3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[[ga...]]

Wow, I'm down to 1.5 mg's V and have hit a wall!!!  Sick day in and day out...it seems in some people's signatures they just cut and cut till they are off.  I want off too, but don't know if I could go as fast as others.  Oh, and holding does not help me at all.  I've tried it many times and it never helps. 

 

Question-  Those of you that cut .5 mg every 7-10 days, are you pretty much sick all the time and just push through?

 

Thanks!!!

I am cutting at a daily rate of .03 mg which is about .5 mg every two weeks.  I feel horrible most of the time with a few short windows here and there.  I tried holding at 5 mg for 4 months and it didn't help at all.  So I just keep cutting away.  I cut to 1.25 mg tonight. 

 

Holding does seem to help most people, but not me.  I don't know if I can keep up this rate, but am going to try.  If I can't then I'll have to make some kind of adjustment, but have no idea what that may be.

[[ga...]]

Thanks, Olive! I'll be following closely. I just hope I can get to a place where I can go lower without the extremity issues. Total wall at 3mg. I do hear it's harder the lower we get. Do most people do liquid here? I've been doing dry cuts w/ long holds.

I hit a wall when I dry cut from 3 mg to 2.5 mg.  It was brutal and forced me to a daily liquid micro taper.  I'm cutting .03 mg per day which is about .5 mg every two weeks.  It's aggressive and I don't know how long I'll be able to continue, but it's definitely easier than dry cutting.  It's like a ramp vs stairs. 

[[Ol...]]

I guess I do sound chipper.. this taper has been true hell, I guess I always try to see the bright side of things and maybe sound a bit more chipper than I actually am, at least not all the time. Rhernantown, I was sick day in and day out for a long time, but I have been feeling a lot better lately. Bluepill, Some people say it gets worse as you get lower, some people say sxs ease up as you get lower. I'm finding the latter, so far (fingers crossed) Another frustrating example of everyone's taper being completely different. I definitely noticed a BIG change in my overall health and anxiety levels when I started taking 2 supplements: Magnesium Glycinate and Floradix (Iron + herbs) every day. I think it's the Magnesium Glycinate that is really helping. It makes sense to me because benzos deplete your Magnesium levels and a symptom of Magnesium deficiency is nausea, which I was having majorly so I couldn't eat and was feeling overall shitty and definitely not thriving. Wasting away actually. Now I can eat and I have already gained 11 lbs since August, which brings me up to a whopping 114.5 lbs. I know. Anyway, I know some people can't digest Magnesium but the Glycinate is the easiest to digest and I highly recommend if you are so inclined. The brand I got is Pure Encapsulations.

Stay strong everyone! This is the hardest thing in the world. I am quitting smoking right now (23 days, yay!) and I'm on a quit smoking forum, and everyone talks about how bad the withdrawal symptoms are and I'm like, SHIT! This is a cakewalk in comparison to benzo withdrawal. (I don't say that of course. Everyone has their own journey) We are all going to be WARRIORS after this is over. 

[[bl...]]

Way to go, Olive. Looking On the bright side certainly beats the alternative and it sounds like you are doing great. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Garden; Can I ask what happened physically when you went from 3 to 2.5? Was it something specific or just a general sense of being unwell?

[[ga...]]

Way to go, Olive. Looking On the bright side certainly beats the alternative and it sounds like you are doing great. Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Garden; Can I ask what happened physically when you went from 3 to 2.5? Was it something specific or just a general sense of being unwell?

I was bedridden, non-functional and had suicidal ideation.  I can't even describe the horror of it...words fail me. 

[[Ol...]]

Thanks Bluepill! I'm so sorry Gardenlady. I've spent much of this taper in bed and it is so hard.

[[bl...]]

How awful. I'm so, so sorry. I feel so bad so much of the time (and so worried about all the various health stuff) but I guess I'm up and working so it could be worse....and probably will be. Seems to harder the lower I go. Sigh.

[[Rh...]]

I do try and stay positive, but sometimes I just feel defeated and like I'll never be well again...I know, I know, it's benzo brain!

