3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[[Ma...]]

Great post BLL 

[[Bl...]]

Great post BLL 

And look at your doggy Mary, look how far he's come!!!! Congratulations!!! You are a fighter and will get there too!!! Keep it up! Love ya!❤

[[...]]

Well, down to 2.6 now. Having worse mornings with fearful intrusive thoughts and difficulty prying myself out of bed. Also having extreme sound sensitivity and aversions to public situations. Sometimes I wonder what are considered acceptable symptoms for continuing a taper versus holding. I suppose that's different for everyone though. It seems like one of our challenges is finding that balance between wanting off the poison and not going so fast that we take longer to heal once off.

 

I feel the same way right now. I am down to 1 mg now, and the other day I realized that in the last two months, I have reduced my Valium dosage in half(from 2 mg down to 1 mg). No wonder that the anxiety is unbearable somedays. As I have said before, I seem to be spared of most of the awful physical symtoms that some people are dealing with. The one thing that rules out wether or not I have to hold is how much anxiety I get from my daily thoughts. On really good days, the thoughts does not empower the anxiety, but on really bad days, everything I think about gives me anxiety. On these days, it is so hard to be around people. It's like my brain can't focus at two things at the same time, thinking and having a conversation at the same time. It's just too much! However, like Blacklablady mentioned, being around people often turns out to be a good thing, as it makes me feel more alive(or at least a little bit like the person I once was).

 

Sometimes when you feel hopeless it helps to think about what you have accomplished(at least for me). You have come such a LONG WAY in a very short time(Tapering off almost 1.0 mg of Xanax in a year). That is really something!! Don't forget about that on those days when everything is awful. Every step(however small) is a BIG step in the right direction. Don't forget to give yourself credit for that!

Sending you lots of healing thoughts, and I hope that you feel better soon!!

[[bl...]]

Well, down to 2.6 now. Having worse mornings with fearful intrusive thoughts and difficulty prying myself out of bed. Also having extreme sound sensitivity and aversions to public situations. Sometimes I wonder what are considered acceptable symptoms for continuing a taper versus holding. I suppose that's different for everyone though. It seems like one of our challenges is finding that balance between wanting off the poison and not going so fast that we take longer to heal once off.

 

Hi Tom:

 

You have really come along way via your taper--congratulations.

 

Was going to ask you a question but did so before reading your comment.

 

And hope symptoms ease up for you. I understand just how you are feeling. And you pose a good question--keep on truckin or hold. I am near time to cut in a similar manner as you.

 

8-4-2019 Down to 6.0 mg.

9-8-2019 Down to 5.0 mg valium.

12-8-19 2.6mg

 

Cheers

[[Ba...]]

Hi!  Does anyone here get insanely  cold?

Maybe bronchitis threw off my internal thermostat  but wow, can hardly go outsid and I am NOT in some very cold place.

 

Went out briefly but then had to put on 2 jackets, the heat, drink hot tea, take half a niacin tab, and hre I am under the blankets.  Sheesh!

[[Ol...]]

Hi!  Does anyone here get insanely  cold?

Maybe bronchitis threw off my internal thermostat  but wow, can hardly go outsid and I am NOT in some very cold place.

 

Went out briefly but then had to put on 2 jackets, the heat, drink hot tea, take half a niacin tab, and hre I am under the blankets.  Sheesh!

 

I do!

But I always have, I don't have much meat on my bones. I have a space heater right by the bed right now!

 

[[co...]]

Hi!  Does anyone here get insanely  cold?

 

I have noticed that I have felt much colder since I have been tapering.  I find myself colder in stores and restaurants.  In the old days I would be fine in the  summer in an air conditioned restaurant wearing just a short sleeve shirt--now I need to have a light jacket.  In the winter it is worse.  I need warmer clothing than I used to wear and I only go outside when I have to.

[[Bl...]]

I found it the same when I was tapering! My hands and feet were very cold and I would always be under blankets and wearing wool socks.  I did also have sweats at night so it was a hot and cold problem.  Even though I am now off Benzos, things are still the same...hot and cold!

[[Ca...]]

