3,2,1: Under 3 mg Valium people

[Guest [Kp...]]

I am just under 0.7 mg V and micro-tapering very slowly. At my current rate I will be at 0.5 mg on April 6th. I plan to jump at 0.5 mg per Ashton's recommendation. It is going pretty well with some tough periods every two or three days. I see a lot of people who jump at 0.5 mg and would to hear how it went. I want to do it but ...

 

I am at <2 mg valium. I forgot all about jumping! It's because I got so used to tapering and the fact that I never had to alter my speed, that I unconsciously imagined I would automatically jump in finite time.

 

There is still 1.8 mg to go and I hope it does not get exponentially difficult! Theoretically none of us should be able to finish in finite time. How does life happen without us ever becoming aware that it is happening?

[[pe...]]

I am just under 0.7 mg V and micro-tapering very slowly. At my current rate I will be at 0.5 mg on April 6th. I plan to jump at 0.5 mg per Ashton's recommendation. It is going pretty well with some tough periods every two or three days. I see a lot of people who jump at 0.5 mg and would to hear how it went. I want to do it but ...

 

I am at <2 mg valium. I forgot all about jumping! It's because I got so used to tapering and the fact that I never had to alter my speed, that I unconsciously imagined I would automatically jump in finite time.

 

There is still 1.8 mg to go and I hope it does not get exponentially difficult! Theoretically none of us should be able to finish in finite time. How does life happen without us ever becoming aware that it is happening?

It looks like you are making steady progress. I don’t think it was will get exponentially harder as long as you maintain a positive attitude. I realize that I need to spend less time thinking about jumping in a couple of months and live in the present moment. I saw in another thread that you have an interest in mathematics. My background is in math and more recently I went back to school after retirement and got a master of science degree in physics specializing gravitation and cosmology. I have not been able to focus on my research much sine I ran into problems with my original taper in 2016 but I am looking forward to get back to it soon.

 

Keep up the good work, Kpin!

[Guest [Kp...]]

It looks like you are making steady progress. I don’t think it was will get exponentially harder as long as you maintain a positive attitude. I realize that I need to spend less time thinking about jumping in a couple of months and live in the present moment. I saw in another thread that you have an interest in mathematics. My background is in math and more recently I went back to school after retirement and got a master of science degree in physics specializing gravitation and cosmology. I have not been able to focus on my research much sine I ran into problems with my original taper in 2016 but I am looking forward to get back to it soon.

 

Keep up the good work, Kpin!

 

That is awesome! Please join us in that thread when you feel up to it! In fact I had come to this board to make a post in that thread today. My interest is more in the nature of philosophy of mathematics, or meta mathematics. I also love reading about the latest theories of the cosmos in physics and the brain in neuroscience.

 

My personal experience with benzos has been that of mystery and unpredictability. I suffered so much (multiple acute failed CTs, tolerance withdrawals, multi decade use and with alcohol) that I thought tapering would be miserable. I even put my life on hold for the taper. And now I cannot fathom why I had no withdrawals? The only different thing I did this time was exercise daily (400 kcal on bike) but I am too leery of ascribing any causality to the correlation! I even drank a couple of times simply because I forgot I was tapering and nothing happened. I am not happy about that though and have decided consciously to totally abstain because once an ex alcoholic starts drinking, he cannot stop! And I drink a few shots of espresso each morning!

[[pe...]]

It looks like you are making steady progress. I don’t think it was will get exponentially harder as long as you maintain a positive attitude. I realize that I need to spend less time thinking about jumping in a couple of months and live in the present moment. I saw in another thread that you have an interest in mathematics. My background is in math and more recently I went back to school after retirement and got a master of science degree in physics specializing gravitation and cosmology. I have not been able to focus on my research much sine I ran into problems with my original taper in 2016 but I am looking forward to get back to it soon.

 

Keep up the good work, Kpin!

 

That is awesome! Please join us in that thread when you feel up to it! In fact I had come to this board to make a post in that thread today. My interest is more in the nature of philosophy of mathematics, or meta mathematics. I also love reading about the latest theories of the cosmos in physics and the brain in neuroscience.

 

My personal experience with benzos has been that of mystery and unpredictability. I suffered so much (multiple acute failed CTs, tolerance withdrawals, multi decade use and with alcohol) that I thought tapering would be miserable. I even put my life on hold for the taper. And now I cannot fathom why I had no withdrawals? The only different thing I did this time was exercise daily (400 kcal on bike) but I am too leery of ascribing any causality to the correlation! I even drank a couple of times simply because I forgot I was tapering and nothing happened. I am not happy about that though and have decided consciously to totally abstain because once an ex alcoholic starts drinking, he cannot stop! And I drink a few shots of espresso each morning!