 

I feel like I'm crawling along and still very sick each and everyday.  Stikk trying to decide if I speed things up or just do what I'm doing now.  By the end of December I will be at 1.25 mg's. I'm cutting .25 mg's a month so a little more than the recommended 10% and I know as you get lower the amounts your cutting get smaller and smaller, but I'm so darn impatient! 

 

To the rest of you, I was bedridden had suicidal ideation and just horribly sick from around 5.5 mg's until 2 or 3 mg's and things did get easier in that I wasn't bedridden and some of the depression, anxiety and suicidal stuff lifted.  But most of my physical stuff has stuck around.  Lucky me!  Lol

 

Yes, we will all heal and be stronger at the end!

[[ga...]]

I have found that I'm sick regardless of whether I go fast or slow....and holding didn't help.  So, I'm plowing on.  The akathisia returned yesterday after a 2 or 3 week vacation.  Anxiety is high as is fear.  I just keep cutting, though, as I've found in the past slowing down didn't help much.  I'm cutting at an aggressive rate of .5 mg every two weeks. Will cut to 1.22 mg tonight. 

[[Rh...]]

Gardenlady-

 

Are you working, have kids...how do you do it???  I know no one likes to list their WD symptoms, but how do you push yourself day in and day out?

 

I too can't hold as it has never helped and I seem to have the same WD symptoms no matter how fast or slow I go.  They have improved a bit since I started a daily micro taper with my compound, but not much.

 

I have a lot of head stuff.  Migraines, dizziness, ear pressure, eye sensitivity, neck and shoulder pain, and my daily nausea...these all are everyday, but very in intensity.  I also have horrible fatigue and a floaty feeling/hang-over feeling.

 

Wonder if I should speed up and just get it over with??? (I know everyone is different and it's a very personal choice).

[[Ol...]]

Rhenernantown: 1.5mgs you are so close!! I would stick with what you have been doing, it will be over soon enough and you don't want to shock your system right at the end.

[[An...]]

Hi,

I’m officially at 2.4mg as of today! So I’m right behind some of you. I’ve had a few windows in the last week so I hope/pray this means healing is happening.

[[ga...]]

Gardenlady-

 

Are you working, have kids...how do you do it???  I know no one likes to list their WD symptoms, but how do you push yourself day in and day out?

 

I too can't hold as it has never helped and I seem to have the same WD symptoms no matter how fast or slow I go.  They have improved a bit since I started a daily micro taper with my compound, but not much.

 

I have a lot of head stuff.  Migraines, dizziness, ear pressure, eye sensitivity, neck and shoulder pain, and my daily nausea...these all are everyday, but very in intensity.  I also have horrible fatigue and a floaty feeling/hang-over feeling.

 

Wonder if I should speed up and just get it over with??? (I know everyone is different and it's a very personal choice).

Rtown, I'm retired (I'm 65) and single with no husband or children.  It's very lonely.  My main symptoms are mental although I do have akathisia and tinnitus....sometimes nausea.  Fear and terror are the worst symptoms. I think I push myself because the mental torment is so awful and has been ever since I stupidly reinstated. So, I'm obsessed with getting off this stuff. 

 

I was stopped in my tracks by a brutal dry cut from 3 mg to 2.5 mg....I was bedridden, non-functional with suicidal ideations.  That's when I was forced to a daily liquid micro taper.  It's better than dry cutting, but with a different level of misery.  Hard to explain.  I plan to keep going until I'm stopped in my tracks again.

 

I still have a Cymbalta taper waiting for me at the end, so I'm nowhere close to being finished with psych drugs, yet.  All I can think about is getting off completely and getting my brain back, Lord willing.

 

You can certainly try to speed it up and see if your symptoms worsen, but it sounds like they're pretty bad already. My suggestion would be to keep at your current pace, but you could try a bump up just to see what happens.  It might take a long time to get over it if your reaction is really bad...that's the risk of messing with it. 

[[Kg...]]

I don't think it is wise to change a taper rate at the end of your taper unless you are feeling terrific.  Your body is used to the cut rate you have been on so I would just keep going. For those of us who are successfully off, and for whom long holds didn't work, or even short holds,  the trick was to find the rate that we could 'live with' and just keep at it.  Good luck and soon you will be posting in the benzo free section. 

[[ga...]]

Is anyone planning to jump in January or February?

[[Ol...]]

I am planning on jumping in early January!

[[ga...]]

What dose are you on now and what is your cut rate?  Are you having symptoms?

[[Ol...]]

I just cut to 1.5mg yesterday (I don't usually update my sig until it's been 3 or 4 days so I know it is going to stick) For the last few mgs I have been tapering at .5mg every 7-14 days or so, as I go down my sxs have greatly decreased (soooo relieved) I don't want to jinx it though... my symptoms throughout the taper have been anxiety, brain fog, agoraphobia, acid reflux, nausea, lack of appetite, lethargy. Most of those have lifted and my current symptoms are mild anxiety and some heartburn but not near as bad as before. I'm hoping to taper these last few times on a 7 day schedule so that would land my jump right around the beginning of the new year. A nice fresh start to 2018! 2017 can SUCK IT.

[[ga...]]

I just cut to 1.5mg yesterday (I don't usually update my sig until it's been 3 or 4 days so I know it is going to stick) For the last few mgs I have been tapering at .5mg every 7-14 days or so, as I go down my sxs have greatly decreased (soooo relieved) I don't want to jinx it though... my symptoms throughout the taper have been anxiety, brain fog, agoraphobia, acid reflux, nausea, lack of appetite, lethargy. Most of those have lifted and my current symptoms are mild anxiety and some heartburn but not near as bad as before. I'm hoping to taper these last few times on a 7 day schedule so that would land my jump right around the beginning of the new year. A nice fresh start to 2018! 2017 can SUCK IT.

That sounds great!  I hope you can keep up the fast pace without bad symptoms!

[[Ol...]]

Me tooooooo!!!!! But I will definitely slow down if I need to. I'm getting impatient but I've waited this long I might as well do it right! 

[[Ca...]]

So after a five day window that was just lovely, I am back in a wave: changed nothing that I can think of. I am feeling intense anxiety, can't sleep, have pain in my spine, and - probably the most difficult symptom of all - a nausea and gurgling and stomach pain that is just agonizing. Is this something others have experienced - a nausea and intestinal distress that seems to come and go?

[[Ol...]]

I have, GI issues have been my main problem besides anxiety. They are the WORST! (in my opinion) Everybody probably thinks their main symptom is the worst ha ha. My nausea and lack of appetite took a sharp turn for the better when I started taking Magnesium Glycinate. I also started taking an Iron supplement at the same time so that could have been part of it too, but I have a feeling it is the Magnesium.

[[Al...]]

I have, GI issues have been my main problem besides anxiety. They are the WORST! (in my opinion) Everybody probably thinks their main symptom is the worst ha ha. My nausea and lack of appetite took a sharp turn for the better when I started taking Magnesium Glycinate. I also started taking an Iron supplement at the same time so that could have been part of it too, but I have a feeling it is the Magnesium.

 

Olivekitty,

 

That is interesting. I too am suffering from GI issues, also my main complaint now.

I must try the magnesium and see if it will help.

 

Take care

 

ATU🙏

[[Rh...]]

Oh yes, I am also suffering from GI problems.  Bloated, sore, gurggly tummy...and I always have messes that varies in intensity.  I would love to try magnesium but any supplements seem to make matters worse, and I've tried many forms of magnesium.  They say it also helps with headaches/migraines which are my worst symtpom, but it also only made me sicker.  Hopefully once I'm off these things I can look into healing my gut with all those good supplements, probiotics and vitamins.  For now, they seem to aggravate my already sensitive body. 

 

I'm glad to hear it works for others and truly wish it helped me.

[[Ol...]]

Rhernanhtown,

Darn, that sucks I'm so sorry you are so sensitive to supplements. I know you are not alone, I have heard that a lot on here.