Hi Guys...

Good to see this thread “ticking over”...

 

Im a “coldie” too..  -a bit prone to it anyway, and its general WD for me, not just valium..

-Nurses hated the 7 blanket bed change..

 

 

[[Ma...]]

Hi Guys...

Good to see this thread “ticking over”...

 

Im a “coldie” too..  -a bit prone to it anyway, and its general WD for me, not just valium..

-Nurses hated the 7 blanket bed change..

 

 

Lol, lol

[[CM...]]

Hey everyone. I’m Charlie

 

I’m down to 1.17mg of Valium.

I have been tapering by .01mg per day. Now that I’m getting lower, do I need to go even slower bc the percentages are going up on this low of a dose ?

It’s like 27% a month now at this dose. Which is way higher than I could ever tolerate. I don’t want to mess the end up now after so much suffering for so long, but also don’t wanna drag the last milligram for another year or so.

Any opinions I would really appreciate. Thx!

[[Ca...]]

Hey everyone. I’m Charlie

 

I’m down to 1.17mg of Valium.

I have been tapering by .01mg per day. Now that I’m getting lower, do I need to go even slower bc the percentages are going up on this low of a dose ?

It’s like 27% a month now at this dose. Which is way higher than I could ever tolerate. I don’t want to mess the end up now after so much suffering for so long, but also don’t wanna drag the last milligram for another year or so.

Any opinions I would really appreciate. Thx!

Personally, I would put more weight in my more recent history and symptom profiles/intensity, than in very low dose percentages... Unless one has a method thats working, obviously...

Also keep in mind “brain talk”.. Some “hesitate”, while others “stampede”, for want of better words...

-Perhaps ones personal belief systems in relation to the whole process and earlier experiences...

 

So your current pace is about 0.3v per month...?? -Thats not what I would call alarming for the average person.. fwiw..

 

 

[[be...]]

http://bestanimations.com/Holidays/Christmas/santa/santa-claus-animated-gif-10.gif

 

"May All Have Peace and Healing This Holiday Season"

[[Ca...]]

Merry Christmas, all!

 

For those who are cold and wondering if that's common- yes- very.  I remember shivering with cold in a hot pool in Florida in the heat of the summer.  Benzos mess with the body's ability to regulate temperature.  Dangerous?  Not at all.  Annoying- absolutely!

 

 

Charlie-  I agree with CF and advise you to allow your body to lead and set the pace.  I'm finding that a symptom-based taper is the way to go... some have said that they can tolerate a larger monthly percentage reduction as they get lower.  Sadly for me, that has not been the case....

 

... which is why I'm posting .  I'm on the struggle bus you guys.  I feel stuck and sad.  My symptoms are flaring up and I'm moving at a snail's pace.  I'm at 2.18 mg.  I was reducing at a rate of .01 mg per day for about 5 months up until November... hit a wall of symptoms and realized that I need to stay below 10% reduction per month, even with this slow daily liquid micro taper.  So I slowed down to reducing about .04 per week (.01 per day for two days in a row, then hold a day, repeat).  Even at this pace I'm experiencing a bad wave.

 

What makes this wave very hard to tolerate is that it seems as though my vestibular/balance systems are being affected the most.  It's not so much vertigo where things are spinning (I had the joy of that experience last month).  This kind of imbalance feels like I'm disoriented, like my brain doesn't know where my body is, it almost feels like a drunken uncoordinated feeling.  I can't drive, and it is also affecting my ability to work from home.  Somehow when I move my eyes too rapidly, or if there is a change in depth perception, the disoriented dizzy feeling flares up. 

 

I'm so sad... I used to be so social, so smart, so active.  I've been trying to come off of this medication for 5 years.  During those 5 years I did hold for a total of about 10 months (broken into 2 separate holds), because of stressful life circumstances.  I'm just so over this.  I was only "on" my initial prescription for 5 months, and here I am 5 years later and still struggling to come off.  I'm feeling so sad and so frustrated.  I'm doing my best to accept that this is now my reality and I simply do not know if this will ever get any better, I've given up hope lately.  The lower I get, the more impossible this feels. 

 

 

[[Ol...]]

Hi Candice, I'm so sorry to hear that you are struggling. I know how hard it can be. When I was suffering so bad, I just decided to hold indefinitely, and my doctor agreed and let stay at 2mg for as long as I needed to. A year and a half later, I finally started to feel myself again, and I began to taper. That was September. So far I have tapered down to .75 since Sept and not felt any symptoms. Have you considered a very very long hold? I know it probly sounds like the last thing you want to do!

[[an...]]

Hi,

I am at .64 mg. of valium, down from 10Mg. Tapering since Aug. 20, 2017. The valium  is in almond oil. Now decreasing only by 1/100 of a ml. Slow going.

[[Ca...]]

Olive- that’s great that you are feeling stable after the long hold and that tapering is going well now. I’m going to keep going at this pace, I did look back on my notes and I had a window day on Christmas. These past couple months have had their flares of waves but they’ve also had window days. I am tempted to hold indefinitely but, it’s been 5 years of tapering for me, I just want it to be over. As long as it’s tolerable, I’m going to keep going. Even if I have to slow the pace down a bit. I feel in my heart that I need to keep going. I have done well with long holds in the past, and if it becomes unbearable then I’ll definitely be taking one.

 

Hi anyhow!  You are so close!  Are you tapering .01 mg daily?

[[Ol...]]

I hear ya girl! Can't wait to be off myself. I am dry cutting, I just eyeball it and pray. Seems to be working so far! For this last bit I am cutting .25 a month or so.

 

 

[[Ca...]]

I hear ya girl! Can't wait to be off myself. I am dry cutting, I just eyeball it and pray. Seems to be working so far! For this last bit I am cutting .25 a month or so.

 

Oh my gosh, you are so close!  Are you planning on reducing all the way to 0, or jumping off at some point?

[[Ol...]]

I hear ya girl! Can't wait to be off myself. I am dry cutting, I just eyeball it and pray. Seems to be working so far! For this last bit I am cutting .25 a month or so.

 

Oh my gosh, you are so close!  Are you planning on reducing all the way to 0, or jumping off at some point?

 

I will probly jump from .25... once the bits get so tiny it gets a little harder to measure. I did jump one other time but it was a mess because I had cheated a lot in my  taper, and I felt like complete shit the whole way down. I think this time it's going to work!

 

[[Ca...]]

I hear ya girl! Can't wait to be off myself. I am dry cutting, I just eyeball it and pray. Seems to be working so far! For this last bit I am cutting .25 a month or so.

 

Oh my gosh, you are so close!  Are you planning on reducing all the way to 0, or jumping off at some point?

 

I will probly jump from .25... once the bits get so tiny it gets a little harder to measure. I did jump one other time but it was a mess because I had cheated a lot in my  taper, and I felt like complete shit the whole way down. I think this time it's going to work!

 

 

I believe it will go well for you!  I was looking at your taper and lady, wow!  You got down to 0 really super fast.  You’re doing awesome, keep going!! You’ve got this 

[[va...]]

Olive kitty is my role model. Her story gives me hope.

[[ga...]]

Hi,

I am at .64 mg. of valium, down from 10Mg. Tapering since Aug. 20, 2017. The valium  is in almond oil. Now decreasing only by 1/100 of a ml. Slow going.

 

Congrats on getting so low. You are doing great!

[[To...]]

Down to 2.0 but may have to hold here awhile. Things are getting bumpier now. Having an uptick in troubled/intrusive thoughts and a few other things. So tempted to sprint to the finish but don't want to blow it at the end!

[[Ca...]]

Tom, I’m at 2.14 mg and I held for two weeks.  I decided to hold so that I could finish up work commitments that require my time and energy in the early morning hours. I was having a lot of trouble meeting these commitments because of insomnia, so I held until they were satisfied. Truthfully, I’m feeling so much better after holding and it’s kind of overwhelming to think of diving back in again, but, I’m starting my taper back up tomorrow. I’m praying it won’t be as bad as it was when I began my hold. I hope your hold eases up your symptoms and that you can enjoy a reprieve.