Hi Kpin,

 

I agree that abstaining from alcohol is a really good idea for you. I can also drink coffee without much impact on my w/d sxs. I think, though, that I will limit it in the next few months that I am winding up my taper and jumping. It is great that you are not having problems with withdrawal symptoms during you taper. I sometimes have pretty strong w/d sxs but not nearly as bad as some of the people on BB. My taper is very slow and feels sustainable. Right now I feel pretty "normal". Last night for a few hours was not so good. I try to roll with the waves and remember that it is not always so bad. I am both looking forward to jumping off and worried about it. I have a good psychiatrist and a good CBT psychologist who I have been working with since last Fall. BB is also very helpful as long as I stay away from too many horror stories.

 

My primary physics focus is inflationary cosmology. I am hoping that by sometime this summer I will be back up to speed and able to make more rapid progress in my research. In the meantime I try to read some of the new papers related to my topic and amuse myself with Sudoku and, more recently, a Rubik's cube which right now I do painfully slowly. I find that both of these games help with my withdrawal symptoms because they chew up "clock cycles" that I otherwise focus on symptoms.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

 

 

[Guest [Kp...]]

I sometimes have pretty strong w/d sxs but not nearly as bad as some of the people on BB. My taper is very slow and feels sustainable.

 

Yes, your taper is slow, but it is slow only when compared to mine. As you know, this is not a race and we don't get prizes for being the fastest.  And even though withdrawal isn't entirely in the mind, thinking one can control it does help in the rough moments when one has to just push to survive the day.

 

I am both looking forward to jumping off and worried about it. I have a good psychiatrist and a good CBT psychologist who I have been working with since last Fall. BB is also very helpful as long as I stay away from too many horror stories.

 

I know what you mean. When i was sick (and for long periods), i could not do anything except read the stories here and there were few without horror. It did not help me, or maybe it did, but i was able to pass a great chunk of time! I will be around even after first week march, when I should be jumping, so I will be here to celebrate your jump.

 

My primary physics focus is inflationary cosmology. I am hoping that by sometime this summer I will be back up to speed and able to make more rapid progress in my research. In the meantime I try to read some of the new papers related to my topic and amuse myself with Sudoku and, more recently, a Rubik's cube which right now I do painfully slowly. I find that both of these games help with my withdrawal symptoms because they chew up "clock cycles" that I otherwise focus on symptoms.

 

These are all very interesting subjects.

[[Rh...]]

Ah, I am finally almost to 1 mg...by the end of the month it will be 1.  I had to hold at 1.25 for a month due to knee surgery (which went GREAT and did not interfere with my taper at all).  I am hoping to jump at .5 or .25 depending on how I feel. 

 

I haven't been around BB for awhile as I hady surgery, and honestly I was scared.  I've been feeling better the lower I got and I was weirdly thinking going on here would jinx me...I know, I'm crazy.

 

Anyways, my better day are more and more and I hope this trend continues.

 

oh and I can finally plan things in the future now which hasn't been possible for 2+ years.

[[Le...]]

I switched to Valium last March and have never looked back. I'm down to 2.5 milligrams using cut and hold. So happy to join the under 3 club!

[[Va...]]

I switched to Valium last March and have never looked back. I'm down to 2.5 milligrams using cut and hold. So happy to join the under 3 club!

Hi Lemon! —V

[[Ma...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

[[Ge...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

[[Va...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

How are things going George?  —V

[[Ge...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

How are things going George?  —V

 

I'm doing well I think. My ears are back to ringing and a little dizziness.. but I am sleeping good and feeling really good.. so yeah.. I can't complain at all    Hope you are doing well too Valley  <3

[[Va...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

How are things going George?  —V

 

I'm doing well I think. My ears are back to ringing and a little dizziness.. but I am sleeping good and feeling really good.. so yeah.. I can't complain at all    Hope you are doing well too Valley  <3

That’s great to hear George!  I’m doing very well. 

[[Ma...]]

Ignored again of course, thanks guys.

[[Va...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

I’m sorry you didn’t get a response. In my opinion just based on my own experience, stabilizing before further destabilizing your CNS by tapering is highly recommended. I was very unstable and had the tinnitus and many other withdrawal symptoms pretty bad early in my taper. I held for a long time to let my body adjust and to allow the symptoms to gradually fade and dissipate. After giving my body a chance to adjust to withfpdrawing the drug too quickly, I have been able to taper steadily without much problem. I still have some minor withdrawals but it has been very manageable and has not interfered in my life in any significant way unlike when I first began this journey and was in too big of a hurry to get off. Hope that helps some.  —V

[[Ge...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

 

I think most of us have tinnitus from withdrawl.  Its very common.  I've never heard of valium actually causing tinnitus...its often given to treat tinnitus.  You may need to just do a long hold like a few months to stabilize..going forward when I wasn't doing well just turned into a disaster for me. 

