.5 and 6.0 shit hit the fan, I've felt like CRAP the past week . . . far worse than any of my other previous reductions. Yesterday I took a total of 8mg Valium. I didn't sleep for more than 4 hours and woke up sweating and panicking at 5am est.

 

I took about 9mg of Valium from 5am to 10:30am, it helps for a short amount of time and then I start feeling worse. The MOST Valium I have taken is 9mg until today, that is what I was tapering off of. It doesn't seem like adding more Valium is making things better. . . If this is from withdrawal, which I was assured at the ER it was, before I refused Geodon and Ativan injections - because it was miserable and I'd rather be miserable in my own bed.

 

What should my plan be? I'm at a loss. . . I just took another 5mg Valium and waiting for it to kick in, that'll bring me to 14mg total today. . . It seems to work for a few hours and then I'm left in the same spot. . .  . Do  I need to wait for it to build back up in my system? Should I just take what I need to make myself comfortable? What dosage should I aim for daily? Would it be wise to try and switch to Klonopin or something stronger? I intend to stay on the benzos as long is necessary. Please help

[[be...]]

It doesn't sound like benzodiazepines do what you would like, and that is to reduce your anxiety. You may have reached tolerance, where the dose you once took no longer has the same effect as it use to. Many of us have been right where you are. Once tolerance is reached you have to keep increasing your dose. This is how many of us get on such high doses, including me. By the time I stopped benzodiazepines I was on 8 mg of Ativan, and if no longer had any effect. I, too, ended up in the ER in early withdrawal. 10 times to be exact in the first 35 days. You may also be having a paradoxical effect from the benzos, where they do the opposite of what you want. Has the 14 mgs had any positive effect?

[[ja...]]

getting off benzos is what you should be doing.

[[Ra...]]

Maybe you could try another drug to help with the anxiety? Perhaps hydroxyzine or something else? Or maybe you could try some supplements? Perhaps some meditation or altering your diet? My highest dose of valium was 12mg and once I was off the stuff I HAD to change my diet drastically. It helped A LOT.

[[Fr...]]

getting off benzos is what you should be doing.

 

It's not an option for me right now, I can no longer justify doing this to my mind and body right now. I would not be in a great place when I stepped off no matter how long I took to taper, I need to learn coping skills or find alternatives to help with my anxiety.

 

Im looking for help stabilizing now, that's all I need.

[[Ra...]]

getting off benzos is what you should be doing.

 

It's not an option for me right now, I can no longer justify doing this to my mind and body right now. I would not be in a great place when I stepped off no matter how long I took to taper, I need to learn coping skills or find alternatives to help with my anxiety.

 

Im looking for help stabilizing now, that's all I need.

 

Change your diet, get lots of sun, exercise. Get some omega 3 and some vitamin supplements. Learn some CBT skills such as mindfulness and ERP.

[[be...]]

getting off benzos is what you should be doing.

 

It's not an option for me right now, I can no longer justify doing this to my mind and body right now. I would not be in a great place when I stepped off no matter how long I took to taper, I need to learn coping skills or find alternatives to help with my anxiety.

 

Im looking for help stabilizing now, that's all I need.

 

has the 14 mg made you feel better?

[[Fr...]]

It will help for an hour or two and then nothing. I haven't taken it all at once. Do you think a large single dose would help? I mean if 20mg makes me feel better I'll do that. Could it need time to build up in my system again?

[[th...]]

I don't feel comfortable telling you how much to take....we are not Drs. If that's what you are looking for, I don't know if you ll find it here. How would anyone here know how much V you should take? I think you need to talk with your Dr.

 

G

[[be...]]

It will help for an hour or two and then nothing. I haven't taken it all at once. Do you think a large single dose would help? I mean if 20mg makes me feel better I'll do that. Could it need time to build up in my system again?

 

 

I think that it is important that you discuss your dosage with your doctor. 14 mgs is more than a 100 percent increase from the dose you were on and it is no longer effective after a "hour or two". I find that concerning. None of us can tell you what dose you should try. We can only tell you our own experiences.