3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[[DJ...]]

Hi Tak!

 

I’ doing daily liquid micro taper so I don’t feel the cuts I make after I make each one. Rather, I find if I stay below a 10% cumulative monthly reduction, I feel alright. Once I get into that 11-12% range, I notice an increase in the intensity of my withdrawal symptoms. But, at higher doses I was cutting and holding, and I would begin to feel the cut the next day, and it would peak in intensity about 4 days after I made it. Hope that helps!

 

How has you insomnia been with your slow taper rate?

[[Ca...]]

Hi Tak!

 

I’ doing daily liquid micro taper so I don’t feel the cuts I make after I make each one. Rather, I find if I stay below a 10% cumulative monthly reduction, I feel alright. Once I get into that 11-12% range, I notice an increase in the intensity of my withdrawal symptoms. But, at higher doses I was cutting and holding, and I would begin to feel the cut the next day, and it would peak in intensity about 4 days after I made it. Hope that helps!

 

 

How has you insomnia been with your slow taper rate?

 

Honestly it hasn’t been bad overall. There have been times where it ramped up, but that was when I would be getting above that 10% monthly reduction threshold. I hate to say it because I feel like I jinx myself when I do, but, lately I’ve been sleeping fine.

[[Ma...]]

a post from FH for people that want to actually speak to someone

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I wanted to share a resource I found for those of you who want to talk, as opposed to just being on line, with other people who are tapering benzos. 

 

It's called the  Virtual Benzo Withdrawal Support Group and people speak on the phone or if they want, they cal let themselves be seen on video.

 

 

You find it by going to Meetup.com and put in the name, Virtual Benzo Withdrawal Support Group.

 

It's free and it's all peer support.  Its just getting started so its finding its footing right now. 

 

You access the video option by downloading the app called Zoom.  But if you don't have that option you can call in to the meeting  The womans name who started it is Lisa. 

 

She sends out an notice for the group meetings via email and in that email is the Zoom link and the phone number. 

 

Final Healing

[[Ca...]]

a post from FH for people that want to actually speak to someone

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I wanted to share a resource I found for those of you who want to talk, as opposed to just being on line, with other people who are tapering benzos. 

 

It's called the  Virtual Benzo Withdrawal Support Group and people speak on the phone or if they want, they cal let themselves be seen on video.

 

 

You find it by going to Meetup.com and put in the name, Virtual Benzo Withdrawal Support Group.

 

It's free and it's all peer support.  Its just getting started so its finding its footing right now. 

 

You access the video option by downloading the app called Zoom.  But if you don't have that option you can call in to the meeting  The womans name who started it is Lisa. 

 

She sends out an notice for the group meetings via email and in that email is the Zoom link and the phone number. 

 

Final Healing

 

Thank you! I joined 

[[Ma...]]

a post from FH for people that want to actually speak to someone

 

Hi Everyone,

 

I wanted to share a resource I found for those of you who want to talk, as opposed to just being on line, with other people who are tapering benzos. 

 

It's called the  Virtual Benzo Withdrawal Support Group and people speak on the phone or if they want, they cal let themselves be seen on video.

 

 

You find it by going to Meetup.com and put in the name, Virtual Benzo Withdrawal Support Group.

 

It's free and it's all peer support.  Its just getting started so its finding its footing right now. 

 

You access the video option by downloading the app called Zoom.  But if you don't have that option you can call in to the meeting  The womans name who started it is Lisa. 

 

She sends out an notice for the group meetings via email and in that email is the Zoom link and the phone number. 

 

Final Healing

 

Thank you! I joined 

 

That's great.  FH finding that will help so many people that want to really talk to someone , I was thrilled when she posted it  :D

[[DJ...]]

Well, five weeks in and I've tapered from 5mg to 2.5mg. The biggest withdrawal symptom is my sleep. A strange pattern has formed where I have a deep sleep every other night and then the nights in between I almost don't sleep at all. This has been a fast taper and I don't want to blow it by experiencing painful acute withdrawals at the end. I've already had a couple panic attack over the past weeks. A few times I felt my skin burn lightly, but nothing like when I tried to taper off clonazepam in two weeks - that felt like someone threw gas on my skin and lit a match.

 

I am going to slow down now and try to hang out at 2.5mg for a few days before proceeding to cut more slowly.

 

Any suggestions about my tapering speed and knowing when to make the next cut would be helpful. I don't want to get into a situation where I want to updose or reinstate.

[[ki...]]

DJ100, I’m really glad you’re here. You’ll get a lot of good information and support. It’s definitely smart for you to hold for a little while. Valium withdrawals can take some time to hit, but it sounds like you’ve experienced some of that already. One thing I’ve had to learn is not to anticipate symptoms or expect the worst. Mindset is super powerful in withdrawal. Personally I would hold at your current dose for at least a week, maybe more if anything crops up. Then proceed slowly, around 5-10% every week or two. With cut & hold you’re more likely to notice WD symptoms quickly (it also depends on your genetics—if you’re a fast metabolizer like me you’ll notice them much quicker if you’re you’re going to have them).

[[DJ...]]

DJ100, I’m really glad you’re here. You’ll get a lot of good information and support. It’s definitely smart for you to hold for a little while. Valium withdrawals can take some time to hit, but it sounds like you’ve experienced some of that already. One thing I’ve had to learn is not to anticipate symptoms or expect the worst. Mindset is super powerful in withdrawal. Personally I would hold at your current dose for at least a week, maybe more if anything crops up. Then proceed slowly, around 5-10% every week or two. With cut & hold you’re more likely to notice WD symptoms quickly (it also depends on your genetics—if you’re a fast metabolizer like me you’ll notice them much quicker if you’re you’re going to have them).

 

Thanks for the response. I see in your signature that you attempted to jump at 0.48mg but then you went back up to 4mg. What happened there?

 

I'll likely aim for the 10% per week, which is significantly slower than what I've done so far and see how that goes. Then as I get even closer to the bottom, I'll go even slower so that the jump is as gentle as possible. Ultimately, the withdrawal symptoms will decide for me but I do try my best to stay positive. Meditation helps a lot along with my THC Indica oil.

[[ki...]]

DJ100, I’m really glad you’re here. You’ll get a lot of good information and support. It’s definitely smart for you to hold for a little while. Valium withdrawals can take some time to hit, but it sounds like you’ve experienced some of that already. One thing I’ve had to learn is not to anticipate symptoms or expect the worst. Mindset is super powerful in withdrawal. Personally I would hold at your current dose for at least a week, maybe more if anything crops up. Then proceed slowly, around 5-10% every week or two. With cut & hold you’re more likely to notice WD symptoms quickly (it also depends on your genetics—if you’re a fast metabolizer like me you’ll notice them much quicker if you’re you’re going to have them).

 

 

Thanks for the response. I see in your signature that you attempted to jump at 0.48mg but then you went back up to 4mg. What happened there?

 

I'll likely aim for the 10% per week, which is significantly slower than what I've done so far and see how that goes. Then as I get even closer to the bottom, I'll go even slower so that the jump is as gentle as possible. Ultimately, the withdrawal symptoms will decide for me but I do try my best to stay positive. Meditation helps a lot along with my THC Indica oil.

 

I sped up my taper at around 1.8 mg and dropped too fast. Also, in hindsight I realize I was having withdrawal symptoms that I was attributing to other things. After I jumped about 36 hours after my last dose I started having really terrifying anxiety and SI. I lasted 4 days before I went to my doctor and went back on Valium. First the plan was to taper .01 mg every day from 1 mg, but I kept having really bad symptoms and ended updosing to 4 mg.

[[DJ...]]

Wow, all the more reason for me and everyone else here to not try and jump off so fast as they get closer to the bottom. Thanks for sharing that!

[[Ol...]]

Wow, all the more reason for me and everyone else here to not try and jump off so fast as they get closer to the bottom. Thanks for sharing that!

 

Hi DJ, I also jumped and 8 days later reinstated at 2mg.. after that I took it way slower because I realized that I would rather go slow and be functional rather than just get off as fast as I could. A real test in patience!

 

[[Im...]]

I'm at 2.49mg

 

Following....

[[ch...]]

So I'm on day 14 of jump from 0.25 weight valium. First week was fine, as expected. Last week I have every second day a crap day, which is an old pattern for me. Yesterday was nasty with am anxiety. sat in bed all day, drank tea and Netflix to distract but was still nasty.

I know we are all different etc but I wonder how long /how crap this will get?

I remembered in the 80's when I had to get myself off of Serepax, at the very end of my taper,I would take just a crumb when it got too bad and eventually stopped in this way

My back up plan is either crumbs or take enough Doxylamine to knock me out in the morning because my crap symptoms always fade after lunch

Thoughts?

[[Ol...]]

So I'm on day 14 of jump from 0.25 weight valium. First week was fine, as expected. Last week I have every second day a crap day, which is an old pattern for me. Yesterday was nasty with am anxiety. sat in bed all day, drank tea and Netflix to distract but was still nasty.

I know we are all different etc but I wonder how long /how crap this will get?

I remembered in the 80's when I had to get myself off of Serepax, at the very end of my taper,I would take just a crumb when it got too bad and eventually stopped in this way

My back up plan is either crumbs or take enough Doxylamine to knock me out in the morning because my crap symptoms always fade after lunch

Thoughts?

 

Great job! It is not easy, I know. Now that you are 2 weeks out I would not take crumbs, if I were you. I think the Unisom is a better idea.. I will admit I took a fair amount of Unisom during the day during my taper... it's probly not the best but def better than extra valium in my opinion. We are here to support you though no matter what you decide.

 

[[Kg...]]

Chenka: I remember that after I finished it was a bit of a roller coaster for me.  I had windows and waves for a fairly long time after I jumped but each time the wave was not as bad and the windows were longer and with each one I felt better and better.  Part of the bad part of a wave is the frustration that feeling crappy after a long taper was not yet over.  A suggestion to you - keep a log of how you are feeling so you can realize that you are feeling much better.  It helps to see it in black and white to know you are really healing.

 

I also noticed that if I was stressed out about something else, or sick etc I got hit with a wave.  You will fully heal it just takes time. 

[[Ta...]]

Hello everyone! How are you all doing with your tapers during the outside craziness? Is anyone slowing down or pausing til (hopefully) the worst passes?

 

 

[[Ma...]]

Hello everyone! How are you all doing with your tapers during the outside craziness? Is anyone slowing down or pausing til (hopefully) the worst passes?

 

Hey Tak, I think there is a big mixture of holding, slowing down, and some  just tapering as before.

I think a lot depends on how they were feeling right before the virus.  Good luck with what you decide.

Mary 💜

[[CM...]]

I jumped last night at .12mgs of Valium.

Today I’m in a wave. Hoping it won’t turn into something unbearable. So many ppl told me to jump once I got to .5 and lower. So many said go to 0. I hope I did the right thing. Questioning everything today. Maybe I should go back on and taper to 0

[[ki...]]

I jumped last night at .12mgs of Valium.

Today I’m in a wave. Hoping it won’t turn into something unbearable. So many ppl told me to jump once I got to .5 and lower. So many said go to 0. I hope I did the right thing. Questioning everything today. Maybe I should go back on and taper to 0

 

Here’s my two cents: You said you’re questioning everything, maybe now is not the time to jump. That being said, congratulations on  getting to this point, I know it has been a long road for you.

[[Ma...]]

I jumped last night at .12mgs of Valium.

Today I’m in a wave. Hoping it won’t turn into something unbearable. So many ppl told me to jump once I got to .5 and lower. So many said go to 0. I hope I did the right thing. Questioning everything today. Maybe I should go back on and taper to 0

 

CMZ, if you re going back, go now, if you keep waiting to decide, you might as well stay off.  . You really haven't confused your brain yet, but you will if you keep waiting.  Good luck, no matter what you decide.  The CV is making us all extra anxious.  Mary 💜

[[DJ...]]

I'd like to give some hope to short term users like me. I'm almost done my taper and am virtually symptom-free at this point. I made a really good choice to taper with diazepam after failing to cold turkey off zopiclone and Ambien (zoldipem) as well as a subsequent failed taper off clonazepam. Trying to taper clonazepam was a horrible experience and I honestly thought I was f$%^$ for life. Valium made tapering easy. I now know that benzos CAUSE anxiety and insomnia for me and I will never touch them again, no matter what happens. I have about a week to go before I jump off around 0.25mg

 

I have taken every single natural supplement you can imagine to help me through this as well as Indica oil. I've become an expert in sleep hygiene so much so that I can fall asleep faster than my wife who has zero sleep issues. I've been given a second chance and I vow to myself not to blow it.

 

Aside from supplements, meditation has probably helped the most.

 

[[Ma...]]

Could someone share the make and model of the scale they use? I need one soon. Thanks

[[ki...]]

Could someone share the make and model of the scale they use? I need one soon. Thanks

 

I used the Gemini-20 jeweler’s scale on Amazon.

[[Ma...]]

Thanks

[[To...]]

Today I reduced and am now down to 1 mg even. I can't wait to get off this stuff but also don't want to botch my taper by rushing it at the end. I only want to do this one time. I had planned on being off by March but had to slow it down because of symptoms. Lately I have been reducing by .1 every week to ten days. I'm hoping I won't have to slow it down even more.

 

I remember switching from 1.5 Xanax to 15 Valium and thinking I'd never get down this low. Now it feels like I'll never get off the last milligram! So glad that much of my taper is behind me though.