[[Ge...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

How are things going George?  —V

 

I'm doing well I think. My ears are back to ringing and a little dizziness.. but I am sleeping good and feeling really good.. so yeah.. I can't complain at all    Hope you are doing well too Valley  <3

That’s great to hear George!  I’m doing very well. 

 

Good to hear Valley!  Are you down to 1.3 or 2.0.. I'm not clear..

[[Va...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

How are things going George?  —V

 

I'm doing well I think. My ears are back to ringing and a little dizziness.. but I am sleeping good and feeling really good.. so yeah.. I can't complain at all    Hope you are doing well too Valley  <3

That’s great to hear George!  I’m doing very well. 

 

Good to hear Valley!  Are you down to 1.3 or 2.0.. I'm not clear..

1.3. I only add the whole numbers to my signature.  I have been tapering at .02 per day for the past several months after playing around with the rate for a bit. It appears to be the perfect rate for me at this point but as with all things benzo related, it is subject to change lol.  —V

[[Ma...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

I’m sorry you didn’t get a response. In my opinion just based on my own experience, stabilizing before further destabilizing your CNS by tapering is highly recommended. I was very unstable and had the tinnitus and many other withdrawal symptoms pretty bad early in my taper. I held for a long time to let my body adjust and to allow the symptoms to gradually fade and dissipate. After giving my body a chance to adjust to withfpdrawing the drug too quickly, I have been able to taper steadily without much problem. I still have some minor withdrawals but it has been very manageable and has not interfered in my life in any significant way unlike when I first began this journey and was in too big of a hurry to get off. Hope that helps some.  —V

 

Thanks Valley. Do you know how long it took you to stabilize for the Tinnitus to get better? It's been nearly a month for me (after kindling) and it's been getting worse instead of better, although lately maybe it's on a plateau and sounds more electric. I don't know how long I should hold, a lot of people on the forum will say that stabilizing for too long causes tolerance and is bad, some say you should stabilize for months, it's very conflicting.

[[Ge...]]

I'm back after a very long detour.. feeling good today

How are things going George?  —V

 

I'm doing well I think. My ears are back to ringing and a little dizziness.. but I am sleeping good and feeling really good.. so yeah.. I can't complain at all    Hope you are doing well too Valley  <3

That’s great to hear George!  I’m doing very well. 

 

Good to hear Valley!  Are you down to 1.3 or 2.0.. I'm not clear..

1.3. I only add the whole numbers to my signature.  I have been tapering at .02 per day for the past several months after playing around with the rate for a bit. It appears to be the perfect rate for me at this point but as with all things benzo related, it is subject to change lol.  —V

 

Wow you're doing great!  That's awesome!! 

[[le...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

I’m sorry you didn’t get a response. In my opinion just based on my own experience, stabilizing before further destabilizing your CNS by tapering is highly recommended. I was very unstable and had the tinnitus and many other withdrawal symptoms pretty bad early in my taper. I held for a long time to let my body adjust and to allow the symptoms to gradually fade and dissipate. After giving my body a chance to adjust to withfpdrawing the drug too quickly, I have been able to taper steadily without much problem. I still have some minor withdrawals but it has been very manageable and has not interfered in my life in any significant way unlike when I first began this journey and was in too big of a hurry to get off. Hope that helps some.  —V

 

Thanks Valley. Do you know how long it took you to stabilize for the Tinnitus to get better? It's been nearly a month for me (after kindling) and it's been getting worse instead of better, although lately maybe it's on a plateau and sounds more electric. I don't know how long I should hold, a lot of people on the forum will say that stabilizing for too long causes tolerance and is bad, some say you should stabilize for months, it's very conflicting.

 

I'm not really qualified to give you advice on this subject since I'm in a similar boat as you. My T was manageable before an updose. Now it's much worse on the way back down. I obviously compromised my CNS by going back up. Fluctuations in dose can do that. I too have to decide if I should keep cutting or hold where I am at 2.3 mg V.

 

As for what you should do, I couldn't say. I'm so bad at making these decisions I'm tempted to give you advice so you can do literally the exact opposite.

 

It sounds like you are very sensitive to these medications. You already know your options. You can cut knowing things will get worse just to get off. You can do a long hold in hopes your ears stabilize (there's a support group for long holders I think). Or you can keep updosing in the hopes that more benzo allivates the issue and then taper much slower.

 

I can't tell you what to do. But from someone who really should have done a six week taper last April but decided to drag things out because slow tapers are supposedly easier, I can honestly say I've done myself no favors. And I regret the updose. The pain sympoms I had stabilized but it took 3.5 months.

 

What I'm saying is that you can go around and around for 9 months and still end up in the exact same situation.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[[Va...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

I’m sorry you didn’t get a response. In my opinion just based on my own experience, stabilizing before further destabilizing your CNS by tapering is highly recommended. I was very unstable and had the tinnitus and many other withdrawal symptoms pretty bad early in my taper. I held for a long time to let my body adjust and to allow the symptoms to gradually fade and dissipate. After giving my body a chance to adjust to withfpdrawing the drug too quickly, I have been able to taper steadily without much problem. I still have some minor withdrawals but it has been very manageable and has not interfered in my life in any significant way unlike when I first began this journey and was in too big of a hurry to get off. Hope that helps some.  —V

 

Thanks Valley. Do you know how long it took you to stabilize for the Tinnitus to get better? It's been nearly a month for me (after kindling) and it's been getting worse instead of better, although lately maybe it's on a plateau and sounds more electric. I don't know how long I should hold, a lot of people on the forum will say that stabilizing for too long causes tolerance and is bad, some say you should stabilize for months, it's very conflicting.

All I can say is in my experience I held for six months and it was the best decision I ever made. I’ve been able to taper steadily ever since. I don’t believe you will become any more tolerant than you already are just by holding. In answer to your question, it took me a good while to get past the screaming tinnitus. I would guess. around 3 months and it got worse before it got better. It alternated between feeling like I was in a tunnel to screaming in my ears. I hope you figure what to do that will help you get past it. I believe if you give it enough time, it will improve.  —V

[[Ge...]]

Hey guys, do you know if Valium it self can cause Tinnitus or if it's only the withdrawal?

 

I've been kindling off it a few times (not full-on kindling but tried to go down too fast and went back up my original dose) and got really bad Tinnitus from that. Before I could stabilize and the Tinnitus would become manageable again but this time it's been 3 weeks and the Tinnitus is still horrible, I'm worried it will never get better. I don't know how long I should try to stabilize before starting a slow taper, I really just want to do whatever is the best to do for the Tinnitus, but I don't understand why I can't stabilize anymore and if I'm just causing more damage being on Valium for longer by stabilizing and tapering very slow.

 

My last thread was here but had few answers: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=197378.0

 

Can any of you guys help me ?

I’m sorry you didn’t get a response. In my opinion just based on my own experience, stabilizing before further destabilizing your CNS by tapering is highly recommended. I was very unstable and had the tinnitus and many other withdrawal symptoms pretty bad early in my taper. I held for a long time to let my body adjust and to allow the symptoms to gradually fade and dissipate. After giving my body a chance to adjust to withfpdrawing the drug too quickly, I have been able to taper steadily without much problem. I still have some minor withdrawals but it has been very manageable and has not interfered in my life in any significant way unlike when I first began this journey and was in too big of a hurry to get off. Hope that helps some.  —V

 

Thanks Valley. Do you know how long it took you to stabilize for the Tinnitus to get better? It's been nearly a month for me (after kindling) and it's been getting worse instead of better, although lately maybe it's on a plateau and sounds more electric. I don't know how long I should hold, a lot of people on the forum will say that stabilizing for too long causes tolerance and is bad, some say you should stabilize for months, it's very conflicting.

All I can say is in my experience I held for six months and it was the best decision I ever made. I’ve been able to taper steadily ever since. I don’t believe you will become any more tolerant than you already are just by holding. In answer to your question, it took me a good while to get past the screaming tinnitus. I would guess. around 3 months and it got worse before it got better. It alternated between feeling like I was in a tunnel to screaming in my ears. I hope you figure what to do that will help you get past it. I believe if you give it enough time, it will improve.  —V

 

My experience was similar to Valley's.  I updosed and did a six month hold and I am so very glad that I did.  I also used that six months to restore my health that had been benzo disrupted, and I went into therapy. I'm so much better now..there are no words to describe the difference...

[Guest [Kp...]]

Holding helps. It is my second day of hold and the world looks so different. With DLMT, I had a hard time telling if I was in withdrawal because the discomfort accumulated so slowly that I could not put a finger on the cause. It took me holds to realize that I could unwind just by pausing taper.

[[Ge...]]

Holding helps. It is my second day of hold and the world looks so different. With DLMT, I had a hard time telling if I was in withdrawal because the discomfort accumulated so slowly that I could not put a finger on the cause. It took me holds to realize that I could unwind just by pausing taper.

 

:thumbsup: